Chapter 6
The sun was just rising as Abby slowly awoke, her senses tempted by the rich aroma of cooking eggs and bacon filling apartment. Gingerly she sat up in bed, her muscles aching from the previous night's activities, and leaned her head back against the headrest. Sniffing the air appreciatively, Abby begged with her body not to initiate the daily morning routine. A few seconds later, she knew that she wouldn't be that lucky.
"Crap," she muttered as the familiar rumbling and sinking feeling started in her stomach. Groaning, she pushed back the duvet and pulled a t-shirt over her head and sprinted off to the bathroom. She slammed the door and got to the toilet just in time before her lungs heaved and threw up everything she had had to eat for dinner.
"Yuck," she muttered, "This is getting so old." Abby was now three and a half months pregnant and every morning for the past three she had been throwing up. But of course it wasn't just confined to the morning hours. Abby threw up in the evening, in the afternoon and occasionally when she looked at or smelt food. When she wasn't sick to her stomach, Abby was hungry. She ate anything and everything that didn't have red meat in it. She couldn't stand the sight or taste of hamburger, no matter how much she wanted to eat it.
After she had finished, Abby lay down on the bathroom floor, the cool tiles soothing her flaming face. She took long and slow breaths into her lungs and her stomach gradually settled.
There was a knocking at the bathroom door, "Abby? Are you okay?" Luka stood outside the closed door. He had seen heard her slam the bathroom door and the toilet flushing several times. In the last week that Abby and him had been waking up in the same apartment, it was the same thing. A mad dash to the bathroom and the sounds of her throwing up; followed by fifteen minutes of silence where she was simply laying on the bathroom floor in a fetal position.
A muffled, "Yeah, I'll be out in minute" convinced him she was indeed on the floor. He opened the door and upon seeing her, filled a glass with water from the tap and dampened a washcloth. "Here, sit up slowly." He helped Abby uncurl and sat her up against the back of the bathtub. He pressed the cool washcloth against her flushed forehead and offered her the water. She took a small appreciative sip and thanked him.
"Can you stand?"
"Yeah, I think so." With Luka's arm on her elbow Abby was able to get her feet steadily on the ground and allowed him to lead her back to his bedroom.
"Here, get back into bed until your stomach settles completely." He rearranged the pillow behind her head and brought the duvet back up to her chest. "I'll make some tea." As he disappeared out of the bedroom, Abby couldn't help but wonder about the compassionate and gentle treatment Luka had been giving her since they started sleeping together at either his or her apartment. She was amazed that he hadn't been too rattled with her being pregnant with another man's baby and didn't seem to upset by the fact that she "prayed to the porcelain" every morning.
A few minutes later he reappeared with two mugs of steaming chamomile tea and some soda crackers. "This may help a little. You need to rehydrate." He handed her a mug and sat down on the bed beside her.
"Thank you Luka, I don't even know to thank you for all you have done for me." Abby's eyes misted a little, another symptom of her pregnancy. She had been crying over the most ridiculous things lately. In fact, yesterday she cried when the egg she took out of the fridge dropped out of her hand and splattered on the floor.
Luka kissed her softly on the lips, "Don't mention it."
They spent the remainder of the morning in bed before both of their shifts started at noon. They went to work together and when the day was done, ended up back at Luka's apartment. Everything seemed to be going great. The relationship was growing, Abby and Carter had remained on friendly terms and the baby was doing very well. Life seemed to be working out very well and Abby was happier than she had been in a long time.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
A MONTH AND A HALF LATER. FIVE MONTHS INTO THE PREGNANCY
"Have a good trip." Abby pressed herself up against Luka as he was heading out the door, catching his lips in her own for a long passionate kiss. She ran her fingers through his short, dark hair and was completely swallowed in his embrace. They pulled apart as the sound of the taxi honking it's horn outside interrupted their farewell kiss.
"I will, you take care of your mommy little one," Luka placed his hand on Abby's growing belly and gave her one last kiss. "I'll see you in six days."
"Bye," Abby reluctantly let go of his hand and gave him one last smile as he closed the door behind him.
