Lost Without You
Twenty Years Later
As the years went by, Drew and Elizabeth's romance continued to be kindled, growing from a family of three to a family of six. Four years after Bethany Joy's birth, they added Barbara Ellen. Six years after that, Drew Maxwell (DJ) was born, and two years after that, Stephen Charles completed their family.
They raised their kids on the mountain, where John and Olivia had planned to build a house, shortly after they married. After Bethany's birth, Drew and Elizabeth traveled throughout the United States, and managed to go to West Germany on a mission from the Red Cross once. Once Barbara was born, they were content to settle on her childhood land.
Bethany inherited her parents' love of travel and met her husband, Michael Evans, during a six week trip to England after her high school graduation. The family was surprised when she and Michael came back and announced their engagement. He proposed to her at the altar of St. Paul's Cathedral in London their last day of the trip. They married on her nineteenth birthday, and the following autumn, just as the first leaves began to turn, they announced they were expecting their first child in early March.
The pregnancy was uneventful, until Influenza struck the Cutler-Evans household in January. Michael and Bethany moved to the Walton's place when DJ first came down with the flu, but a week after DJ became sick, Bethany got sick, and was hospitalised. At the beginning of February, on a snowy evening, Bethany went into labour.
Bethany Joy Cutler-Evans watches her mother as she cradles the newborn infant in her arms. Mary-Ellen takes her niece's vitals and frowns. Elizabeth notices.
"Mom," the new mother exclaims, her breathing laboured, "I can't believe you did this four times and Grandma Walton did this eight times!"
"You forget about the pain."
"Not me. I'm one and done," she sighs, "Just like Grandma Cutler."
"If she's your only one, that's okay. I think Stephanie's going to be your Aunt Joy's only." Elizabeth tries to hide her tears.
"Mom," Bethany begins, sensing her mother's sadness, "Can you ask Michael to come in? We've got to figure out what to name her."
"I will. Here's your daughter." Elizabeth places the baby back into her mother's arms and walks into the waiting room. "Michael? She's asking for you."
He nods and goes to her hospital room.
"How is she?" Drew asks his wife.
"Not good, but she's trying to stay strong."
John and Olivia sit on the nearby chairs and comfort each other.
"What did Mary-Ellen say?" Olivia asks.
"She really hasn't said much."
"Mom," Barbara begins, "Is Bethany going to die?"
"She can't die!" Drew Junior (DJ) retorts. "She just had a baby!"
"Please tell us she's not gonna die!" Stephen pleads.
"We don't know what's going to happen," Drew states. "All we know is your sister is very sick."
"Is it because she had the influ... influ...?" Stephen asks.
"Influenza," Barbara corrects, "and Aunt Mary-Ellen said it can be hard on Bethany and the baby."
"Mom," DJ repeats, "Is she gonna die?"
"We pray not, son."
"Elizabeth," Mary-Ellen calls, sticking her head out the door, "she's wanting you, Drew and mom and dad."
Elizabeth nods. Drew puts his arm around his wife. John does the same, and the four accompany Mary-Ellen into the room.
Meanwhile, in Bethany's room:
Michael enters the room and sees his wife cradling their newborn daughter. He is shocked to see how pale his wife is!
"Come over here and meet your daughter!"
"Beth," he sits by her side, "she's beautiful. Just like her mother."
"She is. I can't believe we made this little girl!"
"We did." Michael smiles. "So, what do we want to name our little girl?"
"We thought about Susan, but I don't think she looks like a Susan."
He frowns. "How about Sandra?"
"No. Brenda?"
"Lisa?"
"Mmmmm, no." Bethany studies her daughter. "I want her middle name to be Elizabeth. I want to name her after my mom."
Michael thinks and smiles. "I've got it. Karen. What do you think? Karen Elizabeth Evans."
"I like it!" Bethany coughs, gasping for breath.
"Bethany?" He looks concerned.
Her coughing subsides and she takes a few deep breaths. "I... I like it." She inhales. "Karen Elizabeth..." She exhales. "Evans." A couple tears roll down her cheeks. "Hello, Karen. I'm your... your... your mother."
"Why don't you get some rest?" Mary-Ellen suggests.
"No. I want to hold my baby right now. I can rest later." She continues to look at her daughter. "Can you have Mama, Daddy and Grandma and Grandpa come in?"
"You sure?" Michael asks.
