Chapter 50

Max watched the tear run down Liz's cheek, her voice echoing in his head.

I'm bleeding

"You what?" Max's voice barely rasped out, his throat tightening.
"Oh my God," Isabel whispered behind him.
Liz broke down in front of him, her sobs violently shaking her small frame. Without being completely aware of the physical reality, Max took a hold of Liz and pulled her close, grabbing onto her as if he could redo whatever was happening by holding her tighter.
"You have to get her to the hospital, Max," Isabel voiced and then she put sound to his frightening thoughts. "She might be losing the baby."
Without a word, Max loosened his grip on Liz, only to bend down, hook an arm at the back of her knees and lift her off the ground. She wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, her tears quickly wetting the collar of his shirt.
"Should I call an ambulance?" Isabel asked.
Max shook his head. The hospital was close and by the time the ambulance had made its way here, he could have gotten her to the hospital on his own.
"I'll take her."
"What's wrong?"
Max hardly noticed Maria's presence as he walked briskly through the living room, with Liz cradled in his arms. The sound of rushing of blood in his ears drowned out the explanation Isabel gave to Maria and the tears forming in his eyes made him miss the fear on Maria's face as she caught up with them at the front door.
"I'm coming with you," Maria said and suspecting that Max hadn't heard her, she put more force and determination in her voice and repeated, "I'm coming with you."
"Okay," Max said quietly, feeling like the past was catching up with him. Quickly.

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The physician removed the speculum she had used to examine Liz and straightened up. She looked at the young couple; the worry on the man's face and the woman's red fearful eyes. For their sake, she was relieved that she had some kind of positive news.
"Well, Miss Parker, your cervix is not open, which is a really good sign." The couple was still looking at her with big eyes, so she added, "If the cervix would have been open, you would have lost the baby."
"So what about the bleeding?" Max asked, confused. He had been certain that Liz had suffered a miscarriage, something that had, to his surprise, scared him. He thought that he had been sure that it would've been for the better if Liz lost the baby, but being faced with the actual situation had scared him to death. In the last hour he had realized that it was not only Liz that wanted this baby. He wanted it too.
"Well, this is what we would call a threatened miscarriage," the physician explained. "The body is threatening to remove the baby."
"There's something wrong with the baby?" Liz asked, squeezing Max's hand harder. If the body wanted to get rid of the baby, something must be wrong with the baby.
"We are going to let you have an ultrasound to see if there's anything wrong with your baby," the physician answered.
"Okay," Liz nodded, still shocked.

"Have you had intercourse recently?" the physician asked, flipping through Liz's medical journal.
Liz looked up, worried, at Max. Had they done this? "Uhm…yes, well. Yesterday."
"I thought it was okay to have… uhm…intercourse when you were pregnant," Max stumbled over the words, trying to remember what the doctors had been telling him when Tess had been pregnant. There had never been any problems with Tess' pregnancy and they hadn't really exercised celibacy.
The physician looked up from Liz's very extensive medical history. "Sex is only one of the reasons to vaginal bleeding during pregnancy. It happens in around 30 of pregnancies and can be caused by hormones, an infection, but in your case, Miss Parker, it can be related to the immunosuppressive drugs you are taking for your heart."
Liz's eyes closed, shutting the new tears in. She had known this could happen. To be honest, everyone had more or less been screaming the risks in her face, but she had always been hopeful that maybe it would be okay. She felt Max's warm lips against her forehead and the tears overflowed and ran down her cheeks.
"It can still be alright, Miss Parker," the physician said, her voice warm and consoling. "Let us take a look at the ultrasound first before we jump to any conclusions."
Liz opened her eyes and nodded, wiping the tears away with the back of her hand.
"Here you go," the physician said, handing her some tissues.

The ultrasound was rolled into the examination room and the procedure which had filled Liz with anticipation and hope just a couple of weeks earlier was now connected to dread and hopelessness in her mind. The cold gel was applied to her stomach and almost immediately the room filled with the rapid lub-dub sounds of the baby's beating heart. Max felt his knees go weak and he sank down on the chair positioned next to him. The baby was alive.
The physician smiled, confirming what Max already knew, "The baby seem to be doing okay. Its heart sounds okay."
Liz nodded, knowing that she should be relieved, but she knew that she was still bleeding and that was preventing her from being able to fully relax.
"What happens now?" she heard Max ask.
"Since Liz's bleeding is still heavy, we are going to keep her here overnight, just as a precaution."
"But the bleeding will stop, right?" Liz whispered.
"Hopefully, it will stop. It might come back. Some women experience recurrent bleedings over a couple of weeks."
"Oh no," Liz whispered, the prospect of continuing going through this anxiety making her nauseous.
"But she won't miscarry?" Max asked.

