Jackie woke up around 10 am. As she walked into the kitchen, Catherine was at the kitchen table working. Catherine said, "Good Morning, how'd you sleep? " Jackie gave no responds , just started pouring herself some cereal and milk and sat down next to Catherine. Catherine found her behavior to be strange. This person sitting next to her was a stranger. Catherine tried again, "Jackie, any more headaches?" To that Jackie started talking. She told Catherine that she gets them a lot. In the last couple of months, she said she gets them daily sometimes up to four. As she kept eating her cereal, Catherine just looked at her. Catherine was thankful she was home and that just maybe she could fix things with Jackie. Catherine loved Jackie and was scared to lose her again. Catherine told Jackie that she has made an appointment with her doctor for noon, and that she needed to start getting showered and ready. Jackie told Catherine her clothes were back at the hotel. Jackie asked to borrow Catherine's car, but Catherine didn't think it was a good idea for Jackie to be driving. Catherine was careful in not letting on that she was worried about Jackie driving so she said she needed to pick up something from the market.
As Catherine pulled out her new Mercedes SUV from the garage, Jackie asked why and when she got a new car. Jackie loved it, but when she looked in the back seat she noticed a baby seat. "Oh, you bought this for your baby. Guess the Porsche wouldn't work with a baby." To that Catherine nodded and thought that this might not be a good time to get into a conversation with Jackie about the baby. As they drove to the hotel Jackie was quite and so was Catherine. Jackie went into the hotel and retrieved all her belongings and checked out as Catherine waited in the car. As Jackie was getting bucked into the passenger seatbelt, Catherine got a sharp pain and took a deep breath while holding on tight to the steering wheel. She had her eyes shut tight. Jackie turned to help her, she touched Catherine's hand on the steering wheel and said "your going to be okay just breath." Catherine opened her eyes and looked into Jackie's worried eyes. "I'm okay, Porcupine. I'm only eight months and this sometimes happens. It will pass." After a couple of minutes, Catherine was fine and began driving back to the house. As they got in the house, Jackie went straight to her bedroom with her things and got in the shower. Catherine sat at the kitchen table with a glass of water. At 11:30 am Jackie was still not ready, so Catherine decided to check on her. As she entered Jackie's bedroom, Jackie was sitting on her bed in nothing but a towel. "Jackie, we are going to be late." As she got close to her she noticed that her eyes were shut tight and her hands were tightly grabbing on to her knees. " Are you okay? Jackie, what's wrong?" Tears began flowing down her eyes. Catherine asked her if it was another headache, to which Jackie nodded yes. Catherine knew they needed to get to the doctor. Catherine looked through Jackie's luggage and helped get her dressed. Catherine could tell Jackie was in pain, so she did most of the work in getting her clothes on. Catherine told Jackie to lay back on the bed to get her socks and shoes on because her baby bump was in her way when she tried to bend over. Jackie was accustom to being dressed and undressed by Catherine, this was her new normal. Suddenly anger overcame Jackie, " Stop treating me like a baby, Damn it!" To that Catherine backed off, startled by her tone. " Jackie, I wasn't. I was just trying to help you because you are in pain". At that Catherine, grabbed Jackie's hand softly and they walked together to the garage to get in the car.
Not one word was said in the car as they pulled up to the hospital. They both went in, Catherine leading the way and stopping at the nurses' window to sign in. A clip board and some paperwork was given to Catherine as she went to sit down with Jackie as they waited. Catherine gave Jackie the paperwork, but she said she couldn't fill it out because of her headache. Catherine began filling out the paperwork with all of Jackie's information. As Catherine searched through her purse for Jackie's medical insurance card they were called in. As they walked in, Catherine handed the nurse the paperwork and Jackie's medical card. Since Jackie's accident Catherine had been the person in charge of filling out her medical paperwork as Jackie's mother had given her that responsibility early on. As they entered the examination room, Jackie sat on the examination table while Catherine sat on a chair. Catherine could tell Jackie's headache was strong. Catherine slowly ran her hand across Jackie's hand in a soothing motion at that Jackie held on to her hand. In that moment, Dr. Jameson walked in and began talking happily in seeing them both again. Catherine began explaining what Jackie's mother had told her about Jackie's headaches and describing her own observations over the last 17 hours of being with Jackie again. As she did this, Dr. Jameson began examining Jackie. Jackie had some tenderness on the back of her neck and head as he touched her. He told Catherine he would need to admit Jackie and begin the process of a series of exams. In the meantime, he would be consulting with the brain specialist.
