Elliot races down the halls of the hospital, looking for the right wing. He follows the signs within Columbia University Medical Center, the fact that she's even here making this all the more terrifying. Her doctor's office, a small branch of this hospital, is a few blocks from here, but close by in case of emergencies. She's here because of an emergency. He finally finds the OB department and rushes into the waiting room. He finds her sitting in a corner and, upon seeing him, she races to him. She throws her arms around him, and he holds her back, pulling her as close as he can get without her stomach getting in the way.
"What happened?" he asks and cups her face with both of his hands. "Did you miscarry?"
She shakes her head and stares at him with tear filled eyes. "Then what?"
She shakes her head again and shrugs. She opens her mouth to say something, but her voice fails her. No words form and she shrugs again. He takes her hand and leads them to a set of chairs. He never lets go. They wait, and a few moments later Dr. Mark Phillips enters the room. He leads them to another room and he takes a seat behind a desk while they sit in the chairs in front of it.
"What's going on? Why are we here?" Elliot asks.
"I'm afraid I don't have good news," he begins and takes a deep breath. "Your children suffer from a condition known as TTTS or Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome. I brought Olivia here because there's a colleague of mine that specializes in the syndrome, but I thought the news would be better coming from me."
"What's that TT- Twin?" Elliot asks as his leg jiggles nervously and Olivia's hand remains firmly held in his.
"Sometimes when identical twins share a placenta such as yours do, unnecessary blood vessels form and connect the two twins, which results in one twin, the recipient twin, draining all the blood from the other, or the donor twin. This is dangerous to both twins because one doesn't receive the blood and nutrients needed to survive while the other receives more than it's body can handle, which can lead to heart problems."
"So how do fix this?"
"Well there are three options. The first, which I recommend, is surgery. Olivia will undergo a minimally invasive surgery known as Fetoscopic Laser Surgery. A doctor will go in laparoscopically and use a laser to sever the connecting blood vessels."
"How safe is this procedure."
"Well there are risks, as there are with any surgery."
"So she can miscarry?"
"Yes."
"Die?"
"Yes, but the likelihood-"
Elliot doesn't give him a chance to go any further."What's the other option?"
"Well, we can wait and see. Monitor her closely for any signs of distress or abnormalities."
"I like that option."
"The problem is, the surgery can only be performed under certain parameters, and the longer we wait, the less likely it will be for Olivia to have the surgery done and the higher the mortality rate goes up. Even with surgery, the chances of both twins surviving is only seventy-five percent. The chances of one surviving is ninety. Right now Olivia is a great candidate for the surgery. We caught this early."
"Yea about that. We came to see you just last week. You said everything was fine."
"When I saw Olivia last week there weren't any signs of a problem. Sometimes the symptoms just aren't severe enough to be recognized. There is only so much we can see through an ultra sound, that's part of the reason why I had Olivia come here, where they have more technological capabilities. So we can have a better look at what's going on and see what we're dealing with."
"You said there was one more option. What is it?"
"Well, there's selective reduction in which we go in and sever all blood flow to the weaker twin to give the healthier one more of a fighting chance, but this is usually a last resort in sev-"
"No," for the first time since this hell began Olivia utters a word. "I want the surgery."
"Olivia, wait. Let's talk about this," Elliot tries to intervene.
"I've been in contact with a doctor at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. They have a program that specializes in it. A doctor Mark Johnson works there and has a lot more experience performing the surgery, so I think it's best if you guys head there. He can meet with you as early as this Friday."
"Wait, wait, wait. I think we're moving a little fast here. Couldn't we wait a bit and deliver them early or something?"
"That will only lead to more risks and complications."
"I said I want the surgery," Olivia reiterates.
"Liv, I think we should take some time and discuss this. See what our options are."
"He just gave us our options."
"Bu-" Elliot tries to interject.
"No," she cuts him off. "There isn't any time to discuss and debate about this, Elliot. These are our children's lives we're talking about here."
"But-"
"No! I'm having the surgery and that's final."
"IIIIII'm going to go ahead and schedule the appointment," Mark says slowly, watching the confrontation between the two of them. "It's going to require a day of tests to make sure Olivia is fit for the surgery. Friday is a few days away so this will give you guys time to discuss and plan accordingly."
"No," Elliot puts up a hand to stop the doctor. "These are my kids too, and I'm not ok with any of this."
"Yes, but because it is Olivia who's carrying them it's her decision," Mark supplies delicately.
"She's my wife," Elliot challenges.
"And it's my body. This isn't your decision to make. I'm having the surgery and that's final."
Elliot sighs and begrudgingly concedes defeat.
xXx
Elliot navigates his way home in complete silence, and she watches him intently, waiting for him to say something. He hasn't uttered a word since they left the hospital.
