Imperfect Love (35 page)

“No! Are you insane? I told you Jamie’s father wasn’t married.”

“Then how did you get the supplement?”

“Mom, really!”

“He has a son...” she trailed off.

Holly froze. Her mother had untangled the riddle her father had been bugging her about.

“It was him! That little asswipe. He’s just been nominated for an award, you know that, right?”

“What? He’s only an intern.”

“Holly, P&E is a family business. He performed major head surgery, removing four tumors with some doctor from China. It was a huge medical miracle, one where the patient woke without any complications. They felt they needed to give him an award for his assistance.”

Holly felt the air leave her lungs.
Breathe
, she ordered herself.

“What is it, baby girl?”

“Further confirmation that he’s gone on with his life, winning awards and whatnot like nothing else has happened in it, and here I am fighting for mine and our baby’s.”

“Is that why you are going through all of this?”

“No, Mom. I want this baby. I don’t care how he feels about me, and even though in the beginning I didn’t want her as much as he did, our roles reversed.”

Jane frowned. “He wanted the baby?”

“Don’t, please.”

“It doesn’t make any sense, Holly. Men don’t just—”

“Mom, please!”

“Fine, I’ll leave it. But if he crosses my path, rest assured, I will strangle him.”

Holly giggled despite the situation when a picture formed in her head; a deranged, older woman attacking a much younger man and strangling him, whilst hanging on for dear life off of his back.

Apparently, Jane had the same vision and she, too, started to giggle. “Why do these things happen? You know this baby will more than likely be the spitting image of that rat bastard?”

“I’ve made peace with that.”

“Honey, I’m truly worried about you.”

“You, Mom, aren’t the only one.”

By now, Jane was sitting on the bed. She leaned forward, resting her head close to Holly’s. “Well, I’m here now. It’s going to be okay.”

“Thanks for coming, Mom. Means more to me than you’ll know. Don’t ever say anything, but Dad isn’t one of the most understanding beings out there.”

“I don’t know how you’ve managed to live with him. I can just imagine what Gabriella is like.”

“You mean Gabby. Or Plastic Gabby, as Penelope calls her.”

“Penelope?” Jane queried, eyebrows raised.

“A lovely lady. She’s an employee of Dad’s, runs the house, while Gabby sips on cocktails and goes for spa treatments.”

Her mother shook her head. “To think of all the things I did for that man.”

“Don’t think about it, Mom. It’s not worth it.”

“I bet he has it all, right?”

“Don’t even get me started. It would only infuriate you more, and then you might turn into a serial killer.”

Her mother laughed out loud. “He’s so not worth it. But Jake Peters is.”

“Don’t tell Dad, please. You know what he’s like, and I really don’t want Jake to find out I’ve kept the baby. I don’t have the money to sue him.”

“No, you don’t. But your father does.”

“Mom, forget it. He’s done more than enough, and I am grateful. Still, I can’t help but wonder what he’s going to want in return when all this is over.”

“Hopefully, nothing. Or I will fucking kill him.”

Holly snorted.

“Just be thankful right along with me for now. Pretty please?” Holly smirked.

“Oh, okay. I promise.” Jane rolled her eyes.

“Where are you staying?”

“Nowhere, yet. I’ll book myself into a motel or something.”

“I can always ask Dad—”

“Hold it right there, young lady. I can think of four words. Over. My. Dead. Body.” Jane punctuated every word with her index finger. It was quite comical.

Holly giggled. “I’m sure that can be arranged.”

“Funny,” Jane replied, sarcastically. “You need your rest, and I desperately need coffee. Try to get some shut-eye.”

“Thanks, Mom.” Holly watched her mother get up and walk to the door. “Mom,” she called.

Jane turned back. “What is it, sweetheart?”

“Thank you for coming. I’ve really missed you.”

“My pleasure. And ditto that, baby girl.”

Holly smiled and closed her eyes at her mother’s words.

HOLLY WASN’T RELEASED FROM HOSPITAL the next day as she’d hoped. Doctor Rikus requested she stay as she’d been admitted four times in the past month. In case she took a turn for the worst, he wanted her close by so he could attend to her immediately.

By the third week, Jane busied herself in trying to make Holly’s room a bit more homey, buying a crystal vase in which she arranged a variety of beautiful and bright flowers. She also made sure that the staff replaced the flowers every second day, and that the cost was to be added to Charles’ account.

Holly thought it hilarious. She also thought her father would bitch and moan about it all, but he uttered not one word.

