Sharon was quite surprised to hear from Jack only three days after their dinner. The way he looked after they parted that night made her fear that he turned to the bottle again, but to her surprise, when he contacted her again he sounded sober. He said that he was still considering the meeting, and asked if Sharon could send him a photo of Lacey. Sharon didn't have one, but she promised to take one on her phone and send it to him, which she did later that evening. She hoped the photo of Lacey would help Jack reach a decision, and that he would deal with it with dignity. It took him 24 hours to inform Sharon that he decided to meet Lacey.
Lacey's eyes shone with unshed tears when Sharon told her that Jack wanted to meet her and she hugged Sharon and thanked her several times. They scheduled the meeting for the evening after Lacey's first sonogram. Sharon was not surprised that Lacey hadn't had a sonogram before. She barely had any money to buy food, and paying for a sonogram would be way beyond her financial ability. In the first few days Lacey spent at the condo, Sharon suspected that Lacey has never spent much time with other women, and never had an older and more experienced female guide. When she questioned Lacey about her foster homes, the younger woman confirmed that she never had a mother figure in her life. Sharon decided to take it upon herself to be that person, even if it was a little too late to guide Lacey through life. The first thing she did was taking Lacey to two different doctors who would provide second and third opinion on her disease. It took Sharon a while to convince her to see an OBGYN. It turned out that Lacey had a bad experience with a gynecologist before and she was terrified of ever seeing one again. Sharon assured her that it was necessary to make sure everything was okay with her baby, and it seemed to do the trick.
"You know, I think we should get you something nice to wear for the meeting with your dad," Sharon suggested. Lacey only had one pair of jeans that was becoming too small as her belly grew and three wide and unflattering sweatshirts. She needed some maternity clothes, and Sharon thought that a facial would be good for her. For a person who clearly didn't invest much time in her skincare, Lacey had a pretty good skin, but Sharon thought it could use a little refreshing. She knew that a person's value was more than the way they looked, but she couldn't deny that whenever she had an important event, looking good always made it extra-special. She decided that after the sonogram, they should go shopping, and scheduled an appointment with a cosmetologist for Lacey.
Sharon put on her favorite pumps and gave herself a once-over in the mirror before she chose a couple of delicate earrings and wore them. She fluffed her hair and rechecked her looks before she nodded in satisfaction. She barely noticed Lacey who was standing at the doorway.
"You're so classy," Lacey said. Sharon smiled at her. "Can you help me with the button at the back? I can't reach it." Sharon nodded quickly, and Lacey stepped into the room and turned so that Sharon could button her dress.
"Your hair looks really good," Sharon said. Earlier she convinced Lacey to let her curl her hair, and even though she was a little wary of the curling iron and the heat that emanated from it, she looked beautiful. "Do you want me to do your makeup?"
"I don't know, Sharon. I've never really worn makeup," Lacey admitted.
"Your skin is really beautiful, and I don't think you need a lot. Maybe just some blush and mascara," Sharon said.
"Yes, I guess that would be alright," Lacey replied, and Sharon motioned towards the bathroom. As Sharon arranged her makeup on the counter, Lacey took a sit on the edge of the bathtub. Sharon expertly applied blush, mascara and lip tint to Lacey's cheeks, eyes, and lips and gave her a delicate but healthy appearance.
"I don't know if it's the pregnancy, the excitement or the facial you had, but you're glowing, and it's beautiful."
"Thanks, Sharon. I appreciate all your help. You're so generous to me, and I don't know how I will ever be able to repay you," Lacey said.
"You don't need to repay me, Lacey. I'm perfectly happy to help, and I hope meeting your father tonight will be everything you hope for," Sharon responded. Truth be told, she hoped that Lacey would find some happiness in her relationship with Jack and that it will help her go through the difficulties that her future entailed.
"So, when is my father supposed to be here?" Lacey asked.
"In just a few minutes," Sharon replied as she returned her makeup to its place.
"Oh!" Lacey suddenly called and held her stomach. Sharon turned to face her.