"Are you going to say something?" she asks.
He checks the rear view mirrors and signals before switching lanes. "There isn't much to say."
"Elliot."
"This is a decision we should have made together."
"Elliot-"
"Something like this. Something of this magnitude, we should both have a say."
"You had your say."
"No, I didn't. You wouldn't even discuss it with me and what I did say you completely ignored! We should have talked about this! I know you have a hard time talking with me, but this. This is something we needed to discuss."
"There isn't any time for us to discuss this!"
"This isn't just your decision to make! Olivia, do you understand what you're about to do? These are our children we're talking about!"
"And it's my body, and therefore my decision!"
"But they're not just your kids! Yes, it is your body, but you're my wife! MY WIFE! Those are my kids too! And you're about to put your life and theirs on the line."
"I know that."
"Did you even stop to think about it? What you're doing? I mean is this even worth it?"
"Of course it's worth it. How can you say that?"
"Olivia, I can watch all three of you go in there and have none of you come back out! That leaves Kayla without a mother, and me without my wife for what? A seventy-five percent survival rate?"
"And a ninety percent chance of one surviving. It's worth that risk!"
"I think you're being very selfish."
"Selfish? I'm about to risk my life and you're calling me selfish?"
"It's not just about you! It's not just your life to risk! I mean did you even stop to really think about it? What about our daughter? Huh? What about Kayla? Did you think about her? Losing her mother?" She doesn't answer. "Did you think about Liz and Rick? Did you even stop to think about me? What you mean to this family?"
"Please. You can hire someone to cook and clean for you, and I'm sure you can find someone else to fuck. Replacing me in our kids lives won't be too hard for you to do. Pretty sure Kathy will be the first offer up her services."
He sighs and shakes his head. "I can't believe you just said that. Is that what you think you mean to me? What you mean to all of us. Your friends? Your family. Do you really think I married you so that I could have someone to screw on the regular?"
Her demeanor softens. "I-"
"Forget it." He pulls the car over, but he doesn't park. "Get out."
"You're going back to work?" she asks incredulously.
He stares straight ahead, his hand on the gear shift. "There's some things I need to do. Loose ends I need to tie up, and I can't even look at you right now."
"Elliot," she says in disbelief.
"Go get some rest. I'll pick up Kayla and take care of dinner."
"El…"
He still refuses to look at her.
She doesn't say anything more. She simply climbs out the car and slams the door behind her. He waits until she's through the door of their home before leaving.
xXx
He returns hours later laden with soups, sandwiches, salads, and drinks along with their toddler on his hip. He sets her down and she quickly kicks off her shoes before racing into the home in search of her mother. His teenagers and their friends, who he's sure are going to eat him out of house and home bound down the stairs. While money is tight, he can't deny his children their friendships. Rick needs people his age to hang out with that will help keep him out of trouble, and after everything that Lizzie's been through, she's finally made a friend.
The teens grab the bags from his hands and head straight for the kitchen. "Hey, there's a wrap and a cream of Broccoli in there for Olivia. Nobody touch it!" He calls after them. "Or my steak bomb!"
"Liv said you're not supposed to eat too much red meat," Liz calls back. "You can have my salad."
"The hell," he mumbles to himself. "Save me half!"
He heads upstairs and finds Olivia in their bedroom, Kayla cuddled in her arms. Her MacBook Pro sits beside her, the webpage still open.
"I thought I told you to get some rest," he chastises.
"Couldn't turn my brain off. Why don't you run down and have some dinner," Olivia says to Kayla and their little one toddles off to fight the older ones for her chicken fingers. "You told them not to eat her food right?"
"Liz knows what's hers. She'll help her out."
"What'd you get me?"
"Chicken Cesar wrap and some soup."
"I heard something about a steak bomb."
"Liz is already all over it."
"Good…El, I'm sorry-"
"I'm sorry-" they say at the same time and laugh.
"I never said should have said any of that to you. Sometimes it's just hard for me to accept the fact that you guys really love me, and that I mean something to you. And you're right, we should have discussed this but…This is something I have to do. Even if it's just to save the one. I'm their mother. I can't just sit back and do nothing."
"I know, and I'm sorry too. I should have never called you selfish. But I'm scared, Liv."
"I'm scared too. But I was looking into it. El, it only gets worse from here. The best chance we have of having both twins survive is to have the surgery now. The longer we wait, the higher the likelihood of them dying."
He sighs. "I don't like it Liv, and I'm probably never going to like it, but… I'm going to support you in this. If the surgery is what you want then, we'll have the surgery."
"Thank you," she leans forward and touches her lips to his.
He kisses her back and says "I love you."
"I love you too," she says back to him.