CHAPTER FOUR

Website where all photos of all outfits mentioned is on my profile. I've just created the Photobucket folder for the photos from this story. Link is on my profile page. :-) And does anyone know what Happy's mom's name is...I have a one shot challenge to write.

By the time I sit down later that afternoon I feel accomplished. The whole house has been cleaned again, Abel's crib has been made up with the pale blue sheets I rewashed when I got back from the market, the house smells like chocolate, orange, vanilla and strawberries and roasting beef, everything is ready for dinner. I'd made four batches of cupcakes before looking in the fridge at the roast Gemma brought, the piece of beef looks like it could have been an entire cow at some point so it was put in the oven almost as soon as the last batch of cupcakes came out.

Leaning my head against the back of the chair I close my eyes for a second but become aware really quickly of someone watching me. My eyelids snap up and Donna laughs when I scream, her green eyes inches from my face.

"I was starting to think you'd died." She says around her giggles.

Jabbing my finger into her arm I move so I'm sitting up properly, curling my feet under me "Thanks for coming over D. I didn't want to leave the oven on while I was gone. Knowing my luck something would happen and the house would burn down."

Donna shrugs "No probs S. Go spring the boy."

Getting to my feet I shake my head "I'm gonna go have a shower and get changed first. Don't think this is really good to go to the hospital in." The shirt I was wearing is splattered with a dusting of flour and a smear of frosting. "If I'm not back out in 20 minutes come get me."

Donna nods and heads to the kitchen "I'll make a fresh pot of coffee; you look like you could do with one."

Squeezing her neck in a hug I nod against the side of her face "Love you D."

Brushing me off she laughingly calls "Go shower, you smell like sugar and meat. It's really weird."

19 minutes later I'm back in the kitchen, showered and dressed in the jeans, white dress shirt and under bust corset Gemma had left out for me, my bright white heels on my feet. "Did Al drop off the car seat?"

Donna nods "It's in the car. Ope put it in."

"Thanks. I don't know how long we'll be. Hopefully Jax'll be there but I'm not holding my breath."

Donna pushes me towards the door with a chuckle "Go. I'll keep an eye on dinner and I'll even be good and not eat all the cupcakes I spotted."

I bounce down the stairs "You can have some of the ones in the pantry. Clear container with a blue lid."

Donna claps happily, turns around and kicks the door closed behind her. Snorting with laughter I check the car seat in the back of the Ram before climbing into the front seat and heading towards the hospital.

Abel's due to have his finally tests at 3pm and by 245 when Jax still isn't there I'm starting to pace the floor of the neo-natal room. Anne knocks quietly on the opened door, stepping through with another pile of papers in her hand and an apologetic look on her face.

"I hate doing this part. The hospital admin is on her way up to talk about the bill for Abel's care."

I sit down on the armchair in the corner "What do you mean? Doesn't Jax's health insurance cover it?"

"Most of it, but there's a shortfall which will be explained to you when she gets here." Anne smiles at me "Try and be nice, she's a bitch."

I groan "Great. Thanks."

Shrugging she gets to her feet and hands me the papers "This is your copy of the rest of the notes for your records. I'll take Abel over and we'll get the last bits done. Don't worry Mom, no breathing tests today. Its reflexes, O2 and heart rate, that's it. No nasty masks, just a sensor on his finger and a couple of taps on his joints."

Anne picks Abel out of his cot and carries him across the hall, the door swinging closed as a short redhead appears in the door of Abel's room. "Oh sorry, I was looking for Mr Teller."

I get back to my feet and smile "He's not here yet. I'm Mrs Teller; Nurse Richards said you had the final paperwork and accounts."

Clearing her throat in a startled way the woman nods "I didn't know Mr Teller was married."

My smile widens "He wasn't until 5 days ago, but I am on all the forms for Abel, it'll be under Sarah Hale."

"Right, sorry. My names Margaret Murphy, I'm the hospital administrator. We just need to sort out the payment for what Mr Teller's insurance doesn't cover."

I nod and hold my hand out for the couple of pages in her hand "So what sort of amount are we looking at?"

Looking down at the pages she flicks through to the last one "The total amount for you is 14 thousand dollars. We can arrange a payment plan if that's easiest for you."

I shake my head "No it's fine. Card, cheque or bank transfer, which is easier?"

"Oh, umm, whichever." She sounds slightly startled.

