Broken Together (60 page)

“We
were going to ask Kadyn and Shae.” I choked on a sob. “Tell Rafael I’m sorry.
If anything happens to the baby… tell him I understand.”

Jase
eyed me worriedly. “Understand what?”

“If
he wants to leave me. Please, make sure Rafael gets the letters. They’re in the
office on the desk.”

“Rafael
will never leave you.” That low, lethal tone was back.

Brady
ran the light. He merged onto I-395.

I
shook my head. I dared to believe that once, but I knew better now. Nothing
destroys a relationship more quickly than the loss of a child. “My chest hurts,”
I whispered.

“Her
breathing is shallow, like she’s not getting enough air.” My mother sounded
stressed.

 “Try
to focus on your breathing… deep, calming breaths,” Jase encouraged.

 “Shit!”
Brady yelled. “Rush hour should be over by now.”

“Turn
your hazard lights on and take the shoulder. I’ll dial 911.” Jase’s phone rang.
“It’s Rafael.”

My
head swam when I tried to sit up. “What is that awful smell?” I could smell
something burning. The smell reminded me of the smoldering vehicle outside San
Fernando, Mexico. “I think I’m going to be sick.”

“
Kristine!
”
Rafael’s voice was pure anguish.

How
I longed to pull him through the Bluetooth.

A
low hum pulsed through my bones before the world fell dark.

*
* * * *

“Kristine?”

“Rafael?”

“No,
Mrs. Garcia, it’s Dr. Meinig. How are you feeling?”

I
sifted through sluggish thoughts. “Dizzy and tired.” My hand flew to my stomach
as understanding dawned. Panic seized my heart. “Is the baby okay?”

“The
baby is fine. We have you hooked up to a fetal monitor.” He turned the volume
up so the baby’s heartbeat entwined with mine.

I
breathed a small sigh of relief while tears crept from my eyes. “What
happened?”

“You
suffered a grand mal seizure on the way to the hospital. We’re treating you
with magnesium sulfate and Zofran to help with the nausea. We’re waiting for a
delivery room to open up so we can deliver your baby.”

The
room spun when I tried to sit up. “Are you sure the baby’s okay? Is he in
danger if we wait?”

He
glanced at the monitor. “No. The baby is fine. It’s you I’m worried about.”

I
reached for his hand and missed. I blinked. Twice. I still couldn’t see
straight. “If he’s okay, can we wait until Rafael arrives?”

Mom
sat next to me on the bed. “Rafael is still seven hours away.”

The
vise on my heart tightened. “Please,” I begged. “Don’t make me face this
without him.”

She
pulled me into her arms. “Shhh. Krissy, you need to stay calm.” She plucked a
few tissues from the tissue box and gently dabbed my face.

Dr.
Meinig turned toward the monitor when an alarm sounded. “Please, you need to
lie down.” He helped me roll onto my left side. “If you lie on your left side,
we can increase blood flow to the baby.” He looked at my mom. “What time is Mr.
Garcia due to arrive?”

She
glanced at her watch. “He should be here by six o’clock.”

He
took a deep breath and blew it out.

Mom
tucked a pillow inside my arms. “Rafael left as soon as he heard, honey. Thank
God he was done testifying.”

Dr.
Meinig adjusted the fetal monitor belt. “I can’t make any promises, but I’ll
try to delay a few more hours. We’ll see how your body responds to the
magnesium sulfate.” He turned the volume down on the monitors, studied them
briefly, and jotted a few notes in my chart. “I’ll check back in a half hour. I
have another patient who is in labor right now. You’re not allowed out of bed. The
magnesium sulfate compromises your vision and stability. Please use the call
button if you need anything. No food or water for the rest of the day.”

I
tried to relax. “Thank you, Dr. Meinig.”

Mom
rose from the bed. “Do you mind if I invite your father, Brady, and Jase in? I’m
sure they’re sick with worry.”

“No.
That’s fine.” I was too tired to maintain any sort of conversation, but I knew
I’d find their presence comforting.

Dad
strode in first. “How are you feeling?”

“Just
ducky.” My head hurt but no longer to the extreme where I’d welcome death.

“I
can tell,” he joked. “What kind of fashion statement is this?” He mussed my
hair.

