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Chapter 14

Kate now sat in the hospital room watching a sleeping Mabel two months later kicking herself for not just taking Happy's money and keeping her mouth shut. Mabel early in the week had come down with a cold but she had started running a high fever that landed them in the emergency room and now being admitted into the hospital. It had been three days Kate hadn't left her babies side not to sleep, shower or eat. She was still dressed in the fraying jean shorts, black tank top and converse she had frantically thrown on that morning she had taken Mabel to the hospital hair pulled back in a messy ponytail. It had been a long night of her constantly taking Mabel's temperature praying it would go down but as it continued to rise the more panicked she grew giving up hope and taking her to St. Thomas. She was tired and hungry and almost at the end of her rope. She would try to grab a quick nap on the in room couch here and there and the nurses taking pity on her brought meals to her. Mabel was diagnosed with RSV and now bronchitis. It was luckily in the ending stages and the high fever had broken the night before so Kate was hoping Mabel would be released soon. She knew all this shit in the hospital was costing her a fortune and had no way to pay it. She had gotten a call from Rose yesterday saying she was sorry but she would have to let Kate go after she had missed a week of work said it wasn't fair for Jessica to keep covering her shifts so she needed to hire someone if Kate wasn't coming back immediately. Kate told her she understood but it had still stung she was now jobless and that would soon render her homeless with a sick six month old. "Miss Arnold may I speak with you a minute?" Kate looked up to see the hospital administrator Rebecca Turner in doorway of Mabel's room dressed in a polished pantsuit and conservative matching pumps. Kate was sure that this woman's earing's cost more than everything Kate owned.

"Sure" Kate said reaching over to kiss the sleeping Mabel on her forehead, she smiled when Mabel let out a content sigh and gave her a crooked smile in her sleep.

"I talked with Mabel's Dr. this morning and Dr. Mitchell let me know that they would be able to release Mabel this afternoon as long as the fever doesn't return." Rebecca said once outside the room.

"That's great news I'll be so glad to get her home." Relief washed over her knowing they were out of the woods.

"About that Dr. Mitchel said while Mabel is allowed to go home she will still need breathing treatments until her chest is clear."

"Okay I can do that."

"I'm sure you can the issue we have is you being able to afford the treatments."

"Well what do I need to do?"

"Unfortunately you're past due on your bill for Mabel's delivery at the hospital and with the amount that has been charged for this stay will increase that considerably so we cannot help you in this situation. And it seems the father is still listed as unknown."

"Yes, I realize that I'm behind on the bill and will make a payment as soon as I can. As far as the father goes he is unknown."

"So that rules out state funding to help with the treatments as well."

"Then what are my options?"

"If you could provide a letter of employment what hours you work how much your pay is something like that."

"I'm in between jobs right now."

"Miss Arnold how is it that you expect to pay for Mabel's home care?"

"Umm I'm not really sure right now how much are we talking?" Kate said crossing her arms defensively.

"Well without insurance and Dr. Mitchell has listed out that she will remain under breathing treatments for the next two weeks so that would be around a twenty five hundred."

"So I just need to prove I have a twenty five hundred?"

"Yes then we will be able to release her to you."

"I guess I can talk to my parents."

"I suggest you do that." Mrs. Turner said in a demeaning tone.

"And what if I can't?"

"Unfortunately since she is well enough to go home we cannot keep her here at the hospital and I can't release her to you if you are unable to care for her I will have to get child protective services involved and then they would place Mabel in home that is able to care for her while she recovers."

"You're going to take my kid away?"

"We have to make sure Mabel is in a suitable environment for her to continue to get well and if you are unable to care for her then we will have to find someone who can."

"I can care for her!"

"Miss Arnold It's not about you caring for her it's about you providing for her to be a parent you have to do both. Maybe if you can try and remember who the father he will be able to help?"

"What?" Kate said in disbelief catching onto what this snotty bitch was insinuating.

"I've seen hundreds of girls like you, young out for a good time get pregnant by god knows who and then expect the rest of the world to help you out. You have until this afternoon I suggest you get to work and try and remember who you had sex with around the same time Mabel was conceived." Mrs. Turner said with a smile and walked back down the hall.

