Chapter 15: Moving In
March 2005
"You know Ashley you could at least pretend to help" Damian complained.
"Hey I made you lemonade didn't I" Ashley retorted.
The moving party consisted of me, Maddie, Randy, Lucas, Damian, and John's brother Matt. Matt was the only Cena brother that both Ashley and I kept in regular contact with.
"I'm telling you Ash you're having a boy" Matt insisted.
"I don't care what it is I just want it out" Ashley whined.
"2 more months" Damian said.
"You still painting the nursery?" Ashley asked Lucas.
Lucas who was currently attending Massachusetts School of Art was an amazing muralist.
"You ever notice how mom and dad had 4 really successful kids" Maddie pointed out "wait minus Ashley because she is unemployed"
"I'm unemployed because I want to be not because I screwed up" Ashley replied.
"Yeah keep telling yourself that" Maddie said.
"I haven't seen your name on any published books lately" Ashley said.
Maddie's credit as an author wasn't know until a few years later when she wrote "The Adventures of Boston Anthony" series.
"Addie you'd better get changed before Tyler gets here" Ashley advised.
I looked at my watched and cursed under my breath.
"Thanks Ash" I said running past her to my room to get changed.
Later that week…
"Ashley keep your eyes closed" Lucas scolded her as he lead her into the room that would be the nursery.
"Ok open them"
The room was painted blue and red, it was Redsox themed. Lucas had taken a picture of Fenway Park and recreated that onto the walls of the room.
"It's beautiful but don't you think it's a little masculine?" Ashley asked.
"No because I agree with Matt the baby is going to be a boy" he replied.
"What happened to my little brother now you are all old" Ashley said.
"I'm only 21 and who are you calling old you are turning 27 in December"
"Don't remind me" Ashley said.
"So Ashley have you given any thought about what the doctor told you the other day?" I asked.
"Is something the matter?" Lucas asked concerned.
"No the doctors just told me that it is unlikely that I will ever be able to carry another baby again" Ashley said.
"Why?" Lucas asked.
"I have cists on my ovaries they say in 5 years if I don't have a total hysterectomy I could develop cancer" Ashley answered.
"So what if you want other children?" Lucas asked.
"I can have some of my eggs harvested and surrogacy is the only option" Ashley said "but I don't know let's see how I am after this baby is born"
"Mom has been knitting the baby booties and sweaters" Lucas said.
Both Ashley and I groaned.
"Have you seen the stuff mom knits?" I asked "I wouldn't put it on my dog"
"Adrian we don't have a dog" Ashley said.
"You totally missed the point I was trying to make Ashley" I remarked.
"Well don't say we have a dog when we don't" Ashley said.
"Go lay down" I ordered.
"Fine maybe I will" Ashley yelled.
She got maybe 5 steps before she doubled over in pain.
"Oh my god Ashley" I yelled.
Within seconds I was at her side.
"It hurts" she cried.
"It's ok we're going to get you to the hospital" I said.
Lucas pulled the car around to the front. I helped Ashley into the backseat and sat with her holding her hand. She was trembling terribly, the fear that something was wrong was on all of our minds.
"Hold on Ash we're almost there" Lucas said.
"Hurry" Ashley begged.
We got her to the hospital and they rushed her to a room. It seemed like hours before we got any news. Finally a middle-aged doctor came over to us.
"Ms Mercer?" he asked.
"Yes how is my sister and the baby?" I asked.
"We managed to stop the labor" he said "has your sister been under a lot of stress?"
"No" I said "at least not that I know of she hasn't mentioned any"
"Stress is one of the main causes of premature labor" the doctor said.
"But the baby is ok?" I asked.
"Yes the baby is fine, perfectly healthy and the right size for this stage of the pregnancy" he said "he just needs to stay in there a little while longer"
"See I knew the baby was a boy!" Lucas exclaimed.
"Lucas shh I'm talking to the doctor" I ordered.
"So what is going to happen to Ashley now?" I asked.
"We want to keep her on beds rest for the duration of her pregnancy and if the labor starts up again before at least 37 weeks then bring her back in" the doctor said. "but we'd like to keep her here for the night"
"Ok if this is really what is best" I said "Ashley isn't going to like it"
"If she wants to deliver a healthy baby then she'll stay put and keep the stress level down" The doctor said.
The doctor walked away he obviously didn't know Ashley well enough to say that last statement. Trying to keep Ashley in one stop is like sticking your bare hand in a beehive and taking it out without one bee sting.