Chapter 12 The Last Second Chance
The Doctor's Office - The Same Day
The doctor has placed poor Chris on a cot next to Isabella. Eventually, he starts to come around.
Isabella is up and dressed. Chris has just woken up.
"Are you alright?" Isabella asks him.
"Yes, I think so. Did the doctor just say what I thought she said?" Chris asks.
"Yes, we're expecting triplets!" Isabella says. Chris looks like he's going to faint again, but he manages to stay awake.
"How did that happen?" Chris asks. Isabella comes over to check his head and search for bumps.
"If I have to explain that to you, you hit your head harder than I thought!" Isabella says. The doctor comes back in.
"Mr. Smith, how are you feeling?" the doctor asks him. She can tell he's embarrassed that he fainted, but overall he's handling the situation well.
"As well as can be expected", Chris says.
"Good. Since you're expecting triplets, we need to schedule check-ups for at least every two weeks. After six months, we need to check you once a week", the doctor says.
"What about the impact to my wife's health? Will she be alright?" Chris asks.
"She's very healthy. Luckily, she's already had one child, so I don't foresee any issues with the pregnancy. However, she needs to avoid stress and take good care of herself for the duration of the pregnancy", the doctor says.
"Are there any other questions?" the doctor asks. Both Isabella and Chris have a few questions and then they leave.
"Will you drive me home? I don't think I can quite manage it", Isabella tells Chris.
"Sure", they drove to Isabella's house. Chris enters the house with her and they sit down in the living room. Isabella starts to cry. Chris comforts her and holds her.
"I can't believe this is happening to us! I don't want to trap you! What are we going to do?" Isabella says.
"We're going to welcome these children with the same love that we welcomed Zak with. It's going to be alright. Please stop crying, you're going to have me crying, too", Chris says as she sobs into his shirt.
"Besides it could be worse", Chris says.
"How could it be worse?" Isabella asks.
"Well, the third time was your idea! Just think what would have happened if we would have made love a fourth time!" Chris says. Isabella laughs. Chris was always such a rock.
"What was I thinking? Why did I ever think I wanted out of our marriage?" Isabella asks.
"Don't ask me. I'm the guy that you left", Chris says.
"I know you wanted to wait a few days, but I want to talk about us now", Isabella says as she dries her tears with the Kleenex Chris gave her.
"I'm tired of playing games - you're using Johnny to make me jealous and I'm using Mona Lisa to make you jealous. Is there anything serious between you two?" Chris asks her.
"No. Johnny is just a good friend and I have fun with him. He's not you and no other man could be you. I want you back and I want to start again. How do you feel about me?" Isabella says.
"You've let me go, turned my world upside down, and ran my name through the mud", Chris tells her.
"So you don't love me anymore?" Isabella asks.
"My love for you wasn't built on shifting sand, but your love for me was. Go on and do what your heart tells you to do. You walked out and forgot the love we knew. As for me, I'll always be the man in love with you".
"I'll never walk out on you again. I'll do better this time", Isabella says.
"You're like a fever in my blood. All of the fires of hell could burn for a thousand years and it wouldn't equal what I feel for you in one minute of the day. I love you so much there is no pleasure in it - just torment because I know you don't love me as much as I love you", Chris tells her.
"That's not true! I love you so much!" Isabella tells him.
"You used to love me that much, but not anymore. Something has changed within in you in the last few years. I could tell when we made love that you weren't there", Chris says.
"Did you still feel that way in December and January?" Isabella asks.
"Sort of. You still weren't there, but you were getting closer", Chris says.
"If you give me another chance, I'll do better. I swear", Isabella says.
"There's something not quite right with you. I don't know what it is or how I can help you. After you left, I went to Jackie's therapist so she could tell me how to deal with Zak and this mess", Chris says. Jackie is Chris's first wife. After their marriage, Jackie had issues and Chris had paid for her therapy bills. She told him about her new therapist, so he had gone to Susan.
"What did she say about us?" Isabella asks.
"Before we had Zak, we'd be apart for weeks and months at a time. It was like a new relationship every time we got together. After Zak, we were together all the time. Essentially, we forgot to be lovers", Chris says.
"So it's Zak's fault that we broke up?" Isabella asks.
"No. The dynamic of our relationship changed, but we didn't change with it. It's not all your fault - at least half of the fault is mine. If I give you another chance, a condition is that you go to the therapist with me", Chris says.
"Of course, I'll go", Isabella doesn't think that she'll like the woman, but to save her marriage she's willing to do it.
"You get another chance, but there are conditions", Chris says as Isabella goes rushing into his arms.
"When do you want to move back in?" Isabella asks.
"Wait a minute - you're moving too fast. You don't know my conditions", Chris says.
"What are they?" Isabella asks.
"First, we date - I want to make sure that the woman that I love is still in there. We're going to go slow - no sex. Second, no one knows - not even family. We'll tell Zak that we're trying, but only he'll know. Third, if I do give you a second chance, that's the last second chance, you're going to get. You walk out on me again and I'll divorce you so fast it will make your head spin!" Chris says.
"Agreed. So when is our first date?" Isabella asks him.
"I'll call you. Are you going to be alright now?" Chris asks her.
"Yes", Isabella says. Chris leaves.
Chris's House - Same Night
Chris's lying in bed and thinking...
I can't believe that Izzy is pregnant with triplets. I don't want to win her back because she needs me to be a father to the triplets. What a complicated mess! I should have went after her when she left me! Triplets at my age! When these kids are 10, I'll be 70! I Triplets are going to put more stress on us, these children are the last thing that we need. I can't let Izzy see my fear or doubt about having these children; she needs me to be her rock.
Isabella's House - Same Night
Isabella's lying in bed and thinking...
I can't believe that we're pregnant with triplets! I don't want Chris back because of the babies. I wish I never left him. I have to find a way to prove to him that I love him as much as he loves me. I'm like a fever in his blood and what he said about the fires of hell... Maybe he's right and there is something wrong with me. What kind of a sane woman would walk out on a man like him?
Is there something seriously wrong with Isabella??? Stay tuned to find out...