This was a terribly difficult chapter to write, and I am glad that I at least get to send it out to you today. It is 10 times better than it was a couple of days ago, thanks to My very own word master. I keep her in my basement Chained to the computer. I got to give her all of the credit for my last paragraph.--S.K.


Healing

Mac stood at the window of her office. It was a small office and her window had a nice view of the office building next door, but it was hers. She often looked out when she needed to think. She'd just gotten in from court and found an envelope on her desk from Rod.

She knew it was the separation papers. She rested one hand over her abdomen. She knew that she had to talk to him about the twins before she signed them. She just didn't know how to broach the subject.

Her cell rang. It was still on vibrate. She had it lying on the window sill, and watched it dance across it. It was Rod. He'd called five times already. This time, however, she took a deep breath and reached out for it. "Yeah?"

"Did you get the papers?" Rod asked.

"Yeah, um... I need to talk to you." Mac said sitting at her desk.

"Okay," he paused, "I'm listening."

"Not over the phone." Mac toyed with the envelope on her desk. "Can you get back here tonight?"

"Um... Yeah. Yeah, I can get there." He was surprised that she'd actually asked him to their house. "I got some things to pick up anyway."

Mac's heart sank when she heard that. She needed him to be there for her. She wanted not to argue for once and he seemed determined to not let her forget it. "Yeah, Just... eight o'clock okay?"

"Fine, see you then." He hung up. Mac stared at the envelope on her desk. She didn't want them to be there. She didn't want this whole thing to be happening.

"All right kids, let's go get dinner for daddy." Mac said picking up the envelope and heading out of the office. "Emma, I'm going home. Have a good night."

"Good night." Emma said as she gathered her things to do the same.


"Mac?" Rod said as he entered the house.

"In here,"she shouted from the kitchen. "I had some food delivered, want some?"

Rod walked in and was slightly amused at the amount of food on Mac's plate. She never ate so voraciously. In fact he had to fight with her to eat anything other than junk "Hungry?"

"Starved," she said between forkfuls of Singapore noodles. "I was going to wait for you, but..."

He smiled. "It's okay… I'm here now. What did you want to talk to me about?" Relieved that she seemed to be in a good mood, Rod sat on the bar stool across from her.

Mac put her fork down and watched him serve himself a bit of noodles. She knew what she wanted to say. She missed him, and she wanted him back, but she had asked him to leave. "I don't want to sign those papers," she said signaling towards the other end of the counter.

Rod looked at them then anxiouslyback at her. It had killed him to draw up the papers. He just hadn't known what else to do. Almost holding his breath, he asked quietly, "So what do you want to do?"

Mac looked at her husband then walked over to the papers and handed them back to him. "Therapy… whatever it takes," she whispered. She tilted her head and ran a hand up his arm. She had forgotten how toned he was. "I'm sorry I missed the one appointment last Tuesday."

"We can reschedule," he told her. "I guess I was just so bent out of shape… and you hurt me."

"I'm sorry Rod." Mac moved closer to him. "I didn't mean to hurt you. I love you and I don't want to lose you."

He searched her eyes. She had never apologized first. He placed his hands on her hips and pulled her close. "Mac I'm sorrytoo. I should have … I don't know. I know you better, I should have known not to leave…"

Mac stopped his tirade with a kiss. She'd wantedto do just that since he walked in the room. Her body had been aching for him for weeks. She had asked the doctor about it and she told her it was normal. "Just make sure you're on your back." Dr. Perkins had said and Mac was ready to try.

Rod responded to the kiss, and pulled her even closer to him. When the kiss broke he whispered, "I don't think I'll make it back to the city tonight."

Mac shook her head, "No." She lowered her leaned and kissed him again. "Not gonna happen."

She took his hands and led him up to their room, to their bed. They came together, hungrily making up for the time they'd lost.

Rod undressed his wife for the first time in weeks and immediately noticed the change in her breasts. They were swollen at least a cup size and when he touched them she reacted as if it hurt. This often happened when she was ovulating. Maybe this time it will work, he thought as he lay her down on the bed.

Mac watched him, wondering if he'd notice the change in her. She had to admit that she really didn't look like she was pregnant, just bloated. She felt huge however, having gone up at least a dress size. He suckled at her breast and she groaned in pain and pleasure. "Rod," she said as he moved to pull off the sweats that she had on. "I…"

"Shhh…" He said kissing her abdomen. She was bloated. Rod couldn't believe his timing. Maybe this time it will work, he thought to himself again. His energy renewed, he entered her.

Mac moaned because it felt so good. But after a minute, her pleasure turned to pain as her abdomen cramped. "OH…Ow Ow Ow.. Rod stop." Rod He stopped and looked at her closely. "My babies..."

"What's wrong?" He was shocked by the pallor of her skin to the point that his mind failed to register the significance of her words.

"Not again." Mac panicked as she pushed her husband away.

"What?" Rod asked taking her hand and running his hand through her hair.

