From the moment they had arrived at the Palace the newlywed couple couldn't seem to get a moment together, since John had been cornered by 'the guys', who gave him pointers on how to have a happy marriage, which John found funny considering all of them save his little brother were either in a very unhappy marriage, or had gone through a nasty, hurtful divorce. Evangeline on the other hand was receiving pointers on how to have an unforgettable honeymoon night, some told her she should wear a red teddy, some said a white teddy, with Nora saying not to wear any teddy. This brought a fit of laughter; with Evangeline laughing the hardest, so hard she started to cough up the apple juice she had been sipping on. Soon her laughter ended but the cough remained and grew persistent. Nora swiftly stood and firmly patted Evangeline on her back.
"It wasn't that funny sweetie," Nora joked though her face housed a fearful mask. Evangeline clutched at her chest and she began gasping for air in between the coughs. "Evangeline, what's wrong sweetie?" Nora asked but got no reply. It was as if Evangeline suddenly couldn't breathe and she crumbled to her knees as all the ladies surrounding her dropped to their knees to help her. "John!" Nora's voice boomed throughout the vast room, and John and the others turned to see what was going on. When John saw Evangeline sprawled out upon the floor his heart and glass both fell to the floor, as he rushed to her, with Michael close on his heels.
The waiting area of the hospital overflowed with concerned people, who had all insisted on following the ambulance that took Evangeline and John away. When Evangeline and John arrived at the hospital waiting doctors and nurses began working on her right away, and John's fear grew ten folds when one of the doctors jumped up onto the gurney with Evangeline and began doing heavy compression on her chest and then leaned over her to blow breaths into her mouth, all while they were hurriedly being wheeled down the corridor into an empty ER room. John followed only to be stopped at the door.
"John, let them work, I'll go in and assist and I'll let you know something as soon as I do, ok?" Michael spoke and John could only nod as he watched in horror as Evangeline was tubed and hooked up to a ventilator. John slowly turned and tried to make his way back to the waiting area but he crumbled against a nearby wall. Nora rushed to his side, kneeling beside him and embracing him. John squeezed her in desperation, clinging to her as if she were his lifeline.
"Why?" John mumbled out as he looked up at Nora as if she had the answers to all things. "Why?" he repeated over and over until his shoulders began to shake and his tears began to fall.
It had seemed like forever for John since they had rushed Evangeline into the ER, and he nervously paced back and forth in front of the closed-off room where his wife and unborn child lay fighting for their lives or possibly dying, he wasn't sure which. Before he allowed his mind to dwell on the choices Michael walked from behind the doors. And it got the attention of everyone waiting for news.
"Mikey, What's going on how is she?" John instantly started questioning his brother.
"John, has anyone called Evangeline's family, her mom?" Michael asked.
"What?" John said confused a bit about why he was asking.
"Yes I called them, they should be here within the hour. Her mother, uncle, and sister are all coming," Nora supplied.
"Good," Michael said.
"It's bad isn't it Mikey?" John asked.
"Yeah, John is pretty bad. Evangeline has ARDS, in her case idiopathic ARDS," Michael stated and then noticed the baffled looks he was getting and went into more details. "Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome, it's an inflammation of the lungs, it's why she couldn't breathe. And just in the short time we've been working on her, she's already suffering from heart, renal, and lung failure. And most likely more of her organs will start shutting down."
"Why…what caused this?"
"In most cases, the cause can't be determined, sorry."
"And there's nothing you can do for her?" John asked.
"Actually…" Evangeline's family rushed into the ER at that moment and cut Michael's words short.
"Where's my baby?" Lisa asked as she stopped at the nurse's station. "Her name is Evangeline Williamson."
"Lisa," Nora called to the older woman as she approached her. Lisa swiftly moved to Nora and embraced her in a comforting hug.
"Oh Nora, thank you for calling me, what happened to Cookie, where is she, is it bad?" Lisa ranted off as they moved to where the others were.
"One of her doctors was just telling us what's going on," Nora said as she moved to where John and Michael stood. "This is Doctor McBain."
"How's my baby?" Lisa asked.
"I was just saying to John that Evangeline is pretty bad off she has Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome, and her organs are shutting down one by one. I was just about to tell John the option for treatment, we want to place Evangeline into an induced coma so her body won't fight the treatment."
"That's crazy, why would you want to put her in a coma?" Lisa asked, her fear for her daughter was going into overdrive.
"Because Mrs. Williamson, right now Evangeline's body is her own worst enemy. If we put her in a coma and her body is in a resting state it will allow the treatment to work better," Michael tried to explain but could see by the looks on their faces they didn't fully understand.
"It still sounds crazy to me and I won't allow it," Lisa said point-blank.
"Well, with all due respect Mrs. Williamson it's not up to you," Michael stated. "Evangeline's husband would make that decision, John?" All eyes fell on John who stood still stunned by what Michael had just told them.
"Wait, what do you mean, husband?" Clay finally spoke.
"Mom, Uncle Clay, John, and Evangeline were married earlier this evening, she was going to call…" Layla started to explain but got cut off.
"You knew?" Lisa asked in an accusatory tone as she glared at her youngest child.
"Yes Vange called and invited me, but I knew I wouldn't make it in time."
"She invited you but she didn't care to invite me, her mother? Why on Earth wouldn't she tell me?"
"Oh, I don't know, maybe because she didn't want the happiest day of her life ruined by disappointing words and stares from you," Layla said, suddenly growing irritated with her mother.
"Layla, I'm not disappointed in Cookie."
"Well, mom you should try acting like it sometimes, and you can start by dropping your ill will towards her 'husband'."
"But he's hurt her over and over…"
"Yeah and she forgave him. She loves him. You don't have to like that fact, but at least respect her decision."
"Do it," John's voice broke into the mother/daughter moment, and again all eyes were on John. "Put her in the coma if it will help get her better."
"Ok, but first you should also know that the treatment will be aggressive," Michael said and then blew out a heavy sigh before he continued. "John, there's a great chance the treatment can kill the baby."
"Baby!?" Lisa, Layla, and Clay all said in unison and they all stood and stared that the two brothers in complete shock. John's face grew paler and he continuously swallowed, trying to keep down the bile he could taste in the back of his throat.
"So, you're saying I have to choose between my wife and my child?"
"If you do nothing there's a great chance you'll lose them both John," John closed his eyes for a moment.
"Can I see her?" John asked.
"They've moved her to the ICU, they should be set up by now, I'll take you," Michael said.
"I need to talk to her before I give you a final decision," John said and Michael nodded his understanding.
"John," Lisa called to him as she reached out and grasped his arm; she then pulled him into a tight embrace. "You tell Cookie that we're all here and we love her ok. And you also tell her that I'm gonna be a great grandmother and I'm gonna spoil that baby rotten, and I don't want to hear any fussing from either of you about it," She then released him and put on a brave smile for him before leaning in and kissing his cheek. John smiled slightly as he nodded his head at her.
"Thank you," Was all he could muster before he turned and followed Michael to the ICU.
