Winston came running into the bar. He saw Big Bob by the door, "Hey, where's Nick?" As soon as the words came out, he saw Nick come out from the kitchen area and ran past "nevermind, I see him". "NICK!" Winston slammed his hands down on the bar annoyed. "Nick, where the HELL have you been?!"
Nick rushed over to the end where Winston was standing. "What's going on?"
"Do you not check your phone?! I've been calling you for the past 20 minutes."
Nick fumbled in his pocket and realized his phone was turned to silent. "damn it."
"Forget it. Just. Jess was trying to get in touch with you all afternoon. She was finally rushed to the hospital." Nick's eyes widened in panic and he started to run around the back to leave the bar area. Winston continued, "A nurse just called the loft looking for you."
Nick started running towards the door, Winston at his heels. "Damnit Winston, what's wrong with her? Was she in a car accident?"
They opened the door and Winston motioned towards his car parked out front. "No, they said she passed out at school and they rushed her to the hospital unconscious."
Nick got in the passenger side and slammed his fists down on the dash as Winston started the car. "GAH, I'm such an idiot. Did they say what's WRONG?!"
"No man, just calm down. We'll be there in like 5 minutes. I'm sure she's ok." He pulled out into traffic, "let's just get you there."
Winston had barely slowed the car down by the ER entrance, when Nick jumped out. Winston drove to park the car, while Nick ran inside. He frantically got the attention of the on-call nurse at the desk. He was out of breath, "Jessica Miller. My wife. She was rushed here from Hearst Middle School? She's a teacher there." He nervously watched the nurse type into the computer.
She smiled at him and answered calmly, "Yes Mr. Miller, she IS here. They have her stabilized, but I'll tell the doctor you're here. If you could just wait over there," she pointed to a seating area directly across from the desk, "they will come and get you as soon as they can."
Nick nodded, "so, she's ok?!"
"I'm sorry, sir. I don't have any specific information, but I'm sure the doctor will be out in just a minute."
Nick nodded again and ran his fingers through his hair as he found a seat. A few minutes later, Winston walked in and sat down next to him. "What did they say? Is she ok?"
"I don't know, they won't tell me anything." Nick glanced at Winston, who tried to give him a reassuring smile.
"Hey, you made it here, so we'll just hang out until we know something."
Nick got up and started pacing, running his hands through his hair. "God, I hate hospitals. What the hell is going on?"
Winston watched him, "Hey man, just relax, I'm sure everything is ok. It's just busy in here. Jess is fine."
"You don't know that Winston." Nick snapped back as he sat back down, barely on the edge of the chair.
Just then a doctor came into the lobby with his clipboard. "Mr...Miller?"
Nick jumped up. "That's me." He made it over to the doctor in two strides.
The doctor smiled quickly at Nick, glanced down at his paperwork, and then motioned toward the door. "You can follow me." They turned down another hallway as the doctor continued. "Your wife was severely dehydrated and her blood sugar levels were extremely low. We have her on a IV, but we're going to let her rest here for a few hours to make sure she's ok. The baby is just fine, and we can give her some medication for the nausea if it gets any worse."
Nick nodded as the doctor was rattling off the information and they stopped in front of Jess' room.
Then Nick froze.
He grabbed the doctor's arm. "Wait a minute," he spoke slowly, very confused. "Did you say, BABY?"
The doctor's eyes widened, "Oh, sir, I'm so sorry, I..." he shook his head. "I just assumed that you knew."
Nick stood there staring at the doctor, and then through the glass at a sleeping Jess inside the hospital room. He felt himself breathing deeply as he stared straight ahead at Jess. His voice cracked, "Um, what. I mean, how far?" He couldn't find the words, but the doctor seemed to understand his question.
"About 8 weeks, sir. I can let you in to see your wife now." He reached passed Nick to open the door, holding it open, he stepped aside. "I'll be back in about 20 minutes to check her IV."
Nick walked into the room and the door closed softly behind him. Jess was curled up on her right side, facing him, propped up on the raised top half of the hospital bed. She looked very pale, but at least she was resting.
Then he though back in his head. Tired. She had looked so tired the past few weeks, why didn't she say anything? Or did she? He grimaced thinking how many times she must have tried to tell him and he hadn't been paying attention. His heart fell when he thought back to their conversation about kids last week and how he'd blown her off. God, he was such an idiot. She must have been upset... No wonder she had been dancing around happier than usual the day prior to their conversation. DAMNIT.
Stupid Nick Miller strikes again.
