PART 5
Michael sat next to Maria, just as Liz had done, thinking about all the memories they had shared. Michael had spoken to the doctors, and as he had thought, Maria had lost the baby. He knew it would be hard for Maria, for them both. Losing a child wasn't an easy thing to do, even if you hadn't appreciated the child in the first place. Michael knew Maria would be heart broken, but they would be okay. He would always love her, child or no child. Eventually Maria would get pregnant again (after they were married, Michael hoped) and then they would have another child. And it would be special, because the child would be wanted. At least, that was how Michael hoped Maria would see it.
EARLY SUNDAY
Michael walked back into Maria's room, Amy had just come out. She had arrived a few minutes after Liz had called her. Amy thanked Michael for staying with her daughter; she let him know that she was grateful. Michael decided not to say anything about the baby, he didn't know if Mrs. Deluca even knew about it in the first place. After all, Maria had only been a few weeks pregnant. When Michael came in, he took his place beside Maria's bed, watching her carefully for any sign of motion. Maria was stirring.
"Michael?" Maria whispered.
"Maria, it's okay, I'm here," Michael told her.
"What happened?" Maria asked.
"You were trapped in the UFO Center during the earthquake. I found you, and Liz and I brought you to the hospital."
"Am I okay? I mean, nothing horrible like paralization right?" Maria laughed.
"No, you were really lucky, nothing hit you in the spine or whatever. You're fine. Except..."
"What about the baby?" Maria asked, quietly. "Michael, I've been thinking a lot about everything...and I really don't know if we're really ready to be parents. I don't know, I mean-"
"Maria," Michael interrupted, "You lost the baby," Michael told her. Maria looked up at him.
"I, I lost the baby?" Maria uttered. Her lip was quivering and her eyes filled with tears. Michael took her in his arms, holding her, cradling her. He even allowed a few tears to roll down his face. When Maria stopped crying Michael pulled her close and hugged her. Then he laid her back against her pillows.
"Are you okay?" He asked.
"Yeah. Yeah, I think so. Maybe it was for the best, you know? I know that we love each other, and we'll always be together," Maria smiled at him, "We'll have a baby when we're ready. When we're a lot older. I'll always have this memory, something really special between us. It'll bring us closer if we let it. In some ways it already has," Maria said.
"I love you, Maria," Michael said.
"I love you too," Maria replied. The two kissed again.
"Michael, can you get Liz for me? I really need to talk to her," Maria asked.
"Oh, sure. Your mom is outside; I probably should get the nurses to look at you. And uh, Max had a little accident, he's awake now though, and he'll be fine. Liz is probably still with him," Michael told her.
"Wow. Okay, tell Mom to come in, get the nurses, and then go get Liz. But make sure Max is okay for me, and make sure Max and Liz are done talking," Maria said.
"Okay," Michael replied. He leant over her and kissed her one more time. Then he walked out of the room.
Liz walked down the hall again, back to Maria's room.
Liz knew Maria had something to tell her, and Liz hoped it wasn't anything horrible. Liz hated it when she and Maria kept secrets, and she was going to make her friend promise never to do it again. Liz came to the door and knocked. Mrs. Deluca opened it.
"Liz! It's so good to see you. I'm sure you want to say hi to Maria. I just wanted to thank you for bringing her here. I'm sure you did a great deal to help her," Mrs. Deluca told Liz.
"Oh, I would do anything for Maria," Liz said. Amy thanked Liz again, hugged her and left the room.
"Ria, are you okay? The last time I saw you, you looked so weak. I was afraid you weren't gonna make it!" Liz laughed.
"I'm fine," Maria told her, "Liz, I need to tell you something. I know I've been acting weird lately. I have been keeping a secret, and I guess I just didn't know how to tell you. But I know I have to tell you now," Maria said.
"What is it?" Liz asked.
"I'm pregnant," Maria told her.
"P-pregnant?" Liz stuttered, that wasn't what she had been expecting.
"Well, I was. I lost the baby. Liz, I know I should have told you, but no one else knows, not even my mother. I swear," Maria rushed.
"Maria, I had no idea. I'm so sorry. Are you and Michael okay?" Liz asked.
"I think we're gonna be fine. This whole thing has actually brought us closer together. I'm glad it all happened this way, as horrible as that may sound," Maria told Liz.