"Our babies, Rod… our twins are in trouble." Mac was in such distress that she really didn't think about what a shock this had to be for him.

Rod felt like he'd been sucker punched. But he immediately recognized just what was at stake. He reached for the phone and called her doctor. "Dr. Perkins, Rod Calloway here."

"Oh, hi." She sounded out of breath. Rod could hear the sound of dance music in the background and the distinctive sounds of a Gym.

"Sorry to disrupt your work out, but it's Mac."

"What is she feeling?" The doctor said. Rod heard the distinct sound of a machine stop. "Can she talk to me?"

"Sure," Rod said then headed back to the bed. "Here honey." He handed her the phone then took a deep breath, a world of emotions running through his head.

"I'm gonna lose them I know it." Mac said into the phone.

"Listen to me… are you laying down?" The doctor said.

"Yes, I was... Yes, I am." Mac said.

"Good, now what are you feeling?"

"I'm cramping," Mac said taking a deep breath. "I don't want to lose my babies."

"Okay, just lay on your left side for a few minutes, then call me back." Dr. Perkins said. Mac could hear the distinctive sound of a locker room in the background.

"Okay." Mac said doing as instructed.

"Let me know if you start to feel anything else or if you start to bleed."

Mac looked down at herself and the sheets behind her. "I'll meet you at the hospital."

"I'll be there in ten minutes."


Once Mac was dressed Rod lifted her and carried her to the car. He was hurt, but his worry surpassed any pain.

"Rod, I think I can walk to the car."

"Oh no... No way" Rod said heading for the car. Mac grabbed the handle of the door, helping him to open it then he helped her lay in the back seat. "Listen to me… we are not losing the twins."

Mac propped her feet up against the door and waited for him to lock the house doors. Rod started the car and began to drive. Mac hissed, as the cramping seemed to intensify just slightly.

"You doing, okay?" Rod asked.

"I'm scared, baby, I don't want to lose them." She added more softly, "we've worked so hard."

"I know kiddo," Rod said tenderly. "Everything will be fine you'll see." He was scared himself--afraid for her, for their children… and for their marriage. If she miscarried again, he feared their marriage would not survive it.

"Rod, I'm sorry I…"

"Mac, don't," he said interrupting her. Looking at her through the rearview mirror, he added with reassurance, "That doesn't matter right now. All I care about is you and our babies. Let's just concentrate on getting you to the hospital. Everything else can wait."

Mac fell silent and just watched the back of Rod's head. She was overwhelmed by his ability to put this aside, at least for now. He loved her, sometimes she needed convincing but deep down she knew that he always had her back.

Rod pulled up to the ER. "I'm going to get someone, I'll be right back." He said and ran inside. He headed straight for the triage desk. "Excuse me miss," Rod said trying to get the attention of the woman behind the counter. She ignored him and continued doing what she was doing. "Hello!" Rod said angrily.

"I heard you the first time sir, what seems to be the problem?"

"My wife is in the car, she's bleeding, and she's pregnant."

"Okay, sir, let me call L&D for you." She turned to make the call.

Outside in the car Mac lay patiently waiting for Rod's return. Dr. Perkins walked by and peeked inside. Mac waved at her andDr, Perkins did a double take. "What are you doing out here?"

"Rod went inside to get help." Mac attempted to sit up.

"NO…no. Rod is right, just relax." The doctor looked her patient over, "What were you doing when this happened?"

"I…. ah…" Mac started, embarrassed to say. "We were in the middle of making up."

The doctor smiled and blushed; "Ah, well you won't bedoing that again for a while."

Rod ran outside a couple of nurses were behind him with a stretcher. "Here's our hero now."

"Doctor, is she okay?" He was glad to see the doctor was already here.

"Relax Mr. Calloway, panicking now won't help any." She looked over at Mac, who was being helped on to the stretcher, and then told the nurses, "Draw her levels: CBC, BMP, Mag and Phos. And get me her HCG levels."

"You're taking more blood from her?" Rod said incredulously as they all began to move into the hospital.

"Yes, we're short in the blood bank." Dr. Perkins said to lighten the mood. Seeing that it didn't work, she stopped and looked at him seriously. "I have to figure out if she's miscarrying. She will be fine and I will do my best to save the babies. Go park the car while I get her settled."

"All right," Rod said uneasily. "I won't be but five minutes."

The doctor smiled then turned to follow her patient into the E.R.

Rod leaned against the wall. He needed a minute to catch his breath and to process everything that had happened the past hour. What was he feeling? Joy, fear, anger, hurt, confusion, determination. But mostly love: for his wife and for their unborn children. He couldn't believe it, they were expecting twins. This time, he thought, everything had to be okay. Shaking his head to clear his mind, he quickly made a decision. No matter what happened, he would never allow anyone—especially his wife, to ever again talk him into leaving what was most important to him: his family.


Now aren't you glad she wrote this? I was going to leave you at the ER as worried and desolate as Rod felt. I think I'll feed WordMaster a stake tonight for doing such a good job.