Chapter Eight

The Hospital

Martin had to fight Freddie to let him sit next to Ruthie but finally Freddie had given in. Martin looked down at her beautiful pale face that was covered by an oxygen mask and he felt his heart tear. This was his fault. He took her hand in his and felt tears form in his eyes. It was then that he felt her squeeze his hand and then her hand went limp.

"I'm sorry Ruthie." he said knowing she couldn't hear him, "I should have told you how I felt a long time ago."

Ruthie felt like she was moving. She heard voices but all the faces were a blur. They were talking about her she knew that and they were talking about a baby. What baby? She wondered. She wanted to ask but she couldn't find her voice. She tried but no sound came out.

"What do you mean she fell down a flight of stairs?!" Annie yelled shaking Freddie, "And what were you two doing all the way up here?"

"Annie you're not helping." Eric said prying his wife's fingers off poor Freddie. Martin had begun to pace back and forth. He was worried out of his mind.

"Why aren't they telling us anything?" Martin asked scratching his head, "I can't take it."

"I want to see my daughter now!" Annie said running up to the nurse's desk and slamming her fist on the counter.

"Annie calm down." Eric said wrapping his arms around her shoulders and pulling her over to a chair nearby.

Ruthie finally opened her eyes and asked confused, "Where am I?"

"You had a nasty fall." A female voice said walking over to her bed, "I'm Dr. Grant."

"Where am I?" Ruthie asked again.

"At the hospital." Dr. Grant replied.

"Am I ok?" Ruthie asked a little scared now.

"Your fine but I want you to stay in bed ok." Dr. Grant replied, "And the baby is alright too. It's a miracle you didn't miscarry considering you're so early on in your pregnancy."

"Baby?" Ruthie asked, "What baby? I'm not pregnant."

"You didn't know." Dr. Grant said looking down at her, "Your two months along."

"What?!" Ruthie said bouncing up a bit and then feeling pain shoot through her body.

"Calm down." Dr. Grant said, "You don't want to hurt yourself."

"Pregnant?" Ruthie said to herself, "I was late but I thought it was because I was stress."

"I can get you some pamphlets with information on your options." Dr. Grant said, "You have a big decision to make and soon."

"Are you going to tell anyone about this?" Ruthie asked.

"Not unless you want me too." Dr. Grant told her, "You have a whole bunch of people out in the waiting room wanting to see you. Do you want me to send them in?"

"Yes." Ruthie said still in shock.

Annie was the first to enter the room; she ran to Ruthie's bedside and kissed her daughter on the forehead.

"You scared me." Annie said, "Are you in any pain? Do you need anything?"

"Can I have a glass of water?" Ruthie asked.

"I'm so glad you're alright." Eric said kissing his daughter's forehead as well.

"I've got flowers!" Freddie said entering the room with Olivia.

"Thank you." Ruthie said inhaling the smell of fresh daisies.

"Your welcome, Darling." Freddie said kissing her cheek followed by Olivia.

"I was in the middle of getting my toenails painted when I got the call." Olivia said making Ruthie smile, "One foot isn't done."

"Here's your water." Annie said handing her a glass.

Martin stood outside of Ruthie's hospital room pacing back and forth as he listened to everyone talking to Ruthie and comforting her. He just didn't have the strength to go in, yet sighing he did.

"Hey Ruthie." Martin said coming over to her bed, "Can we talk alone?"

"I'm kind of tired." Ruthie said turning over and going to sleep. Annie hurried everyone out of the room and then covered her daughter up with the blanket, pushed her hair back, and kissed her goodnight.

"I Love you, Ruthie." Annie said walking out.

Martin didn't know what he was going to do but he had to do something he couldn't lose her. He just couldn't. He headed for the gift shop to find her something. Freddie had gotten her flowers but Martin knew her favorite and no one else did.

"Do you have any gardenias?" he asked the cashier.

"What you see, is what you get." the teenage cashier said popping her bubble gum as she read her magazine, that when Martin saw the little card next to the cash register for Bob's Florist, it was the last one.

"Can I have this?" he asked.

"Whatever." she said popping her gum again. Martin grabbed the card and headed outside to make a call on his cell phone.

Annie and Eric headed down to the hospital cafeteria to fish out some hot coffee.

"I was really worried." Annie said, "She's going to be the death of me."

"Well now that that is over there's nothing else that can happen right." Eric said burning his tongue. Annie's cell rang after making sure Eric was ok she picked up her phone.

"Hello?"

"Mom?" Lucy said, "What kind of message is 'Your sister fell down the stairs. Gone to the hospital. Kevin has the boys.'? And is she ok? Tell me is Ruthie ok?"

"Your sister is fine." Annie said, "She just had a little accident."

"That wasn't a little message. You scared me, mom!" Lucy said.

"I was really worried when I left that message." Annie said.

"Well how is she?" Lucy asked.

"She seems fine." Annie said, "We just came from talking to her. She was really tired."

"I'm coming." Lucy said.

"Come tomorrow." Annie said, "Ruthie's asleep anyway."