"No, I know exactly what you mean," Liz told her.
"So. How's Max? Michael told me what happened. Is he okay?" Maria asked.
"Oh, yeah he's fine. And something really weird happened when he blacked out. He got these really weird visions, about how Tess was mind warping him. Everything, the sex, the baby, it was all a lie. And we're sort of, back together I guess," Liz told Maria.
"That's so great! I'm so happy for you, Liz!" Maria exclaimed. Liz and Maria talked more until the nurse came in and told them visiting hours were long over and that she must insist they leave so the patient could rest. Michael came in one last time to say goodnight, while Liz rushed off to see Max one last time.
IN THE MEANTIME
Isabel and Kyle were stuck in the elevator for five more hours, eight all together. When they were found, they had their cup of coffee and something to eat, and Kyle walked Isabel home. Since no one was there, and Max had the keys, Isabel went over to Kyle's house and hung out there for a while. When Isabel went to check Kyle's messages, she figured out where everyone was.
"Oh my God! Kyle! Max and Maria are in the hospital! We've got to get over there!" Isabel said, frantically.
"Iz, calm down. Visiting hours are way over. How about I drive you home and you can talk to your parents. We'll go see Max and Maria tomorrow, if they don't go home tonight. I'm sure it's nothing major," Kyle reassured Isabel as best he could, and Isabel felt happy, like Kyle could always make her feel better, and that was a great feeling. Kyle drove Isabel home, and, as Kyle had told her, Isabel's parents were there. As soon as Isabel found out her brother was fine, she went outside to say goodnight to Kyle.
"Well, they're both fine. Maria lost the baby, I'm almost sure of it. Michael practically screamed it without actually saying it. Max had some stitches, and they're keeping him overnight for observation."
"Okay. I'm sure we'll see them both tomorrow at the party," Kyle said.
"Yeah," Isabel replied.
"So I'll see you tomorrow," Kyle said.
"Okay, goodnight," Isabel said. The two of them kissed, and Isabel wrapped her arms around Kyle's neck. They hugged, said goodnight one more time, and Kyle left.
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Michael sat next to Maria, just as Liz had done, thinking about all the memories they had shared. Michael had spoken to the doctors, and as he had thought, Maria had lost the baby. He knew it would be hard for Maria, for them both. Losing a child wasn't an easy thing to do, even if you hadn't appreciated the child in the first place. Michael knew Maria would be heart broken, but they would be okay. He would always love her, child or no child. Eventually Maria would get pregnant again (after they were married, Michael hoped) and then they would have another child. And it would be special, because the child would be wanted. At least, that was how Michael hoped Maria would see it.
EARLY SUNDAY
Michael walked back into Maria's room, Amy had just come out. She had arrived a few minutes after Liz had called her. Amy thanked Michael for staying with her daughter; she let him know that she was grateful. Michael decided not to say anything about the baby, he didn't know if Mrs. Deluca even knew about it in the first place. After all, Maria had only been a few weeks pregnant. When Michael came in, he took his place beside Maria's bed, watching her carefully for any sign of motion. Maria was stirring.
"Michael?" Maria whispered.
"Maria, it's okay, I'm here," Michael told her.
"What happened?" Maria asked.
"You were trapped in the UFO Center during the earthquake. I found you, and Liz and I brought you to the hospital."
"Am I okay? I mean, nothing horrible like paralization right?" Maria laughed.
"No, you were really lucky, nothing hit you in the spine or whatever. You're fine. Except..."
"What about the baby?" Maria asked, quietly. "Michael, I've been thinking a lot about everything...and I really don't know if we're really ready to be parents. I don't know, I mean-"
"Maria," Michael interrupted, "You lost the baby," Michael told her. Maria looked up at him.
"I, I lost the baby?" Maria uttered. Her lip was quivering and her eyes filled with tears. Michael took her in his arms, holding her, cradling her. He even allowed a few tears to roll down his face. When Maria stopped crying Michael pulled her close and hugged her. Then he laid her back against her pillows.
"Are you okay?" He asked.
"Yeah. Yeah, I think so. Maybe it was for the best, you know? I know that we love each other, and we'll always be together," Maria smiled at him, "We'll have a baby when we're ready. When we're a lot older. I'll always have this memory, something really special between us. It'll bring us closer if we let it. In some ways it already has," Maria said.
