CHAPTER 4: THE RELIEF
RECAP:
Summer broke up with Seth after she found a picture of him with two girls he was with in Catalina.
Ryan has decided to stay on in Chino and not go back to school. He phoned the Cohen's to let them know and told Seth who was not very impressed with him.
EARLY SUNDAY MORNING, JIMMY'S YACHT
Marissa slept over on her dad's yacht. She was very upset about the news that her dad was going to be leaving. After their walk on the beach, they went to Jimmy's yacht to chat further about the summer. Neither of them mentioned anything more about moving and eventually Marissa fell asleep on the couch.
At around 9am Sunday morning Marissa is awoken by the smell of fried egg and bacon. She sits up on the couch and for a minute wondering where she is. She gets up following the inviting smell towards the kitchen.
"Morning Kiddo." Jimmy says as he sees Marissa entering the kitchen. He goes to give her a peck on the cheek.
"Hey." Marissa responds half a sleep.
"Breakfast will be ready in a few minutes; a banquet of eggs, bacon, pancakes and McMuffins." Jimmy announces.
"Great." Marissa says, not sounding all that great herself though. She pours herself a cup of coffee and sits down at the table in the corner of the kitchen.
"You sleep well?" Jimmy asks.
"As well as can be expected... on a couch." Marissa replies with a rye smile.
"Yeh... sorry about that. We don't have a spare room here." Jimmy says jokingly defending his yacht. He puts a delicious plate of eggs, muffins, bacon, toast and pancakes dripping in syrup in front of Marissa, and he sits down next to her himself.
They both wolf down their breakfasts making small talk in between.
"I've been thinking. If you don't want me to go, I can stay. I'll try and find a job here. My brother may have some contacts nearby and then we can still spend time together." Jimmy says.
Marissa looks up and smiles. "That would be great," She says, but then looks back down at her plate and plays her fork through the eggs. "But don't let me spoil your plans. I mean... if you need to leave..."
"I want to be here for you, Kiddo." Jimmy replies. "I know you are struggling... and I want to be here for you." Jimmy repeats himself. He's trying to be as supportive as possible, but he knows it's going to be very difficult for him too. He really doesn't want to stay. The memories of Hailey are too painful.
"I suppose. It's just.... This year is so messed up." Marissa responds.
"It's fine. I can sell the boat and get an apartment on the beach." Jimmy replies.
Marissa says nothing. She's happy her dad will be staying, but she just cannot keep her mind off of Ryan. He's the one she really wants back.
As they finish up, Jimmy says, "We should get you home before your mom flips out again."
"I guess." Marissa replies apathetically.
She gets up from the table to freshen up in the bathroom. Jimmy cleans up in the kitchen and half an hour later they leave for the Nichol Mansion.
IN CHINO
Theresa knocks on the door of the back room where Ryan has been staying for the past seven months.
"Ryan?" Theresa calls softly, "are you awake?" She gently opens the door to see.
Ryan's been awake for about half an hour already. He's lying on his back looking up at the roof. He had a good night sleep – something that was few and far between the past couple of months. He looks up as she opens the door.
"I need to get down to the drug store. I've run out of some medication. I was hoping you would come with me." Theresa asks. She looks like she hasn't slept in weeks.
"Yeh, sure." Ryan obliges, as he throws his legs over the side of the bed and sits up. "Just let me get washed up."
"I'll get breakfast ready." Theresa says and makes her way out room.
"No." Ryan jumps up and stops her. "I mean, I'll come do that. Just sit down and relax."
"I'm fine." Theresa reassures him. "I'm not paralyzed. Besides it's the least I can do for all the help you've been." And she leaves the room.
Half an hour later Ryan enters through the back door in to the kitchen. He finds a bowl of cereal on the counter with a glass of juice next to it.
"It's not much, but..." Theresa begins to explain.
"It's great." Ryan cuts her off as he sits down to eat and gives Theresa his standard half-smile. Theresa heads off to the bathroom to freshen up as Ryan finishes off his breakfast.
About five minutes later and half way through the cereal, Ryan heads a loud cry of anguish from the bathroom.
"AHHH! RYAN!!! AHHH!!!!!" Then a loud fall!
He hurries to the bathroom to find Theresa on the floor and clearly in pain. The bathroom floor is wet... and so is Theresa's dress.
"What! What's wrong?" Ryan says exasperated.
"Call the doctor; I think my water broke!" Theresa replies with pain written all over her face.
Ryan hurries to the phone in the lounge and rings the doctor's emergency number.
