A few more months passed and slowly Louise began to feel human again. Her parents stayed and ran the restaurant during her recovery. She started working again about a week after getting out of the hospital, but only for an hour or two days. Eventually her doctor cleared her to resume normal activities. She moved back into the apartment and began working normal hours. Linda returned to Florida, but Bob stayed behind for a few more days. Just to make sure Louise was truly ready to be on her own. Tina and Zeke, and Gene and Elliott still pestered her, but less so.
Her first day back truly on her own was a major victory. Teddy came by and hugged her for what felt like an eternity. A lot of regulars came and celebrated her recovery. Mort visited later in the day, He ordered a bowl of soup and side of fries. He gave the same "Glad you are OK." Like nearly every other customer that day, but it was different with him. He didn't say it, but she knew he was thinking "Gee I'm glad you didn't end up on my table." She closed about an hour after Mort left, cleaned, and returned to the sanctuary of her apartment.
The loneliness was a little less depressing this time around. She still yearned for the life that had once filled the apartment but after her fight with Rudy. She accepted that it may always just be her. She missed Rudy she really did but the longer she recovered. The more she realized just how badly he had hurt her. She could never hate him, but she was not sure they would ever be as close as they once were. Which hurt but at least she had her family by her side and at least Logan had finally taken a hint. He had shown up after her last couple breakups. He even had the audacity to show up after Benj's funeral. Louise knew her and Benj were not an item. They went on a few dates and were each other's plus ones to a handful of events, they'd even had sex several times, but they were never going to have a real relationship. Louise still pined for Rudy and Benj knew his condition may shorten his life. For that reason, he never wanted marriage or a family. Not wanting to leave a young widow and fatherless children. Louise was glad he didn't know the pain he caused when he died. Not because of a genetic disorder that destroyed muscles, but because his appendix ruptured, and nobody knew until it was too late. A sick part of her wondered if it would have been better if she had died from her illness. She would have deserved it. She should have stayed with Benj. She should have called Tina and Zeke right away when Mason got sick.
Eventually the day of Tina's C-Section arrived. Louise closed the restaurant for the day and drove to the hospital bright and early. She still hated all things medical, and it was even worse after her last hospitalization, but she needed to be there for Tina. She hadn't missed a birth yet and she couldn't start now. Tina had been by her side through the entire ordeal. She owed it to her.
Everything started off normal enough. Tina was prepped and taken back around eleven. Louise teased her sister and doted on her niblings. Lily was taking no longer being the baby very well. A lot better than she would have handled it. The boys were grossed out by everything involved. With the exception of one nurse with a D cup. They were definitely teenagers. Hans would be a year old soon and Gene and Elliott were much more comfortable leaving him. Bob and Linda had flown back in for the occasion. It was like a family reunion and far happier than the last time they were reunited. At least it started off happier.
It seemed to take a lot longer than it should have. This was Tina's second C-Section and Louise didn't remember it taking so long when Lily was born. She knew the second was more complicated than the first but still it seemed like way too much time had passed. Finally, Zeke stepped through the double doors looking as if he had seen a ghost. Louise felt her heart drop. Had something happened to her niece? Tina was "older" now and supposedly there was more risk, but all the tests looked great.
"I've got some bad news." Zeke finally managed to say.
"What's wrong? Did something happen to the baby?" Louise asked.
"The baby is fine. They are gettin' her dried off and stuff now but Tina. Somethin' went wrong. And she's losin' a lot of blood." Zeke explained.
"Oh my god" Bob whimpered.
"My baby! My poor baby! I need to see my baby!" Linda cried.
"You can't they are tryin' to save her." Zeke replied.
"What do you mean trying?" Louise demanded.
"She's hemorrhaging bad. They don't know. They kicked me out." Zeke explained.
Louise felt a panic attack coming on. Even though her cancer "wasn't that bad" she definitely had medical PTSD and even though it wasn't her. Knowing that Tina was in danger was a huge trigger. The rest of the family had gathered around Zeke. Linda was praying even Bob and Zeke joined in and they were both hardcore atheists, but Louise could not stay in there. She grabbed her bag and raced out. She knew Zeke and the kids needed her support, but she could not be in there. She ran clear out of the hospital and collapsed onto a bench near the entrance. She had held off as long as she could, but soon began to hyperventilate. She did her best to end the attack but knew it was one she just had to ride out. A nurse who was either on break or going home stopped in her tracks and watched her until her breathing calmed.
"Can you tell me what happened?" Rita asked once Louise came around.
"My sister had a C-Section today. It should have been routine, but she is losing blood." Louise managed to explain.
"What is your sister's name?" Rita asked.
"Tina Belcher or Tina Tisdale I can never remember if she uses her legal name or her pen name." Louise replied.
"OK I will see if I can find anything out." Rita offered.
"I am sure my family will contact me. Crap I left my phone. I can't go back in there." Louise whimpered.
"Your family is Belcher and Tisdale?" Rita asked.
"Yes" Louise replied.
"OK is there anybody else I can call for you?" Rita asked.
Louise wasn't expecting that question to hurt so much but who could she call? Who was there? Her family was all waiting for news on Tina. She had Jessica and Megan, but they weren't great in situations like this and Benj was dead. Really there was only one person she wanted. She knew Zeke wouldn't take kindly to him and she hated to stress him anymore, but she also had to think of herself, and he was the only person in the world she wanted by her side through this nightmare.
