Chapter 3 Life Changes

Bianca approached Ethan and tried to calm him down, "We don't know all the details." Ethan tried to look into the doors to catch of glimpse of Kendall in the examining room, but to no avail. Ethan was beside himself and ran his fingers though his hair as he walked away from the double doors.

Erica rose from her chair and approached him. "Ethan?"

"Erica, please let's not do this now, I need to be here, I belong here." He told Erica

"Yes, yes you do." Ethan looked at Erica surprised at the words leaving her mouth. She took Ethan by the hand, a move that startled him, and she led him to the sitting area. "Come sit with me, I need to tell you something."

Ethan's eyes glanced at Bianca then looked at Erica. Ethan was unwilling to take a seat, "She is okay isn't she… she's not…." The words hung in the air.

"No, heaven no… we are not going to lose them"

"Them, what do you mean 'them' Erica."

Erica took a seat while Ethan at last sat opposite her. Erica still had Kendall's belongs in her hand. "This should be Kendall's news to share with you, but you need to know now in case we need to make some decisions. It is important that you know."

"Decisions, what decisions?" Ethan asked with nervous concern. Bianca had made her way over to the area where Erica and Ethan were sitting. Ethan looked up at Bianca anxious at what Erica had to tell him. He then looked back at Erica somewhat bewildered.

Erica reached into the bag to get the stained gift bag out. "She bought this to give to you." Erica handed the gift bag shirt to Ethan. Ethan delicately looked at the bag and stared at the blood. He looked at the card and quietly read it. He slightly grinned at the words. His love for her was clearly evident in his face. At that moment, Erica finally got it. This man before her, whose heart was breaking, truly loved her daughter. Loved her for who she was and was not trying to change her. They accepted each other, flaws and all.

Ethan then reached into the bag and took out the shirt. "I love my Daddy?" Ethan read the front of the shirt out loud. He placed his hand against his forehead and seemed taken aback by his own words.

"Ethan, Kendall's pregnant" She told Ethan the news that Kendall was to share with him that night. Bianca placed her hand on his shoulder in support of his pain and hers.

With his head bowed down, his grip tightened around the shirt. Ethan's eye welled up with tears, "Is the baby okay?"

"We don't know, the doctors are still examining them, we should know something soon." Erica placed her hand over Ethan's in a gesture of reassurance. All he could do was just stared at the shirt.

Ethan finally looked up at Erica, "I love her Erica, you may not believe it but, I really love her… I love both of them"

Erica responded, "I know you do, I realize that now."


Two hours had passed since Joe and Maria had come out to tell them that she was being rushed into surgery, but to those that loved Kendall it seemed like an eternity. Ethan paced up and down still clutching the shirt. Everyone was in the waiting room, Jackson, Reggie, Lily, Ryan and Greenlee. All were there in there support of Kendall but they were also there for Bianca and Erica.

During the long wait, Detective Frye had come to talk to Jackson about the hit and run.

"Jackson, this accident may not have been accidental."

"Derek what are you saying? Are you telling me that someone did this deliberately to Kendall?" Jack tried to keep his voice down in an effort not to alert anyone about Derek suspicions.

"I had a quick chance to talk to Ethan; apparently there have been some threats against him." Derek informed Jack of his newly acquired information.

"Well that is not surprising; he is head of a multi-million dollar conglomerate."

"I understand that Jack, but Ethan took these threats seriously enough that he had hired a security detail for Kendall. They were going to start that detail today." Derek explained to Jack.

"Wait a minute, are you telling me that that son of …, he may have know that Kendall was in danger and he did not come to me." Jackson looked over at a concerned Erica. "This is precisely the reason why we wanted him away from Kendall, but right now is not time. Until you have concrete evidence, can you please keep this suspicion to yourself? This is something that I need to break to Erica, but for now she needs to concentrate on Kendall, but keep me informed."

"Will do Jack, We're praying for Kendall" Derek shook Jack's hand.

"Thank You." Jack then turned toward Bianca and Erica who were sitting together in anticipation of any news about Kendall.

Dr Martin finally emerged from doors with Maria Grey by his side. Both avoided eye contact with everyone and went straight to Erica. She quickly rose from her seat along with Bianca.

"How is she, please tell me how she is?" Erica asked with Bianca and Ethan who had joined them.

Maria spoke up first, "Erica" Maria pulled off her surgical hat as she continued to speak, "There was problem during the surgery," she paused and Erica's heart began to race. She had been in this position with Bianca in the past, but this time it felt different. "The trauma that Kendall suffered was extensive, she…"

Erica cut Maria's medical explanation off, "Please just tell when we can see her."

"Erica, please listen to me, we did everything we could..." Maria tried to continue.

"No, No, no, no no…don't say it Maria, please don't, no" Erica became frantic, shaking her head. Jackson rushed by her side to support her.

"Erica she's gone… I'm so sorry," she looked toward Bianca, "I am so very sorry."

Bianca held her hand over her mouth stunned in disbelief at the news that had turned their lives upside down. She turned and sobbed in Reggie's arms. Erica's expression was one of confusion and shocked. She kept uttering the, 'No, not Kendall, not now, not now?' Jackson held Erica in his arms to comfort her.

Ethan walked away and buried his head into the wall and he turned around and slid to the floor. He sobbed with the shirt still in his hands. He not only lost the woman that he loved, but a child he would never know. He buried his face into his hands. Even Greenlee and Ryan grieved for Kendall. Both had made amends with Kendall in the last few months and had moved passed the hurt.

Bianca noticed Ethan and knelt beside him. She wanted to help him and comfort herself at the same time. Still sobbing, Bianca reached out to him, "Ethan?" He leap to his feet and headed toward the door. Bianca grabbed his arm and he quickly pulled it away. "I have to get out of here."

"Ethan, wait …" Bianca tried to talk to him knowing how hurt he was.

Ethan's inconsolable eyes looked at Bianca, "I can't"; he quickly rushed out of the hospital. Bianca knew that no matter what she would say, nothing was going to make the pain go away for Ethan or for her. She then switched her attention to her mother.

With tears in her eyes, Bianca delicately approached her, "Mom?" Erica left Jackson's arms and tightly hugged Bianca, "Why, why… why Bianca" No tears had fallen from Erica. Her shock seemed to consume her. All Bianca could do was hold on to her mother unable to answer the most impossible question in the world. After several minutes, Erica pulled away. "I want to see her, I need to see her".

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Jack glanced at Bianca then toward Erica, "Erica...I don't think tha…"

"Now, I need to see here now." Jackson looked at Erica. He could see that she was not going to accept that Kendall was gone, unless she was a witness to her passing. Maybe this would make this more real for her. Both Jack and Bianca were very worried about Erica, but knew that no matter how much they objected, nothing was going to stop her.

"Okay, I'll arrange it."