"What is it?" she asked, slightly alarmed.
"It's the baby. I think it's moving," Lacey said. She took Sharon's hand and placed it at the spot where she felt the baby.
"I can't feel anything," Sharon said.
"Are you sure?" Lacey asked, concerned.
"Yes, but don't worry about it. It can't always be felt on the outside at this stage of the pregnancy," Sharon explained. "And we know it's healthy, so I don't think there's anything wrong with it." She could see tears welling in Lacey's eyes.
"It's real," the younger woman let out an emotional whine. "My baby is moving, and I'm gonna meet my father. All I ever wanted was a family, and now I'll get it." A tear began rolling down her cheeks. Sharon wrapped her arms around her.
"I hope it all works out the way you want it," she said. Just then they heard the doorbell ring. Sharon grabbed a tissue paper and gently dabbed it over Lacey's tears, trying not to ruin her makeup. She took hold of the girl's shoulders and then smiled at her. "Are you ready?" she asked. Lacey nodded slowly and followed Sharon out of the bathroom. Sharon opened the door to expose a very nervous looking Jackson Raydor.
"Good evening, Sharon," he said.
"Good evening, Jack. Please come in," she responded.
"Hi there," Jack looked at the young woman who stood behind his ex-wife. "I'm Jack." He offered his hand to her. Lacey shook it.
"Hi," she said shyly. Sharon took a step back to allow them to introduce themselves. "My name is Lacey, but you probably knew that."
"Yes, I did," Jack replied.
"Can I hug you?" the hesitation in Lacey's voice made her look so fragile. Sharon already knew that the girl had a low self-esteem, and considering her upbringing, that wasn't so surprising.
"Sure," Jack smiled and opened his arms. Lacey took a step forward and wrapped her slender arms around his body, placing her head on his chest.
"It feels so good to have a family," she said when she pulled away from him. He nodded at her.
"Shall we go?" he asked, and Lacey nodded. Sharon grabbed her purse and coat and handed Lacey a coat that she rarely wore anymore before they left the condo.
Their dinner was pleasant. Sharon could tell that Jack made a great effort to learn about Lacey, the things she liked, her friends, the music she enjoyed, her views on the world. It didn't fully surprise her. She was aware of the fact that he has been trying to do the same with Ricky and Emily to mend their relationship. He wasn't putting a show this time. He really cared. Sharon didn't know what made him change his attitude towards their children, but she appreciated it regardless. Now, he was using his charm to break through Lacey's timidity and get her to open up to him. Sharon has not seen Lacey laughing so much since the young woman entered her life. It was good to see her truly happy, and she really was. After a while, Jack decided to address the subjects of Lacey's baby, and the mood suddenly changed. A worried expression spread on Lacey's face as Jack explained that he would not be able to take care of her baby, due to the nature of his work and his lifestyle. Sharon half-expected that this would be the decision he'd make. She could somewhat relate to it. At their age, raising young children was not exactly what they saw in their futures. Sharon wasn't sure she was willing to commit to raising Lacey's child once it was born either.
"Lacey, did you think about adoption?" Jack offered.
"I don't want that for my baby." The young woman was on the verge of tears.
"Sweetie, Jack and I are known for never agreeing with each other, but this time I think he's right. Adoption is not like foster care. It's a permanent solution," Sharon said.
"Please don't do this to me," Lacey's eyes filled up with tears.
"Let's not talk about this right now, okay?" Sharon asked. "I think that you should consider this option, and Jack and I will do whatever we can do to help you." She handed Lacey a napkin and Lacey blew her nose. Jack motioned the waiter to bring them the check.
"Lacey, there's another thing we should probably discuss," he said. "I'm in AA, and I find that the meetings help me deal with my issues in a healthy manner, and I think maybe you could benefit from attending a support group."
"A support group?" Lacey seemed surprised. "You mean, for people like me, who are dying?"
