For The Love Of A Child
Chapter Nine- A Time For Healing
"Savanna I need you to sign custody of Jaden over to someone other than yourself and your husband, I don't want CPS to get involved."
"I don't want the little liar anyway. Who would I sign her over to Jaden has no living relatives other than myself." Lu had just told Savanna what Jaden had said.
"I would be willing to adopt Jaden. We could keep it quiet and there would be no reason for CPS to get involved."
"You wouldn't call CPS on me!"
"Your daughter needs help! You've just told me yourself that you never want to see her again. I'll adopt her then you won't have to pay court costs and she won't be in the system because mark my work Savanna if she stays with you CPS will get involved."
"No strings attached? Your not gonna get me up for child support or something are you?" Savanna asked with hatred.
"Swear?"
"I swear. I just want the best for my patient!"
"Ok I'll sign the papers giving you legal mothering of her and bring them to you tomorrow. But don't expect to see me again after that! Jaden needn't come by and pick up her things. All she has is the clothes on her back anyway." Savanna said as she walked in a huff out of the clinic and down the street.
"Jaden honey how are you feeling today sweetie?" Lu asked Jaden as she walked into Jaden's hospital room .
"I'm OK I guess."
"I'm thinking of releasing you tomorrow. If your health stays up."
"Where am I gonna go?" Jaden asked
"Well do you want to go back and live with your mommy and daddy?"
"No I hate them! Its my mom's fault that he raped me anyway!"
"Well sweetie you don't have to."
"What!" Jaden asked surprised.
"Do you want to come home with me and live with me, Jonas and the two babies?"
"OMG LU! I WOULD LOVE THAT!" Jaden yelled as she rushed to hug Lu.
"I can help you but only if you want help." Lu said as she checked Jaden's arms where she had cut herself. "Your mom and dad signed custody over to me and now , if you want to that is, you can come and live with me, now you're my legal daughter." Lu smiled.
"I would love that Lu!"
"Gosh I hate my mom! She is the whole reason this all happened!" Jaden said beginning to get angry again and again.
"You can talk to me about anything you know that right?"
" I know Lu."
"Tisk…your arms aren't getting any better were going to have to put liquid stitches on them. And your going to have to have plastic surgery if you don't want some nasty scars."
"You know what Lu? I'll do it again, and again, and again until finally something works." Jaden said with such anger that it scared Lu.
"Jaden please I think you need to see a shrink." Lu said
"I'm not talking to no shrink Lu." Jaden said as she began to cry.
"It really helps sweetie….It helped me…"
"You… you were raped?"
"Twice, by the same guy, once six years ago and again six months ago."
"Is the baby his or Jonas's ?"
"I don't know to be honest. But it's not that important."
"You can deal with it Lu. I can't I'm only thirteen years old. I had no other options. At least you didn't kill your baby."
"I'm going home in a little while and your going with me, I want to keep an eye on you. We can talk more later."
Later at Home
Long after Jaden was asleep in her new bedroom Lu lay wide awake, tossing and turning in her bed, unable to get comfortable.
About twelve am Lu sat up in bed. Her stomach was cramping like mad and sharp pains were shooting up her spine. There was a wet stickiness in between her legs which turned out to be blood.
"Oh shit." Lu thought to herself as she struggled into the shower to wash the blood away, and put on some clean clothes.
She was now cleaned up, struggling to breath she laid back down on the bed. Her water had broken and she knew that she was going into premature labor.
Lu had called Dana on the phone before she showered and told her the situation. Before she knew it Dana was holding her hand and wiping her face with a cool cloth.
"Your fully dilated Lu…..The baby should be here soon."
"Is there anyway to stop it? It's way too early!"
"This baby's coming sweetie there's nothing I can do to stop it."
Lu was breathing deeply, tears were falling down her face in an attempt not to cry aloud. She didn't want to wake Jaden . Or Alley who she had just gotten to sleep a few hours previous to this.
