FG 3 - The Wedding Blitz (14 page)

“He never woke up this morning,” I heard a snippet of the conversation causing my dormant heart to suddenly pound alive. Were they talking about Riley?

“We’re going to have to quarantine the rooms,” Dr.
Pohren
nodded grimly.  

“I’m going to stay with, Joie,” Hawkins murmured. “The news of his death will terrify her.”

I felt my lungs swell with a sudden cry, “What’s going on?”

But my hoarse voice was quick drowned out by Hawkins’ mom’s shouting. “I can’t believe you’re going to risk your health by staying with her when she put your father in dialysis! And now we know whatever she has killed that boy!”   

“My god, is Riley dead?!” I finally mustered up enough strength to shout overtop of her.

Hawkins turned around with a sad look on his face, which made my heart drop even more but then he quickly explained, “No, it’s not him.”

I didn’t know if Hawkins looked sad because of who had died or because I had overheard all the nasty things his mom was accusing me of but I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that knowing Riley was still okay helped ease me back into my bed again.

“But it might as well be Riley next,” his mother huffed. “That Nielson guy had the same rash as everyone else and now
he’s
dead.”

“Nielson guy?”
I felt my face pinch since I didn’t recognize the name.

“Mom, that’s
enough
,” Hawkins hissed. “There’s no way of knowing if Joie gave this to dad or not and blaming her isn’t going to help anyone.”

“She was sick the night the both of you visited us,” his mom countered. “It’s not that difficult to put two and two together, Joshua.”

“Yeah because of the baby,” Hawkins stressed. “If you want to blame someone so badly, why don’t you blame dad? He was sick that night too,” he reminded her. “He couldn’t even eat, remember?”

             
“That was from food poisoning,” she emphasized.

             
“How can you be so sure?”

             
“Because he couldn’t keep anything down after he ate at that…that pagan feast,” she said disgustedly.

             
“What…
feast
?” Dr.
Pohren
asked.

“That’s just what I call it,” she explained. “We were a part of a tour that visited a group of Bushmen just outside of Johannesburg and while we were there they slaughtered a wild boar and fed it to us. Well I didn’t eat it because of my religious beliefs but Jack did.”

“You took a trip to
Africa
?” Dr.
Pohren
stressed like this was information he would have liked to have known. 

“Well yes, why?” his mother obviously didn’t like the sound of his tone.

“How long ago was the trip?” he continued intently.

“A little over a week ago,” she shrugged. “I really don’t see how this has—

“Nurse!”
Dr.
Pohren
called after a woman passing by in hospital scrubs. “I’m going to need to get more blood work done on all the patients. Test for African
Trypanosomiasis
, Dengue,
Eupus
Trepadix
and other infectious diseases that originate from Africa.”

“What’s going on?” his mother asked with alarm as she looked from the doctor to the nurse.

“We’re quarantining the rooms,” Dr.
Pohren’s
skin turned a ghostly white as he glanced over his shoulder at me. “That’s what’s going on,” he muttered under his breath before quickly turning to leave the room. 

“I still don’t understand,” his mom look utterly perturbed. “What does this mean, Joshua?”

“It means that Joie didn’t give that rash to dad. He gave it to her, mom,” he sighed and for once Hawkins’ mom looked embarrassed as it finally dawned on her.

“Who’s Nielson?” I asked Hawkins once he rejoined my side and his mom had retreated back to her husband’s room.

“Nielson Gray’s the guy who attacked you the other night,” his eyes locked with mine. “The guy Robert Vance fired.”

“He licked my face,” I whispered with the realization.

“Something I bet, he probably wished he wouldn’t have done, if he were still alive today,” Hawkins added darkly.

“Where are you going?!” we overheard someone shout from the hallway. “This room’s restricted from visitors. He has a highly contagious disease.”

“Then admit me into the hospital too,” I overheard Rob Harlow say. “Either way I’m going in there.”

“Rob what are you doing?” Hawkins called after him. “They’re about to quarantine the place.”

“What I should have done a long time ago,” he glanced over his shoulder at us before turning the handle on Riley’s hospital room door. “Be by Riley’s side.”

X
             
             
             
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When our obstetrician, Penelope Cross, finally arrived an hour later, she looked like she was prepped for surgery with all of the special protective clothing, gloves, boot covers, hairnet and face mask. 

“Hi Joie,” I could tell she was smiling because it reached her blue eyes. “It’s good to see both of you again,” she looked over at Hawkins. “I just wish it was under better circumstances.”

“The staff has brought me up to date with your health status and the test results show that you’ve been infected with the
Eupus
Trepadix
or more commonly known as the NBT4 Virus. It’s a type of virus that usually goes undetected in developing countries like Africa from a lack of awareness. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, rash, and dehydration brought on by kidney and liver failure.”

“They’re reluctant to start you on the traditional antiviral medication because there are risks that you both need to be made aware of,” she emphasized. “Antiviral medicines like
Lamiflu
, haven’t been thoroughly tested on pregnant women, at least enough for us to know how it will affect the baby. In some rare cases it has induced labor and since you’re only twelve weeks along, you’d be risking the baby’s life, but if we don’t start the medicine soon then you’ll be risking both the baby’s and
your
life.”

I could feel the panic crawl up my throat as I blurted out the question, “What do I do?”

“In this case you have to ask yourself does the potential benefit justify the potential risk to the fetus.”  

“What do you think?” Hawkins asked Dr. Cross.

“I believe it does, but I can’t make the decision for you.”

