Chapter 17: Relieved But Confused
The next morning Trixie awoke feeling much stronger than she did the day before. Looking around the hospital room, she found that Speed wasn't there. She figured he probably had to stretch and walk around so she shut her eyes; not worrying about it.
Speed was actually on the way back with breakfast, which he had taken from the nurse before she could even bring it to the room. Smiling and whistling, he pushed the tray down the hall. He was just about to push the door open to Trixie's room when he heard his name called. Turning his head he saw Gem.
He wondered what she could want now. "Gem. I'm sorry but I really need to be with Trixie right now."
"You mean your wife?" Gem asked sarcastically.
Trixie's eyes opened when she heard the two voices through the door, which was just barely cracked open.
"Yes." Speed said proudly. "Trixie is my wife."
"Well...because I was there when you rescued her, I just wanted to make sure that she's alright."
Speed noticed that she almost sounded sincere. "The doctor said she'll be fine." he didn't offer any more information.
"I'm glad. I know now that she's the reason I couldn't seduce you the last time you were here and why you wouldn't see me in your home town."
"Look, Gem," Speed said wanting to make his point. "I love her. I was a fool not to make it clear to you the first time I was here, in Europe."
"I already knew," Gem said as a matter of fact.
Trixie was totally surprised since she hadn't even been sure back then.
"You knew?" Speed asked surprised himself.
"There was something about the way you looked at her...when you let yourself," Gem said smiling. "I knew there was something special between you two but I kept after you because I always want what I can't have."
"Well truthfully, I got what I want."
"That would be Trixie," Gem said as if suddenly needing it confirmed to her.
"Yes. She's all I need."
"I hope one day someone feels that way for me," Gem admitted.
Speed didn't say anything, eager to get back to his wife.
"Take care of yourself," Gem said just before turning to leave.
Speed pulled his attention from her and then pushed the tray through the door. He was glad that Gem left because he wanted that part of his life to be history.
Sitting down in a chair by Trixie's bed, he whispered, "Wake up. You have to eat to gain your strength back."
Trixie opened her eyes and smiled at him.
Speed kissed her lips. "Are you hungry?"
"Yes," she said all smiles.
"Good. Here's a tray of food I stole from the nurse," he said uncovering the eggs and toast.
"I'm really hungry for you,"she said winking at him.
With that, Speed stood up and sat on the bed right next to her.
Trixie laughed at him while she used the remote on the bed to lift it up so that she could eat.
Suddenly Speed's parents walked in. "Son," Pops said. "Control yourself. You're in a hospital room. I don't care if you're married or not."
Speed smiled ignoring his father's scolding as he got off of the bed to hug his parents hello.
Mom Racer gave Trixie a hug and told her she was proud to have her as a daughter-in-law.
Trixie thanked her for the dress and told her how happy she was to be in the family.
Next, Speed was hugging his Mom, while Pops welcomed Trixie into the family.
After the hugging and not beating around the bush, Pops said, "Why did you two elope? I know it wasn't just because of the press."
Speed looked at both of his parents and said, "Because I didn't feel like setting a date and then waiting forever for it to come."
"Do you mean to tell me you eloped because you couldn't wait!" Pops exclaimed like Speed was crazy.
"Uh…basically, yes," Speed said smiling.
"Well...when were you going to tell us!" Pops demanded; folding his arms as he looked at his son.
Jokingly, Speed said, "I guess after we had a couple of kids."
Trixie gave Speed a tender smile at the thought of their children when he looked at her.
"He's serious," Pops said looking at Mom Racer.
"No, Pops," Speed said laughing. "We were going to tell you this weekend but then we decided to come here at the last minute."
"Well," Mom Racer said happily. "Now you two can make it official and move in together."
"Well…Trixie already moved into my," and then correcting himself, Speed said, "into our apartment."
"Oh," Mom Racer said. "Well, I know this day and age it really doesn't matter but what might the neighbors been thinking?"