An hour later, the nurses had helped Jackie into a hospital gown and bed. Once Catherine and Jackie were alone, Jackie began to cry. "Porcupine, don't cry. Everything will be okay, it's just routine." Catherine went over to hold her as Jackie cried into Catherine's chest. This reminded Catherine of the time she held Jackie as she cried after her mother had slapped her. As Jackie continued to sob, she said, " Please Catherine, don't leave me." At that Catherine held her tighter and kissed the top of her forehead. An hour later, radiology came to pick up Jackie. Catherine was told they'd be about two hours or so. Catherine left the hospital to get something to eat and call Professor Hecht from her house. Professor Hecht was told that Jackie was back at the hospital and living with her again. Her classes would need to be covered by her TA. With all the extra lesson plans she had made for the last couple of months her TA would be fine. Professor Hecht would make all the necessary arrangements to help Catherine. She was already set to go on maternity leave in two weeks. Catherine was planning to be out for two months, which would give her time to bond with her baby and recover. Catherine priority was Jackie and the baby.
As Catherine walked back into Jackie's hospital room, Jackie was sound asleep. Just when she was gonna sit, Dr. Jameson asked Catherine to step out with him. As he led Catherine to his office, he explained that he wanted to review Jackie's MRI with her. Once in the office, Dr. Jameson showed Catherine Jackie's scan, as he explained Jackie's injury had caused a small collection of fluid in her brain which was drained. After effects of a traumatic brain injury can cause migraines which may lead to having problems thinking and with memory. Her brain was in hypersensitive mode which came about from the initial surgery. He said this could last up to a year, but hopefully with the new medication treatment he was administering it would alleviate some of her pain. Jackie was in observation following this new treatment and depending on the effects, if positive, she would most likely be released today. Catherine was happy knowing she'd might be released later tonight.
After returning to her room, Jackie was still out. Nurses came in and out monitoring the treatment. Catherine dosed off on the chair next to Jackie. Around 8 pm, the nurse came into begin the process of getting Jackie ready to leave. Catherine watched and listened as the medications were explained to Jackie. She knew Jackie wouldn't remember it all because she was still feeling drowsy. Jackie was wheeled out as Catherine went to pull up her SUV.
Pulling into Catherine's garage, Jackie opened the door and quickly threw-up on the carport. It was an effect of the medication and headache. As Catherine helped Jackie inside into the bathroom, she helped get her shirt off which had some throw-up on it. Jackie began gagging and went down to put her head in the toilet. Catherine moved to get a wet washcloth on the back of her neck. Shirtless Jackie brushed her teeth as Catherine wiped down her chest and arms with the wet washcloth. Jackie still was feeling dizzy but was able to get into bed to lie down and close her eyes. After Catherine got Jackie some water and placed a new washcloth on her head, Catherine went out to the carport to rinse off the vomit. Exhausted she went into the kitchen to take her own medication and get a glass of water. As she checked one last time on Jackie, Jackie was lying awake with her hand holding the washcloth over her forehead. Catherine was so tired that she decided to sit down next to Jackie. Before she left, Jackie grabbed her arm and asked Catherine to lie down with her. After a half hour of cuddling, both women fell asleep together. Jackie, shirtless, spooned Catherine from behind.
Catherine woke up in the early morning, Jackie was curled up into a little ball. Catherine brushed back her hair behind her ear. In that moment, Jackie opened her eyes and made eye contact with Catherine. Nothing was said between them as they continued to stare at each other. Catherine felt the baby kick, she grabbed Jackie's hand to place it on her tummy so Jackie could feel the baby moving. Catherine knew Jackie felt the baby kick, because as the baby kicked again Jackie pulled her hand away and got out of bed to retreat to the bathroom closing the door behind her. Catherine wasn't sure what had happened in that moment with Jackie. As Catherine went to the bathroom door, she could hear soft sobs from the bathroom. Catherine thought it best to retreat upstairs to her own bedroom. As she got into her own bed, tears began to fall onto her pillow. Catherine thought Jackie might never forgive her for cheating.