1"No!" she screamed, collapsing on the examination table. Her voice was ringed with panicky sobs. "No, no, how could this-" she suddenly remembered that she knew why.
"It...was probably caused...well, looking at the sonograms it was caused by physical bruising and sexual activity," the doctor said uncomfortably. "Now, usually the latter is good for the fetus, but combined with the other it can prove to be destructive."
Jackson stared at Lisa. How? The only time she'd slept with him was on the honeymoon. Unless...
Jackson tried to meet her eyes, but she just looked down at the floor.
They left the office soon after the doctor muttered his condolences and began the drive home. As soon as they were on the highway however, Jackson jerked the car to a stop on the curb.
"Who, Lisa?" Jackson asked, his voice deathly low. "I mean, how could you? I just..." his voice cracked. "Who?"
Lisa paused, tears cascading down her face. "J-Jed," she whispered.
Jackson stared at her, dumbfounded. "What? You slept...with my brother? Unbelievable. Unbe-friggin-lievable." He pounded the steering wheel angrily. He glared over at her teary face, and suddenly noticed an ugly purple bruise creeping up her temple.
"Wait," he paused, realizing something. "Did he-Lisa..did he...?"
Lisa met his eyes and tearfully nodded. "Oh god," Jackson whispered, taking her in his arms. "Leese, I'm so sorry...Leese, oh god.."
Jackson drove the rest of the way home silently, his hands gripping the steering wheel so tightly they were white.
He slammed the door but gently guided Lisa inside. She weakly went to bed and Jackson told her, "Stay here."
"Jackson, what are you-" she asked weakly.
"Just stay here!" he replied briskly, running out the door.
When Lisa awoke two hours later, she saw a light coming from the bathroom. She padded into it to see Jackson nursing a gash on his upper bicep, his shirt soaked in blood.
"Jackson?" she said timidly from the doorway. He looked up. "Whose blood's on your shirt?"
He paused. "You don't need to worry about Jed hurting you anymore."