“Joie, I can’t lose you
and
the baby,” Hawkins stressed.

“Abigail, you can’t lose me and Abigail,” I corrected him. “We gave her a name Hawkins.”

“Even still Joie…”

“What are her chances of surviving this on her own?” Hawkins asked Dr. Cross.

“Minimal.”

“I’m not as bad as Riley or his dad,” I stated in my defense causing Hawkins and Dr. Cross to exchange a look.

“Joie,” Hawkins spoke to me gently. “You’re getting worse, even your skin is turning slightly yellow.”

“Oh, so there’s no other choice. Okay…I can do this,” I tried to convince myself as tears suddenly welled up in my eyes. “We can do this…,” I placed a hand on my belly.

“You’re not alone in this, Joie,” Hawkins lovingly searched my eyes, “The
three
of us are in this together and remember if you don’t make it god forbid then Abigail has no chance at all.”

“You’re right… I know…I’ll take the medicine then,” I nodded more surely.

I couldn’t help but cry though, through the entire process of getting hooked up to the IV for the medicine. When everyone finally left, Hawkins pulled me in closer against his chest so we could cry together.

The first few hours were the scariest but Hawkins kept my mind preoccupied with updates on Riley’s status. “Apparently, Harlow told the medical staff to just give him the medicine too because he wasn’t leaving Riley’s side. You should see them. They’re both hooked up to IVs and Rob’s holding Riley’s hand while he sleeps. I think it’s kind of badass. What’s a little epidemic when it comes to
Riri
?” he smiled at Rob’s pet name for Riley. “Harlow says he the one, Joie. He doesn’t seem to care who sees him either even if there haven’t been that many of the crew to pass through here. I guess the NBT4 virus had only spread among us, thankfully. When you think about what could have happened…” he drifted off. 

“How did the virus spread then?” I wondered. “You’re
right,
if it was airborne everyone at the Gorge would be in the hospital by now.”

“Probably by some sort of direct contact, I assume,” Hawkins shrugged.

“So I got it from you’re father…when he…kissed me the first night we met!” I suddenly remembered. “But then how did the others catch it? We know Nielson Gray licked my face but what about Lizzie and everyone else?”

“Well don’t look at me,” Hawkins snickered, “I didn’t kiss her.”

“But Warren does,” I tried to put the pieces together. “But then who did he kiss? Surely no one, he’s crazy about Lizzie.” 

“The only thing besides Lizzie that Warren likes to wrap his lips around is another can of Budweiser,” Hawkins joked, but the smile quickly faded from his face as he sank back into his seat. “Unless he didn’t get it by a kiss, but from drinking something contaminated instead,” he whispered to himself. “Like when he drank from my dad’s Champaign glass the night at our engagement party because I wouldn’t.”

I could already hear the guilt in his voice so I quickly added, “It’s not your fault that Warren has a drinking problem. You didn’t force him to drink anything.”

“I know, but I could have prevented it.”

“Not for long, not the way we live together on the tour bus.”

“I guess you’re right,” he slowly nodded.

“So Warren then kissed Lizzie,” I started to connect the dots. “And that’s how she got infected but then how did Riley get it? He threw up the day next day and I know it may sound suspicious but I did not kiss him!”

“No
you
didn’t,” he added sheepishly.

“Whoa wait—you kissed Riley?”

“Okay, okay let’s not jump to conclusions,” he said a bit hastily. “I asked for his blessing seeing that he’s the closest thing you have to father and I think the gesture meant a lot to him.”

“So Riley kissed you?” my smile grew wider.

“It was more like we leant in for a hug and he went to give me a peck on the cheek and somehow we…missed,” Hawkins face slightly flushed with embarrassment.

“You better hope Harlow doesn’t find out about it,” I joked.

             
“You don’t have to worry about that,” his blue eyes widened. “I hadn’t planned on telling him or anyone else, for that matter. I mean, aside from you just now.”

             
“Ah huh, I see how it is player. It only took a small outbreak for me to see your true ways.”

“Sorry but you can’t have Riley all to yourself,” he grinned knowingly. 

“Whatever—” I quickly changed the subject. “Has Lizzie come in with Warren yet?”

             
“They arrived early this morning,” he nodded. “She’s just down the hallway. I think they plan to use the floor for only patients who have been exposed.”

             
“How are they doing?”

             
“They look exhausted and weak like you do but they’re doing better than my dad and Riley.”

             
“Do you think they’ll fully recover once the medicine’s in their system?”

             
“There’s no way of knowing, Riley’s young and healthy but my dad’s has been infected with the virus the longest and believe it or not he looks worse than when he came in, probably worse than Riley. At least the medicine has been working…” he glanced up at my IV bag and continued, “So far.”

“I just keep thinking, what if something happens? And Abigail,” I suddenly became emotional again, “Doesn’t even have a proper last name.”

“Hey, hey,” Hawkins joined my side again to comfort me, “The baby’s both of ours, whether we have some stupid marriage certificate or not. Besides, Riley’s going to need something to help pull him through this, like planning our wedding extravaganza.”

“That’s true,” I sniffed as I smiled. “It has become a little bit of an obsession for him.”

“You think?” Hawkins smirked just as his mother poked her head in through the door causing both of us to turn and look.

“Can I come in?”

“Mom, of course you can,” Hawkins said as she walked in looking a tad bit out of her element.

“I may be an old broad who’s too proud but I can admit when I’m wrong. I’m sorry, Joie for accusing you of something you had no part in.”