Chapter 21

Megan nearly knocked them both over when they came home form their honeymoon. She was nearly jumping out of her skin wanting to hear everything they did. Well, not everything.

"Megan, goodness child. You're parents need to breathe! Give them room!" Patricia scolded her. "I tell you, if you ever go away again, you're taking your daughter with you"

Suddenly worried, Melissa said, "Did something happen?"

Patricia hugged them both and answered, "Not unless you count my losing my mind. Megan could not go without asking every five minutes, 'When are Mom and Dad coming home? Where did they go? Did they call?' Why I though I'd lose my mind this week."

Laughing, they took their suitcases upstairs to their bedroom. After putting everything away, Glenn and Melissa gave Patricia and Megan gifts they'd brought them from Hawaii. They spent the rest of the day with Megan-when she wasn't on the telephone with one of her many friends.

They joined Megan on a horseback ride through the woods, enjoyed a dinner Patricia worked hard on. She refused to join them for dinner, saying it was their first as a true family.

In the weeks that followed, life slipped back to normal. Melissa was learning how to manage the estate, thanks to Patricia's patient teachings. She learned what exactly came with being married to someone so powerful meant. She made appearances at charity events and political parties. She enjoyed making new friends with the wives of Glenn's colleagues. She spent time with Megan taking her shopping and to movies on days Glenn didn't make it home.

Melissa was helping Patricia in the kitchen one afternoon when she nearly passed out. Patricia caught her before she could fall, saying, "Melissa, child. What's wrong? Are you getting sick?"

"I'm O.K. Patricia, thank you. I've been so busy lately that I haven't been eating right. I'll be alright," Melissa said.

"You should take better care of yourself, dear. You're a mother and wife now," Patricia scolded her.

Melissa smiled weakly and went back to helping Patricia.

She was feeling better when Glenn came home. She decided not to mention her dizzy spell. It was a result of not eating anyway. No sense in worrying him over nothing.

The next morning, Melissa was woken up by Glenn telling her, "The hospital called, I have to go."

Disappointed, she told him, "But you're not on call right now. Megan and I haven't spent the day with you for a while."

"I know, I'm sorry. There's been some sort of huge mutli-car accident with a lot of injuries. They're calling everyone one in. I'll be back so soon as I can," he said.

She waited until he left, and decided she couldn't sleep. She got out of bed to go check on Megan. Standing, she started for the bedroom door, when nausea took over. She barely made it to the bathroom when she couldn't hold her stomach contents down any longer.

Enough was enough! She was making a doctor's appointment as soon as the office's opened. Climbing back into bed, she realized why she'd been so sick and irritable lately. She was two weeks late but had been so busy, she hadn't noticed. She smiled, wondering what Glenn would think.

She dept the news to herself, wanting to be absolutely sure before telling anyone. After her doctor's appointment, she knew the due date, and she decided to tell Glenn when they were alone. She planned to make it romantic. When the traffic light turned green, she pressed the gas pedal. She saw the other car speeding toward her on the wrong side of the road too late. The car hit her head on.

Glenn was working hard to save the woman on the operating table. She had sustained a severe head injury when she was thrown out of her car during the mutli-car accident. He made it a point to learn his patient's name's so he could talk to them while they were on his table. He knew they couldn't hear him, but still, he felt it made them fight harder.

He was trying to stop the bleeding in the woman's brain, saying, "Don't worry, Debra, I'm going to fix you good as new."

He glanced up to see another neurologist had entered the operating room. He said, "I'm sorry, David, but there's no room here, man. I have all the help I need." Referring to the people assisting him.

"I'm actually here to take over for you, Glenn," the other doctor replied.

Still working to stop the bleeding, he asked, "What do you mean? I don't need you to take over for me, I'm fine."

Shaking his head, David said, "They need you in the emergency room."

David joined Glenn, poised to take over for him. Glenn handed over the tools he was using and left the room. He took off his surgical gown and gloves. He made his way to the emergency room quickly, wondering what type of head injury he would be working on.

Coming in the emergency room, he saw an ER doctor approaching him quickly.

"Bob, where's the emergency?" Glenn asked still waking toward the patient rooms.

"Glenn," he said, grabbing his arm to stop him. "It's Melissa. She was in a head on collision. She's being flown here now."

Glenn looking like he didn't quite understand what he heard. "Flown? What? Nom Melissa's at home."

"Glenn, it's her," Bob clarified.