"It's not for certain," the physician said grimly. "Around half of pregnancies with threatened miscarriage go through the pregnancy without any further problems while the other half will lose the baby."
Liz shook her head in a sign of hopelessness and devastation at this and turned her head away from Max and the physician.
"A nurse will come in shortly and help you get installed in a room," the physician said. "Do you want me to tell your friend to come in?"
She was referring to Maria, who was waiting outside. Max glanced at Liz and shook his head. It was probably for the best right now to handle things without Maria's involvement. This was between Liz and him. "I think we need some time alone first," Max said.
"That's fine," the physician said, giving him an understanding half-smile.
"Thank you, doctor," Max said, releasing Liz's hand to shake the doctor's hand.
The physician gave a short nod and left Max and Liz alone.
Max sat down on the edge of the examination table, stroking Liz's hair. His hand froze when she spoke, "This is what you wanted, isn't it?"
For a second he was at lost of words, because he really hadn't expected her to say anything like that at this moment.
"No, of course I didn't," he said forcefully.
"If the child would die, at least you wouldn't lose me," Liz continued.
Max swallowed when she touched on the truth with such rawness. "Yes, that's true."
Liz made herself smaller, very subtly inching away from him.
"I couldn't bear losing you, Liz. And this whole thing… I was not sure if the baby was worth it. I'm still not sure."
"The baby is part of us, Max," Liz sobbed, her voice small and lonely.
"What if I lose both of you? The stakes are too high."
"So you want me to terminate the pregnancy?" Liz whispered fearfully.

There was a long pause before he answered. "No. I thought I did, but after what just happened… I want this child just as much as you do, Liz."
He looked up at the ceiling, feeling the weight of the reality pushing down on his shoulders. He was being honest, but his recent feelings of love towards their unborn child had grown into guilt for being willing to risk her life. Even if Liz was more than willing to do that herself, Max had felt like he should be the one responsible and see the catastrophe before it arrived and stop it.
"What are we going to do?" Liz said quietly.
"We have to take every day as it comes I guess," Max said weakly. What was he supposed to say? He knew as little as she did. In this situation that had become their current life, they were lost.

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Maria rushed up to Liz when she walked through the examination doors and enveloped her in a tight hug.
"Babe, how are you feeling? Is everything okay? How is the baby? What are you going to do now?"
"Uhm…" Liz said, not really sure what question to answer first.
"She has to stay in the hospital overnight," Max replied, wrapping a protective arm around Liz's waist.
Maria's eyes grew bigger, a combination of fear and sorrow lacing her features. "Did you lose the baby?"
Liz glanced at Max before answering. "The baby is fine."
Maria frowned, relieved at Liz's statement but still puzzled. "So why were you bleeding?"
Unconsciously leaning into Max, Liz decided to fill Maria in on what the doctor had told them.
"Oh my God," Maria whispered when Liz finished and pulled Liz into another hug. "Are you okay?"
Liz gave her a weak smile, trying not only to comfort Maria but also herself. "I'm… I'm scared."

Her voice trembled at the last word and she felt Max arm around her waist tighten in its hold. She blinked to prevent the hot tears from rolling down her cheeks. She watched Maria's eyes tear up and tried to swallow the fear to protect her best friend.
"Oh, sweetie," Maria murmured, protectively brushing a strand of Liz's hair behind her ear. "You are going to get through this, okay? Your baby is going to make this. I know the baby is a fighter, just look at her mommy."
A teary laugh tumbled over Liz's lips, wanting to believe Maria's every word so badly.
Maria caringly stroke Liz's cheek, removing the silent tears that were wetting the skin. "This is just a minor setback. You will get through this; I have no doubt in my mind."
"Okay," Liz whispered, somewhat broken. She longed for the confidence she could see in Maria's eyes, but her fears were still too strong, too dominate.
"Okay?"
Liz nodded, brushing the tears away with the back of her hand. "Okay."

