Hello all, I'd like to take a few minutes to answer a question I received in a review.
Dearest Guest who reviewed my latest chapter, your question of "What is everyone else doing? You concentrate only on Ricky and Amy but what about the other teens Ben Adrien Omar Jack Grace Ashley?"
First off, thank you for reading and reviewing. Secondly, I don't know if you know this but my stories are ONLY centered around Ricky and Amy because they were the core couple of the show. Ramy's relationship (and John) was the only reason I ever stayed with the show. They're the reason I wrote this story. Other characters are always sprinkled in in various ways if they serve the storyline, but I'm not going to use a story that I've been crafting for 12 years, on the useless characters I never cared for. Jack is in this story a little bit, as is Grace, Adrian, and Ben. They pretty much based their lives on whatever Ricky and Amy were doing in the show anyway, so it makes sense to have them play in the sandbox with the main catalysts of this story - Ricky, Amy, and John. Hope that answered your question.
Anyway...
Guess what? I STILL have Covid! And because I'm now on day 9 of being isolated from everyone, it gave me the time, and the emotional capacity, to finish this chapter! I was going to wait to upload it in a few weeks, but I've still got so much more to write, I don't think I could this back another week without wanting to tweak it, or revise it entirely.
Enjoy!
"You know that if you choke, I won't be able to give you the Heimlich, right?" He chuckled, straightening out his legs across the blanket. Her eyes widened, putting a hand over her mouth as she chewed. "Kidding, but seriously, take a break."
Swallowing, "You think you can just put a container of wings next to me, and not watch me eat them all?" She grabbed another chicken wing, staring directly into his face, "Do you even know me, Underwood?"
He scoffed playfully, scooting closer to her, "I do know you, and I know that although it took me four hours to perfect those chicken wings, they'll be gone in 10 minutes."
They both giggled, enjoying the calm breeze of the late September air. The tree they were under swaying gently as a few leaves floated their way down and onto the medium sized blue picnic blanket all three of them were sharing.
"I can't believe you did all of this!" Smiling, Amy pushed her bangs away from her face, holding a red solo cup to her lips
Nodding, "Yeah well, I know you've been feeling a little..." Ricky trailed, careful in picking the right words to say as to not upset her.
"Pregnant?" She interjected, picking up another wing from the bucket inside the picnic basket, laying her other hand on her expanding bump.
"Yeah - that." He smirked, putting his hand over hers, and moving it around in hopes of feeling their unborn child kick, "I wanted to do something special for you."
Amy had been stuck inside the apartment 24/7 since they'd gotten the news about her pregnancy, and while Ricky didn't want her doing anything strenuous, he also understood that she needed space and air too. So, he took the day off and arranged a picnic for them all in the park - he even spent two days researching chicken wing recipes and tried to perfect at least one of them. He wanted to make her feel special because she was worth it - and because she was willing to risk her life to carry his second child. He loved her, more than she probably ever could even realize.
"You already do so much for us - right John?"
John looked up from his spot on the blanket they were sharing under the shade tree, cramming another mound of cut up French fries into his mouth while slamming down his second Capri-Sun pouch.
"Slow down buddy, you're gonna choke like mommy" Ricky chuckled again, pulling his son's hand away from his mouth. Amy side slapped his arm playfully, pursing her lips.
Jumping up quickly, John ran around the picnic basket, colliding into Ricky's back, giggling, "Mommy, I pway on da sw-ing?" She rose a brow at him, swiping some hair away from his forehead.
"You got a little -" Ricky gestured to her mouth, using his thumb to wipe a spot of sauce from the corner. She smiled affectionately, licking her lips before leaning up and putting her lips to his.
"Mommyyy..." John whined, moving over to her and pushing on her shoulders, before just taking off towards his desired destination, "Go n-oww, mommy!"
Groaning lowly, she pulled away from his lips, pouting as she threw her head back
"I got him" Ricky smirked, rising on his hands to get up, and quickly shoving one of them into the picnic basket
"Hey!" Amy scolded, creasing her brow
Taking the chicken wing between his teeth, he couldn't help but stifle a laugh, "I have to at least have one, Ames!" Before rolling forward and sprinting towards the playground after the toddler.
His eyes sprung open, the warm memory of his dream being drowned by the siren like wails erupting from the baby monitor by his head.
Without a second of hesitation, Ricky grabbed the pillow from behind his head and slammed it over his face; suffocating the muffled scream passing his lips.
Whipping it off, he expelled a deep breath, catching in the corner of his eye, the toddler standing at the foot of the bed, lip puckered out, "daddy..."