He pulled the chair towards the bed to sit down next to her, and it made a scraping sound on the floor. He stopped as fast as he could and winced, but it was too late. She started to wake up and she smiled at him with sleepy eyes.
"Nick." She reached out and he took her hand. "I was so nervous they couldn't get a hold of you."
Nick leaned over to kiss her forehead and pulled the chair closer so he could sit down. "I'm so sorry. I didn't hear the phone and I must have missed the voicemail. They called the loft and Winston came to get me."
She readjusted herself on her side, so she had her head on the pillow directly across from his. "It's ok. No big deal, I'm fine." She smiled, but there was a sadness in her eyes.
"Jess," he tried to think of what to say, but couldn't find the words.
Jess' voice became shaky, "did the doctor. Um. Did he talk to you?"
Suddenly Nick was overwhelmed and felt tears in his eyes. He squeezed her hand, "Jessica, why didn't you tell me?"
She closed her eyes and her face fell as she started to cry. She tried to hold his gaze, but couldn't. "I. I tried. So many times." she started, in between sobs. "I just. I didn't think..." she couldn't catch her breath.
Nick shook his head and leaned over close to her face. "God, I am SO SORRY, Jessica. I love you so much, and you must have been so excited." He couldn't look her in the eye. "I messed everything up."
Jess took a moment to calm down. She wiped her cheek and smiled slowly, putting her hand on the side of his face. "It's ok. I just. I was afraid you'd be upset, and..."
Nick shook his head and interrupted her, "UPSET?! God, I must have really screwed this up." He squeezed her hand and smiled. "NO. Why would I be upset?! This is good, Jess. It's...We're having a BABY."
Jess perked up and pushed herself to a seated position. "Wait. So you WANT this." she shook her head "I mean, you're happy?!"
Nick jumped up from the chair and sat next to her on the bed, looking her straight in the eye. "YES. Yes, of course I'm happy. Why would you ask that?!" He shook his head. "ok, I know why. But..."
Jess laughed and leaned back on the pillow. "Stop blubbering you clown."
He smiled and bent down to give her a kiss. He leaned back and she put her head on his shoulder. He kissed the top of her head as she slowly took his hand and put it on her stomach.
She looked up at him with her sparkling blue eyes and whispered, "a little Miller."
He looked down at his hand on their baby and started to wonder how he ever got so lucky. He laid there next to her on the bed for a few minutes. He couldn't believe they were having a baby. Something that was THEIRS. He never imagined all of this would end up so incredibly amazing. They hadn't even been married a year, yet in some ways, he felt like she had been in his life forever. He still felt butterflies when he heard someone call her "Mrs. Miller" or "Nick's wife". He loved it even more when it was Jess referring to him as "my husband". The way it rolled off her lips so naturally always made him smile. He felt Jess shaking his arm.
"Nick?" She was looking at him confused. "Nick, are you ok?"
Nick smiled at her. "I'm sorry."
"I said, I have something to show you." She sat up and reached over to the table next to her. She held a piece of paper to her chest with tears her eyes again. "I'm sorry we didn't get to see this together, but look." She turned the piece of paper around.
It was her ultrasound.
Nick sat up and slowly took the picture in his hands. He felt his eyes well with tears and he shook his head. "Wow."
Jess giggled and bounced a little the bed. "I KNOW." Her voice squealed with delight. "Isn't it AMAZING?!"
Nick let out a little laugh. "It's the most beautiful little gummy bear I've ever seen."
She slapped his arm and they both started laughing. "NICK!" She bent the picture back to take another peak. "It totally looks like a gummy bear...and now I'm hungry."
Nick kissed her cheek. He looked into his eyes and then his expression fell. "Hey, how are YOU feeling? What happened today?"
Jess shook her head and waved her hands back and forth. "Oh, it's fine. I did feel pretty awful after lunch. Tanya sat in on my classes this afternoon and I took a break in the nurse's office."
Nick frowned and took her hand. "I'm sorry you couldn't get me today." he kissed her hand.
"Don't worry about it, really. I only texted you towards the end of the day, because I felt too dizzy to drive. I started getting really sick and I guess I passed out in the bathroom."
Nick squeezed her hand, "But you feel better now, right?"
She smiled. "I do."
"Ok. Good."
"Hey, did you say Winston was here?"
Nick slid off the bed and stood off. "Shit, right. I should probably go tell him you're ok. Will you be alright? The doctor said he was coming back in a few minutes."
She nodded and waved him away. "Go thank Winston for bringing my baby's daddy."