Gabby miraculously appeared for a visit every time her mother happened to be there. She really was a shallow bitch. Jane, however, took it all in her stride and made herself scarce by announcing she needed coffee or something to eat every time they waltzed into her room.

The four weeks Holly spent in hospital went by ever so slowly, at least that’s how it felt, but when Holly finally reached twenty-four weeks in her pregnancy, she felt as if the hospital’s walls were going to suffocate her.

Dr. Rikus did everything in his power to make it as comfortable for her as possible. He’d really turned out to be one amazing doctor, for which Holly was deeply thankful.

One morning, Holly woke up to the sound of the alarm on the fetal monitor, and a terrible pain in her lower abdomen. The heartbeat seemed much more rapid than usual. She knew it was supposed to be fast but somehow that didn’t make her feel any better. She reached for the emergency button and pressed it.

Two nurses immediately ran into her room.

“What’s wrong?” one asked.

“Look.” Holly pointed at the monitor, which had both nurses smiling. “And my belly hurts.”

The expression on their faces changed rapidly.

“Call Dr. Rikus,” one nurse said to the other, who immediately rushed out of the room.

Holly continued to stare at the monitor. Something deep inside her didn’t feel right, though. The pain in her abdomen was constant, not like a Braxton Hicks contraction. Whatever it was, she couldn’t even guess at.

Dr. Rikus ran into her room, closely followed by Jane.

The look on her face was one of question, showing that they hadn’t come together. Her eyes widened the minute she saw all the doctors and nurses in the room.

“What is going on?” She ran to Holly’s side.

“Baby’s heartbeat picked up.”

“That’s a good sign, sweetheart.” Jane smiled at her, holding Holly’s hand tightly, while Dr. Rikus checked the monitor.

“I’m not feeling too well, though. It hurts.”

“Where?” asked Dr. Rikus, his face serious.

“My abdomen hurts.”

“I need an ultrasound, now!” he barked, to no one in particular.

“Is something wrong with the baby?”

“No, it sounds good, but I have to make sure that she’s doing okay.”

Holly breathed deeply and smiled. “She’s getting better.”

“It seems like that’s the case, but we will confirm it shortly, Holly,” he reasoned, just as the ultrasound machine was rolled into the room.

Doctor Rikus began examining her belly.

Jane didn’t take her eyes off the monitor, smiling when she saw the baby, but gasped a couple of seconds later.

“What is it, Mom?” Holly asked, panic setting in.

Dr. Rikus looked at Jane, concern lacing his eyes. “You have twins in your family?”

“Twins?” Holly was dumbfounded.

“Holly had a twin. We lost Jamie to leukemia about ten years ago. Is that…”

Dr. Rikus nodded, an expression of shock and surprise on his face.

“What? I am here, you know!” By now, Holly was frustrated and worried.

“There are two, baby girl.”

“Two what?”

“Babies! You’re pregnant with twins.”

“What! How is that even possible? There was one just a minute ago.”

“No,” said Dr. Rikus. “There were always two. It’s just that one sometimes hides behind the other. And that makes it hard to pick up as in some cases, their hearts beat in synchronization. Just let me check a few things on the sneaky one.”

The doctor suddenly cussed, which wasn’t good practice. It had to have been something worth swearing over. His entire posture changed.

“What now? I don’t think I can handle any more revelations!” Holly felt like she was going to pass out.

“It looks like the second baby’s placenta is separating from your uterus. She can’t get oxygen without it, and you, my dear, are bleeding. Get me the other monitor, like yesterday, people!” he barked.

The poor nurses jumped in fright and scrambled out of the room at his command.

“What’s wrong, Doctor Rikus?” Charles eventually asked, having joined them without anyone noticing.

“We have to find what caused the change in heartbeat.”

When the second monitor was brought in—one that had the ability to detect both heartbeats—the doctor immediately strapped the band around Holly’s belly, removing the first one.

Holly, Jane and Charles simultaneously gasped at the difference in the girls’ heartbeat. One was clearly struggling.

“We have to get them out.”

“What? Are you insane? It’s only twenty-four weeks!” Holly couldn’t contain her tears.

“We have no choice, Holly. This is their only chance at survival. We need to deliver them, and now.”

Holly’s own heart beat uncontrollably.

“It’s okay, baby girl. Deep breaths,” her mother whispered, holding on tight to her daughter’s hand as the nurses began preparing Holly for what was to come.

Holly tears turned to heart-wrenching sobs. “They aren’t going to make it. How can they? They are too tiny.”