"Hello. Dr Lubbe." The doctor answers.
"Yeh, doc. Ryan Atwood here – Theresa's boyfriend... friend. I think she's in labor!" Ryan says intensely.
"Ok, can you bring her down to the hospital?" The doctor asks ever so calmly.
"No! Theresa's mom took the car to church!" Ryan replies.
"I'll send an ambulance. Hang tight. Just keep telling her to breath!" The doctor replies and puts the phone down.
"Tell her to breath," he thinks to himself. "That sounds easy enough."
Ryan hastens to the bathroom again and assists Theresa to the lounge. He sits her down on the couch.
"The ambulance is on the way." Ryan says to Theresa. He brings her a glass of water, which she gulps down.
Fifteen minutes later the ambulance arrives and loads Theresa in the back. Ryan gets in with her and holds her hand.
The ambulance speeds off towards the nearest hospital and Ryan looks back out the window to see the place he's called home for the past 7 months fade away in the distance.
"This is it!" He thinks to himself. Nervously he looks in Theresa's eyes and again half-smiles.
Almost as though she can read his mind, Theresa says, "This is it Ryan. Today we find out if you're a father!"
AT THE HOSPITAL IN CHINO
The ambulance pulls up at the emergency entrance to the hospital. Doctors and nurses are waiting around and hastily wheel Theresa in to the emergency ward on the stretcher-bed. Ryan is following close behind.
A nurse stops him as he's about to enter.
"Only family allowed. Who are you?" The nurse questions him.
"I may be the father." Ryan replies.
"May be? You don't know. Who else could it be?" The nurse says. At this stage Theresa is in the ward with a whole army of nurses and doctors around her giving her various kinds of instructions.
"This other guy she was engaged to at the time." Ryan replies a little bit irate now.
"Well, get him here." The nurse replies. "We'll have to conduct tests straight afterwards to see and he'll need to be here if you want to know who's they are."
Ryan looks past the nurse at Theresa who just nods at him. He turns and races down towards the entrance where he saw a payphone on the way in. He phones Eddie, and Theresa's mom.
In the mean time the nurses have plugged Theresa up to various machines that monitor the mother and the babies' vital signs, except the heart-monitoring machine that does not appear to be working. The nurses frantically tinker around with it, but to no avail.
"Get another one of these things in here, now!" The doctor barks out the order. "I cannot believe such vital equipment isn't working in this place!"
The contractions have become visibly shorter between each other and are lasting longer.
"This looks like it's going to be a quick one." The doctor says to Theresa. "Just keep breathing and you'll be fine."
"Is that good or bad?" Theresa asks.
"It doesn't mean anything." The doctor replies.
Ryan gets back a few minutes later and the nurse lets him in to the room where Theresa is. He stands next to her and holds her hand for support.
Theresa looks at him and says, "I just to say thanks... I wouldn't have got this far if it were not for you... ..." She pauses for a moment and then says, "I love you Ryan Atwood." Ryan just looks down at her and just gives his half-smile. He just cannot reciprocate her feels.
Just then she goes in to another contraction. She is in a lot of pain... more so than she expected. One of the nurses wheels in a mobile heart monitor and plugs Theresa in to it. The nurse flicks some switches and turns some buttons on the machine. She pauses, takes a step back and puts her hand up to her chin.
"Humm.... This can't be right." She says, and looks at the monitor tapping the screen.
Ryan looks across at her with concern. "What's wrong?" He asks. She just looks at him and across at Theresa and quickly leaves the room to call the doctor. Ryan walks around to the machine to take a look, but all those gauges and gadgets are a mystery to him.
Just then the doctors come rushing in with the nurse close behind. Ryan steps aside and the doctor takes a look at the machine.
"Are you sure this thing is working property?" He asks the nurse while turns a few buttons.
"Yes, I'm sure. We just used it half an hour ago with another patient." She says.
Ryan looks at Theresa who emulates his feeling of concern. He turns to the doctors and asks, "What's wrong with the machine?"
The doctor ignores him and barks out orders to the nurses. "Clear everyone out. Anesthetize this lady. We are going to have to do an emergency C-Section! I'm going to call Dr Lubbe."
With that the doctors leaves the room. Ryan chases after him and grabs his arm turning him around. "I WANT TO KNOW WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN!" Ryan says to him frantically.