Nick gave her a strange look and then smiled. "Huh, daddy..." He gave her a scrunched up turtle face expression. "That's really...nice."
She laughed and pushed him arm, pointing to the door. "GO!"
Nick returned a few minutes later, Winston behind him. Even in the few minutes since he had left her, Jess looked better. Her face was no longer pale and she was sitting up in bed.
"Hey Winston. Sorry for all the trouble."
He leaned over the bed and gave her a quick hug. "You crazy kid. What the hell?"
Jess laughed and leaned over to look at Nick. "Did you tell him?"
Nick just shook his head. Winston looked back and forth between the two of them. "Tell me what? Someone here better fold or I'm going to go full-on Schmidt freak out on you two."
Jess laughed and handed him the ultrasound picture. He looked at Nick and pointed to the picture, "Are you serious, man?!" He looked back and forth and pointed to each of them. "You two? This is a BABY, right?"
Nick punched his shoulder. "Of course it's a baby, you idiot!"
Jess couldn't stop laughing. "Give him a break Nick, it DOES look like a gummy bear."
Winston pulled Nick in for huge hug and slapped his back. "Congratulations Man!" He looked back at Jess. "A baby, huh."
Jess couldn't stop smiling and Winston gave her another hug. "You know Jess, this is another MILLER you're going to have running around, right?"
"I know, crazy, isn't it?"
Winston looked at Nick. "Geez, you had your phone off all day and your wife is PREGNANT. What's wrong with you?"
Nick punched his shoulder again. "Hey, give me a break, I didn't know yet!"
They were all laughing when a nurse came in. "I'm sorry to interrupt Mrs. Miller" Nick cracked a little smile hearing her name. "I just want to check your IV."
Winston backed up and sat down on the chair by the door and let Nick next to Jess by the bed. The nurse walked around to the other side and looked at the IV nodding her head. "Well, everything looks good. We're just going to finish off this bag and make sure you feel better. Then your husband can take you home." The nurse smiled at Nick.
Nick looked down at Jess and held her hand. "Thanks."
The nurse glanced at the ultrasound picture on Jess' lap and looked up at Nick. "Did the other nurse do a dopplar too?" Nick shook his head slowly and looked at Jess, he wasn't sure what exactly had been done before he had gotten there.
Jess smiled at the nurse as she squeezed Nick's hand. "She did. My husband wasn't here yet."
"OH. Ok, give me a second."
The nurse quickly left and Nick and Jess just looked at each other. Jess shrugged her shoulders. Nick started to say something when the nurse came running back in with something in her hand.
Jess sat up excitedly and pulled Nick's arm so she could whisper in his ear. "We get to hear the heartbeat again."
The nurse started pulling the sheets down when she glanced at Winston. Jess followed her gaze and waved her hand. "Oh, it's fine. This is the baby's uncle."
Nick raised his eyebrows and gave Jess a side smile while Winston straightened up in the chair proudly.
The nurse nodded and turned on the machine. Nick nervously watched the nurse move the wand over Jess' belly and started to get worried when it seemed to take a long time. Jess just smiled calmly and held Nick's hand.
Finally, there was a loud swishing sound.
The nurse looked up at Nick and smiled. "That... is your baby's heartbeat". Nick just stared down at Jess' stomach and then looked into her eyes. She had the biggest smile on her face that he had ever seen.
Winston spoke from behind them, leaning over on his knees in the chair. "That is the CRAZIEST thing I have ever heard."
Jess giggled and leaned over to hug Nick's arm. He buried his head in the top of her hair and let out a deep breath. He whispered, "I love you."
Jess smiled even harder and the nurse nodded her head and put the machine under her arm.
"I'll leave you guys alone now." Just before she closed the door, she smiled and said "Congratulations you two."
They stared at each other for a few moments when they heard Winston clear his throat. He stood up and walked over to the bed. He patted her leg as he walked by, "I'll be out in the lobby when you need me."
They watched as Winston left and Nick leaned down on the bed on his elbows and gently rubbed Jess' belly. He looked up at her with a big grin on his face. "I can't believe you can actually HEAR that."
"I know, right?"
Nick kissed her belly and then leaned up and kissed her lips, putting an arm on either side of her. "I love you, and I'm sorry I wasn't here earlier. I promise it won't happen again."
She rubbed her hands up and down his arms. "I know". She leaned forward and kissed his lips, her hands first tightening around his arms and then sliding up and around his neck. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer, then she released him and fell back on the pillow. "I love you, Nick Miller."
Reviews always welcome!