"UGH!" Lu screamed as a huge contraction washed over her like fire and left her gasping for breath.
"OK Lu honey I see the baby's head. Now on three I need you to push as hard as you can." Dana coached Lu. " One…..Two…." But Dana never got to three because on two Lu let out a huge scream and pushed with all of her mite.
"OK Lu honey the baby's head is a little stuck. I need you to let me help you walk around. Walking around will help the baby get unstuck since I can't very well do surgery without the proper equipment."
Lu tried with great difficulty to sit up. Dana helped Lu to walk around the room, stopping ever so often when a fresh contraction would hit Lu causing her to gasp and to double over in pain. They did this for about half an hour.
"It never hurt this bad before. With Marc and Alley it never hurt this bad." Lu said as she once again doubled over. Dana helped her lye down on her bed and after several long minutes told her to push again.
Lu was crying now and her temper was as hot as a volcano. She knew better than to panic, but despite her attempts not to, panic began to set in. Marc was born thirty minutes after her water had broken. Alley had been born fifteen minutes into labor. It had been three hours and the new baby still wasn't here. She held her breath and tried not to scream her lungs out.
"Lu honey I need you to breath……breath deep and PUSH!"
"I can't Dana!" Lu screamed she was breathing every breath ragged and hard.
"You have to Lu! You can't give up now you baby is depending on you!"
Lu pushed again as hard as she could she felt tired and she felt as fatigue as if she had run a marathon. Despite this fatigue she pushed again.
"OK Lu good honey. I can see the hairline." Dana said softly as Lu bit her lip and pushed again. The baby's head slowly slid out. " Ok good sweetie relax for a minute."
Dana got a nose dropper and sucked all of the liquid out of the baby's mouth and nose. She then gently supported the baby's head.
"Dana what's the matter? What's wrong?" Lu asked panicked when Dana told her to relax. She forgot that what Dana told her to do is routine.
"Nothing Lu. Try and calm down…. I just need to slip the cord form around the baby's neck. There we go. Ok now we have to deliver the baby's shoulders. With each contraction I need you to push. But don't forget to breath."
"I KNOW WHAT TO DO DANA! I'M A DOCTOR TOO DAM IT!" Lu screamed. Her stomach felt as if a million people were beating her with sledge hammers. She was scared and she felt like she was going to pass out.
Lu was socked to the skin in sweat. Her beautiful brown hair was tangled and matted. Her breathing began to slow and her eyes, tear-filled began to close.
Lu could hear Dana's voice. It sounded like it was a million miles away but she could hear it, calling her back into caution ness .
"Lu? Lu focus! Lu? Lu follow my voice." Dana cried as she wiped Lu's face and neck with a icy cold cloth, and gently slapped her face.
"W- what ?" Lu asked, she was beyond pain, beyond terror, and beyond exhaustion. It was this pain that caused her to black out.
Another contraction hit and Lu bit her lip so hard that blood squirted into her mouth to keep form screaming out as she pushed again and again with each contraction unit the shoulders were delivered.
Another contraction flooded over Lu and she pushed her longest hardest push using the last of her energy and the rest of the baby slid into Dana's arms.
Dana's face suddenly paled and her expression became weary. She clamped and cut the baby's unbiblical cord and then after slapping the baby across the butt several times she began rubbing the baby and talking to her.
"Dana what's going on huh?" Lu asked as she struggled to see what was happening. "Is she ok? Is my baby OK?" Lu yelled almost in hysteria.
Dana preformed infant CPR on the baby and she was still rubbing the baby and talking to her. By rubbing her she was restoring the blood circulation. Slowly the baby began to regain color. Dana patted the newborns back and in no time at all, but what seemed like forever of Lu's hysteric screams and a non responsive baby a slow faint cry filled the room.
Lu was in a full blown state of hysteria trying to find out what happened to her baby but after checking the baby's heart, to find a nice strong beat, Dana wrapped the baby in a pillowcase and handed her to her mother.