"For people with terminal illness," Jack corrected her. "You'll meet people you can relate to, and maybe it will help. I'll be happy to handle the cost."
"That may be a very good idea," Sharon agreed. "Lacey, we can find you a support group for people your age. You can make some friends. It will be good for you to be out of the condo more often."
"I'll think about it," Lacey promised. Jack nodded and paid for their dinner and Sharon helped Lacey into her coat.
Lacey fell asleep in the car on the way home, and it allowed Sharon and Jack the opportunity to talk. They wondered out loud if there were other options for Lacey's baby, and whether or not they should tell Emily and Ricky about her, and maybe arrange a meeting for the three siblings. Normally, Sharon would not hesitate about it, but since Lacey's time on earth was becoming shorter, she wasn't sure the pain it would cause her children would be worth it. Eventually, they decided that as long as Lacey didn't show interest in meeting her older siblings, there was no reason to bring the idea up. Lacey was still asleep when Jack pulled in front of Sharon's building.
"Ugh, I hate to wake her up," Sharon said.
"I can carry her upstairs," Jack offered.
"It's not good for your back."
"Oh, come on, Sharon. Look at her. She weighs like a child," Jack responded and carefully took Lacey out of the care, hoisting her in his arms. Her head rolled against his shoulder, but she didn't wake up. Sharon noticed that Lacey slept a lot. She assumed it was due to the combination of carrying a child while being sick. Even though she seemed to be fairly well when she arrived at the condo, Sharon could already see the deterioration in her condition. Lacey's ability to keep food down has significantly diminished, and Sharon noticed that breathing has become harder for her. It didn't seem like she was choking, but it was louder than a normal person's breaths and reminded Sharon of a person with an asthma attack. She knew Lacey should probably be in a hospital, but the young woman insisted that she wanted to spend as much time as possible 'free', without tubes and IV's stuck in her. Sharon couldn't force her, nor did she want to. She was a firm believer in letting other people live the life they wanted and choosing how to die if they ever got the choice. The thought of Lacey's declining condition was at the back of her mind as she unlocked the door of her condo. Jackson walked in with Lacey still sleeping in his arms.
"She sleeps on the couch," she indicated, and Jackson gently laid Lacey down and helped Sharon remove the girl's coat.
"You should get her a real bed. Maybe a folding bed?" Jack said. "This couch is not very good for sleeping."
"We've been looking to rent an apartment for her on Airbnb, but we wanted it to be somewhere close to a hospital and us. We are yet to find anything suitable and affordable," Sharon explained.
"What about hospice?" Jack wondered.
"Add this to the long list of things she should consider, but doesn't want to," Sharon responded.
"Well, I'll let you know if I hear of anything," Jack promised. Sharon thanked him for dinner and wished him goodnight before he left. She looked at the sleeping girl. Lacey's breaths seemed labored even as she slept.
"Hi," she heard Andy's whisper coming from the hall as she took Lacey's shoes off. "How did it go?"
"Better than I expected," she replied and gently maneuvered Lacey into a seating position, almost surprised that the girl barely stirred. She began unbuttoning the buttons at the back of her dress.
"What happened to your shoulder?" Andy walked closer to her and touched it. Sharon made a questioning sound. "You have blood on it." He gently moved Lacey's face from the crook of Sharon's neck and found the source of the blood. It was coming from Lacey's nose in torrents. "We better take her to the hospital," he said, and Sharon moved aside, letting him gather Lacey in his arms as Sharon ran to the kitchen. She quickly took an icepack out of the freezer and ripped a kitchen towel off its hanger on her way out. She hoped these would be helpful in stopping Lacey's nosebleed. If she had the time to think about it, she would thank God for making sure Jack left before this happened, but she decided that it could wait. The most important thing right now was getting Lacey to the ER. There was urgency in her movements as she grabbed her car keys and they rushed out the door, not even bothering to lock it behind her.
- To Be Continued -
I'm working on future chapters of this story but in the meantime, I'd love to hear what you think about it, so feel free to leave a review or send me a PM.