Glenn waited on the roof of the hospital for the medivac helicopter to land. When the medics unloaded Melissa, Glenn nearly had a panic attack. She was covered in blood and was unresponsive. He quickly switched to doctor mode and began asking questions.

Bob said, "Glenn! You can't assess her. You can only be there."

When Glenn started to protest, Bob interrupted him, "I know it's hard, but you're too emotionally involved. Let me do this. I'll take good care of her."

Glenn knew it was pointless to argue. Bob was right and Melissa needed help. The nurses had already gotten a patient room ready with the equipment they might need. Four nurses were standing in the hall waiting to take over for the paramedics. No one wasted a second, everyone started working on Melissa. They were shouting orders and vital signs.

Glenn felt helpless. He knew they were doing everything they possibly could for her. He heard a nurse yell, "She's flat lining! We need a defibulator now!"

Glenn jumped a little when saw his wife's body jolt from the shock.

"Again!" he heard someone shout.

"Come on, baby," he said to her. "Please! Don't do this! Come on!"

"Again!" he heard the same person shout.

"We've got rhythm!" someone shouted.

They went to working on her harder than before. It was determined she had internal bleeding, and needed surgery. Glenn went into the waiting room to wait for news on Melissa. When se sat down in the chair, his emotions caught up to his adrenaline and broke through. For the first time in his life, he found himself on the other side. He was experiencing the worry and fear so many families have felt when he was helping their love one. He was quickly gaining a new appreciation for them.

Hours had passed by. Being a surgeon, he knew what the team of doctors and nurses were doing. He also knew what was happening to Melissa. The waiting was making crazy. He'd called home and was waiting for Patricia and Megan.

When Patricia and Megan found him, Megan ran to him crying, "Is Mom going to be O.K.?"

Glenn kissed her forehead and said, "I don't know, baby. I hope so."

"But why aren't you in there with her?" Megan asked.

"I can't, Megan."

"Why?" she asked angrily. He knew it was only the fear talking.

"Because, it's unethical, illegal, and I'm too emotionally involved." He patiently explained.

He held his daughter while she cried. Patricia hugged him. He could see the fear in her eyes for his wife.

After what seemed like an eternity, Bob came out of the operating room. Glenn stood to talk to him. Patricia stood next to him, silently praying. Megan had fallen asleep on the couch across the room.

"We were able to stop the bleeding. She lost a lot of blood, so she was given a transfusion. Keep that in mind when you see her. Her color isn't good," he told them, then, "Glenn could I see you in the hall, please?"

Glenn followed Bob to the hall, wondering why he couldn't tell him this in the waiting room.

"Glenn, Melissa was pregnant. She lost the baby," Bob said, quietly.

"No, that's not possible. If she were pregnant, she would've told me," Glenn said.

"She may not have known or was waiting for the right time to tell you. I'm sorry. You can see her in an hour," Bob said and walked away.

Walking back inside the waiting room, he felt drained in every sense of the word. While he was in the hall, Megan had woken up. Seeing the look on his face, Megan fearfully asked, "What happened?"

"Melissa was pregnant," he said quietly.

"Mom's having a baby?" Megan asked.

"No. Not anymore. She lost the baby in the accident," he said.

Patricia and Megan began to cry. "Glenn, I'm so sorry, dear," Patricia offered.

"The worst part is I still have to tell her. Bob says she may not have known," he said.

"The poor girl," Patricia said.

"Dad, will she be O.K?" Megan asked.

"Yeah. She will be. We're lucky to still have her. She flat lined downstairs," he told them.

Confused, Megan asked, "Flat lined? What's that mean?"

"It means we almost lost her," Patricia said.

Glenn was finally allowed to see her. She looked so pale. He stroked her hair and face. All he could do was thank God he still had her. Her eyes opened slowly. She looked confused when she saw him. Suddenly, she remembered the car accident.

Afraid her voice would fail her, she lowered her hands to her belly. Glenn fought back tears, and said, "I'm so sorry, Melissa. You miscarried."

She started to cry, and whispered, "Glenn, I'm so sorry. I was going to tell you when I knew for sure."

"Oh, Melissa. It's not your fault. We can try again when you're ready." He was relieved he didn't have to tell her she was pregnant and then take it away.

He took her hand and kissed it. Megan and Patricia came in the room. Megan half hugged her mom and took her other hand.

Patricia wiped her tears, and said, "I'm so happy we still have you, child."

Melissa smiled weakly. After an hour, Glenn told Patricia to take Megan home so Melissa could rest.