Before Trixie and Speed could say their famous line, Pops said, "Their neighbors think they were living in sin!"
With that, Speed and Trixie burst out laughing and so did Mom Racer.
Seconds later, Pops even started to laugh himself. "I really don't know why I'm laughing," he said trying to calm down. "I guess I'm just so happy that Trixie's alright. We knew Speed was but when we heard Trixie was unconsciousness, we knew Speed had to be off the wall."
"I was. I don't even want to think about it," he said now so very seriously.
"You two look so happy," Mom Racer said smiling.
"We are," Speed said smiling at his wife.
Now sounding happier himself, Pops said, "There were pictures of your wedding on TV."
"What? How?" Speed asked knowing Trixie nor he turned them in.
Mom Racer smiled at her confused son and said, "Sparky's Aunt and Uncle volunteered them. I guess she figured since the wedding was announced on TV, that she'd supply some pictures."
"They were very nice people," Trixie said remembering.
"They liked you both too from what they said," Mom Racer said shaking her head agreeing.
"Your Mother and I still wish we could have been there," Pops said with a touch of disappointment in his voice.
"I'm sorry, Pops," Speed said now feeling badly. "It just felt right. I didn't want it all over TV and then who knows what stupid things they would have ended up saying."
"Well...I hate to tell you, son," Pops said, "But you two are all they are talking about on the sport's station."
"I could only imagine what they're saying," Speed said rolling his eyes as he sat back down on the bed next to Trixie.
"Actually," Mom Racer said, "so far they have really made your story out to be very nice. They showed all the races you won together, parts of the wedding and you two dancing the night before the accident. You were really made out to be the perfect, romantic couple."
Perking up, Speed said, "We are."
His Mom smiled and then said very seriously as she looked at her son, "What you two have is so special. Hold on to it and don't ever let it go."
Speed looked at Trixie and said, "Oh, I'll never let her go."
"I'll never let you go," Trixie said with a smile just before Speed gave her a tender kiss.
It was a sweet moment shared in front of his parents, which made them smile but ended with a laugh at Pops.
Pops had folded his arms and said, "Now I know why I kept hearing that damn 'Steal Away' song."
Speed and Trixie burst out laughing again.
"You did that on purpose, son. Didn't you?" Pops asked demanding an answer.
"So you see, Pops. I was trying to tell you what we were going to do," Speed said smiling.
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Within a couple of days, the Go Team left Europe for home.Upon their return there, Speed and Trixie got off the airplane together hand in hand as the press snapped pictures like crazy.
"Here it comes," Speed mumbled as he continued to smile.
"I guess just be nice and answer their questions," Trixie mumbled back with a smile.
"Speed," someone shouted. "Is it true that you couldn't wait to get married?"
"Yes," Speed said not denying it at all as he turned to his wife.
"Have you been living together?"
"Yes...since we got married," Speed said hoping they'd hurry up with the questions.
"So how is married life?" another reporter asked.
"I don't know how everyone else's is, but ours is great," Speed said making the crowd laugh.
"So how was Trixie able to catch you?" yet another reporter asked.
"Shoot. I'm lucky she caught me," Speed said putting his arm around her waist.
"This question is for Trixie," a woman with a deep voice said. "Trixie. Did you make a full recovery?"
"Yes," Trixie said not used to speaking to the press. "I'm back to normal, except for a couple of scrapes and bruises."
"Is it true that the reason you two got married so fast in the first place because you were pregnant?"
"What?" Trixie said taken by surprise. "No. Not at all. I'm not pregnant."
"Oh, I'm sorry," the same woman said. "I realize that you lost the baby because of the accident?"
"I was never pregnant," she said as Speed stood there more or less in shock.
"I heard from a reliable source that you were," the woman said not about to let up.
Trixie was about to tell the woman that her source was wrong but Speed spoke first.
"That's none of your business!" Speed said as his temper came out.
"You are in the public eye," the woman said to him. "And you are a hero to a lot of kids."
