Chapter 4
"I've decided," Ruthie said, sitting in the chair across from Emily, "that I want to know the sex of the baby."
For the last month since she found out Emily knew the sexes of all the babies she wanted to know. It tortured her that someone else knew. She had to find out. So she went into Emily's office when it wasn't even time for her weekly session. Emily just laughed. She jumped up and walked over to the file cabinet. She pulled out Ruthie's now bulky folder. She sat down and opened it up, skimming through the pages. If Emily knew the sex of the baby off hand she was great at adding unneeded suspense.
She closed the folder. "You're sure you want to know."
"Positive," Ruthie nodded eagerly.
Emily smiled widely. "You're having a girl."
Ruthie's eyes widened. She slowly started to smile. "A girl?"
"That's right," Emily nodded.
Just then the door slammed open. Ruthie and Emily jumped in fright. Standing in the door way was a five month pregnant Jamie. She had the most panicked expression on her face.
"Emily, its Rachel, something's wrong," Jamie stuttered.
Emily and Ruthie ran from the room where they found a crowd in the living room. Rachel was screaming in pain on the floor. Ruthie and Emily immediately fell to her side, Ruthie grabbing her hand and Emily examining her.
"Let get her to the hospital," Emily said.
Ruthie was the only one who went with them. Rachel was screaming in the backseat where they sat, gripping at Ruthie's hand. She was mumbling about the baby being hurt from her falling to the floor. She cried out that the baby had to be fine.
At the hospital Ruthie and Emily waited together in the waiting room. A couple other girls showed up later to see what was happening. They didn't get an update on Rachel's condition for three hours. The doctor took Emily aside and started to explain the situation. Ruthie and the three other girls stood there, watching in anticipation.
"I'm sure she's fine," Jamie said to Ruthie.
Emily kept nodded. Her face was full of so many different emotions. She looked over at the group as she listened to the doctor. Then he patted her shoulder and walked away after Emily thanked him. Then she made her way back over to the four of them.
"The doctor says that Rachel had an undetected heart problem," Emily said. "He's told me that the pain that Rachel was feeling was her loosing the baby."
Ruthie covered her mouth and sat down. Kristy sat next to her and put her arm around her. Emily sat on the other side and looked around at all the girls.
"This kind of stuff happens," Emily explained. "Doctor Manara says it's a miracle she carried the baby as long as she did." She looked at Ruthie. "She's asking for you."
Once Ruthie gathered herself together she went to the directed room. Rachel was on her side facing the window. When she heard the door closed she flinched a little. Ruthie walked over to the bed, climbed in and laid along side her, stroking her hair.
"I wanted him," she explained.
"A boy?" Ruthie asked.
She felt Rachel nodded. "That's what they said. I wanted him, Ruthie."
"I know you did," Ruthie said.
"I wanted to watch him grow," Rachel continued. "I wanted to name him Adam. It was my grandpa's name. My grandpa was a good man. I thought, maybe, my son could be to."
Ruthie couldn't think of something to say. She just laid there beside her, trying to sooth her. But Rachel wouldn't stop sobbing.
"I wanted to raise him to be a good man," Rachel said. "To be smart and to own up to his mistakes. I wanted to teach him to be a good parent. I wanted to make sure he had everything I didn't. He was supposed to have more than me. And now he's gone."
When Rachel finally cried herself to sleep, Ruthie climbed off the bed and walked out the room. She pulled the door closed behind her and let out a long breath. She looked toward the waiting room where Emily was talking to Jamie, Kristy and Jen. She looked the other way and saw a phone hanging on the wall.
She walked toward the opposite wall so that none of the girls could see her. Then she entered into the little phone booth that was set up. She closed the glass door and dialed the collect phone number. When they asked her for her name she gave it willingly then dialed the first number she could think of.
"Hello?" she heard Lucy's voice answer.
The woman's voice entered into the conversation. "You have a collect call from-" Ruthie's voice said her own name "-if you accept the charges please press one or say yes at the tone."
To make it go faster Lucy hit the one button. "Ruthie?"
"Luce," Ruthie started, "I need your help."
About an hour later Lucy practically ran into the waiting room. Her eyes traveled the room urgently. Ruthie looked over at Emily and the other girls before standing up. She hadn't told them she was calling anyone from her family. They watched in surprise as Ruthie walked toward her slowly. Lucy was in shock by her appearance. Her stomach was clearly visible in the shirt she chose to wear that day. But when she stood toe to toe with Lucy it didn't seem to matter. Lucy pulled her in for the tightest hug she had ever received.
"You're not here for me," Ruthie said, pulling away a little.
"I'm not," Lucy said, tears falling from her eyes.
Ruthie shook her head. "Rachel, my friend. She just lost her baby. She could use you right now, way more then I could."
"Ruthie," Lucy said, shaking her head, "we have to talk."
Ruthie nodded. "I'm not going anywhere. Just talk to her. Room 108. Please, Lucy."
Lucy nodded. She looked at the other girls sitting there and then at Emily, the only girl who wasn't pregnant. Once Lucy started toward Rachel's room, Emily walked up behind Ruthie and placed her arm around her.
"The preacher?" Emily asked. Ruthie nodded and Emily smiled and hugged her. "You did good."
A/N: Thank you guys for all your reviews. And thank you guys for sticking with me. I wanted to say something specifically to J. Daisy. You are good! I can't believe you knew that. I've had the idea since I created the character. But I promise she's not gone.