“They?” asked Charles in apparent shock, eyes widening, clearly not having cottoned on to the fact that two babies were being talked about.

Nodding, Holly sobbed her confirmation. “I’m pregnant with twins, Dad.”

Charles’ eyes seemed to widen even further, but he said no more.

Jane had tears in her eyes, too. And all Charles could do after the news he’d just received was rub his hands together. If he kept that up, he’d rub all his skin off, so much was his worry.

“Shh, don’t think like that. It’s a miracle you carried them for this long. They will be fine, Holly. I know it. I can feel it, and I’ll pray like I’ve never prayed before. Just stay strong, okay?” Jane smiled down at Holly, albeit if it had ended up being a wobbly one.

Holly nodded, but she didn’t feel as her mother did. She was terrified, not for her life, but for the lives of her babies. Should she live and the babies not, she didn’t know how she could possibly be able to handle such a tragedy, if she’d handle it at all. If that happened, fate was a cruel motherfucker.

Holly was wheeled into the operating room. Everything was happening so fast; her head was spinning, her heart was beating erratically, and she was praying all the while that her babies would be saved.

The anesthesiologist arrived and began his preparations. The only other doctor they were still waiting on was the neonatologist, Dr. Edwards.

“Don’t worry, Holly. Dr. Edwards is one of the best, if not the best in the world. If he can’t pull these two babies through, nobody can.”

Holly managed a nod and felt her body going numb, the epidural was kicking in. They connected her to a fancy surgical monitor while they waited for Doctor Edwards.

The anesthesiologist was on the phone, saying something about needing blood.

She caught Doctor Rikus’ eyes. “Can my mom come in, please? She’s a nurse.”

He nodded once, and one of the nurses led her mother to another room to change into scrubs.

Everything happened extremely fast after that. The room was spinning out of control, and Doctor Rikus’ voice, as well as the nurses’ turned into dull sounds.

Holly took a couple of deep breaths, all the while keeping vigil on the door. She had never panicked like that before. Her heartbeat pounded way too fast, yet it felt as if she could hear every single beat.

The last figure she saw before the world went quiet and black, was Jake hurtling into the room and into view. Then a beep emanated from the monitor.

Holly woke in a panic. She wasn’t in the OR anymore, nor was she in her private room. She didn’t feel the ache in her heart, quite the opposite in fact—peace. It was the most amazing feeling ever.

But there was something she needed to remember which was odd, but she couldn’t recall what that something was. The feeling inside her was wonderful, she couldn’t explain it other than the fact that it was pure serenity. She usually only felt that for a mere second before her reality crashed down on her, but what that reality was she didn’t know, either.

A gentle hand touched her shoulder and she moved her head to the side. It was like she was looking in a mirror, but when the image smiled, Holly shook her head.

The image, however, didn’t mimic her action.

“Jamie?” Holly whispered.

Her sister laughed, tears evident in her eyes.

“How is this possible?” Holly grabbed her sister around the neck.

“You know it’s not normal if you’re able to see me, Holls Polls.”

Holly’s heart skipped a beat at the nickname Jamie had always called her by. “I don’t care. I’ve missed you so damn much.”

“I have missed you, too. But you can’t stay. You can still go back.”

“Still go back? Where?”

“You know where.”

Holly tried to think, but it was like her mind was blank. She looked at Jamie and shook her head.

“You know. I haven’t been with you for a long time. Think about what happened to me, Holls Polls. Think, please. It’s important.”

An awful sadness filled Holly, and then images of Jamie’s coffin filled her head. She saw her mother crying and screaming while she just stood there, watching her best friend and sister being whisked away from her.

“No! It can’t be. Am I dead?”

“You can still go back. Your babies need you, Mom needs you, and he…” Jamie trailed off, closing her eyes.

“He? Who are you talking about?”

Jamie opened her eyes. “Secrets; there are a few you need to unlock. You need to go back, Holly, and figure out the truth. You
have
to go back. You must take care of those beautiful girls and find your happiness again.”

“I’m happy now.”

“Follow Mom’s path, it will lead you to the truth.”

“Mom’s path? What do you mean?”

“You will know when you wake up.”

All of a sudden, Jamie screamed, “Now, wake up!”

Holly’s eyes flew open.

“She’s back,” she heard Dr. Rikus say with relief.

What the hell just happened?

She could’ve sworn she’d seen her sister, however unlikely that was. But she knew she had… somehow.

What had they been talking about? A path. What else?
Her thoughts disappeared faster than she could hold on to them, until the only thing she remembered was the distant memory that she had definitely seen Jamie.