Issey was aware of two things, first a searing hot pain in her arms and legs and second Chris, his voice higher than ever as he screamed the address of the crash into his cell phone.

"She's pregnant with twins, oh God please just get someone here fast...yes she's breathing, wait, I think she conscious...Issey! Issey you okay?"

"Ow." She tried to sit up but bracing her hand on the pavement was like putting it through glass.

"Stay still, don't try to move, an ambulance is on its way." He had taken the phone from his ear and was kneeling next to her. His jeans were torn and there was blood on his lip.

"Chris are you okay? I'm so sorry, I was stupid to be so reckless." She tried again to sit up but things went slightly dark so she laid back.

"I'm fine, are you...do you think everything is alright?"

She didn't know. Her head throbbed her hands and legs were bloodied and raw but she had no unusual pain in her abdomen. "I think they're ok, I can't really tell. Oh God Chris what if..."but the end of the sentence was drowned in the wail of the ambulance siren.

The emts asked her a few questions then began working on getting her onto a backboard despite her insistence that she could walk if they'd just help her up. Once on the board they slid her onto a gurney and bumped her into the back of the ambulance.

The police had arrived while she was being strapped onto the board and were talking to Chris. She couldn't hear what they were saying and kept telling the emts that Chris was bleeding and needed to go with them.

When they pulled away from the curb the female tech whose name tag said Rose told her the police would bring Chris to the hospital. She said they'd checked him over and he had some deep scratches the would require debriding but he was not 'emergent'.

"And I am?" Issey's stomach flipped with horror. Did they know something she didn't?

"It's policy if you're pregnant and don't say you refuse to go. The guy who called said its twins is that right?"

"Yes, correct."

The tech started a line, it took three tries with the bumping and turning of the ambulance.

At the hospital things were a blur, she didn't remember being taken from the ambulance but did recall busting through the double doors from the heat of the California summer to the icy cold halls of the emergency room.

Rose gave someone (nurse, doctor, intern, it was impossible to tell anymore) a rundown of stats that Issey knew referred to her but had no idea what they meant.

She was placed into a curtained off area and felt like part of the ugly orange and blue furniture as everyone bustled around her.

"Hi, I'm Krista, I'll be your nurse today. So, can you tell me what happened?"

Krista looked about 27, her long dark curls held away from her face by a pencil expertly twisted on top of her head. She asked the question on auto pilot but her face was open and kind

"I'm an idiot. Went out with a friend, he had too much to drink so I drove home, on a motorcycle. I was kinda pissed off about stuff that happened earlier and was driving too fast and lost control of the bike."

Krista nodded, she'd heard it all before. "Where's the pain?"

Issey told her the backboard hurt more than anything but her back had been okay before they put her on the thing. She also called out her head and the scratches that were obvious.

"Do you feel like anything is broken?"

"No, just knocked around"

Agreeing the backboard was unnecessary Krista removed it and Issey immediately relaxed into the bed, suddenly so tired she couldn't keep her eyes open.

"No sleep yet Hon, we have some tests to run first."

As if on cue the phlebotomist came in carrying his tool box. He checked the bracelet they'd placed on her wrist without her noticing.

"Hi there , vampire department, I'm gonna just borrow some of your blood okay?"

"Sure, why not."

He was good and got the draw first try. Issey's eyes drooped while he took vial after vial.

She wanted to call Darren, wanted to ask where Chris was but either the people in the room were too busy asking the same questions over and over or were non existent.

When the doctor finally came in to introduce himself she asked him where her phone was and if her friend had arrived. He didn't know and clearly could not have been less interested. This was a man with people literally dying for his attention in room after room and chit chat was not on the agenda.

What happened? Where does it hurt? Rate the pain 1-10 1 being almost no pain 10 being the worst pain you've ever felt in your life. How far into your pregnancy are you? Do you take any medications regularly? Have you been drinking today?

Her answers got shorted every time and she began to wonder if that's why everyone asked a billion times, so that by the time the doc showed up you'd be we'll rehearsed and take up less of his precious time.