I
tried to smooth the tangled mess. “I fried it during the seizure.”

Dad
laughed. He dropped a kiss on my cheek before claiming the chair next to the
bed.

Mom
pulled a comb from the tub of supplies lying on the nightstand next to the bed.
She started working through the knots. “Wow. I can’t even remember the last
time I combed your hair.”

Jase
squeezed my foot. “I’m demanding hazard pay. I thought I was going to have a
heart attack. Brady came this close to rolling the car on the exit ramp.” He
held two fingers up about an inch apart.

“They
dispatched an ambulance and a police escort, but I beat them to the hospital. I
hate the beltway,” Brady grumbled.

I
reached for his hand.

He
gave me a hug instead. “I’m glad you’re okay.”

Jase
sank onto the padded bench beneath the window. “Kadyn and Shae are on their
way.”

I
bit back a smile. “I hope she brings her Scrabble game.”

Jase
chuckled. The tension eased from his face.

“Rest,”
Mom whispered.

My
eyes closed, gratefully. “I wish Rafael was here.”

“Me
too,” she admitted softly.

I
frowned before my eyes flew open. “I think my water broke.”

Mom
rushed to my side. She lifted the blanket and stumbled back. “Get the nurse.”

Jase
bolted from the room. “Emergency! Room six-twenty-nine!” Footsteps pounded down
the hall.

“Oh,
God,” I cried. Blood soaked the sheet beneath me.

Kadyn
hit the call button just as the machines began to alarm. He too ran from the
room. “We need a nurse!”

Mom
grasped my hand. She placed her other hand on my stomach. “Please, Lord, lay
your healing hands on my child. Protect my daughter and her baby. Keep them
safe from harm. Guide their doctors and nurses…”

A
cramp tore through me. I doubled over in pain. “The priest, Mom. Please, I want
the baby baptized right away.”

“I’ll
find the priest.” Shae hurried from the room.

Four
nurses rushed in with Kadyn. One grabbed the fetal monitor strip while another peered
beneath the blanket. “We have to deliver the baby. Now.”

My
heart ground to a complete stop. “Where’s Dr. Meinig?”

“Page
the anesthesiologist and the OR. We need B positive blood sent STAT,” the nurse
ordered.

The
nurse next to her plowed into Jase before fleeing the room.

My
parents kissed me. “We’ll be praying the whole time, honey. We’ll be right here
waiting for you and the baby.”

One
nurse grabbed the IV and piled the monitors on the bed while the other two pulled
the rails up, released the brakes, and wheeled me toward the door. “Mrs. Garcia,
we need to perform an emergency C-section. You’ll have to go under general
anesthesia. I need your consent for a blood transfusion. There are risks…”

My
ears began to ring. “Yes. I’ll accept the risks. Where’s Dr. Meinig? Someone
needs to call Dr. Meinig and my husband.” My entire body began to shake.

Jase
appeared. “Rafael is here. He just texted me from downstairs.”

“I
want to see him,” I pleaded. “Please, I need to apologize. I need to say
goodbye.”

“Your
husband can’t be inside the operating room, not when you’re going under general
anesthesia.” Everyone squeezed inside the elevator.

“What
floor are we heading to?” Jase demanded.

“Two,”
the nurse answered. “Sir, this is a staff only elevator.”

Jase
shot off a quick text. “I’m Kristine’s bodyguard. I go where she goes.”

“You
won’t be allowed inside the operating room,” she warned.

The
alarms grew louder.

“She’s
tachycardic. She’s going into shock.”

The
elevator dinged. The doors slid open.

My
stomach cramped again.

“Mrs.
Garcia? I’m Father McHugh. I’m here to baptize your baby. May I administer the
Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick?”

“Yes.”
My chin quivered.

He
pulled a small vial from his pocket. “Do you wish to make a confession?”

Everything
blurred as the bed picked up speed. “It has been three weeks since my last
confession.” I tried to list my sins. My thoughts were so muddied, I couldn’t
identify a single one. “I’ve been on bed rest. I don’t believe I have any sins
to confess.”