"I married Trixie because I love her and she was not pregnant before we got married."
Then a man who wasn't a fan of Speed's yelled, "Maybe it was Jake's baby." Speed's fans booed the man.
Trixie was furious and had to hold Speed back as he yelled, "You don't know what the hell you're talking about!"
"Well, Speed. How would you know if it was your baby?" the man asked.
"That's it," Speed said, but Sparky and Trixie held on to Speed with all of their might before he dove after that guy below them in the crowd.
Yelling, Trixie said, "Not that it's any of the business, but I've only been with my husband! But…I was never pregnant." She then looked at Speed and said, "Tell them."
Speed suddenly forgot about wanting to kill the guy as he looked Trixie in the eyes. He then looked away taking her hand as he started to pull her down through the crowd.
By the time they got to the end of the crowd, there was a car, which Pops had arranged to bring them home.
Speed opened the door letting Trixie get in first and then he sat down next to her slamming the door.
"What is going on?" Trixie asked confused as she looked at him.
Speed didn't say anything as he told the driver to please step on it.
"Speed," Trixie said again totally confused. "Why didn't you tell them that I was never pregnant?"
Speed still didn't say anything as he looked back out the window and mumbled something about hating the press.
"Why won't you look at me or even answer me," Trixie said becoming very angry.
"Baby, please. I'll talk to you about it as soon as we get home," Speed said sounding worried just before he took her hand and kissed it.
Even though it was hard, Trixie didn't say another word. She knew Speed was a nervous wreck but she'd wait to find out why when they got home.
Once home, there were a couple of reporters outside of their apartment. Speed didn't even bother with the suitcases as he and Trixie made there way to their apartment door. Once inside, Speed threw his keys on the table and Trixie just stood there looking at him as he tried to figure out where to start.
Finally, Speed looked at Trixie and said, "You know how much I love you. Right?"
"Yes," she said without hesitating.
Speed walked over to her and took her hand. He then pulled her over to the sofa and they sat down next to each other.
He sounded nervous as he started to explain things to her. "When you were unconscious, the doctor pulled me aside. He had found out that we were married so he assumed that already I knew."
"Already knew what?" Trixie asked softly seeing how crushed Speed looked.
"You...you…were six weeks pregnant."
Trixie didn't say anything as she looked back at Speed in disbelief.
"I asked him if he was sure because you hadn't been sick," Speed said still nervous. "He said he was sure that you were but because of the accident…you lost the baby."
Trixie stood up with tears in her eyes. "How could you keep that from me?"
Speed stood up too, then said, "I was already upset because of the possibility of losing you. When I found out about the baby, I almost lost it."
"Why didn't you tell me?" Trixie asked with a look of distrust in her eyes Speed had never seen before.
"I was going to tell you," Speed said moving towards her to console her.
"When!" Trixie screamed upset as she backed away from him not wanting him to touch her. "I can't believe I...lost a baby and you didn't even tell me!"
Feeling beside himself, Speed said, "The doctor said it was confidential so I told him I'd tell you when we got home."
"Why didn't you tell me in the hospital?" Trixie asked, her voice filled with pain.
"I was worried about your recovery," Speed said trying to stay calm.
"I had every right to know! At least I could have been prepared for the press."
"I'm sorry. I really thought I was doing the right thing," Speed said distressed.
Trixie walked to look out the window as she wiped her tears away. "Can I still have children?"
"Yes," Speed said positively. "He said we can try again anytime we want."
Trixie kept looking out the window and said calmly, "I didn't feel any different. My time of the month was late but I thought that was because I had just started taking the pill." Then suddenly, she spun around and said while looking into Speed's eyes with that same distrust look she gave him before. "We lost our first child and the press; strangers; people I don't know, knew before me. Do you know how stupid that makes me feel!"
"Trixie," Speed called behind her as she stormed away from him to their bedroom. She locked the door and fell on to the bed crying.
Speed felt helpless as he leaned on the door listening to her.
