A/N: Okay... peeps. It's gonna be a little bit slow and I'll bring in the other characters and all that jazz. But, bare with me... for a minute. It will get better.
-Three-
Gwen got to the emergency room about ten minutes later and stopped in front of the entrance. Julie carried Riley out and went inside while Gwen went to go park the car.
"Excuse me, I need some help." Julie said walking up to the desk.
"What's the problem?" asked the nurse.
"My daughter had a temperature of 105.5 and she was throwing up... mostly on me."
"Okay, the nurses will take her to an exam room, then you're going to have to fill out her information."
Julie nodded, then sat down in the chairs, holding Riley. Gwen walked in and sat down next to Julie.
"What's going on?"
"The nurses will take her in a few minutes."
Gwen nodded and said "Okay."
Within a half an hour, Julie filled out all the information on Riley, then nurses checked Riley in and had her hooked up to an IV. While they were doing that, Julie changed into the outfit that Gwen grabbed. She was in the bathroom cleaning off her chest the best she could and put on jeans and a t-shirt. Julie and Gwen were in the waiting room, waiting to go in Riley's room, when Julie's phone rang. It was a number that she didn't recognize, but she answered it anyway.
"Uh... hello?"
"Uh... Julie?"
"Jake? How did you get my number?"
"While you went to the bathroom, I sent my phone a text."
She smiled and said "Very clever."
Jake laughed and said "I couldn't resist... besides I would have got your number eventually."
"Oh really?"
"Yes... really."
"That's cute."
"Thanks... so, how's Riley doing?"
"She's checked in and the doctor's are examing her."
"Is she going to be okay?"
"Yeah." Seconds later, as Julie was looking at the ground, she saw someone step right in front of her. She slowly looked up. "Um... let me call you back."
"Okay, tell Riley I said to get well. Bye."
"Alright... bye." then she hung up her phone, then looked back up. "What the fuck do you want?" Gwen looked at Julie like she was crazy.
"I need to talk to you, Jules."
Gwen tapped Julie on the arm and said "Do you know him?"
"Unfortunately." Julie leaned in to whisper in Gwen's ear. "Keep an eye on Riley." Gwen nodded, then Julie got up and started walking. "Michael, if you want to talk... then come on."
Michael smiled at the lady that sat next to Julie, then followed outside. Julie was leaning against the wall, waiting for him. He stood in front of her and said "First off... I want to say that, I deserved getting slapped in the face." Julie was just glaring at him and Michael sighed. "I just want to know... how you've been."
"I've been fine." she said crossing her arms over her chest.
"So, you have a daughter?"
"Yes, I do."
"What's wrong with her?"
"She had a extremely high fever... so I brought her here."
Michael glanced at her fingers to see if she was wearing a wedding ring, didn't see one, then he said "So, are you with her father?"
Julie chuckled, then said "No... I'm not. He was a selfish prick and he took off a long time ago."
"I'm sorry to hear that."
"Yeah, I bet." she wanted to bust up laughing, but she held it in.
"I was wondering if we could maybe... go grab a coffee or something."
"I don't know, Michael." she shook her head.
"Just think about it. I've missed you, Jules and I'm so sorry that I hurt you the way I did." Julie was not ready to hear this stuff right now. A tear fell down her cheek as she looked away. "If I could go back in time, I'd change everything that happened that night... we'd still be together."
More tears were falling down her cheeks. She couldn't believe she she was hearing the stuff coming out of his mouth, she looked back at him and said "You hurt me, Michael. Everything was going fine with us, then you fucked it up. I really don't know what possessed you to go and sleep with the one person I hated the most. I never could understand that."
"I'm sorry, Jules... what I did was wrong. I'm not the same person I was eleven years ago." he paused to think for a second, then his eyes widened. "Wait-a-minute... how old is your daughter?"
"She's ten." Michael's jaw dropped to the floor as he connected the dots. "And the answer to your next question... yes, she's yours."
Michael swallowed hard and said "A- are you sure?"
"Yes... I was pregnant around the time we broke up."