"Nothing sweetie she just had a little trouble coming into this world." Dana lied as she watched Lu holding the tiny baby.
"Are you ready to finish up here?"
"I'm ready." Lu said taking a deep breath.
The contractions continued although they were somewhat less painful than before. This went on for a few minutes before Dana delivered the placenta by gently tugging on the unbiblical cord.
Ten minutes later Lu and Dana were sitting side by side on the bed waiting for the ambulance who was stuck in traffic to come and take Lu and her new baby to the hospital. Each were crying but for different reasons.
"Are you ok Nay Nay? Lu asked Dana referring to her old nick name. Lu who was feeding the baby breast milk and just as she asked the realization hit her that both she and the baby would be dead if it wasn't for Dana."
"I'm fine Lu, just a little shook up that's all." Dana (although she had delivered thousands of babies) had never been so scared in all of her life.
"You look exhausted Lu why don't you go take a shower and clean up? I'll change the bed sheets and then we can go to the hospital together." Dana told Lu as she gently took the baby and held her in her arms.
"I'm sure honey. A warm shower will help warm the body aches. The baby will be fine."
Lu went off and showered and Dana after gathering some supplies went to the guest bathroom and gave the baby a nice warm bath. After bathing and dressing her she wrapped her in a pink receiving blanket and went back into Lu's room.
Lu was already dressed and out of the shower by the time Dana carried the dark haired, dark eyed baby girl into the room.
"There now don't you feel much better?" Dana asked smiling down at Lu.
"A little anyway." Lu answered as she smiled warmly at Dana.
Dana handed Alexis gently to Lu before getting clean blankets and sheets and making the bed. She threw the dirty laundry in the laundry hamper.
"Lu it's five thirty. Do you want me to call the hospital and tell them to cancel all of your appointments for today?"
"Oh…Shit Dana I'm so sorry I've made you late I know how you like to be on time."
Lu quickly threw on her socks and shoes and then went to setting up the car seat while Dana and the new baby went to wake Jaden.
"Jaden sweetheart time to wake up!" Dana said as she gently shook Jaden.
Jaden sat up and rubbed her eyes. Then turning to Dana she asked
"Who are you?" in a quiet shy voice.
"I'm your new mom's partner Dana."
"Why are you here?"
"I'm here because your new mother, Lu, called me last night. Her water broke and she didn't have time to get to the hospital so I came over and delivered your new baby sister for her. Your baby sister was born early this morning." Dana said smiling at the baby.
"She's beautiful may I hold her?"
"Of Course! But first get dressed while I go and wake up Alley. Then meet me and Alley in the hall and you can strap the new baby into her car seat."
"Dana I don't have anything to wear!"
"It's ok sweetie go and talk to Lu. Believe it or not before Lu got pregnant she was a size zero too." Dana said remembering when they first met so long ago and then the even scarier times over the last few weeks when Lu's weight took a sky dive.
Holding her new baby sister suddenly made Jaden very sad so she gently handed the baby back to Dana and then rushed to get dressed.
Dana, holding the new baby, walked into the next room and gently woke up Alley.
"Baby!" Alley exclaimed when she saw the new infant.
"This is your baby sister sweetheart. I need you to get dressed for Aunt Dana. You get to come to work with me and your mommy today."
"Oh cool!" Alley exclaimed.
Alley quickly dressed and within minutes they were all dressed and ready to go to the hospital. Jaden gently strapped the baby in her car seat, and then helped Ally buckle her seat belt. Jaden hopped up front with Dana and Lu who insisted on sitting next to her baby sat in back.
About Ten Miles Down The Road
"Dana! Hurry!" Lu exclaimed as she watched her baby and quickly un-strapped her.
"What's the matter?" Dana asked quickly pulling over.
When Dana turned around she saw Lu feverishly trying to resituate her little girl. A few seconds later the baby began to cry. Lu held her up a certain way so that she could breath better.