He
spread oil on my forehead with his thumb while making the sign of the cross.
“Through this holy anointing, may our Lord Jesus Christ in love and mercy help
you with the grace of the Holy Spirit.” He did the same with my hands. “May the
Lord Jesus Christ who frees you from sin save you and raise you up.”

Frankincense
and Myrrh tickled my nose. With a deep, shuddering breath, my eyes slid closed.

Jase
squeezed my hand. We swerved around the corner at a nauseating rate of speed.

My
eyes flew open.

“Room
three!” someone shouted.

“I’m
here!” Dr. Meinig yelled. He was breathing hard by the time he reached us. “Kristine,
we can do this. I promise, we’ll take good care of you and your baby.”

Tears
dampened my cheeks. “Is the baby okay?”

He
glanced at the monitors. “His heartbeat is erratic, as is yours. I’m afraid
you’ve both lost a great deal of blood. He may have lost oxygen as a result. We
need to deliver him now.”

I
shivered. “I’m so cold. Why am I so cold?”

Jase
kissed my forehead. “I’ll be standing right outside the door.”

“Kristine!”

The
bed slowed.

The
doors to the operating room pressed inward.

Rafael
lunged for me. “I love you. I will always love you. No matter what.”

“I
love you too,” I sobbed. “I’m so sorry. I never meant to hurt the baby.”

He
reached for Jase as the doors slid closed.

“Knock
her out!” Dr. Meinig yelled. Now!”

“I’m
working as fast as I can,” a disembodied voice answered.

They
transferred me to the operating table. Paper crinkled all around me.

My
teeth chattered. The table shook right along with me.

Something
cold splashed against my stomach.

I
flinched. My stomach cramped again.

Someone
held my shoulders and legs in place.

Alarms
sounded again.

Dr.
Meinig’s eyes appeared between a cap and a mask. He held a scalpel in his hand.
“Hurry,” he snarled.

“Please,
just take the baby. I don’t care how much it hurts!” I prayed for the scalpel
to pierce my skin.

Someone
smoothed a hand over my head. “We’re praying for you,” she whispered.

“Okay,
brave girl, count back from one-hundred.”

I
forced the numbers through clenched teeth. “One-hundred, ninety-nine…”

Darkness
welcomed me once again.

*
* * * *

“Mon
coeur.”

My
eyes flew open. I shook my head, then shook it again. White whispered all
around me. “Am I in Greece?”

Michael
laughed.

Tears
pooled along my lashes. I never thought I’d hear that sound again. I sat up,
expecting pain. There was none. “Michael?” I whispered.

He
smiled when our eyes finally met.

My
heart skipped a couple of beats.

He
stepped a little closer.
“Tu m'as manqué.”

“I’ve
missed you too.” I stared at the little girl in his arms. I knew with every
fiber of my being this was the child I’d lost. Relief and an overwhelming sense
of joy washed over me. I always pictured them together, but now I knew. Michael
and Genevieve were truly together.

“Are
you happy?” He sounded more curious than anything.

I
tore my eyes from Genevieve. “Sometimes. Mostly, I’m scared.”

“Don’t
be.” He touched my hand. Peace settled over me like a warm blanket on a chilly
night. “I want you to be happy.”

“Are
we dead?” The thought wasn’t as alarming as I thought it would be.

He
shook his head. “Love never dies.”

“I
poured your ashes in the ocean,” I whispered.

“An
act of love,” Michael replied.

A
tear slid silently down my cheek. “You died trying to save me.”

“Also
an act of love.” His thumb traced the cross on my hand before he stole the tear
from my cheek. “How many lives have you saved?”

“I’m
not sure.” Jean and Kadyn were the only two people who came to mind.

He
smiled. “There are more than you could possibly count, although most are
unaware of that fact.”

I
eyed him curiously. Michael didn’t have the same effect he used to have on me.
There was no passion… no physical attraction… only love. Although, I was
hesitant to say “only,” because that love felt all-encompassing.

He
tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. “You need to go back. He’s not finished
with you yet.”

I
nodded. While there was a part of me that longed to remain with Michael and
Genevieve, I was okay with that. I caressed my daughter’s cheek. Her smile was
truly glorious.

Michael
kissed my forehead. “Take care of my brother… and our girl.”

I
stared at him, thoroughly confused. “Our girl?” How could I care for Genevieve
when she was here with him?