Trixie cried herself to sleep after about twenty minutes. When she woke up, she was in the hospital room, in Europe. Speed was sitting in a chair next to her bed holding her hand. He looked very distraught as he said, "Trixie. Please wake up."
She tried to speak but nothing came out.
"Trixie," he said again making her just listen to him. "Please come back to me. There's so much that we still have to do together. I don't want to live without you."
Before Trixie could attempt to say that she was awake, the doctor came in.
"Speed," he said. "I have to give you some bad news."
Speed looked afraid to receive it as he looked at the doctor.
"I'm afraid that Trixie lost the baby."
"Lost the baby?" Speed asked in shock. "What baby?"
The doctor looked puzzled then said, "I assumed that's why you two got married in the first place."
Upset Speed said, "I married her because I love her! She wasn't pregnant. And we didn't just get married, we got married six weeks ago."
"Please, forgive me," the doctor said embarrassed.
Speed put his hands over his face and then after about ten seconds he took them down and said, "Wait, wait a minute." It was more than obvious how upset Speed was. "Are you positive she was pregnant?"
"Yes...about six weeks," the doctor said calmly.
"She hadn't been sick or dizzy or anything."
"Every woman and pregnancy is different."
"I can't even bear the thought of losing her and now I know we have lost our first child," Speed said standing up. After some pacing, he looked at the doctor and said, "I don't want the press to know any of this."
"It's strictly confidential," the doctor said not wanting Speed to worry.
"I'll break the news to her at home, after I know she's better and can handle it."
"What about you?" the doctor asked concerned. "The nurse said you haven't been eating."
"I can't barely breath until she wakes up, and I know she's okay," Speed said looking back at her.
Suddenly, Trixie woke up on her bed in their apartment. She wondered if that was how it happened, then she wanted to hold Speed in her arms and tell him that she was sorry for getting so upset at him. She quietly unlocked and slowly opened the door to see Speed sitting on the bar stool by the kitchen counter.
She started to walk towards him and he must have heard her footsteps because he turned his head in her direction. As she walked over to him, she could see how emotionally upset he was in his eyes. His name was all she could say before he interrupted her.
"No wait," he said with a shaky voice as she stopped next to him. "I didn't mean to hide something so serious from you. I really intended on telling you." An involuntary tear rolled out of his eye and he quickly wiped it away. "Please tell me I didn't mess up everything we have."
Trixie put her hands on his face and looked deeply into his eyes as her eyes watered also, and she said, "Oh, Speed. You're the love of my life. I'll never stop loving you."
Speed was still sitting on the barstool when he pulled her into his arms and hugged her tightly. His emotions took over him as he said, "I'm so sorry. I never meant to hurt you."
"Shh," Trixie said hugging him back as she kissed the top of his head. "No, I'm sorry. I know you were only trying to protect me."
After the long hug, Trixie backed up leaving her hands on his shoulders as his rest on her waist. "Speed, I'm sorry. I was just so surprised and mad at the press."
"You don't have to be sorry for anything."
"Yes, I do. I know you were a wreck in that hospital before I came to, and I can only imagine how it affected you when the doctor told you I was pregnant but lost the baby. I realize now that you never thought for one moment that the press would get a hold of that information."
"I thought I would pass out when that damn reporter brought it up," Speed said rubbing his head. "It was a nightmare come true."
"I'm sorry about the baby," she said sadly.
"That was in no way your fault," Speed said calmly. "The way I'm able to feel better about it is to realize that there's part of each of us up there watching over us."
Trixie smiled with tears in her eyes.
Speed gave Trixie a soft smile back, and said, "Do you want to try to get pregnant again? Looks like with us it won't be hard. The baby had to have been conceived on or right after our honeymoon. "
Trixie smiled. "Yeah. So much for that back up protection. But, to answer your question, I think we should wait, if that's okay with you."
"That's fine, I'll have you all to myself for a little while longer before we have a little Trixie running around."
"I can't believe you didn't say a little Speed," she said smiling.
