"Did you tell Frost?"
"Yes."
"And?"
"He hasn't spoken to me since."
"Can you blame him?"
"No, not a bit."
"You aren't having an second thoughts?"
"It is hard I understand that. It gets harder everyday, but this is what I have to do."
"You don't have to do this," Angela corrects her.
"This is what I want. Ok? Please just support my decision, instead of trying to change my mind."
"Ok, but..."
"But what?"
"I talked to Dr. Isles."
Jane groans, and rolls her eyes.
"I am going to stay with you for a few days."
"What? Why?"
"Dr. Isles and I agreed that it is what is best for you."
"I am an adult," Jane reminds her.
"One who is making stupid decisions. I understand if you don't want to keep this baby, but you still have to be healthy. It still needs to be healthy. You need to slow down a little bit. You need to eat..."
"I do eat."
"Eat regular meals. You need to take care of yourself."
"I am."
"No, you're not."
"Mom, I appreciate your concern, but I can take care of myself."
"No if, ands, or buts. I am staying for a few days, until I am convinced that you are really taking care of yourself."
"Fine."
"Did you have dinner?"
"It's eleven o'clock at night."
"Answer the question."
"I had a late lunch."
"What do you want me to make? I'll fix you whatever you want."
"I'm not hungry."
"I know that isn't true. What do you want? Are you craving anything?"
"Aside from beer?"
"You're craving beer?"
"I spend ten minutes every night, just staring at the beer that's in the fridge."
"That isn't going to happen. Anything else?"
"Maybe a grilled cheese."
"I tell you that I'll make you anything, and you want grilled cheese?"
"I know I have the stuff to make grilled cheese."
"I came by earlier, and brought so groceries."
"You don't have to do that. I am perfectly capable of going to the grocery store."
"Yet your fridge was empty. Besides, you never make the time."
"I'm going to go take a shower."
"I'll have your dinner ready when you get out."
When Jane gets out of the shower she finds her mother waiting on her. Her mother holds up an envelope.
"I found this in the drawer, with your spatula."
"I never cook, so it seemed like as good a place, as any, to put it."
"You don't want to look at them?"
"I've already looked at them."
"And?"
"I thought that the adoptive parents would want to have them."
"Have you found adoptive parents, yet?"
"No."
"Have you spoken to an adoption agency?"
"No."
"How far along are you?"
"Five months."
"You really need to eat more."
Jane wakes up, in the middle of the night. She rolls over, and looks at the clock. She lies back down, and tries to go back to sleep. Sleep doesn't come. Instead she feels a stomach cramp. Fifteen minutes later, as she's nearly asleep she feels another one. She tiptoes out of her room, into the living room. She finds her mother asleep on her couch.
"Ma?"
"Huh?"
"Ma?"
"What, Jane?"
"Can you wake up for a second, please?"
Angela sits up. Jane turns on the lamp. Angela notices the panic stricken look on her face.
"Jane, what's wrong?"
"I don't know."
"You woke me up for a reason, didn't you?"
"Yes," she nods.
"What's wrong?"
"I feel like I'm having stomach cramps."
Angela furrows her brow. She presses her hand against Jane's stomach. Jane tries to restrain herself, from smacking her mother's hand away. She manages to refrain long enough for Angela to move her hand.
"Where are your keys?"
"My keys? What do I need keys for?"
"Grab your keys, I'm taking you to the hospital."
"To the hospital. Why? What's wrong?"
"Get your coat, and come on."
"Will you tell me what's going on, please?"
"Jane you're having contractions."
"Contractions? You can't be serious. I am only five months pregnant. I can't be having contractions."
"Stop arguing, and come on."
"Fine," Jane grabs her keys.
They make it to the hospital in five minutes. Jane climbs out of the car, and her mother ushers her into the ER. Within ten minutes a doctor is in to take a look at her. The sense of urgency demonstrated by the doctor is a red flag for her. He hooks her up to monitors, and examines her. The anxiety of the situation makes it hard for her to breathe.
She barely hears a word that he says. The next thing she knows, she's being admitted to the hospital. She finds herself hooked up to an IV, and other monitors. Her mother steps out of the room, to make a phone call. Twenty minutes later Dr. Isles arrives. Jane looks at the clock, barely four a.m. Her day promised to be long, and full of surprises.