"Rudy Stieblitz" Louise replied.
"Do you have his number?" Rita asked.
"Yes, but maybe I can go back in now. My phone is in the waiting room on the labor and delivery floor." Louise explained.
"OK" Rita replied.
Rudy was at work trying to pass the time. He had taken a job writing copy for a small publishing firm that Mr. Fishodor ran. It was mainly magazines and their subsequent websites that appealed to wealthy white men. There was F that was Mr. Fishodor's version of Oprah's magazine, a hunting magazine and a business one. A few others too. Rudy's job was not as exciting or glamorous as his gig back in New York, but it put food on the table and provided for Sylvie. The divorce was going well. Chloe was behaving well for her, but Rudy was still waiting for the other shoe to drop. His phone buzzed; it was Deveraux. He furrowed his brow in confusion. He didn't have any appointments for a few weeks, and he was sure he had handled everything with his dad. Maybe it was some sniggly appointment Sylvester had booked a year in advance. That both had managed to overlook when canceling his non-cancer and hospice appointments.
"Hello?" Rudy greeted.
"Am I speaking to Rudolph Stieblitz?" Rita asked.
"Yes" Rudy replied.
"This is Rita Hill from Deveraux medical center. Are you friends with a Louise Belcher?" Rita asked.
"Yes" Rudy replied.
"Louise's sister is having some complications with her delivery. Louise is dealing with a panic attack right now and she asked me to call you." Rita explained.
"Oh my God! Tell Louise I will be right there!" Rudy cried.
Rudy explained the situation to his supervisor and was allowed to leave for the day. Next, he called Wagstaff and told them to tell Sylvie he may be home late. He also called his mom and asked her to check on Sylvie. He grabbed his work laptop and rushed out of the office building. He drove at the maximum legal speed to Deveraux and soon found Louise sitting on a bench with Rita by her side.
"Are you, Rudy?" Rita asked.
"Yes" Rudy replied.
Louise looked up at Rudy was terror in her eyes. Rudy sat on the bench and pulled her into a tight hug. She had been fighting panic attacks since learning that Tina was in trouble but something about Rudy made her calm. The fear was still there but suddenly she felt safe. She buried her face in Rudy's chest and finally let the tears fall.
"I can't lose her." Louise sobbed.
"You won't" Rudy assured.
"She is hemorrhaging. You can die from that." Louise reminded.
"She's in the best place." Rudy offered.
"It is not fair I had cancer and all kinds of other medical crisises, but she always survived. Tina had always been healthy and now she could die from giving birth? How was that still happening? How could it possibly be happening to my sister?" Louise rambled.
"LOUISE!" Gene called.
"Gene?" Louise asked.
"Where did you go?" Gene questioned.
"I had a panic attack. I had to get out." Louise explained.
"Oh, I am sorry." Gene apologized.
"It's OK" Louise replied.
"Well, I have an update on Tina." Gene replied.
"How is she?" Louise demanded.
"She is going to be OK. She is in stable condition, but they had to do a hysterectomy." Gene explained.
"But she is going to live? She is going to be healthy?" Louise asked.
"Yes" Gene replied.
"Thank God" Louise sobbed.
It was another two hours before Tina was able to have visitors. Zeke and the kids went first but Tina became tired fast, and they returned to the waiting room only ten minutes later.
"How is she?" Louise asked.
"She is very weak but doing well all things considered." Zeke replied.
"How's the baby?" Gene asked.
"She is OK they want to keep her in the NICU overnight to watch a few things, but she is OK. I am glad they are keeping' her though. That way Tina can see her before anyone." Zeke explained.
"I want to see her, but I understand." Linda replied.
"Yeah, we had a similar experience with Louise." Bob recalled.
"Just means I can have a better outfit." Gene joked.
"I can wait to see the baby but what about Tina?" Louise demanded.
"She is really tired. The nurse wants us to wait at least an hour before anybody else visits." Zeke explained.
Tina was out cold and not up for visitors. Bob and Linda left to check into their hotel. Gene and Elliott returned home with the Belcher-Tisdale children in tow. The couple would be watching their older niblings. While Zeke stayed at the hospital with Tina. Louise also stayed at the hospital. Not wanting to leave until she saw for herself that her sister was OK. First thing the next morning she got her wish. Tina was awake and wanted to see specifically her.
"Hey Louise" Tina greeted weakly.
"Don't you dare scare me like that ever again." Louise demanded.
"Don't worry that is definitely more excitement than I can handle." Tina assured.
"I am just so glad you are OK." Louise replied.
"I am sorry Louise. Sorry I let you down." Tina whispered.
"Why are you apologizing to me?" Louise questioned.
"I can't have any more babies. They took my uterus." Tina reminded.
"What does that have to do with me?" Louise asked.
"I was going to be your surrogate. I was going to carry your babies. I kind of figured you would get back with Rudy one day and when you were ready. I was going to carry your baby." Tina explained.
"Well first off Rudy was by my side yesterday and I definitely am open to taking him back, but that is not my concern right now. Right now, I am just glad that you are OK." Louise assured.
"But you deserve to have a family. If that's what you want." Tina replied.
"Well again I don't know if I want a family and even if I do. Even if I marry Rudy and we decide to start a family. I can always adopt or use another surrogate. I don't need your uterus. I need you." Louise explained.
"You mean that?" Tina asked.
"Yes, Tina, I love you and please don't ever scare me like that again." Louise pleaded.