Michael
laughed. “God has a wonderful sense of humor.”

*
* * * *

A
cool hand pressed against my cheek. “Mrs. Garcia, can you open your eyes?”

Lead
weights held them firmly in place. I shook my head, then groaned. Pain
ricocheted through my entire body.

A
light pierced my eyes. “Ow! What is it with you people and those obnoxious
lights?”

A
woman chuckled. “She’s awake all right.”

“My
name is Mary. I’m a nurse at Fairfax Hospital. Do you remember why you’re here?”

I
bolted upright. Pain ripped through my lower abdomen. I sucked in air.

Strong
hands captured my shoulders and eased me down again. “Easy. You don’t want to
pull your stitches.”

My
hand flew to my stomach. “My baby. Oh, God! The baby.” I began to sob.

The
monitor alarmed.

“Mrs.
Garcia, you need to calm down. Breathe with me. In… Out… Good. Deeper this time.
In… Out… That’s better.” Mary smoothed my hair back so it no longer covered my
eyes. “Your baby is in the NICU. She’s a fighter just like you.”

“She?”
I managed through strangled tears.

“Your
husband had the same reaction.” Mary chuckled.

I
grasped her hand. “Rafael. Is he with her?”

“Yes.
He asked me to call the NICU as soon as you came to. He’ll meet you back in
your room.”

I
shook my head. “I don’t want him to leave the baby.”

She
eyed the monitor again. “Your husband needs to know his wife is okay. I’m going
to call down to the NICU, then we’ll wheel you to your room.”

My
eyes slid closed while I breathed through the pain. A million unanswered
questions remained.

Mary
hesitated. “On a scale of one to ten, how would you rate your pain?”

I
forced my eyes open again. “Nine. Ten when I move.”

“The
Fentanyl must have worn off. Dr. Meinig ordered Morphine. I’ll get that started
for you.” She tugged the curtain aside, then walked away.

I
tried to organize my thoughts.

Mary
breezed back in. “I’m going to add the Morphine to your IV. You’re going to
feel some pressure on your neck that will creep over your head and settle over
you like a heavy blanket. Don’t worry. That’s perfectly normal.”

My
wrist hit the railing on the bed. “I don’t want Morphine. I want to see the
baby, and I can’t think straight when I’m on pain medication.”

The
pity that flashed in her eyes was quickly hidden away. “You’ll be on magnesium
sulfate for the next two days. You won’t be allowed out of bed as long as
you’re on that medication. I’m sorry, but you won’t be able to see your
daughter until you’re off that medication.”

My
heart beat frantically. “I won’t see my baby for two days? What… what if she
doesn’t make it?” I hadn’t a clue what kind of shape she was in. The monitor
alarmed when I started crying again.

“I’m
sorry, Mrs. Garcia. The magnesium sulfate is not optional. Your blood pressure
is too high. You’re still at risk for seizures. Pain drives your blood pressure
even higher. So, I’m going to add the Morphine.” She pushed the syringe into
the IV. “There. Let’s see if that doesn’t help.”

I
shook my head. I couldn’t risk pain medication. I needed a clear head. I needed
to see my baby before… before… “Ugh.” The pressure on my neck was
unbelievable
.
I shivered when the Morphine crept over my head. My body filled with cement. “That
feels awful.”

“Just
give it a minute.” Mary smiled when my shoulders relaxed. She watched the
monitor while the cuff on my arm puffed up again. “That should do the trick.
Are you ready to see your husband?”

“No.”
I didn’t want him to leave the baby.
How could they keep me from my baby?
I closed my eyes so I wouldn’t have to deal with Mary.

My
eyes flew open when a man wearing green scrubs began moving the bed. I squeezed
them shut again. I was already dizzy enough.

Two
metal doors popped open.

“Krissy!”
Mom cried. She walked hurriedly alongside the bed. “How are you feeling?”

“Tired…
dizzy… and sore. How long have I been out?”

My
father jogged up beside her. “A little over two hours. Rafael’s with the baby
now.”

I
shook my head. “My nurse called the NICU. He’s meeting us in my room.” I closed
my eyes against all of the moving objects. “Will you sit with her while he’s
with me? She shouldn’t be alone.”