I own nothing you recognize. All original characters and storylines are my own.
Chapter Eight
"Wake up pretty girl." The voice sounded familiar but not enough to get me to open my eyes, I was ill and in pain. Nope, not worth opening my eyes.
"Should I, you know, do something?" Yet another voice that sounded familiar but not enough to open my eyes.
"Get your ass to the cafeteria and get me some coffee. Damn, Prospects… Wake up darlin', got a message from your Dad." That did it, I opened my eyes and looked at Piney, I felt a weak smile on my lips. He was the one waking me up.
"Piney." He smiled and ran a hand over my head.
"They made it darlin', they're safe in the Emerald Isle. He wanted me to tell you that." I started to wake up more and Piney reached behind my head and moved my pillow to a more comfortable position. "Heard you had some trouble yesterday."
"Another heart attack." I was starting to wake up more and I was completely miserable.
"That's what I heard. Want me to let your Old Man know?" I shook my head if Juice didn't know I didn't want him to. He had enough stuff to think about and a job to do.
"Piney?" I asked before I coughed to clear the constriction in my throat.
"What is it sweetheart?" He moved in closer to compensate for how quiet my voice was.
"Is my baby ok?" I still had the bump but she wasn't kicking and usually the morning was when she'd be fluttering.
"Tara checked on you herself; she told me the baby was fine. It's good Milla." I let out a breath, relieved.
"Ma, she's gone?" I wanted to be sure there was a reason for my heart attack.
"Yeah, Tig was the hero of the hour. He led the police on a wild goose chase, allowed your Ma, Clay and Jax to escape." He sounded bitter so I moved my free hand to rest on his.
"You're my hero Uncle Piney." I didn't think I could talk that much I felt weak but I wanted him to know I'd appreciated what he'd done for me. He was with Juice when I was shot, one of the last things I remembered was Piney putting pressure on my arm while Juice held his hands over my collar bone. Piney was a hero.
"I never would have let anything happen to you darlin'. Do you wanna see Tig though? I could have Koz bring 'im." I nodded and Piney leaned down to kiss my head. "I have to get back to the garage but Chick is here, we've decided that one person on you at a time is safe enough."
"Love you Uncle Piney." He smiled and went out the door. I was tired and decided to get more rest. I drifted off, happy that my baby was ok.
"Nine Mill, hey. Wake up girly." I opened my eyes and smiled at the familiar blonde spiky head. He smiled back before he stood and watched me.
"Koz." I said then I looked to the other side of the bed and saw Tig. "Tig."
"Hey kid, good to see you're awake. Doc says we only have fifteen minutes. Don't wanna stress your heart out too much. Good to see you though kiddo." He smiled softly and I realized that I was one of only two women in the world that had earned that soft smile.
"I was so mad at you, now I don't know what." I said as I used the remote on the side of the bed to rise. I gave him a glare that immediately replaced itself with a smile.
"About the issue with Juicy's cut?" He asked, of course he knew I was pissed. I made no secret and Paco had a nasty habit of reporting everything I did or said to my Dad.
"It's done, everything worked out. How are you?" I knew he'd give me some macho, bullshit answer but I could usually sift through the bullshit.
"Good, Piney said you wanted to see me so I'm here. Just wanted to see if I was still in one piece doll?" His smile turned into a half-hearted version of its usual sneer and I shook my head.
"I just wanted to be sure you were ok. Find out why you weren't in Belfast." The look he gave me was a warning.
"Too many ears here kid. I just did what I could for your Ma. Same as I'd do for you." I nodded, total Tig response.
"Fair enough, what's on the agenda for the day?" I was eager to hear everything, I knew I was being kept from the most severe stuff but I hated being out of the loop.
"Just doin' club business kiddo." Koz leaned down and kissed my forehead. "Our fifteen minutes is almost up, want me to come back later?"
I nodded, I was always up for a visit from Koz, he had to be one of my favorite people on the planet. He smiled and kissed my forehead again before he and Tig left the room. Once they were out the door I took my prepaid from my drawer and saw a message. Since all the guys used prepays I knew it was one of them.
"Hey baby, just wanted to let you know we're here and safe. I love you and miss you and I want you to let Espy know I love her too. This will be the last call indefinitely but I just wanted to let you know that no matter what happens I'm coming home to you. Delete this message when it's done. Be safe and get healthy baby." As I heard his voice I started crying and the tears got worse as his words hit me. He and the others were gone and lord knew when they were going to be back.
"The best of both worlds, chill it out take it slow then you rock out the show." I hummed the rest as I watched Hannah Montana. After my message from Juice I had needed to cheer myself up and that meant a call to my baby girl. Ellie and I were on the phone for a good hour and she told me that I just had to watch the newest episode so I followed her directions and was waiting for it to start. I missed those kids and it sucked that they weren't allowed to see me, but as long as I had my cell I could still talk to my Ellie doll and talk she did. She was starting to come around to Lyla and I couldn't have been happier about it. As if tapped into my thoughts Lyla breezed into the room, well she would have breezed in if she didn't look like the weight of the world was on her shoulders.
"Hey." She greeted as she leaned down to give me a brief hug before she sat on the edge of the bed. I liked that she knew she was allowed there. Siblings, blood or otherwise, were allowed on my bed with me. "Yeah, Ellie was telling you you had to watch this. Don't understand why myself."
"It's a pretty good show though it makes living a double life seem easy and we all know that's not true. Anyway, what brings you darling?" I asked and she smiled before she gingerly took my hand. They had me on new heart meds so I had to have another IV and this one was in my good hand.
"I need your advice about something babe." She sounded worried and it matched the phantom weight I'd seen on her shoulders.
"What?" I asked as I wiggled my fingers in a vain attempt to hold her hand.
