Chapter Two
"She's fine," the ER doctor announces to Lizzie's very worried family. "To much stress in her condition causes fainting spells, she needs to keep her stress levels down. I understand her situation but it is imperative to her health as well as the health of the baby that she remains as calm as possible."
"Baby," Jo sinks back into the waiting room chair, "I suspected as much."
"When can she leave?" Sam asks.
"She's filling out her discharge papers now, so as soon as she finishes those you can take her home. Just make sure she gets a lot of rest."
"Thank you doctor." Sam murmurs.
"She's pregnant?" Matt asks, "did anyone know about this?"
"I didn't." Sam and Jo respond.
"I did," Miranda sighs, "she just found out, she was going to tell Mark tonight."
Jo's hand covers her mouth loosely as she murmurs, "my poor baby. She should come back to the house with us."
Miranda shakes her head, "she wants to be in her home and I think she needs her kids. I remember when my mom died I spent most of the week afterwards at my grandparents house and all I wanted to do was be at home with my dad, and I was 15 and could understand what was going on, I can't imagine what the kids are thinking now."
Lizzie's parents and brother exchange glances and Matt states, "I'll call Melina and have her take the kids to the house."
Miranda nods, "I think that will help her, I can take her home as soon as they release her."
Jo nods, "thank you. I've called the McDaniels, and they are taking care of the details and we're are supposed to meet them at the mortuary. Tell Lizzie not to worry about anything."
Miranda nods, "I'll make sure she rests."
"Are you sure you can take care of the kids?" Matt asks.
"They'll be fine." Miranda responds, "they need to see their mom."
Lizzie was lying down when Melina dropped the kids off at the house, "Aunt Miranda!" 3-year-old Morgana launches herself at Miranda.
Miranda lifts the small blonde girl into her arms, "hi sweetie."
The identical twin boys, Zane and Brice, hang outside the door, unsure of what to do. Melina stands just behind them holding year old Celestine, "Come on guys."
"Where's Mommy?" Brice asks glancing around the house once he and Zane ventures into the house.
"She's resting," Miranda responds.
"Dada!" Celestine coos.
Zane and Brice burst into tears, Brice takes off out of the living room and toward the back of the house. Zane, on the other hand, wraps his arms around Miranda's legs.
"Daddy!" Morgana burst into tears then as well, currying her face in Miranda's neck. Miranda wraps an arm tightly around Morgana and then kneels to wrap another arm around Zane, "shh, it'll be all right."
"Mama!" Celestine draws the attention from Morgana and Zane to Lizzie who has emerged from her room holding Brice. Lizzie looks tired and it's obvious by the red eyes and nose that she's been crying but she looks less pale then she had earlier.
Lizzie kneels down and is flooded by all of her children hugging them close to her and crying quietly as she kisses each of their heads. "All right, I'm going to get going." Melina says only loud enough for Miranda to hear.
Miranda nods and responds, "thanks Melina."
"They're asleep." Lizzie comes into the kitchen hours later after putting the kids to bed, Miranda had offered to help but Lizzie had refused, saying she needed to do this alone.
"Tea?" Miranda holds a mug out to Lizzie.
"Thanks." Lizzie responds taking the mug from her and sinking into the large chair in her living room.
"How're you doing?" Miranda asks, "dumb question, I know, but..."
"Better," Lizzie responds, "being in the hospital and then seeing the kids made me realize that even without Mark I still have a life, I still have to raise these kids the way that would make Mark proud. I just keep telling myself that." Lizzie sets the mug down and rests her head on Miranda's shoulder, "but then there are these moments that everything is so hazy and I can't see what's going on and I don't know if I can go on."
Miranda gently smooches her best friends hair, "you'll make it through. Larry and I will be here for you, if you need me to stay then I can stay. But if you need a change of scenery come to Michigan, I'm a realtor for God's sake I could find you guys a place to rent or buy or you could stay with us."
Lizzie takes a deep breath, "maybe, but right now I just have to focus on getting through the next few days, the funereal, all the people, helping the kids to understand, helping myself to understand."
"All right," Miranda nods, "one day at a time, that's how to approach this thing. Don't think about to many things at once, you have to avoid stress."
Lizzie gives Miranda a week smile, "the doctor gave me this whole spiel all ready, I understand."
"So then you'll get some rest?" Miranda asks.
Lizzie nods and responds before getting up, "I'll get some rest, good night, are you sure you'll be all right on the couch?"
"I'll be fine." Once Lizzie has disappeared outside Miranda slips out the backdoor, taking the phone with her. "Hi honey."
"Hi Miranda." Larry greets, he sounds tired.
"Did I wake you?" Miranda asks realizing it was going on midnight in Michigan.
"Yeah, but it's fine." Larry responds.
"I was just calling to say good night and that I love you, and to ask if Gordo called."
Larry sighs, "he hasn't called, I called his office and they say he's out of the country on a shoot but his secretary said that she would get the word to him as soon as possible."
Miranda sighs, "all right, thank you. I love you."
"I love you to, goodnight."