Jax steps through the door as I reach for my bag "What's up Darlin'?" He crosses the room in a couple of steps and wraps his arms around me, kissing me thoroughly and slowly.

It takes a few seconds after he lets go of me for my brain to start functioning again "Hospital bill. What's not covered by insurance?"

Jax frowns slightly "How much is it?"

"14 grand." I lean against his chest, completely ignoring the stuck up woman who can't take her eyes off the kutte on Jax's back "Do you wanna pay for it, I was going to seeing I was here."

Jax nods and kisses me again, letting go of me and turning towards the now disbelieving looking woman "Let's get this bill paid so I can take my son home."

Jax grins at me and follows her out of the room calling over his shoulder "Back in a minute babe, don't leave without me."

Blowing a raspberry at his retreating figure I'm brought back to the tiny room Abel's in when the door opens again and Anne steps out, holding him in her arms. "All done, Dr Namid will be around soon to go over any questions you may have and to let you know what to expect over the next few days." She smiles and hugs me lightly after settling Abel in my arms "Come back and visit won't you?"

I nod and squeeze her "I will. I'll bring him back to see you all whenever I'm here."

She swipes a random tear from her eye and smiles wider "I always get teary when a patient goes home. He's in good hands. Now, a few things you might want to know. He's not quiet sleeping through the night, if you give him a bottle at 8 then put him to bed he'll be up at 4 to have another one, but then he'll go back to sleep till 6. It's completely normal for him to sleep longer than most babies. He loves baths but hates water on his face; likewise he loves that pale blue beany but doesn't like the black one. Ironic given they're the same material."

I shrug "His father is the same, has two identical shirts but doesn't like one of them."

Anne laughs "Okay, last thing, if he has a nap, which he normally does twice a day; don't let him sleep for more than 2 hours otherwise he's a little grumpy bum for the rest of the day. Naptime round here for him was 10am and 2pm. He's been sleeping shorter periods in the morning so maybe move the 10am nap till 1030 and leave him for an hour."

Anne leaves the room not long after and I'm literally left there holding the baby. I'm not alone for long, Jax arrives back a few minutes later, his forehead creased "I got the whole print out of what we paid for, apparently my insurance only kicks in after a certain amount and each of the surgeries is listed as a separate thing. Can you get Patrick to double check it?"

I nod "Sure baby. You wanna make sure you haven't paid for something that should have been insurance?"

He nods "Yeah, though the insurance company paid a huge amount, like the cost of a business kinda amount."

My eyes widen and he passes me the bill, the 80 day hospital stay has cost almost a million dollars. "I'm really glad your insurance covered most of this."

Jax laughs and plucks Abel out of my arm, curling him into his elbow "Yeah, but if it hadn't of it wouldn't have been an issue."

I nod silently thinking "I'll be back in a second." I dart out the door before he can say anything, finding Anne in the nurses station alone is a godsend. "Anne, I wanted to ask a question."

"Sure, what?" She pushes the chart that she was looking at away and waves me to a chair.

"What happens to parents who can't afford the overflow of bill, or don't have insurance?"

Anne shrugs "I don't know. I know there are some charities that will help and that the hospital does do payment plans. Why?"

"Can you get me the names of those charities?" I smile at her, my plan solidifying slightly, if I can work the logistics of it.

"Sure." She opens a draw and pulls out a few pamphlets "These are the two that help, the third one is for a support group for parents of prem babies and the fourth one is something I should have put in that file and forgot it's like an FAQ of what to expect as a first time parent."

I get back up and hug her again "Thanks."

Returning to Abel's room I slide in just behind Dr Namid who's already talking. Jax is smiling hugely and nodding. The doctor turns to me and holds out his hand "It was lovely seeing a baby with such a huge extended family, now take him home."

My face just about splits in two at the size of the smile that hits my lips "Thank you. More than you know thank you."

Jax carries Abel down to the car and fusses with the car seat for a minute before I laugh "Baby, Ope put it in. He's got two kids of his own, I'm sure it's right."

Jax leans his forehead against the doorframe "I know, I'm just nervous. Clay had to talk me out of getting an escort for you home. I wanted him, Ope and Tig here."

I laugh and wrap my arms around his middle, resting my cheek against his chest "It's okay, I get how nervous you are, but I have a roast beef in the oven and a best friend who's probably demolishing the cupcakes I left."

Jax pulls his head away and looks down "Cupcakes? Now you're talkin'."