"I'm pregnant, about eight weeks." She looked down and I took a breath.
"Then it's not Opie's. You think you two could handle the added stress of a baby, a baby that Opie didn't even father, and a new relationship?" I was nothing if not pragmatic.
"It doesn't feel right." She shook her head and I moved to try to get her to meet my eyes and she did.
"If it doesn't feel right then do what does. There's no shame in doing what's right for you, for your family." She hugged me again, harder this time.
"I knew you'd set my head right." She moved away and wiped her tears. "Do you remember the names of any of the clinics you sent the other girls to when they were in deep?" Lyla asked as she composed herself. She was becoming more and more of an Old Lady by the day.
"Not off the top of my head babe but Tara might. She works in Pediatrics but she has to know that stuff for her ER rounds. I think you should go to her. It would also be good to go Old Lady to Old Lady. You need to build a support system that branches out. Going to Tara with this would help strengthen that branch." She nodded before she moved back on the bed and put her arm around me.
"I'll go in a few minutes. I wanna strengthen this branch first." I smiled and we watched the show while I filled her in on how to bond with Ellie. For so long the only women in Ellie's life who truly cared about her as "Ellie" not "Opie's Daughter" were me and Donna. Cherry, no Rita, was starting to but she was forced to leave before that bond happened. Now Lyla had a chance to give Ellie that special attention she needed and I was going to help in any way I could.
"Dammit." I sighed as I read the sheet in front of me. In order to receive full benefits I needed two doctor's signatures and an administrator. I had the doctors' signatures but I didn't know an administrator that would sign off on it. I was SAMCRO, not too highly thought of. I decided to take matters into my own hands and called Tara, since she was one of the signatures on the sheet she would be able to help me out.
"Hello?" She asked before I remembered that I'd grabbed the prepaid rather than my regular cell.
"Tara it's me." I heard a relieved sigh.
"Is everything ok?" I could hear the sounds of hustle and bustle around her, she was either at the nurse's station or the ER.
"I'm looking at my Tribal Benefits sheet and I need an administrator to sign it. Without this signature my Tribal Insurance won't kick in neither will the disability. Do you know any administrator that would willingly sign something for one of us." I waited to hear her denial at being lumped with me but it didn't come.
"I know someone who would help but you've just got to be honest with her about your Tribal affiliation and medical problems. The less you mention the club the better but with this I doubt she'd see a reason to refuse you." It was my turn to sigh in relief.
"Thank you so much. I love you." I put as much feeling as I could into the words and I swore I could hear her smile over the phone.
"I love you too. She should be up there in about fifteen minutes." She hung up and I did the same. I hoped this administrator wasn't a hardass, that might release my inner Gemma.
True to Tara's word the admin came in my room about fifteen minutes later. She was one of those people that just seem bland. From the top of her head to the soles of her feet she was nondescript. The only thing of any interest was the bruising and injury to her face. That's when it struck me, this was the admin who tried to destroy Tara's career, no wonder the bitch would be cooperative.
"Mrs. Ortiz?" She asked, when I nodded she held out her hand. I tentatively took it and she sat at the seat next to me and took out a file I hadn't seen her holding.
"My name is Margaret Murphy, Dr. Knowles says you require an administrator's signature to receive Tribal Benefits, such as medical insurance and disability. We'll just go over your records first since I already know that you aren't fit for work at the moment. According to your records you were insured by the same company as your employer Oswald Construction but due to medical suspension your insurance is being suspended as well, effective as of next month. Does this sound correct?" I nodded, at that moment I loved Elliot Oswald, he was making sure that the bulk of my medical bills would be handled by the insurance.
"It's all correct." I verbalized my nod and she gave me a small, genuine smile.
"If that's the case then I see no problem with signing your paperwork. What you're doing seems very responsible and I truly wish to see you and your baby taken care of. Dr. Knowles is very fond of you, you know." She took the forms from my lap and began signing and initialing.
"I'm very fond of her myself ma'am. She's my sister in every way but blood." I gave her a genuine smile of my own.
"How do you know each other?" Chick must have gone for his coffee break because otherwise seeing him she would have known immediately.
"She was, until recently, in a relationship with my brother. She was also the maid of honor at my wedding." She removed her pen from the paper and looked up. Shit, I'd done what Tara asked me not to.
"No matter, you are a patient who is seeking legitimate care for yourself and your child. As an administrator it is my job to see that everyone who needs medical care receives it in full. Will your husband be available to assist in your care?" I could hear the underlying question. Was my husband too much of a brainless thug to care for his injured wife and child? I schooled my temper before I answered.
"Yes he will but until I can care for myself I will also be employing a full time nurse. Her pay is included in the request form." She nodded and looked over the request form.
"Might I make a suggestion?" As long as it wasn't to "leave the life" I'd consider it so I nodded. "Perhaps you should add a request for additional care staff to ensure that you receive around the clock care and your nurse receives an adequate break. In fact, I will add an addendum and attach it to this request before it goes out."
"Ummm, thank you. I don't know why you're putting so much effort into helping me but thank you." I gave her a smile and she smiled back.
"Like I said before what you are doing is responsible and shows a desire to help yourself and your family. I have nothing but respect for what you are trying to accomplish and wish to help you with those goals. I'll leave you my card and if you need any more help with insurance or anything else call me." I nodded and took the card she offered before she put the forms back in my lap, all were signed. "I'll have that addendum typed and delivered to you by the end of the day today. Take care of yourself Mrs. Ortiz and if you need anything don't be afraid to ask."
She gingerly shook my hand before she went out the door. That was the bitch who tried to ruin Tara? Shit, she was actually nice, she genuinely wanted to help me. As long as she didn't call CPS on me we were good, but god help her if she tried to save me. With that last, unpleasant thought I sat back in my bed and looked at the paperwork.