"We cannot find heartbeats for the babies, son." The doctors replies grimly and looks down at his arm, which Ryan is still grasping at. Ryan lets go and the doctor makes his way to the administrative center. He stands there dumbstruck for what seems like hours. Suddenly he regains his thoughts and turns around to go back in to the emergency room, but he is stopped by a nurse.
"I'm sorry; you cannot go in there anymore. They are going to operate." The nurse says.
Ryan presses his face to the glass of the door, and from inside Theresa can see the unease on his face. Just then she falls in to a deep sleep as one of the nurses puts a mask over her face.
STILL AT THE HOSPITAL
It's been two hours since they started operating on Theresa. Theresa's gynecologist had arrived and immediately begun the operation. During that time Theresa's mom had arrived. Eddie had also arrived, accompanied by a female friend.
Theresa's mom was still dressed in her Sunday best. She had just got in from church when the phone call came through about her daughter. She immediately rushed out to the hospital, praying all the way.
Eddie was not at home when Ryan called, but a young lady, who Ryan could only have guessed to perhaps be Eddie's girlfriend, answered the phone. Ryan gave her the news about Theresa, not sure if she had even known, but he didn't care much about that at this stage. If they are Eddie's, then it's about time he assumed some responsibility, Ryan thought.
When they all arrived, Ryan filled them in on the details.
They were now all waiting anxiously in the waiting area; Theresa's mom and Ryan on one side, two seats apart, and Eddie and his girlfriend, holding hands, on the opposite end; Eddie facing Ryan. All looked very somber. No one said a word. Only the occasional phone ringing at the nearby reception or the sound of the PA system paging a doctor broke the intense silence.
The wait was killing them. What was wrong with the babies? Why didn't they find a heartbeat for either of them? Was the machine just faulty? Whose babies were they?
Ryan and Eddie look up at each other, and then quickly look away.
Was Theresa going to be okay? She had not been well as a result of the stress and recent scares. Added to that, Ryan had overheard the two doctors mention to each other that Theresa's own heartbeat pattern was looking a little weaker than normal. However, they had no choice but to operate. This news Ryan he did not share with any of the others. No need to trouble them any more than they already were. Theresa was also six weeks premature. Ryan wasn't sure what that meant, but it didn't seem good to him.
The door suddenly opens and a doctor clad in a white over-garment enters the waiting area. All four quickly stand up and then slowly sit down again as they realize he is not Theresa's doctor. The doctor ignores them and makes his way to another set of visits – an oldish man and woman, probably in their mid 50's. Ryan cannot hear what he's saying to them, but he can see it's not good news, as they both hold each other tightly and begin weeping loudly.
Another hour passes. It seems like eternity. The tension can be cut with a knife.
Just then the door opens again and as before they all stand up quickly. This time it is Theresa's doctor. The gynecologist approaches them.
"I have got some good news and some not so good news." The doctor announces. "You may want to sit down for this."
All of them look intensely at each other. Ryan and Eddie lock eyes. All wondered what could have happened in the operating room. Was Theresa okay? Had she come through the operation alive? Had they been able to save the babies?
IN THE WAITING ROOM AT THE HOSPITAL
"Just please tell us doctor!! The wait has been killing us." Theresa's mom says under extreme anxiety. Ryan assists her to sit down.
The doctor sighs deeply and continues. "Your daughter suffered a lot of blood loss during the operation, and at one point we didn't think she would make it."
"Is she okay?" Eddie asks with concern.
"Her condition is stable. She's resting at the moment." The doctor replies.
"And the babies?" Ryan asks.
The doctor takes a deep breath as he lays on the bad news. "They had suffered an enormous amount of strain caused by the stress the mother was under, and as a result were too weak to survive through the natural birth process. This is why we had to do an emergency C-Section."
He pauses for a moment, and then continues. "Unfortunately one of the babies didn't make it. He were simply too weak by the time we started operating. The one fetus was just not strong enough and his heart gave in. The other baby had a heart beat, but it was very weak. We were able to save him, but the next 48 hours are going to be touch and go.
"This kind of thing is normally the result of high stress levels in the mother, especially so in young mothers. I am sorry." The doctor concludes. Theresa's mom begins crying uncontrollably now and Ryan tries to console her.
"Do you know who the father is, yet?" Eddie turns to the doctor and asks.
"Yes, but I think it best if she tells you herself." The doctor replies.
"When can we go in and see her?" Ryan asks.
"At the moment she needs to rest and I would not suggest disturbing her; perhaps in about an hour or so." The doctor replies and exits the room, leaving them sitting there in a state of emotional despair as they try to process the news they have just heard.