"She's fine," the ER doctor announces to Lizzie's very worried family. "To much stress in her condition causes fainting spells, she needs to keep her stress levels down. I understand her situation but it is imperative to her health as well as the health of the baby that she remains as calm as possible."
"Baby," Jo sinks back into the waiting room chair, "I suspected as much."
"When can she leave?" Sam asks.
"She's filling out her discharge papers now, so as soon as she finishes those you can take her home. Just make sure she gets a lot of rest."
"Thank you doctor." Sam murmurs.
"She's pregnant?" Matt asks, "did anyone know about this?"
"I didn't." Sam and Jo respond.
"I did," Miranda sighs, "she just found out, she was going to tell Mark tonight."
Jo's hand covers her mouth loosely as she murmurs, "my poor baby. She should come back to the house with us."
Miranda shakes her head, "she wants to be in her home and I think she needs her kids. I remember when my mom died I spent most of the week afterwards at my grandparents house and all I wanted to do was be at home with my dad, and I was 15 and could understand what was going on, I can't imagine what the kids are thinking now."
Lizzie's parents and brother exchange glances and Matt states, "I'll call Melina and have her take the kids to the house."
Miranda nods, "I think that will help her, I can take her home as soon as they release her."
Jo nods, "thank you. I've called the McDaniels, and they are taking care of the details and we're are supposed to meet them at the mortuary. Tell Lizzie not to worry about anything."
Miranda nods, "I'll make sure she rests."
"Are you sure you can take care of the kids?" Matt asks.
"They'll be fine." Miranda responds, "they need to see their mom."
Lizzie was lying down when Melina dropped the kids off at the house, "Aunt Miranda!" 3-year-old Morgana launches herself at Miranda.
Miranda lifts the small blonde girl into her arms, "hi sweetie."
The identical twin boys, Zane and Brice, hang outside the door, unsure of what to do. Melina stands just behind them holding year old Celestine, "Come on guys."
"Where's Mommy?" Brice asks glancing around the house once he and Zane ventures into the house.
"She's resting," Miranda responds.
"Dada!" Celestine coos.
Zane and Brice burst into tears, Brice takes off out of the living room and toward the back of the house. Zane, on the other hand, wraps his arms around Miranda's legs.
"Daddy!" Morgana burst into tears then as well, currying her face in Miranda's neck. Miranda wraps an arm tightly around Morgana and then kneels to wrap another arm around Zane, "shh, it'll be all right."
"Mama!" Celestine draws the attention from Morgana and Zane to Lizzie who has emerged from her room holding Brice. Lizzie looks tired and it's obvious by the red eyes and nose that she's been crying but she looks less pale then she had earlier.
Lizzie kneels down and is flooded by all of her children hugging them close to her and crying quietly as she kisses each of their heads. "All right, I'm going to get going." Melina says only loud enough for Miranda to hear.
Miranda nods and responds, "thanks Melina."
"They're asleep." Lizzie comes into the kitchen hours later after putting the kids to bed, Miranda had offered to help but Lizzie had refused, saying she needed to do this alone.
"Tea?" Miranda holds a mug out to Lizzie.
"Thanks." Lizzie responds taking the mug from her and sinking into the large chair in her living room.
"How're you doing?" Miranda asks, "dumb question, I know, but..."
"Better," Lizzie responds, "being in the hospital and then seeing the kids made me realize that even without Mark I still have a life, I still have to raise these kids the way that would make Mark proud. I just keep telling myself that." Lizzie sets the mug down and rests her head on Miranda's shoulder, "but then there are these moments that everything is so hazy and I can't see what's going on and I don't know if I can go on."
Miranda gently smooches her best friends hair, "you'll make it through. Larry and I will be here for you, if you need me to stay then I can stay. But if you need a change of scenery come to Michigan, I'm a realtor for God's sake I could find you guys a place to rent or buy or you could stay with us."
Lizzie takes a deep breath, "maybe, but right now I just have to focus on getting through the next few days, the funereal, all the people, helping the kids to understand, helping myself to understand."
"All right," Miranda nods, "one day at a time, that's how to approach this thing. Don't think about to many things at once, you have to avoid stress."
Lizzie gives Miranda a week smile, "the doctor gave me this whole spiel all ready, I understand."
"So then you'll get some rest?" Miranda asks.
Lizzie nods and responds before getting up, "I'll get some rest, good night, are you sure you'll be all right on the couch?"
"I'll be fine." Once Lizzie has disappeared outside Miranda slips out the backdoor, taking the phone with her. "Hi honey."
"Hi Miranda." Larry greets, he sounds tired.
"Did I wake you?" Miranda asks realizing it was going on midnight in Michigan.
"Yeah, but it's fine." Larry responds.
"I was just calling to say good night and that I love you, and to ask if Gordo called."
Larry sighs, "he hasn't called, I called his office and they say he's out of the country on a shoot but his secretary said that she would get the word to him as soon as possible."
Miranda sighs, "all right, thank you. I love you."
"I love you to, goodnight."
