Sorry once again that it took so long to update. My rt and my health has made doing anything pretty much impossible, and I've just not had the same "ooomph" for doing this story as I once did. I'll try to do justice with this chapter though, but please don't expect great things this time around. I'm truly sorry. And it hasn't been beta'd so please forgive any mistakes.Lynn
Chapter 11Baby Makes Six?
Maggie sat on the edge of the examination table, sweating. She really didn't want to be here doing this. But Doc had insisted, backed up by a frightened Tracy. So here she sat while the nurse took her vital signs with a fake cheer Maggie really didn't care too much for. She sighed inwardly. Okay, so she'd passed out, big deal. Didn't pregnant women do that all the time? She stubbornly ignored the voice in her head that kept trying to remind her of
him
the fact that pregnant women usually didn't have scary waking dreams moments before they passed out. That, and her family's concern, was the only reason Maggie was still here. Her rapidly darkening thoughts weremercifullyinturrupted by the arrival of her doctor.
"Maggie," Doctor Carter greeted as he walked briskly into the room. "How's my favorite patient today?" He smiled at her in much the manner that annoying nurse had and it was all Maggie could do not to snap at him. Not too sweet today, Doc. My dear, dead Father made my water glass a fucking glove and tried to slice me to ribbons with it. Other than that, the day sucked. And you? She said nothing though, just stared at him wearily.
Doctor Carter looked at her a moment, uneasy without knowing why. Then his brisk manner snapped back into place as he guided an unresponsive Maggie to lie back, repeating what the nurse had relayed to him about Maggie's "accident", Doc's story of Maggie cutting herself with a broken glass while washing dishes then passing out, and explaining that he was going to do an ultrasound to make sure the baby was okay and the fall didn't do any damage. Maggie still didn't say anything and the doctor took in her too-pale skin, the shadows under her eyes, and the haunted look in them. He'd noticed the same look in her husband's eyes, and the eyes of the girl who'd come in with them. Their daughter, they'd said. Each one of them looked like Hell was chasing them, and the thought that Maggie had tried to kill herself flashed briefly across his mind. He dismissed the thought though. Though it was the first time he'd met the daughter, he'd seen both Maggie and Alan twice in the past month, and neither had given him any indication that either of them had been anything but thrilled, with each other and the pregnancy. So what had happened in the few short weeks since Maggie's last visit? The doctor mentally shrugged as he prepped her for the ultrasound, still murmuring assurances and explanations.
Maggie, for her part, was still silent as the doctor continued to run his mouth. She flinched a little as the cold gel was applied to her stomach and sighed inwardly. She supposed she should've said something to reassure the doctor, but she just had no desire to talk. Maggie thought unexpectedly about the music Tracy played up in her room. She listened to many different genres of music, the only common factor being that each song was loud and frentic. A line from one of Tracy's rap songs came back to her as the doctor kept babbling, and she thought it seemed quite fitting.
Get down! Cos I ain't got nothing to lose/
And I'm having a bad day, don't make me take it out on YOU!
Amen to that, Ludacris, she thought mildly, A-freaking-men to that. Take the hint, Doc, and shut the fuck up. Please. Doc didn't take the hint, however, as sunshine and puppies continued to roll from his mouth and he started the ultrasound proceedure.
"Heeeere's your bay-beee!" he trilled as he prodded her stomach with that medical thingamajiggie that made Maggie think of alien probes. Maggie wanted to look with the same excitement, but her mood had reached an all-time low and for some reason the thrill she knew she should be having just wasn't there. She bleerily looked at the screen, then back up at the doctor as he frowned a little.
"That's odd," he said, and at that Maggie perked up a bit. The doc moved the whatsit around a bit more, still frowning. "Odd, indeed. The heart monitor only picked up one heartbeat on your last visit. Hmmm..." He trailed off, prodding her stomach with the device again and Maggie finally came to life a little bit, enough to be concerned.