Michael leaned up against the wall and said "Oh... boy." he was speechless and in shock. He tried to say something, but no words came out.
"Look, I never thought I'd ever see you again." she wiped some of her tears away. "And now that you know about her... I don't expect you to be a part of her life or you to do anything for her. She's been doing just fine without you." Julie looked at Michael's face and saw the sadness in his eyes. "Now... if you will excuse me, I need to get back to my daughter." then she walked back into the hospital, leaving Michael standing there in shock.
Julie walked back to her seat. Gwen saw the look on her face and said "What's wrong?"
"That... was Riley's father."
Gwen gasped and said "Really?"
Julie nodded and said "Yep... out of all the places my job had to send me."
"Does he know about Riley."
"He does now... but I don't think I mentioned her name." Julie shrugged her shoulders. "Oh, well... How is Riley?"
"She's stable and they brought her fever down." Julie nodded. "We can go in there."
"Okay." then Julie and Gwen went into the room and sat down next to the hospital bed. Riley was hooked up to the machines and asleep. A few minutes later, Julie's phone rang. "Hello?"
"Hey Bitch... are we still on for tonight?"
"I don't know, Rachel... Riley's in the hospital right now."
"Oh no... what hospital are you at?"
"At Mercy Hospital."
"Okay... I'll be right there." then Rachel hung up her phone. Then Rachel got there within fifteen minutes and walked in the room. "What happened?"
"She had a high fever." Julie got up to give her a hug. "She's stable now."
"Good." they broke from the hug. "She looks so adorable, she's growing up."
Julie nodded and said "Yep... Rach, I want you to meet Riley's nanny, Gwen... Gwen this is my best friend, Rachel."
They shook hands and Gwen said "Nice to meet you."
"Nice meeting you too." Gwen sat back down. "So, how long does she have to be in here?"
"Not too long." Julie sat back down. "So... guess who's been popping up, everywhere I go?"
"Who?"
"Michael."
"What? No way." Rachel shook her head. "Does he know about Riley?"
"He does now."
"Does Riley know about him?"
"She knows of him, but she doesn't know what he looks like, since I never had any pictures of him."
"Oh."
"I didn't even know he was here... but it's not like I can leave. I have to stay because of my job."
Rachel rubbed Julie's shoulder and said "Everything will be okay." Julie nodded.
About an hour later, Riley's eyes started fluttering. She opened them, looked around, and said "Mom..."
"I'm right here... how do you feel?"
"Okay." Riley looked at Rachel. "Who's she?"
Before Julie could say anything, Rachel put her hands on her hips, and said "You don't remember me?"
Riley smiled and said "Kind of."
"It's me, Silly... your godmother."
"Aunt Rachel?"
"Yep, Kiddo."
"Did you come to visit us?"
"Nope... I live down here and when you feel better, we can do a little shopping and maybe go down to the beach."
Riley looked at Julie and said "Can we?"
"Yeah... as soon as you get better."
A few minutes later, a doctor came in and said "Hello, Riley... how are you feeling?"
"Better."
He looked up from the chart and said "I'm Riley's doctor, Ian Gomez."
"I'm Riley's mother, Julie." she started. "This is Riley's nanny, Gwen."
"Yes, we've met." he nodded.
"And this is my best friend, Rachel."
Rachel shook his hand and said "I'm also Riley's godmother." she smiled as Dr. Gomez smirked at her.
"Um... Dr. Gomez, when can my daughter leave?"
"I have her release forms and as soon as a nurse take out the IV, she can go." Julie nodded. "But, if she gets another high fever, then bring her back."
"Okay... thank you." Julie said as Dr. Gomez was giving her the papers.
"Your welcome. I hope you feel better, Riley." he winked at Rachel. "Have a good night." then he walked out the room.
"He was totally checking you out, Aunt Rachel." Riley said breaking the awkward silence.
She laughed and said "I know... huh."
Thirty minutes later, the nurse took out the IV, and they went back home with Rachel following, in her car behind them. They walked in the house, Riley went to her room to lay down and Julie went straight to the laundry room to wash her clothes that Riley threw up on.