Short chapter on what's going on with Mac and what happened to Kate.--S.K.
The Situation
Rod rushed to the hospital as quickly as he could. It had taken him longer than he would have liked but he couldn't get anyone to cover his hearing so he had to be there initially. Fortunately, the judge and everyone else was willing to delay the hearing until a later date so he could be with Mac. He had to be there for her... be there with her. She hadn't said much on the phone but his gut told him it was serious.
When he got to the hospital, Kate spotted him first and called out to him. "She's on the high risk floor. She's okay... for the moment. But she has been admitted and his being watched closely."
"What is it?" Rod asked as he nervously kissed her on the cheek.
"Her blood pressure is very high. They're keeping her here to better monitor her condition."
"And the twins?"
"They're fine. The real immediate danger is for Mac."
Rod nodded. He was scared. He had to see his wife.
As he moved towards her room, Kate called out, "Rod, wait. We need to talk before you see her. You need to understand how serious this is."
He turned around and walked back to where she stood. He was really terrified now, especially once he saw the look on his mother-in-law's face. "Okay... Kate, what's really going on?"
She touched his arm. "Let's go sit down in the waiting area." Once they were seated, Kate said, "I had this same condition when I was pregnant with Mac. It's called preeclampsia or toxemia. There is no cure except to deliver the babies. Mac doesn't know that I had it with her."
"What could happen?" Rod asked.
"She could suffer liver and kidney damage and failure. If it becomes severe then it becomes eclampsia. If that happens, then she could have seizures, a stroke, lapse into a coma and even die."
"Oh God!" He didn't want to believe what he was being told.
Kate put her hand on his knee. "Rod, there's more you need to know. I, too, was pregnant with twins. Mac doesn't know this and we can't tell her... not nowanyway. My condition became severe. I hemorrhaged and the other baby was stillborn."
Rod was stunned. He'd had no idea Mac was a twin. "Kate, I don't know what to say. I'm so sorry."
"I know. But that's not why I told you. Rod, family history is a factor here. What happened to me could happen to Mackenzie."
When her words made it into his conscious mind, he felt cold all over. All he could think to do was lean forward with his head held in his hands and pray for his wife and their children.
Kate's heart went out to him. She was scared but her fears were nothing compared to what she knew he must be feeling. She knew the love this man had for her daughter and their babies. "I just wanted you to know, how truly serious this was, so that you did not walk in there blindly. Mac doesn't understand, and I don't think it would do any good for her to know. It would only make things worse."
Rod nodded and stood up trying to compose himself. "You're right."
"Rod..." Kate said placing a hand on his shoulder. "Go be with her, She's scared I know it, she needs you."
Rod kissed her and again moved towards Mac's room. However, before he went in, he took a deep breath. Time, he thought, to put on a happy face. When he went inside, he noticed the bed closest to the door was empty. Then he heard that familiar voice he loved so much.
"She's so beautiful Esther, Bless you."
Rod peeked around the curtain. Mac was sitting with the woman in the bed next to her.
"Hi," he said shyly.
Mac smiled and reached a hand out to him. "Hi," She looked back at the woman and introduced her husband to her and the baby. "Guess what? Esther's husband's name is Rod, too. He went home for the baby's things."
"A pleasure." Rod said to Esther and hernewdaughter Elliott. "I think you need to get to bed, honey."
"Okay, bye Esther."
"Bye." Esther replied. "Thanks for the name, Mac."
"You gave her Elliott?" Rod asked as he helped her settle into bed.
"She looks like an Elliott doesn't she?" Mac said settling back.
"So... are we keeping the name?" He sat next to her on the bed.
"I don't think it's fitting... I would love for Elliott to have her own identity."
"You did it again." Rod said, but he was smiling with his eyes.
"How about Theresa?" Mac asked with a smirk.
Just then, however Kate came into the room.
"How about Katherine?" Rod said, as he winked at his mother-in-law. "Rebecca is my grandmother's name too, even if you got it from a movie. I think Katherine goes nicely with it."
Mac looked at her mother. She was not one to advocate things like that.
"Don't look at me. You know how I feel about it." Kate sat down on the chair next to the bed. "I thought you had Rebecca's name all decided."
"I thought so, too, but Mac gave away her middle name to a very deserving little girl." Rod answered kissing Mac's hand. "Besides, I like Rebecca Katherine much better."
"What about my little grandson?" Kate asked.
"Well, if we're going to name Rebecca after your grandmother, what's your grandfather's name?" Mac asked. She knew she hadn't liked the name and therefore, had made no attempt to keep it in her memory.
"Horace. But... I don't know, Mac." Rod didn't really like the name either.
"Horace Michael isn't quite so bad..." Mac said considering it.
"You have to admit, it's different,." Kate said. "No matter, you've got plenty of time. I just came in to say I was going to head home. Dad is leaving on a short assignment so he can be back for when the twins are born."
"Give him my love." Mac said as she squeezed her mother's hand.
"Absolutely, Good night."
When Kate was gone, Rod and Mac sat back side by side on the bed. Mac lay her head on the crook of his arm and he held her.
"It's really bad isn't it?" Mac asked softly.
"You... are the most amazing woman. You'll be great."
"You really think so?" Mac asked. " I mean what is all of this doing to the twins."
"Horace and Rebecca will be fine. Just relax because the more worried you get, the worse it gets."
Mac smiled hearing the twins' names. "Horace, and Rebecca... That really does sound perfect."
"All I know is thatourson better be cool because a name like that can make him a target."
"It sounds great though." Mac said teasingly.
"Yeah... it does have a nice ring to it. Besides, he's my boy so of course he's going to be cool." Rod kissed his wife's forehead. "Get some sleep. I'll be right here."
"Thank you." Mac closed her eyes and fell into a light sleep.
Rod continued to hold her, one hand resting on their growing family and again silently praying for all of their safety.