Luka was going off to an Emergency Medicine conference in New York. He wasn't due back for six days, and Abby had the whole apartment to herself. She had finished the rent on her own apartment only two weeks earlier and moved in with Luka.
She went to the window and waved to Luka as he was getting into the yellow taxi that would take him to the airport. He waved back and blew her a kiss before sliding into the backseat and shutting the door. The taxi took off into the twilight.
"Well, there's nothing left for me to do than go to bed." Abby puttered around the kitchen for a few minutes, putting the last of the dinner dishes in the dishwasher and turned out the kitchen light. She made her way to the bedroom and pulled off her clothes. Slipping into her robe, she went to the bathroom and started filling the tub with warm water. She poured in some peaches and cream bath bubbles and lit a few candles. Once the tub was filled, she turned off the light and sank into the sweet, fragrant bubbles allowing the heat to penetrate her tired muscles.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
2:57am
The bedroom was quiet except for the gentle snores of Abby Lockhart as she peacefully slept underneath the warm, goose-down duvet. The night was calm and dark, the outside frozen from the bitter Chicago temperatures.
Suddenly, and without warning, Abby awoke with a start. Her breathing became laboured as she tried to catch her breath and pinpoint what it was that had awoken her from such a deep sleep. She flipped on the bedside lamp and scanned the room almost in a panic. She didn't remember having any nightmares, yet her heart was pounding ferociously as if she had just seen a ghost.
A coil of terror slammed into Abby's stomach as she realized she was sitting in a puddle of warm liquid. Frantically she pulled back the sheet and expected to see a pool of red blood, but she was even more terrified from what she saw.
Her nightgown and sheets were drenched in a clear, warm liquid, which was rapidly cooling in the chilly February night. "Oh god," Abby moaned as she realized what had just happened. Without hesitation she grabbed the phone laying on the night table and dialled 911.
"911 Emergency. My name is Rosa, what is your emergency?"
Abby fought to make a sound, she felt as if the panic had paralysed her vocal cords. Taking several deep breaths, she was able to communicate with the ambulance dispatcher, "My name is Abby. I'm five months pregnant and I just woke up sitting in a pool of amniotic fluid. I need an ambulance." She voice was quivering as she tried not to cry.
The dispatcher remained calm and tried to coax more information out of the petrified woman. "Ok Abby, how long ago did you notice your water broke?"
"Um, I just woke up a minute ago. I don't know exactly when it broke. Oh god, please make them hurry. Its too early for this to happen."
"They are on their way, just stay on the line with me ok? Have you had any contractions?"
"No. Not yet." Tears were slowly making their way down Abby's face. "I can't feel anything, I just know that the water broke."
"Ok Abby, the paramedics are there. Can you buzz them in? Are you near the intercom?"
"Yes, I can let them in." She crawled into the hallway and unlocked the front door, she pressed the buzzer and let them in. She lay on the leather couch and waited for them to get upstairs. Clutching the blanket to her chest she fought to stay in control of her emotions. "Oh god, I wish Luka were here." Sobs were building up as she heard the paramedics get out of the elevator and clamour down the hallway. The paused and knocked on the open door before entering the dark apartment, "Paramedics."
Abby tried to sit up on the couch, "Over here." The medics quickly rushed to her side and turned on the light. "Ok ma'me, we are just going to check your vitals and get you to a hospital. Just hang on with us ok?"
"Okay," Abby whispered, "can you call ahead to County General and tell Dr. Susan Lewis we are coming in. I'm a nurse there and know she is working tonight."
"Absolutely." The older paramedic nodded to the younger one who got on his radio and informed County that Abby Lockhart was coming in a requested to see Dr. Lewis upon her arrival.
A few minutes later they had Abby loaded up onto a stretcher and wrapped in blankets to protect her from the chill. As they were wheeling her down the hallway, a few curious neighbours looked on. Abby shut her eyes to their stares and did not open them until they were in the ambulance. She was dimly aware of the sirens as they rushed her to the emergency room and to a fate unknown.
