Chapter 22: I Should've Stayed Home
Nessie's POV
I couldn't hear much of anything at first. I thought I must be dead. Until I heard the voices. Voices that I didn't recognize.
"You say the baby crawled out of her stomach?"
"Yes sir. I know it sounds crazy but that's exactly what happened. The baby crawled out of her stomach. Judging by the amount of internal damage she had I would say the baby ripped it's way out of her,"
"Babies just don't rip their way out of their mothers' wombs,"
"Normal people don't heal from their injuries as fast as she did. You saw it yourself doctor. Her liver, spleen, her gallblader, and pancreas were healing right before your eyes as you were operating on her. Her stomach would started to heal before you could stitch it back together. This girl is not normal doctor and neither is that baby of hers,"
"You might be right,"
"Might be? That baby was running a temperature of 108 degrees Fahrenheit. That baby can crawl already and he keeps saying want mama over and over again. No normal eight hour old baby can do those things,"
I was getting a headache as I tried to make sense of what these people were saying. I opened my eyes. It took a moment for my eyesight to adjust. I realized that I was in a hospital. Moments of my last few minutes of conciousness flooded my mind. My baby. My beautiful baby boy.
I groaned. My body felt wrong. It was probably all the drugs the doctors must've given me that had messed with my brain.
"Here I will take her to her room," another voice said. "Oh you're awake kid. Are you feeling any pain?" he asked when he realized I was awake.
I couldn't speak so I just nodded my head yes. There was pain. That tends to happen when your baby tears through your abdomen and causing enough damage to necessitate surgery.
"I'll have them administer some morphine. You're in the intensive care unit right now. You just underwent surgery which was finished an hour ago. There's something that's been completely baffling all the doctors here. Your body was healing rapidly all on it's own as you underwent surgery. Do you know why that is?"
Oh no. This was not good. How was I going to explain that? "I don't know what you're talking about doctor. Where's my baby? Can I see him?"
"He's in the NICU right now,"
"What's that?"
"Neonatal intensive care unit,"
"Why is he there?!" my voice shot up an octave.
"His temperature is 108 degrees. The doctors are trying to figure out what's wrong with him and they're trying to bring his temperature down. He's also refusing to eat. He's been crying a lot and sometimes he starts to shake really badly for no apparent reason. I'm sorry all this must be alarming for you to hear but they're running every test they can think of to figure it out,"
This was definitely not good.
"I'll leave you to get some rest," he said. "My name is Dr. Jackie by the way,"
"Thanks. Where's my sister?" I asked.
"She's asleep in the hallway. She said your parents went out of state to visit family. But they'll be here later today,"
"What time is it?"
"Its 5am. You were out for eight hours. But you really should get some sleep now. You need it,"
I was so wide awake though that I knew I wouldn't be able to fall back asleep. Not any time soon. I knew exactly why and I didn't care what the other doctors said. I needed my baby. I needed to see that he was okay. I needed to hold him. I needed him to know I was here.
So I got out of bed and snuck out into the hallway. My sister was asleep just as he'd said. I looked for signs that would point me in the direction of the NICU. The hospital was like a maze but eventually I found it. I was surprised at just how many babies were in there. So many babies. It was sad.
I was aware that all the pediatric doctors seemed to be focused on only one baby at the moment. I could hear that baby's nonstop cries.
"Want mama!" His cry tore right through my soul. I knew that the baby the doctors were focused on was my baby. My Jacob Jr.
"Excuse me," I sais but no one heard me. "Excuse me!" I shouted louder.
They all turned to face me. My heart stopped dead in it's tracks when I saw my son's red tear stained face,"
"Ma'am you need to leave. You can't be here,"
"That's my son. Can I see him?"
"I'm afraid not ma'am. You need to leave-"
"MAMA! WANT! WANT MAMA!" he wailed loudly. His arms were outstretched toward me. His tiny hands grasping into fists again and again. The worst part was the shaking. He was shaking violently the way his father did when he was angry about something.
I went and grabbed my son from the doctor's arms without caring what would happen to me as a consequence. The effect was immediate. His crying quieted down into little sobs. The shaking stopped. "Mama," he nestled his head into my chest.
"He needs me. Just let me take him to my room for a little while. That'll hopefully calm him down,"
"Fine. We'll give you an hour. Then we're coming to take him back. No normal baby can talk hours after birth,"
This was not good. I should've stayed home yesterday. Then I would've given birth around people who knew the secret. Now thanks to my idiocy humans have witnessed a baby ripping it's way out of me, my quickly healing abilities, and an hours old baby talk. I did not know how I was going to get out of this unscathed.
I went back upstairs with my baby in my arms. He was a lot calmer now that he was with me. He knew that I was his mom. He recognized me. That made me smile. We settled into the bed in my room quickly. I held him close to my chest and listened to his steady breathing and his heartbeat.
"Mama. Hungry," I was surprised that he'd said a new word. How quickly was his vocabulary going to expand?
"Mama. Hungry," he cried again. Only this time he put a tiny little hand over my left breast. It took a minute for his words and actions to click in my brain. I must've started producing milk and he could smell it. The doctors had said that he hadn't eaten at all. Poor baby. I wondered why he wouldn't drink baby formula?
With some difficulty I was able to remove the hospital gown, my shirt, and bra. He latched on quickly and started suckling. It made me immensely happy to see him eating what my body was producing for him. Although I still didn't understand why he wouldn't drink baby formula when it was offered to him.
My happiness vanished almost as quickly as it had appeared. The Cullens. They didn't know where I was. It was 5am and my family had no idea where I was. There was a phone in my room that I could use to call them. Damn they were going to be so angry. I shuddered at the thought. I really should've stayed home.
I decided to Carlisle. He was the most levelheaded. He was always so calm. I dialed his number and he answered on the first ring. "This is Dr. Cullen sp-"
"Grandpa its me,"
"Renesmee?!" I could hear relief mixed in with the anger. I shuddered again. "Where are you?! Where have you been all night?! Do you know how worried we have all been?!"
"Grandpa I'm at the hospital,"
"Why?"
I took a deep breath. "I was out to dinner with my sister last night when I felt a sudden terrible pain in my stomach. They called 911. In the ambulance on the way to the hospital I gave birth. But not the usual way. He ripped his way out and crawled out of my stomach. I lost consciousness so I don't really remember much else but the doctors said I was healing fast while they were operating. Jr has already said a few words in front of the doctors. They know something is wrong. I don't know how to explain-"
"We're on our way," Grandpa Carlisle sounded angry and that scared me. I really screwed up. I should've never snuck out of the house. I was in so much trouble.
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