"She stopped breathing. We have to hurry Dana." Dana speeds off towards the hospital and just a few seconds later she was at the ER.
"Lu you take her in. I'll take care of the kids. Take her straight to NICU they'll find out what's wrong." Dana instructed as she could see Lu starting to shut down.
Jaden and Alley walked with Dana through the ER and to Dana's office.
"Jaden how are you at baby-sitting?"
"Um I'm not very good with kids."
"Would fifty dollars change your mind?" Dana asked as she opened her office doors.
"Sure. I guess."
"OK I need you and Alexis to stay here in my office then. Just make sure she doesn't get into anything. There are some toys in the closet."
"Don't worry Dana we will be fine."
Dana ran out of her office and straight up to the NICU. When Dana arrived at the NICU she found Lu in the nursery talking to and starring at her little baby who's tiny fist was grasped around Lu's pinky.
"Are you OK Lu Lu?" Dana asked coming up behind Lu and hugging her.
"I'm fine. She's not though." Lu began to cry and suddenly felt very weak . She fell backwards against Dana causing them both to fall.
"Lu! Lu are you OK?" Dana asked.
"I'm fine sorry Dana." She said, getting up and going back to her baby.
"Michaela will you please go tell Lana Hawkins in the clinic to call and see if Kayla can fill in for Lu today even though it's her day off." Dana told Michaela.
"Lu I would like to admit you. Your exhausted."
"Dana I need to be with her. I need to be with my baby."
"Lu what's wrong with Alexis?"
"It's nothing too serious. She was just under developed and she'll have to stay in NICU for a few weeks ." Lu said she was crying all over again.
"Lu she'll be OK. We'll put her on medications, and keep her in this incubator until she gets better." Dana said as she gently stroked the baby's tiny cheek.
"She won't be OK Dana. She's sick and it's because of me that she's sick. She is underdeveloped because I have an eating disorder. You all tried to tell me! You tried to warn me and I wouldn't listen. Now look at her.!.!"
"Lu it's not our fault! You didn't even know that you were pregnant until just two months ago." Dana tried to hug Lu but Lu pushed her away.
"Because of my problem my baby may die." Lu said so soft that Dana could barley hear her. She began to cry herself. She hated to see her friend like this.
Soon after a tall lady with a nice pair of jeans and a sweater on came into the office. She needed to talk to Lu.
"Mrs. Delgado?"
"It's Lu call me Lu." Lu said without even looking up.
"My name is Tarry Jenkins. I'm form the state of PA's CPS."
"Please ma'am she's exhausted she's in no fit shape to talk."
"I need to talk to her about some charges that were alleged against her when she brought her daughter in earlier."
"Charges? What the hell are you talking about?" Dana asked outraged.
"Someone called and said Lu tried to kill her baby and in doing so she set herself up for premature labor."
"Lu would NEVER try and kill her baby!" Dana said in a angry hushed tone.
"I would like to talk to Lu alone."
"She's in no fit state." Dana started before Lu broke in. " No really Dana it's ok let me just get this over with. Dana please stay with the baby. Tarry let's discuss this in my office. It's much quieter in there.
Lu and Tarry took the elevator down to Lu's office and sat on the couch.
"So um what is this about?"
"An anonymous person tipped up off that you may have been trying to kill your baby, and instead you went into premature labor. Can you tell me what happened?"
"Nothing happened. I went into labor at midnight last night, I called my doctor who also happens to be my best friend and she came and delivered my baby. We had planned a home delivery." Lu said out of defiance.
"Why is your baby so sick?"
"Well besides being born six months early?" Lu shot back.
"Besides that."
"She was premature she didn't have time to develop properly. And she was born to a mother with an eating disorder."
"Which eating disorder do you possess?"
"Anorexia, before I got pregnant I only weighed ninety five lbs. During the pregnancy though I weighed one hundred and ten pounds."