The sun was just rising as Abby slowly awoke, her senses tempted by the rich aroma of cooking eggs and bacon filling apartment. Gingerly she sat up in bed, her muscles aching from the previous night's activities, and leaned her head back against the headrest. Sniffing the air appreciatively, Abby begged with her body not to initiate the daily morning routine. A few seconds later, she knew that she wouldn't be that lucky.
"Crap," she muttered as the familiar rumbling and sinking feeling started in her stomach. Groaning, she pushed back the duvet and pulled a t-shirt over her head and sprinted off to the bathroom. She slammed the door and got to the toilet just in time before her lungs heaved and threw up everything she had had to eat for dinner.
"Yuck," she muttered, "This is getting so old." Abby was now three and a half months pregnant and every morning for the past three she had been throwing up. But of course it wasn't just confined to the morning hours. Abby threw up in the evening, in the afternoon and occasionally when she looked at or smelt food. When she wasn't sick to her stomach, Abby was hungry. She ate anything and everything that didn't have red meat in it. She couldn't stand the sight or taste of hamburger, no matter how much she wanted to eat it.
After she had finished, Abby lay down on the bathroom floor, the cool tiles soothing her flaming face. She took long and slow breaths into her lungs and her stomach gradually settled.
There was a knocking at the bathroom door, "Abby? Are you okay?" Luka stood outside the closed door. He had seen heard her slam the bathroom door and the toilet flushing several times. In the last week that Abby and him had been waking up in the same apartment, it was the same thing. A mad dash to the bathroom and the sounds of her throwing up; followed by fifteen minutes of silence where she was simply laying on the bathroom floor in a fetal position.
A muffled, "Yeah, I'll be out in minute" convinced him she was indeed on the floor. He opened the door and upon seeing her, filled a glass with water from the tap and dampened a washcloth. "Here, sit up slowly." He helped Abby uncurl and sat her up against the back of the bathtub. He pressed the cool washcloth against her flushed forehead and offered her the water. She took a small appreciative sip and thanked him.
"Can you stand?"
"Yeah, I think so." With Luka's arm on her elbow Abby was able to get her feet steadily on the ground and allowed him to lead her back to his bedroom.
"Here, get back into bed until your stomach settles completely." He rearranged the pillow behind her head and brought the duvet back up to her chest. "I'll make some tea." As he disappeared out of the bedroom, Abby couldn't help but wonder about the compassionate and gentle treatment Luka had been giving her since they started sleeping together at either his or her apartment. She was amazed that he hadn't been too rattled with her being pregnant with another man's baby and didn't seem to upset by the fact that she "prayed to the porcelain" every morning.
A few minutes later he reappeared with two mugs of steaming chamomile tea and some soda crackers. "This may help a little. You need to rehydrate." He handed her a mug and sat down on the bed beside her.
"Thank you Luka, I don't even know to thank you for all you have done for me." Abby's eyes misted a little, another symptom of her pregnancy. She had been crying over the most ridiculous things lately. In fact, yesterday she cried when the egg she took out of the fridge dropped out of her hand and splattered on the floor.
Luka kissed her softly on the lips, "Don't mention it."
They spent the remainder of the morning in bed before both of their shifts started at noon. They went to work together and when the day was done, ended up back at Luka's apartment. Everything seemed to be going great. The relationship was growing, Abby and Carter had remained on friendly terms and the baby was doing very well. Life seemed to be working out very well and Abby was happier than she had been in a long time.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
A MONTH AND A HALF LATER. FIVE MONTHS INTO THE PREGNANCY
"Have a good trip." Abby pressed herself up against Luka as he was heading out the door, catching his lips in her own for a long passionate kiss. She ran her fingers through his short, dark hair and was completely swallowed in his embrace. They pulled apart as the sound of the taxi honking it's horn outside interrupted their farewell kiss.
"I will, you take care of your mommy little one," Luka placed his hand on Abby's growing belly and gave her one last kiss. "I'll see you in six days."
"Bye," Abby reluctantly let go of his hand and gave him one last smile as he closed the door behind him.
