Scott sank back in the waiting room chair. He wasn't waiting for anything, really,
but he sat there anyway. Lauren couldn't have been 7 1/2 months pregnant! It was impossible!
She hadn't even been showing. Hadn't been sick. But more importantly, she hadn't told him.
He got up, walking briskly into the room where Lauren had died. They had wiped off her face,
but he knew what was under the sheet was not going to be a pretty sight. He almost stopped
removing the sheet when he saw her neck, or what was left if it. But he kept going, rolling
it down right below her stomach. Shocked, he saw the small bulge in her stomach that he
hadn't noticed before. It was tiny, but it was there. How busy had he been in the past few
months? To see her every day and not notice that she was beginnning to show. It was late,
she definitely hadn't started showing at the normal time, but still....
"God Lauren, why didn't I see this? I'm so sorry...I've been a horrible person. I can't believe you didn't tell me. But I should have seen...forgive me Lauren." But her body couldn't respond to him. He turned away, trying in some way to shield her from seeing his tears. He saw James Bell standing in the door.
"Scott?"
"Dr. Bell, how could she have been so small? I mean....she didn't really show at all!"
"Well, the baby was small for 7 1/2 months. And Lauren's mother has informed us that her family generally doesn't show until later on in their pregnancy. Also..."
"There's more? How many different factors contributed to this, Dr. Bell?"
"Just one more. Lauren was a bit ill, which may have been one reason that the baby was small...Lauren wasn't getting enough food. We have reason to believe she might not have known for sure that she was pregnant. It would explain why she wasn't eating enough for her and the baby."
"Thank you. If you'll excuse me, I have a few phone calls to make. And thank you for taking care of the baby."He added as he walked out the door. There were so many people to call. But whom to call first? He sighed and dialed Harry Senate's number. He of all people deserved to know first.
20 minutes later
Harry and Dana sat in the waiting room chairs next to Scott and Steven. Kevin and Marilyn were on their way, and Steven had called Louisa in New York. She and Rob were on their way, but it would take them a while to drive up. Steve Lawrence was sitting in the waiting room as well, on the opposite side. He was trying to stay away from Guber.
"Harry, may I speak to you for a moment please?"
"Of course, Scott."
They walked over to a secluded corner. "Harry, Lauren was pregnant...and the baby was yours. She's in the nursery if you'd like to see her, although I'd appreciate it if you'd wait until the Reileys or Lauren's parents arrived. I'd like them to see you. I'm not in the shape to explain right now, and you seem to be...well, I think you'd better tell them."
"I guess so, Scott...but I'd really like to go see my child now. I understand, but I'll be back soon enough...Lauren's parents won't be here for another half hour at least, and Marilyn and Kevin have to pick up Jen from camp. They won't leave her there, and she only wants to come home to them. She won't go to a friend's house...ok, the short answer is, I'm going. Sorry...I think I just have to see my child right now."
"What do I do if they come?"
Harry glanced at the helpless man. "If the Davises come, send them to the nursery. If Marilyn and Kevin come...have Steven tell them if you can't! Or...I guess you can come and get me. But I won't be long. I'll just get Dana and we'll..."
"Harry, did you have to bring *her* here?" Scott asked, motioning to the young girl who was almost crying.
"Scott, we live together. And she's upset over Lauren's death. She has a right to be here. You're not going to criticize Louisa for arriving with Rob, so don't ask me to leave Dana home!"
"That's different..."
"No, Scott, it's not. I wish you could see that. Dana, come with me!" They walked quickly to the elevator and went upstairs.
"God Lauren, why didn't I see this? I'm so sorry...I've been a horrible person. I can't believe you didn't tell me. But I should have seen...forgive me Lauren." But her body couldn't respond to him. He turned away, trying in some way to shield her from seeing his tears. He saw James Bell standing in the door.
"Scott?"
"Dr. Bell, how could she have been so small? I mean....she didn't really show at all!"
"Well, the baby was small for 7 1/2 months. And Lauren's mother has informed us that her family generally doesn't show until later on in their pregnancy. Also..."
"There's more? How many different factors contributed to this, Dr. Bell?"
"Just one more. Lauren was a bit ill, which may have been one reason that the baby was small...Lauren wasn't getting enough food. We have reason to believe she might not have known for sure that she was pregnant. It would explain why she wasn't eating enough for her and the baby."
"Thank you. If you'll excuse me, I have a few phone calls to make. And thank you for taking care of the baby."He added as he walked out the door. There were so many people to call. But whom to call first? He sighed and dialed Harry Senate's number. He of all people deserved to know first.
20 minutes later
Harry and Dana sat in the waiting room chairs next to Scott and Steven. Kevin and Marilyn were on their way, and Steven had called Louisa in New York. She and Rob were on their way, but it would take them a while to drive up. Steve Lawrence was sitting in the waiting room as well, on the opposite side. He was trying to stay away from Guber.
"Harry, may I speak to you for a moment please?"
"Of course, Scott."
They walked over to a secluded corner. "Harry, Lauren was pregnant...and the baby was yours. She's in the nursery if you'd like to see her, although I'd appreciate it if you'd wait until the Reileys or Lauren's parents arrived. I'd like them to see you. I'm not in the shape to explain right now, and you seem to be...well, I think you'd better tell them."
"I guess so, Scott...but I'd really like to go see my child now. I understand, but I'll be back soon enough...Lauren's parents won't be here for another half hour at least, and Marilyn and Kevin have to pick up Jen from camp. They won't leave her there, and she only wants to come home to them. She won't go to a friend's house...ok, the short answer is, I'm going. Sorry...I think I just have to see my child right now."
"What do I do if they come?"
Harry glanced at the helpless man. "If the Davises come, send them to the nursery. If Marilyn and Kevin come...have Steven tell them if you can't! Or...I guess you can come and get me. But I won't be long. I'll just get Dana and we'll..."
"Harry, did you have to bring *her* here?" Scott asked, motioning to the young girl who was almost crying.
"Scott, we live together. And she's upset over Lauren's death. She has a right to be here. You're not going to criticize Louisa for arriving with Rob, so don't ask me to leave Dana home!"
"That's different..."
"No, Scott, it's not. I wish you could see that. Dana, come with me!" They walked quickly to the elevator and went upstairs.