"Yes," she replies, trying to suppress a cough. "I want them to meet our baby girl."
"All right," Mary-Ellen states, "I'll go get them... But they can only stay for a short while. You need your rest."
Mary-Ellen brings Elizabeth and Drew, and John and Olivia into the room. Bethany beams, baby still in her arms.
"Bethany," Olivia begins, "she's beautiful. She looks a lot like you did as a baby."
"Aww, Grandma!" the new mother blushes.
"You done real good, kid," John smiles, tears just behind his eyes.
"Thanks."
Drew tries to blink back tears, but is unsuccessful.
"Aww, Daddy!"
"My little girl," he sniffs, "all grown up with a baby of her own now. You look just like your Mama did when she gave birth to you."
"Wanna..." she coughs. "Wanna hold her?"
"Sure." Michael lifts the baby from Bethany's arms and places her into Drew's.
"Hi, Punkin'! I'm your Grandpa!" The baby opens her eyes. "Look at your bright eyes! You look just like your Mama did when she was born!"
"Mary-Ellen?" Elizabeth nods, motioning for her to talk with her privately. "Mama?"
"We'll be right back," Mary-Ellen announces, accompanying Elizabeth and Olivia out of the room.
The three women walk back into the waiting room. The other kids stop them.
"How's Bethany?" Barbara asks.
"We'll talk later," Elizabeth replies, as the three make their way to an empty room. She shuts the door behind them. "Mary-Ellen, how's Bethany?"
"It doesn't look good."
Elizabeth inhales. Olivia is in shock.
"Wha... wha... what do you mean?" Elizabeth stammers.
"The combination of pregnancy and Influenza put a strain on her heart."
Elizabeth begins to cry. Olivia enfolds her in an embrace. "How... how long does she have?" the blonde asks.
"I don't know. If she pulls out of this, her heart may be severely weakened."
Someone knocks on the door. Mary-Ellen looks at her mother and sister. Elizabeth nods. The brunette opens the door, revealing a nurse. "Yes?"
"You're needed in Bethany Evans' room."
Mary-Ellen follows the nurse out of the room.
"Oh, Mama!" Elizabeth cries into her mother's arms. "I'm gonna lose my baby girl! Mama, I can't lose her!"
"We don't know that. Maybe she'll pull through."
Meanwhile, in Bethany's room:
John and Drew left the room soonafter their wives did, to allow Bethany and Michael time alone with their new daughter.
"Michael," she begins, as she gazes into her daughter's eyes. "Make sure you raise her on Walton's Mountain."
"I will," he replies, sitting on the side of the bed, "but you're going to raise her with me."
"I'm serious." She begins coughing, gasping for air. Her chest feels so heavy! It's hard to breathe. "I don't think I'm going to be here much longer."
"Don't say that." He takes her hand, kissing it.
"I'm going to miss our little girl." A tear escapes her eye. "I wanna see her grow up so badly! I wanna see her take her first steps, say her first words, go to school, get married, and have her own child..."
"Don't rush her," he chuckles.
Suddenly, her eyes grow wide and she begins wheezing. "Mi... Mi!" She gasps for air. Michael, trying not to panic, rushes to the door. "Nurse! Someone help my wife!" He sees his in-laws, panicking.
"Daddy?" Stephen utters, as he sees two nurses rush in.
A few moments later, one nurse rushes out, and then returns to the room, followed by Mary-Ellen. Elizabeth and Olivia join the family in the waiting room.
"What happened?" Olivia meets her husband's eyes, worried.
"We don't know. Michael called out for a nurse and then we see Mary-Ellen dash into the room. No one has told us anything."
Drew and Elizabeth embrace. Barbara hugs her younger brothers.
In Bethany's hospital room:
Mary-Ellen dashes into the room and studies the scene before her. "Kathy, get the baby!" She takes her niece's vitals. Michael, wide-eyed, holds his wife's hand. "Breathe, Beth! C'mon! Breathe! Michael, you don't have to leave the room, but we need to work here." He steps back and takes the child from the nurse.
Bethany struggles to breathe. She feels no pain as her pulse steadily drops. Is this it? Am I leaving? I feel strange! She barely sees her husband cradling their daughter. A tear rolls down his cheek. I don't want to leave them. How do I go back to them? She feels her eyes close and she exhales...
Everything is quiet.
-End of Chapter 1-