"How does Anorexia affect pregnancy's?"
"It could cause increased risk of SIDS, increase risk of miscarriage, low birth weight, mental retardation, and premature labor."
"What are the chances that the anorexia could affect the baby?"
"fifty, fifty."
"And you willingly, knowing these risks conceived a baby, fully understanding what could happen?"
"No…"
"Are you saying you didn't conceive this baby that you just gave birth to?" Tarry gave Lu a look like are you crazy?
"No I'm saying I was raped. I wouldn't have consented to unprotected sex knowing what would happen to the baby."
"Do you have proof?"
"LOOK LADY! I THOUGHT THIS WAS ABOUT MY DAUGHTER!" Lu said loosing her temper.
"Lu I know your upset, but this is about your daughter. If this problem isn't resolved we will have to take her into custody."
"The proof is in my medical chart, and I am currently in treatment for my anorexia. There is even proof in my chart that the day I was raped is the day my baby was conceived. And that she is Rand's sperm not Jonas's." Lu rummaged through her desk and threw a thick file at Tarry.
Tarry looked through the folder making an occasional remark like" mhm" and "I see" Then she handed the folder back to Lu.
"Are you married Mrs. Delgado?"
"Yes."
"How long?"
"Three years"
"Do you have any children besides this new baby?"
"Yes I have a twenty-one year old son Marc, a thirteen year old adopted daughter Jaden and a three year old daughter Allison."
"Whenever you found out you was pregnant how did you react?"
"I…I was scared because I was just raped."
"How do you feel now?"
"I'm scared because my daughter is upstairs struggling for her life and you have me down here answering your damn questions!"
"You must be really concerned then?"
"Yes I am. May I go now?"
"If your not willing to talk we'll have to take her Lu."
"I'm not a bad mom! I went into premature labor because I'm anorexic! Even during my pregnancy I could ware a size three normal clothes when before I wore a double zero. I was so small that were luck the both of us aren't dead!"
"Did you try and get rid of your baby?"
"No! I didn't try and kill my baby! I couldn't help she was born so early."
"Did you want this baby?"
"Of Course! If I didn't want her I would have given her up for adoption but I could never have killed her!"
"Well I have to talk to your and the baby's doctor, but besides that everything else seems to be in order. You may return to your baby now."
"Thank you." Lu said in a bitchy irritated tone.
"Your welcome. I hope I don't have to regret my decision. You seem like a stable normal descent person."
Lu sat in the nursery with her baby that night and all of the next day. She talked and sang to her. And when the nurse would allow her, she held her baby and rocked her.
"She's so tiny Dana!" Lu cried as she placed the newborn back in the incubator.
"She's doing a lot better Lu.!.!. She's gained four ounces. I would like her to weigh at least six lbs before I release her to go. She's going to be fine Lu. " Dana said as she smiled at her best friend.
Jaden and Alley had been staying with Dana. Jaden began to slowly slip into a greater depression. She came to the hospital by night and by day she voluntarily took care of Alley and Katie.
Lu was still staying up in the nursery with her baby as much as possible.
"Lu hunny you have to leave at some point!"
"I can't, I can't leave her." Lu said so sadly that Dana had to look away to hide her own tear stained face.
"Lu it's been five days. Your already anorexic and you haven't slept or eaten anything in five days! Your exhausted Lu let me admit you. You need rest and food!"
"Food, or the lack there of, is the reason my baby is like this." Lu said as she starred down at the tiny baby, who was looking back at her with big brown eyes.
"Have you called Jonas yet?"
"I'm so ashamed! Dana It's my fault that she's like this!" Lu hid her face in her knees.
"Lu your baby's going to be fine! Three more weeks and you'll be able to take her home and hold her in your arms."
"I'm so scared Dana."
"It'll be OK…..everything will be ok!" Dana said trying to convince herself as much as she was trying to convince her patient Lu.