"What's wrong, Doctor Carter?" she asked, only dimly aware of Doc entering the room silently. He picked up on her question and the concern and came over to hold her hand. She was barely aware of the action, or of the panicked grip she gave his hand in return.
"Nothing, nothing at all," the doctor replied, though he was still frowning. "It's just that I didn't realize this was a multiple pregnancy, that's all."
"Multiple?" Maggie croaked as the hint of a memory flashed in her mind. "You mean I'm going to have..."
babies
"...more than one child?" The memory was trying to come back, stronger than ever, and out of reflex Maggie fought it down, the memory and the panic. The memory would mean only bad news, and Maggie didn't want any part of it. She didn't feel as Doc put more pressure on her hand, didn't see the wide smile covering his face at the news.
"Yup, looks like it," the doctor said, still moving the plastic device over her belly. "The babies are still small considering how far along you are, but...ah! There it is. Or should I say, there they are. Looks like You're about to have triplets, Maggie. Congratulations!" He turned in time to see Doc's beautific smile as he whooped for joy, and also to see Maggie turn even more pale, if that was possible.
"Maggie, we're having triplets! I can't believe this," Doc crowed in triumph. He bent to hug Maggie, then noticed the shell-shocked look on her face. He mistook the look and bent down to sweep her up to her feet in a massive, yet gentle hug. "Don't worry, baby. I know things are tight financially, but we'll make it. We always do. I'll get a second job if I have to, and I'm not ashamed to get on public assistance if we have to, until we get back on our feet. Anything for our babies." He finally slowed his prattle when he noticed Maggie's expression still hadn't changed, and he set her to her feet. "Baby, what's wrong? Doctor?" He lookef from Maggie to the doctor, who wore the same expression of concern.
Maggie's head spun as the memory she'd been fighting during the visit returned full force. The kids playing outside, the voice, the glass. Him. She threw a panicked look at Doc, then the physician, then to the screen that had shown her her babies. They were still there, and regarding her gravely now, which was impossible, right? She was off the table, and the little plastic contraption was no longer on her stomach. But there they were, larger than they'd been a second ago, and now staring at her in accusation. As one, they opened their mouths and wailed.
Why don't you want us? they screamed. What did we do that you gave us to HIM? We were good, we were good, Mommy, but HE wants to take us away! Maggie shook her head and backed away, ignoring Doc and her physician, who were now both reaching for her, trying to calm her down as she started to whimper in denial and fear. But the hated wailing kept on in her head, and the sight she hoped to never see again came into view. Him. Her father poked his head in between the first two babies, smiling that insane, obscene grin. He waggled his tongue at her, then caressed the babies in turn gently.
"Yes, Katherine," he purred silkily. "Tell our sweet babies here why you don't want them? Why you're denying them their legacy? You keep fighting, Katherine, but don't worry, Daddy's here now to make it all better. I'll make sure our lovely babies get what's coming to them. And you too. They're mine. You're all mine, don't you forget it, bitch." He lunged suddenly and Maggie screamed at the top of her lungs, lurching away from the men in the room.
"They're not your babies you murdering bastard!" she shrieked as she lunged at the monitor. "Give me back my babies!" She would've hefted the monitor then, hurled it to the ground, but arms stopped her. She spun and drew back, letting her hand lash out. Another hand caught it and she vaguely recognized Doc wrestling with her as the doctor screamed for assistance. She didn't care though. She had to save her babies from him! She tried to tear herself from Doc's grasp, but he wouldn't let her go, and the cursed him as she tried to claw her way free. A nurse burst into the room then with a syringe the doctor snatched from her hand and approached Maggie with. But there was no need. The stress of the day caught up with her and she crumpled in her husband's arms with one last, crazy thought. Two blackouts in one day. Perfect, just perfect. What else do you have planned for me, Father? That the term "Father" came to her thoughts never occured to her. She caught a brief flash of bright, white light as her head snapped back in her swoon, then her good friend Darkness welcomed her second visit of the day.