When he went to remove the gown the nurse had let her put on in privacy he grunted. "Double Mastectomy, fairly recent, you might have mentioned that."

"No one asked." She was feeling a little surly now and wasn't about to be chastised for this.

He only raised his eyebrows in response, too old hat at this to be drawn into battle. "No stretchers?"

"Can't have reconstruction until after the kids are born. No one has said much about the babies, are they okay?"

"We'll do an ultrasound but your stats are all good and you've had no cramping correct?"

"Yes"

"We'll check them next. Is there someone you can call?" He'd softened and that made it worse, he wouldn't give an opinion the twins health, if they'd brought her here because she was pregnant shouldn't that have been the first thing they checked? She felt the panic rise in her throat.

"My fiancé, please, I asked for my phone."

The doctor took a white bag from the chair in the corner and handed it to her, if you had it when you came in its in there, if not you can ask the nurse to call. I'll be back after your ultrasound."

Her phone, shoes and clothes were I the bag with her wallet and her engagement ring. She had no memory if her ring being removed, or her shoes for that matter.

She put her ring back on and called Darren.

"Babe? At e you okay? I'm on my way!"

"How did you know?"

"Chris called me, I'm about 10 minutes away. Tell me you're okay."

"I'm okay, I think I am, just bumped around. "

"What about the kids?"

"No one will say but I'm having an ultrasound soon."

"I'll be there as quick as I can. I love you."

"You too."

They came to take her down to ultrasound and she begged them to wait. She didn't want to do this without Darren regardless of the results. She was told there was another person waiting and if she wanted they could take him first but if her babies were in trouble waiting cod be a mistake.

What could she do? She agreed to go but asked that if he arrived while she was gone they bring him to her. Krista promised and so she was wheeled to another portion of the hospital through winding hallways she could never have navigated back on her own.
Her mind popped up with crazy thoughts like she should have brought breadcrumbs in the event this were some sort of asylum and she needed to make an escape. Too tired and too many strange movies.

The ultrasound tech was a very friendly man of roughly 65. His hair was wholly grey And his glasses a little thicker than you might expect for someone who uses his eyes for a living.

"Hey Dee Ho little lady come on in! Do you need some help up onto table here?" He didn't wait for a response just lifted her with shocking ease.

"Hear you got yourself into a little dust up with the pavement huh?"

"Thats about the size of it, yeah." She said sheepishly.

"Happens to the best of us, I've been riding 53 years, still take the occasional spill." He kept the conversation light and jovial while he worked getting both her and his machine ready for the task at hand. She got the feeling he could be moving faster if he wanted to.

"Scars from the double M are looking good these babies'll be happy their Mama took care of things so she could be around for em.
My wife had both her girls taken 22 years ago when the kids were only knee high and thank God she did cause now she's healthier n me and strong as an ox."

"Really? That's very encouraging. Sometimes I'm afraid to hope for much time with them."

"Never be afraid of hope, losing hope is about the worst thing that can happen to a person. Plan for the worst, hope for the best those are the words I live by. Being worried doesn't help anything and even hurts your health. I don't know if you're religious at all and I'm no preacher but I find if I can do what I can and trust God to handle the rest things work out just fine. Course it helps if you try to be a good person."

He looked at his watch. "You got your phone?"

She didn't, they wouldn't let her bring it.

He handed her his, "Call your fella, I can't stall much longer Hon."

She grinned at him and dialed Darren again."

"I have no idea where I am, but I'm in the hospital and heading for you. Are you ok? Are they done?"

"We're waiting for you -" a knock at the door announced his presence. Krista had brought him down herself.

He hugged and kissed her briefly then let Hank, as he'd introduced himself to Darren, get to work.

Three sets of eyes watched the screen hard enough to burn holes in it.

"Baby one, right here...moving, heartbeat strong, seems good."

Darren squeezed Issey's hand as Hank looked for vitals on baby 2. It took longer this time and they both looked ready to lose it when Hank said"Ha! Think this is my first rodeo little bugger? I see you there! Number 2 is a scamp and doing A-ok."

"Thank God!" Darren whispered while kissing her temple,"

Issey just cried tears of relief.