Kate stood there bewildered they were going to take Mabel away god she was a bad mother and now apparently a slut. Kate didn't have the energy right now to cry she had to figure out what the hell she was going to do she wasn't going to let them just take Mabel away from her. Dreading this she went to the phone and dialed a number she was praying she wouldn't ever have to use. Further down the hall stood Gemma who overheard the entire conversation Gemma had it in her mind to go and beat that admin bitch down. She could see Kate's heart breaking as she walked toward the phone in the lobby. Gemma wanted to step in wanted to help the poor girl but knew Kate hated taking her money. Gemma eased herself closer so she could here Kate's one-sided conversation.

"Mom….. she's your granddaughter please I just need a little help…. Yeah I know I screwed up…... No I'm not coming back home…... Mom how can you do this to me I haven't asked you for shit in the last year…. No I will not lower my voice or watch my tone…. Well fuck you and Dad both." Gemma watched as Kate slammed down the phone repeatedly and went back to Mabel's room wiping her eyes as the tears had started to fall. It looked like she was going to have to step in but she was first going to give someone a piece of her mind.

"Where's that bald headed bastard at?" Gemma shouted storming into the clubhouse.

"Hap? What's up?" Jax asked.

"None of my business that's what's up Jax."

"He's in the weight room." Clay said answering this time just glad he wasn't the bastard this time.

Jax and Clay both followed Gemma down the hallway curious as to what had her so pissed off.

"Hey you, asshole?"

"Me?" Juiced asked surprised looking to Happy who was equally shocked.

"No him." Gemma said pointing at Happy closing in on him as he put the weights down. "Now I'm tired of this shit. And I don't give a shit either if it's not club business you need to get your head out of your ass. That girl is in real trouble and needs some help I've kept my mouth shut long enough on this one but I ain't gonna be the one who's helping her out this time."

"Kate?"

"Yeah Kate, she's at St. Thomas, baby's sick."

"She alright?" Happy asked looking almost concerned.

"Yeah she's gonna be fine but hospital is giving Kate shit for not having the money to pay for her treatments and treating her like a slut because she won't say who the father is. Now you're gonna quit being a pussy and go the fuck down there and fix this shit."

"Gemma I tried to give her money she don't want it from me."

"Well she would if you tried not to be an asshole about it. You knocked someone up Hap and now you got responsibilities. She's a sweet girl not some fucking whore so you fix shit with her, try and have a civilized conversation with her for once. And don't you dare come back here until shit is right or my boot's going right up your ass." Gemma shouted pointing at Happy and then turned on her booted heal leaving all the guys with gaping mouths.

"What the fuck am I supposed to do?" asked Happy running his hand over his shaved head looking to any of the guys for some help.

"I suggest you fix shit or I'll have a boot up my ass too." Clay said. "Now I'm not saying to go play Daddy or some shit but you fix it enough so Kate is happy and Gemma is happy and I don't have to listen to my wife bitch about some baby mama drama."

An hour later Kate was sitting outside having a cigarette, her elbow resting on her knees, she hadn't smoked since she found out she was pregnant with Mabel but right now she didn't know what else to do. She had tried Harry but he and Della were out of town. Kate dropped her head in shame resting her forehead in her left palm continuing to hold her cigarette in her right looking down at the ground and let the tears start to fall. She was a failure, she had failed at school, failed at her whatever it was relationship with Happy, failed as a daughter, failed at her job and now failed at being a parent. Hell she had even had to bum the cigarette she was smoking because she couldn't afford her own bummed it from a homeless looking man. Even a homeless man at this point was better at life than she was. Her tears had now begun to fall freely dropping on the cement below. She was lost in a whirlwind of self-pity when she heard a familiar voice. Before she even heard his gruff voice speak, she knew it was him as soon as his boots came into view. She didn't raise her head she didn't want him to see her crying like a little girl.

Thank you all so much for the positive feedback. I began writing this for my enjoyment and now continue to do so for yours as well! Happy Monday and Happy Reading!