Luka was going off to an Emergency Medicine conference in New York. He wasn't due back for six days, and Abby had the whole apartment to herself. She had finished the rent on her own apartment only two weeks earlier and moved in with Luka.
She went to the window and waved to Luka as he was getting into the yellow taxi that would take him to the airport. He waved back and blew her a kiss before sliding into the backseat and shutting the door. The taxi took off into the twilight.
"Well, there's nothing left for me to do than go to bed." Abby puttered around the kitchen for a few minutes, putting the last of the dinner dishes in the dishwasher and turned out the kitchen light. She made her way to the bedroom and pulled off her clothes. Slipping into her robe, she went to the bathroom and started filling the tub with warm water. She poured in some peaches and cream bath bubbles and lit a few candles. Once the tub was filled, she turned off the light and sank into the sweet, fragrant bubbles allowing the heat to penetrate her tired muscles.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
2:57am
The bedroom was quiet except for the gentle snores of Abby Lockhart as she peacefully slept underneath the warm, goose-down duvet. The night was calm and dark, the outside frozen from the bitter Chicago temperatures.
Suddenly, and without warning, Abby awoke with a start. Her breathing became laboured as she tried to catch her breath and pinpoint what it was that had awoken her from such a deep sleep. She flipped on the bedside lamp and scanned the room almost in a panic. She didn't remember having any nightmares, yet her heart was pounding ferociously as if she had just seen a ghost.
A coil of terror slammed into Abby's stomach as she realized she was sitting in a puddle of warm liquid. Frantically she pulled back the sheet and expected to see a pool of red blood, but she was even more terrified from what she saw.
Her nightgown and sheets were drenched in a clear, warm liquid, which was rapidly cooling in the chilly February night. "Oh god," Abby moaned as she realized what had just happened. Without hesitation she grabbed the phone laying on the night table and dialled 911.
"911 Emergency. My name is Rosa, what is your emergency?"
Abby fought to make a sound, she felt as if the panic had paralysed her vocal cords. Taking several deep breaths, she was able to communicate with the ambulance dispatcher, "My name is Abby. I'm five months pregnant and I just woke up sitting in a pool of amniotic fluid. I need an ambulance." She voice was quivering as she tried not to cry.
The dispatcher remained calm and tried to coax more information out of the petrified woman. "Ok Abby, how long ago did you notice your water broke?"
"Um, I just woke up a minute ago. I don't know exactly when it broke. Oh god, please make them hurry. Its too early for this to happen."
"They are on their way, just stay on the line with me ok? Have you had any contractions?"
"No. Not yet." Tears were slowly making their way down Abby's face. "I can't feel anything, I just know that the water broke."
"Ok Abby, the paramedics are there. Can you buzz them in? Are you near the intercom?"
"Yes, I can let them in." She crawled into the hallway and unlocked the front door, she pressed the buzzer and let them in. She lay on the leather couch and waited for them to get upstairs. Clutching the blanket to her chest she fought to stay in control of her emotions. "Oh god, I wish Luka were here." Sobs were building up as she heard the paramedics get out of the elevator and clamour down the hallway. The paused and knocked on the open door before entering the dark apartment, "Paramedics."
Abby tried to sit up on the couch, "Over here." The medics quickly rushed to her side and turned on the light. "Ok ma'me, we are just going to check your vitals and get you to a hospital. Just hang on with us ok?"
"Okay," Abby whispered, "can you call ahead to County General and tell Dr. Susan Lewis we are coming in. I'm a nurse there and know she is working tonight."
"Absolutely." The older paramedic nodded to the younger one who got on his radio and informed County that Abby Lockhart was coming in a requested to see Dr. Lewis upon her arrival.
A few minutes later they had Abby loaded up onto a stretcher and wrapped in blankets to protect her from the chill. As they were wheeling her down the hallway, a few curious neighbours looked on. Abby shut her eyes to their stares and did not open them until they were in the ambulance. She was dimly aware of the sirens as they rushed her to the emergency room and to a fate unknown.