"Would you like to know what you've got here?" Hank asked.

They looked at each other with massive smiles, "we were supposed to find out next week, can you tell?"

Hank dug around a bit, "here we go, I'd say baby 1 is a strong contender to be a girl. Lets see if we can't figure out our hider."

Again he pushed and baby one, their daughter(!) moved just enough.

"Yup, there you are boy, hiding behind your sister huh shy one?"

Issey broke out in gooseflesh and Darren looked ready to climb out of his skin. "We have both!"

"Well now I'm sure about the boy but sometimes the view is tough, baby one certainly appears to be a girl but I'd check again next week to be sure."

They thanked Hank over and over for his help and were taken back to the ER where strange girl waited in the chair next to her bed.

She turned out to be Darren's ride which set Issey's teeth on edge but she didn't let on. Darren let the girl know things were fine, she offered to stay and get them home but he told her they'd be okay.

Before she could ask questions Chris came in wearing a hospital gown he was clutching desperately from behind. "What did they say? Are they okay?"

"They're perfect!" Issey gushed.

"Thank God." Darren added .

The tension hung between them for a moment before Issey added, "You okay?"

"Little road rash, I was too drunk to tense up so nothing's broken. They said you might have a concussion."

"Nope, they cleared me, I think they did anyway, now I'm just waiting to get out."

"Me too, I called Ashey to bring us clothes."

"Oh, good idea."

Chris waited a minute but the silence was too much so he shrugged and said he'd better get back to his area.

Krista came in flipping papers,"Good news, you're free to go as soon as I clean up some of your cuts. I'm so glad the babies are okay!"

She did her best to wash out the cuts without causing too much pain and then applied anesthetic cream before wrapping them with breathable gauze.

"Stop on your way home and get some antibacterial cream, I'd get the one with pain relief if I were you, and some gauze." She turned her attention to Darren,"you"ll have to change the bandages a few times in the next day or so."

He nodded, all business. He was on duty as caretaker once again

"Apparently there are a few film crews out front hoping to get the story of why you're here so we're going to see if we can distract them out front when you all leave out the ambulance bay once you're ready to go."

"Press. Fan fucking tactic. "
Darren took out his phone and handed Issey hers. "Damage control, call your family let them know you're fine."

She looked at him. "Do you know what time it is? It's the middle of the night, they'd kill me."

"News flash Babe, it's 5:45 which means its almost 9 for your family."

She hasn't realized how long they'd been there.

Thankfully she got he r dad and explained in the briefest possible way that there had been an accident but she and the babies were fine. She called her sister who wanted more detail which she promised to call back with later.

Darren called his parents and got his mom, he gave her the bare bones explanation and said they'd be coming up later than expected.

Ashley arrived, bringing a massive attitude with her. She pulled no punches on the drive to Chris's house about how stupid it was to take the bike. Darren said nothing but Issey knew he was mad as hell and didn't bother trying to defend herself.
Chris just asked Ashley to let it go.

It was decided Issey and Darren would sleep a few hours at Chris's then go to Darren's for his things before dropping her car at the rental place at the airport. He switched their flight and went to the bedroom while Issey said goodnight to Chris.

"I'm really sorry." Issey began.

"My fault. It was stupid to take the bike and we both know its my fault we crashed. I'm sorry for how I acted tonight. I really thought I could be cool with this whole being friends thing but I think it's going to take more time."

"For me too. Will you still come to the wedding?"

"I'll be there, but maybe we shouldn't be alone for awhile until we're more used to not being...together."

She had to agree, they cautiously hugged goodnight.

Darren was sitting on the edge of the bed watching the early news when she came in.

"They're calling you The Motorcycle Mama."
His voice was flat.

"You're pissed'

She laid on the bed and pushed at him with her toes. "Shut that off and come fight with me. Lets get it over with."

He clicked the TV off and tugged his jeans down until he could kick them onto the floor. "Let's just get some sleep huh?"

He pulled her into him and told he was glad she was okay.

"I don't want to go to sleep with you mad."

"We'll talk tomorrow, you need to rest."

She wanted to argue but her eyes were already closing.