"I love you, Maria," Michael said.
"I love you too," Maria replied. The two kissed again.
"Michael, can you get Liz for me? I really need to talk to her," Maria asked.
"Oh, sure. Your mom is outside; I probably should get the nurses to look at you. And uh, Max had a little accident, he's awake now though, and he'll be fine. Liz is probably still with him," Michael told her.
"Wow. Okay, tell Mom to come in, get the nurses, and then go get Liz. But make sure Max is okay for me, and make sure Max and Liz are done talking," Maria said.
"Okay," Michael replied. He leant over her and kissed her one more time. Then he walked out of the room.
Liz walked down the hall again, back to Maria's room.
Liz knew Maria had something to tell her, and Liz hoped it wasn't anything horrible. Liz hated it when she and Maria kept secrets, and she was going to make her friend promise never to do it again. Liz came to the door and knocked. Mrs. Deluca opened it.
"Liz! It's so good to see you. I'm sure you want to say hi to Maria. I just wanted to thank you for bringing her here. I'm sure you did a great deal to help her," Mrs. Deluca told Liz.
"Oh, I would do anything for Maria," Liz said. Amy thanked Liz again, hugged her and left the room.
"Ria, are you okay? The last time I saw you, you looked so weak. I was afraid you weren't gonna make it!" Liz laughed.
"I'm fine," Maria told her, "Liz, I need to tell you something. I know I've been acting weird lately. I have been keeping a secret, and I guess I just didn't know how to tell you. But I know I have to tell you now," Maria said.
"What is it?" Liz asked.
"I'm pregnant," Maria told her.
"P-pregnant?" Liz stuttered, that wasn't what she had been expecting.
"Well, I was. I lost the baby. Liz, I know I should have told you, but no one else knows, not even my mother. I swear," Maria rushed.
"Maria, I had no idea. I'm so sorry. Are you and Michael okay?" Liz asked.
"I think we're gonna be fine. This whole thing has actually brought us closer together. I'm glad it all happened this way, as horrible as that may sound," Maria told Liz.
"No, I know exactly what you mean," Liz told her.
"So. How's Max? Michael told me what happened. Is he okay?" Maria asked.
"Oh, yeah he's fine. And something really weird happened when he blacked out. He got these really weird visions, about how Tess was mind warping him. Everything, the sex, the baby, it was all a lie. And we're sort of, back together I guess," Liz told Maria.
"That's so great! I'm so happy for you, Liz!" Maria exclaimed. Liz and Maria talked more until the nurse came in and told them visiting hours were long over and that she must insist they leave so the patient could rest. Michael came in one last time to say goodnight, while Liz rushed off to see Max one last time.
IN THE MEANTIME
Isabel and Kyle were stuck in the elevator for five more hours, eight all together. When they were found, they had their cup of coffee and something to eat, and Kyle walked Isabel home. Since no one was there, and Max had the keys, Isabel went over to Kyle's house and hung out there for a while. When Isabel went to check Kyle's messages, she figured out where everyone was.
"Oh my God! Kyle! Max and Maria are in the hospital! We've got to get over there!" Isabel said, frantically.
"Iz, calm down. Visiting hours are way over. How about I drive you home and you can talk to your parents. We'll go see Max and Maria tomorrow, if they don't go home tonight. I'm sure it's nothing major," Kyle reassured Isabel as best he could, and Isabel felt happy, like Kyle could always make her feel better, and that was a great feeling. Kyle drove Isabel home, and, as Kyle had told her, Isabel's parents were there. As soon as Isabel found out her brother was fine, she went outside to say goodnight to Kyle.
"Well, they're both fine. Maria lost the baby, I'm almost sure of it. Michael practically screamed it without actually saying it. Max had some stitches, and they're keeping him overnight for observation."
"Okay. I'm sure we'll see them both tomorrow at the party," Kyle said.
"Yeah," Isabel replied.
"So I'll see you tomorrow," Kyle said.
"Okay, goodnight," Isabel said. The two of them kissed, and Isabel wrapped her arms around Kyle's neck. They hugged, said goodnight one more time, and Kyle left.
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