"That's fine, but I'd love to have another one of you."
Trixie smiled and hugged him again. "I love you."
"I love you," he said just before there was a knock at the door.
"I can't believe that they're knocking on the door now," Trixie said assuming it was the press.
"Stay here," Speed said angrily as he got up. "I'm going to take care of them once and for all." Speed quickly moved to the door and then swung it open, ready to scream, but then calmly said, "Mom, Pops."
"We're sorry to just show up like this but we wanted to make sure everything was okay," Mom Racer said. "We tried to call, but the phone was busy."
Speed moved so that they could come in as he said, "I took it off the hook because of the press."
"Those bastards!" Pops said angrily. "What the hell were they talking about!"
Trixie didn't say anything as she looked back at Pops.
"Honey," Mom Racer said looking at Trixie. "Are you okay?"
"Yes, I'm fine," Trixie said, then hugged her mother-in-law.
"You don't have your TV on?" Pops asked looking around.
"I was afraid to put it on," Speed admitted.
"What are they saying?" Trixie asked fearfully.
"Well," Pops said, "At first they kept talking about you possibly being pregnant. They wouldn't shut up about it."
"Don't get upset," Speed's Mom said looking at Trixie and her son. "Because now they are saying that Trixie is a good role model for young girls."
"What?" Trixie asked surprised. "After what happened today?"
"Put the TV on. It will be on the sport's station," Pops said suddenly happy.
Speed put it on and then backed away and put his arm around Trixie's shoulders.
Sure enough there was a distressed looking Speed and an angry Trixie saying, "I've only been with my husband." That's where they stopped the tape.
Speed squeezed his wife's shoulder proudly.
Jake was suddenly on the TV being interviewed.
"I'm going to kill him," Speed said aggravated again.
"No," Pops said. "Just listen."
Jake said the baby couldn't have been his because he never slept with Trixie. Speed and Trixie were both surprised that he admitted it on TV. They didn't know that Racer X told Jake that he'd better tell the truth or he was going to destroy Jake's racing career.
"Good," Speed said glad that Jake cleared Trixie's name. He didn't want people thinking things that weren't true about her because she definitely didn't deserve it.
Then the question neither really wanted to talk about was asked? Had Trixie really been pregnant?
Speed turned off the TV.
His parents just looked at them saying nothing but it was obvious they were curious.
Speed looked at Trixie and she said softly, "They deserve to know."
"I know. Lets all sit down," Speed said and then they sat on the two sofas.
Trying to make a long story short, Speed said, "When Trixie was unconscious the doctor informed me that we lost the baby. Of course, I didn't know she was pregnant and I knew she didn't either because she never showed any symptoms."
Speed's mom looked at him, "You must have been lost."
"To say the least," Speed said. "It was bad enough not knowing if Trixie was going to make it. I was so happy and relieved when she woke up, that I felt better about everything. I knew I had to tell her about the baby but I couldn't bring myself to tell her while she was still in the hospital. It was suppose to be confidential so I decided I'd tell her after we got home."
"We understand," Pops said with sympathy in his voice.
"Do you understand, Trixie?" Mom Racer asked looked at her daughter- in-law.
"I do now," Trixie said taking Speed's hand. "I was upset at first. Besides being upset about the baby, the media knowing before me made me mad." Trixie then looked at Speed and said, "But I totally understand why he wanted to wait to tell me and that he had no idea that the media would find out and be so insensitive about it."
"You two are fine then?" Pops asked really looking worried.
"Yes," both Speed and Trixie said at the same time.
"I'm sorry for your loss," Mom Racer said hugging them. "You'll have children when the time is right."
"When's that?" Pops asked forgetting it was personal.
"We decided to wait a while," Speed said.
"Yes," Trixie agreed. "And the next time I'm pregnant, I'll know before Speed does."
I'm assuming this chapter had a major surprise in it for all of you. I hope it wasn't a bit too much. Please review and tell me your thoughts.
Thanks, Jen