Chapter 10
Jed knocked softly on the door to Abbey's room. Hearing no response, he pushed the door open slowly, not sure what he would find.
A soft, rapid noise told Jed that the baby's heart was strong and beating in a normal pattern. As he crossed the room toward the bed, he looked at his wife for the first time since the accident. Her pale face lay on the pillow, surrounded by that auburn hair of hers. Her eyes were closed, those long black eyelashes sweeping down towards her cheeks. Slight discolorations were beginning to appear over her face and neck. His gaze went downward as he noted the IV and the monitor belt around her abdomen. The huge mound that was his child was still intact, which caused him to send a brief prayer of thanks to God. A cast had been placed on her right ankle and the foot elevated to minimize the swelling.
As he reached her side, his voice quietly called her name, "Abbey, sweetie. It's me. It's Jed."
Her delicate eye lids fluttered open, to determine the source of that familiar voice.
"Jed?"
"Yes, Abbey. It's me. How are you feeling?"
"Sore. They won't tell me anything. Liz? How's Liz?" Tears began to flow down her face.
He reached over to wipe them away. "Shhhh. She'll be fine. They're keeping her overnight just for observation. I've already seen her. Someone gave her a teddy bear and she's sleeping. She'll be fine."
"Thank God." Her eye lids fluttered. "So sleepy. Will you stay?"
"Of course. I wouldn't be anyplace else."
As Abbey drifted back to sleep, Jed pulled up a chair and sat down. He laid his head on the bed and drifted off to sleep as well. They both slept, the rhythmic beat of their baby's heart as their lullaby.