Part XXXV
Marissa sat on the living room couch, back in their apartment in LA. She rubbed her hands together, feeling a little nervous. She glanced at the clock and let out a breath. It was already two hours late. Marissa was starting to panic.
Just then she heard a knock on the door making her stand up. Recovering her composure, she reached for the knob and peeked through the peephole. Closing her eyes and letting out a smile, Marissa unlocked the door and welcomed the person on the other side.
"I missed you…" The words came out barely a whisper as strong arms wrapped around her waist pulling her close.
"I missed you too…" She replied placing a gentle kiss on her fiancé's lips.
Alex didn't pull away from Marissa. Instead, she deepened the kiss and pulled the brunette closer. Alex savored the lips she had longed for weeks and the warmth she was craving for. She could feel Marissa smiling in the kiss.
They pull away, ever so slowly. Eyes closed and smiles on their faces.
"Way to be greeted…" Alex chuckled and kissed Marissa on the cheek.
Suddenly, she felt Alex stiffen. Marissa opened her eyes and saw Alex growing pale. Her lips lost its rosy color and the blonde seemed to lose her strength.
"Alex?" Marissa asked fearful of the sight in her arms.
The blonde shot her a weak smile before fainting.
ALEX!
Marissa abruptly sat up on the bed. She was sweating and her heart was beating like crazy. She stared at the clock. Alex would be in New York in a few hours. The blonde was at the end of their road game schedule. It was also the game she would have to face her so called bitter rival.
"I should be there with her…" Marissa whispered to herself as thoughts of her fiancé flooded her mind.
But then how could she run to her fiancé now? She had to settle things with her father. She had to settle things with her half sister. Marissa couldn't even cope with the fact that Juvy Yap is after Alex as well. Though, she doesn't have proof on the latter.
Suddenly she heard a knock on her door. Marissa was surprised. It was too early for anyone to be up.
She saw the door open and found Julie peaking.
"It's too early for you to be up mom"
"I know… Though I could say the same for you… Bad dream?" Julie asked as she sat on Marissa's bed.
"Yeah… Being away from Alex worries me a bit."
"I could just imagine... But I'm sure New York isn't a new environment for her."
"Mom…"
"Hm?"
"Why are you still with dad?" Marissa asked as she tried to go under the covers.
"Because I want to make it work." Julie replied smiling at her daughter.
"Even if he had a child from another woman?"
"He never did it again."
Marissa frowned and touched her forehead. It was hard for her to forgive her father.
"If he does it to me again, whether or not something comes out of it, like another baby, I'm leaving him."
"Why didn't you leave him when he did it the first time?"
"Everybody deserves a second chance. Unless he wasn't really serious about changing, we would have been in Morocco. Meaning you won't meet Alex." Julie smiled thoughtfully as she laid herself beside Marissa.
It was just like old times.
"Everything happens for a reason…" Marissa said softly as she tried to suppress a yawn.
"No matter how painful or happy they could be. Everything happens for a reason." Julie closed her eyes and slept with her daughter in her arms.
----
"You don't look good." Juvy looked at Alex with concern.
The blonde was a little pale and it seemed her concentration was not on practice.
"Yeah Cohen. You don't look good." Luisa stared at Alex then gave her a tap on the shoulder.
"Get some rest. I'll tell coach you're ill. We'll get the doctors to check up on you right away."
"I'll be fine. I've just been feeling dizzy since we got to the hotel last night…" Alex tried to stand up straight but her vision was becoming hazy.
She started to walk towards the bench to get some rest but her knees gave way. Juvy caught her on her way down.
"Easy tiger…" Juvy held Alex in an embrace.
She stared at the blonde who didn't seem to know where she was. She was beyond dizzy.
"Better call the doctor now." Juvy commanded one of their ball-boys and fearfully held Alex Cohen.
There was something wrong and it was definitely not the right time.
----
Marissa was reading a few papers on her mother's desk when the phone rang. She walked towards the phone stopping to look at the clock. It wasn't too early for Alex to call.
"Hello?"
Coop! Coop! We're going to have twins! We're going to have twins!
"Summer? DAMN! It's so nice to hear from you!"
Are you even listening to me Coop? Jodie and I are having twins!
"I heard you the first time Summer." Marissa rolled her eyes thankful her best friend won't be able to see.
She would have gotten gentle swipes from Summer's Prada bag or worse her heels.
Congratulate me then!
"Fine… Congrats. How's Jodie?"
Oh well you know. She's going through a little diet thing - Which she hates by the way. Morning sickness hasn't settled in. Thank God! I've been rearranging a room full of Looney Toons and Teletubies whatchamacallit.
"Excited-Much? I hope the season ends so I can change surnames already!" Marissa said in a happy sigh.
Suddenly she felt a sharp pain run by her chest. She shot up and she found herself starting to sweat. Summer was still blabbing about something on the other line, but Marissa's attention was now on the clock. Alex should have been at the hotel by now. She should have called about an hour ago.
"What's going on…?" Marissa mumbled.
She clenched her fist and brought it to her chest. Her heart was beating rapidly.
What's what?
Summer asked from the other line.
"Sum… I got to cut this conversation short. Alex should have called an hour ago…" Marissa noticed that her own voice was starting to tremble.
She was starting to panic.
What if something bad happened to her fiancé?
Riss… I'm sure she's just exhausted. Maybe she fell asleep.
"She never misses phone calls you know that…"
I know especially when she promises to. I'll go. I don't want to stress you out. Greet Alex for me. Bye.
"I will. Bye."
----
"Stress…"
"Just that?"
"Yup stress." Juvy replied taking a seat beside Luisa and Inna.
Alex was taken to the nearest hospital as to the advice of the team's physician.
"I'm sorry I'm late… Traffic jam. How's Alex?" Beth came in huffing in the emergency room.
"I don't know yet. But it ain't looking good." Inna replied rubbing her hands together.
"I have to call Marissa."
"Don't. It would just worry her fiancé about nothing." Juvy proposed not really wanting Alex Cohen to be all lovey-dovey with her fiancé.
"This isn't nothing..." Beth replied with a serious look on her face.
"Chill… You can call her fiancé once we find out she's safe. Deal?" Luisa stood up and intervened.
"I'm going to look for Alex's doctor." Beth finally said before walking away.
With one swift move, Luisa dragged Juvy out of the hospital building. Inna just nodded, oblivious to everything that was beginning to transpire.
"You can't do that." Luisa spoke taking out a cigarette.
"Do what? What did I do except for taking care of her?"
"She is bound to be married. You can't just try and be somebody to her. Her fiancé needs to know too. It's her right."
Juvy crossed her arms on her chest and frowned.
"Stop wanting her Juvy. She wants somebody else."
"I can't."
"Why? There are lots of girls out there."
"Because she's not just any ordinary girl."