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One day later

"What do you think you're doing?"
Liz bit her lower lip, knowing that she had been caught, and slowly lowered the cup she had been washing to the bottom of the sink. "I'm just washing my cup."
His hand pressed against the small of her back as he stepped closer to her, "I'll do that, Liz. You should be in bed."
She rolled her eyes. "The doctor said that it wouldn't really make a difference if I was resting or not, as long as I'm not like exercising or something."
She could feel the heat of his strong body as he stepped closer, his arm snaking around her waist to protectively rest against the slight swell of her stomach. "I still think you should rest."
She turned the tap back on and rinsed the cup. "Max, my hands are itching. I needed to do something."
"Yes, Max. She's not handicapped."
Max and Liz jumped at the presence of another voice, turning around in the direction of the sound. Isabel smiled when she saw the perplexity on their faces. "The front door was open."
"What are you doing here, Isabel?" Max asked, stepping up to his sister.
"Gee, you can really make a girl feel special," Isabel said sarcastically and pulled Max into a hug. "How are you holding up, little brother?"
"Uhm," was Max reply as he was released from his sister's overprotective embrace.
Isabel offered him a hint of a smile, before turning her attention to Liz, while her voice answered his initial question. "I came to visit Liz."
Liz frowned. "Me?"

Granted, Liz and Isabel had had some discussion about getting along, but things had continued to be strained between the two and Liz had thought that this would only fuel Isabel's argument about Liz being bad for Max further.
"Yes, you," Isabel emphasized; her facial features letting everyone know how ridiculous Liz was being. "How are you feeling?"
"Uhm…"
"You certainly are a match made in heaven… Do you have any other information to give me but 'uhm'? I heard from Maria that you didn't lose the baby."
Liz nodded, quickly catching up with the present. "The baby is fine. I had something called threatened miscarriage."
Isabel shot a worried glance in Max's direction, before granting Liz's face a closer look in an attempt to read if this was good or bad. "That doesn't sound good."
Liz shook her head. "I could be fine… but," Liz swallowed, meeting Max's eyes, "I could also lose the baby."
"Oh Liz," Isabel said sympathetically and surprised Liz by pulling her into a hug.
Max watched the scene with confusion and decided to be painfully blunt. "I thought you didn't like Liz being pregnant to start with."
"Max," Liz warned as Isabel pulled away. Isabel turned to her brother, hurt shining in her eyes. Max was right, she had felt that way, but it was painful to hear him more or less accuse her of wanting their child dead.
"How can you say that?"
Max took a mental step back, realizing that he might've been too harsh. "All I'm saying is that Liz would be better off not being pregnant, right?"
Liz looked at him, wondering if he was only saying the words he thought Isabel was thinking or if it was also the words in his mind.

Isabel opened her mouth to defend herself with some defensive words, but at the last second decided against it. Instead she turned towards Liz. "I… I'm sorry for the way I treated you and for how I talked to you before." Liz's eyes widened in surprise and Isabel hurried to continue. "I mean, if I were pregnant and someone disrespected me and my baby like that, I would... I would be really hurt. I'm sorry, Liz."
The hint of an insecure smile fluttered across Liz's lips. "That's okay, Isabel. I completely understand your reaction."
"But that doesn't make my reaction right," Isabel said, shame over how she had treated Liz trembling over her beautiful facial features.
"Thank you, Isabel. Let's just put this behind us, okay?"
Isabel visibly relaxed and her face brightened with a warm smile. "Yes, okay." Her smile grew when her brother's arms encircled her waist from the back. Giving her cheek a peck, he whispered. "Thanks, sis."
Isabel blushed, getting uncomfortable with the sudden overwhelming gratitude and with a smooth step out of Max's arms; she brushed the strong feelings off and redirected her attention to Liz. "Now, how about you and I go for a little trip?"
"Isabel-"
Isabel silenced Max's protest with a warning glare and with a determined tone she said, "Max, Liz obviously needs to get out of the house. Don't worry. I won't let her do anything. She is going to be so pampered."

Max looked at Liz desperately. If he couldn't work with Isabel, maybe he could convince Liz not to go. Liz saw the honest worry in his eyes and stepped up to him, unconsciously taking a hold of his hand. "Isabel, where are we going?"
"Manicure, pedicure, facials, you name it," Isabel said with a proud smile, confident that no woman would reject an offer like that, Elizabeth Parker included.
Liz smiled warmly. Where had this Isabel come from? She looked up at Max, squeezing his hand in a comforting gesture.
"I'll be fine, Max."
Max met her eyes, and she could see how he was struggling to push the worry out of the way and his attempt to put on a smile was pathetic if not completely catastrophic. "Okay." His eyes still on Liz's face, his voice rose slightly in volume as he directed it in Isabel's direction. "Look after her, Isabel."
"Don't worry, brother, I will take care of her."

TBC...