IN THE WAITING AREA OF THE HOSPITAL
About two hours had passed since the doctor had delivered the news. Lunch time was drawing near, but no one was all too interested in eating right now.
The four visitors had not said much to each other over the last little while. Theresa's mom had calmed down a bit and was sipping on a cup of coffee. Ryan and Eddie didn't say a word to each other. Eddie and his girlfriend sat is silence, but it was clear from her facial expressions that she was not at all happy with the current state of affairs. She looked bored and totally uninterested in what was going on.
"I cannot wait any longer!" Eddie says in frustration and anger. "I'm going in." He gets up and makes his way to the door, but Ryan jumps up in front of him.
"The doctor said she needs her rest!" Ryan says with an expression of determination.
"Get out of my way, man!" Eddie says as he locks eyes with Ryan.
"Why don't you sit down,... MAN!" Ryan replies with a sarcastic emphasis on, 'man'.
Just then the nurse walks in.
"Theresa is awake. BUT you can only see her one at a time." The nurse says. "And she has asked to see her mom first."
Theresa's mom gets up and follows the nurse out to Theresa's ward. The other three remain in the waiting room, not speaking to each other.
About twenty minutes later the nurse comes back in. "The rest of you can go in now, but please keep it brief. She needs her rest."
They all get up and follow the nurse to the ward. Ryan enters first, with Eddie and the girlfriend behind him.
Theresa is lying on the bed with tubes and pipes all over her body. She looks exhausted, but somewhat relieved that the ordeal is over. Theresa's mom is sitting on a chair next to the top of the bed. An Asian lady dressed in a blue and white uniform, is standing off to one side filling in some paper work. She does not look like a nurse.
Ryan walks to Theresa's side. "How are you?" He asks with concern.
"Great." She replies. "It feels like I've been hit by a bus." And she forces a half-smile.
Eddie stands off to one side. This is the first time in nearly eight months that he and Theresa have seen each other. Eddie disappeared after Theresa went back to Newport to seek advice from Sandy. He was afraid that she may press charges against him for hitting her. She didn't.
She looks back at Ryan and then at her mom, who gently holds her hand. The Asian lady now comes closer and stands alongside Theresa on the same side of the bed as her mom. Theresa looks back at Ryan.
"Your support has been immeasurable during this time, Ryan. I have no real way of thanking you." Theresa says, getting quite emotional.
She now turns to Eddie. "It pains me to say this, but..." Theresa pauses, as Eddie takes a step closer... "The baby is yours."
A deadly hush fills the room. Ryan breathes the biggest sign of relief ever as he feels like a weight has been lifted off his shoulders. He takes a step back away from the bed.
Eddie comes over to Theresa's side, and smiling he says, "I know I haven't been around for you recently, but I promise we can make this work – you and me... and our son. I know you still love me Theresa; why else wouldn't you have pressed charges?"
"EDDIE!" The girlfriend says in disbelief.
Theresa ignores Eddie's comments and now turns to the doctor.
"This is Doctor Lin. She is from Planned Parenting." Theresa introduces her, and then continues. "I would like you to know something." Theresa looks at Eddie and then at Ryan. Finally she takes a deep breath and continues. "My mom and I have decided to give the baby up for adoption."
Ryan and Eddie both look a little shocked, and Eddie backs up a step. This is where the doctor steps in.
"We feel it would be in the baby's and Theresa's best interests." The doctor carries on from where Theresa left off.
"Theresa, NO!" Eddie yells. "This is as much my child as it is yours, and I will not let you just make this decision without me!"
"Actually, even though you're the father, Theresa was still a minor when she fell pregnant, which means that your permission as the father is not required." The doctor cuts in. "All we need is the consent of the mother's parents. In this case, that would be Theresa's mom."
"NO!" Eddie yells. "I won't let you do this. I want this kid!"
Ryan steps forward, grabs Eddie on the shoulder and says in a firm voice, "Hey, man. Maybe you should relax!"
Eddie turns around and hits Ryan square in the face! Ryan falls as a heap to the ground.
"MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS!!!" Eddie shouts angrily at Ryan and turns back around to speak to Theresa.
Ryan gets up and tackles Eddie from behind as medical equipment and instruments go flying all over the place.
"STOP IT!" Theresa's mom yells!
Ryan and Eddie exchange punches as they roll around on the floor.
Just then Hospital Security comes charging in after hearing the commotion. Both Ryan and Eddie are eventually detained and cuffed. The police arrive and, they are arrested and taken away.