Hey - hey Dracula -" She snapped, giving him a light shove with her hand, snapping him out of the zombie like haze he was in, "If you're going to look like death, could you at least move the mop while doing it?" His eyes barely lifted, having no energy left in them. "Another rough night, huh?"
Blinking a few times, "Rough? Please." He blew out a breath, annoyed with himself for slacking on the job, and for being so snappy, "I'm sorry... Emma hasn't let me get more than 2 hours of sleep in the last week." Moving the mop over to the side, "She just keeps crying, and crying, and crying - and I don't know why! I don't know what she wants!"
Ricky sighed, "Dr. Hightower won't do anything because she said it's more than likely teething - but she didn't cry this much with the first tooth!"
Shrugging, "Kids are different - you'll learn that and it'll all be fine." Bunny stifled a yawn, seeing his eyes flutter again, "Go put your head in the freezer - your drooping eyelids are making me yawn!"
The door chimed, the trio stepping into the space, complete with John's small but clompy footsteps.
"Sorry we're late, George got sidetracked at the restaurant - I hope you don't mind I picked them up?" Kathleen stood before them, one hand clutching John's tightly as he squirmed and tried to pull away, while the other held a firm grip on the restless baby, fussing loudly against her shirt.
"No, no I don't mind. Thank you." He didn't notice them coming in, but smiled when he saw them, "I'll just be another minute or two."
"Hi, princess!" Bunny beamed, setting her sights on the baby trying to squirm free. "I see you!" Putting her hands over her eyes and pulling them away quickly. Emma didn't reciprocate the game, screeching at the red head's attempts. Bunny furrowed her brow, "Tough crowd"
"Emma's not having a good day today -" Kathleen comforted, "Are you?" Taking her hand away from John's to wrap both arms around her back, patting it softly, "She's been really fussy, think she might be hungry."
From the corner of his eye Ricky swore he saw Bunny pout as she spoke softly, "Poor baby looks a little pale..." Putting a hand to her forehead cautiously, "feels a little warm too..."
That got his attention, quickly rushing over to them, "What?" Face filled with concern as he took Emma from Kathleen, "Did the nursery take her temperature?"
Kathleen shrugged, "If they did, they didn't say anything"
"They have no problems calling for every timeout John gets into, but don't even bother calling when my baby might be sick?" Ricky scoffed, annoyed, gathering John by the shirt and motioning towards the stairs with the nod of his head, "Night, Kathleen, we'll see you later."
John turned around, waving quickly, "Byeeee!"
"Daddy!" He shouted, dropping the small army men he was playing with by the window, into a pail
"She was fine this morning - did she not seem fine when I dropped her off?" He questioned into the phone, trying his hardest to be heard over the screeching coming from the baby thrashing in his arms
"Daddy!" John shouted again, rushing over to the stove, the billow of smoke catching his eyes
"And you don't know if anyone checked her temperature?"
"Daddy!"
"Just a sec -" Ricky sighed, turning on his heel and shouting through clenched teeth, "John, I'm on the phone!"
Catching a glimpse of the reason his son was trying to get his attention, "Oh shit!" He cursed aloud, putting the wailing baby inside the playpen quickly before sprinting over to the stove, and shoving John out of the way.
Grabbing the handle, he threw the door open, the smoke going black in large puffs as the oven started to beep, and the once vibrant pan of lasagna, came out looking like a mound of blackened sackcloth, "Shit! Shit! Shit!"
"You gotta eat, Emma" He begged, sighing as the fifth attempt at feeding her failed as she batted the spoon away, and cried in fussy spurts inside the highchair.
Sighing again, Ricky shook the bottle by his elbow, "You want your bottle?" Handing it to her, he held a breath as her tiny hands grasped it, but released it in a haste when she dropped it on the tray and screeched.
Hanging his head in defeat, he closed his eyes, the crying escalating, "John - what do you want for dinner?"
"Ummm, Dino Mac!" John shouted popping up so fast the toy slipped from his grasp and landed on the floor. He cocked his head, going over to his distraught sister bucking against the highchair, "Daddy, why is Em-ma jus cwy-ing a-wot?"
Cleaning up the mess, Ricky rose to stand, tossing the sticky dishrag into the sink, "Emma doesn't feel good, buddy"
"Is she s-ick?" His eyes were soft, curious, running his fingers over the curls at the top of Emma's head, trying to comfort her the way he saw Ricky do so many times.
Ricky saw the gesture, his lip tipping up with both pride and admiration, "I don't know, buddy, I hope not." Rifiling through the cabinets, he pulled out the yellow cup, "I'm going to grab her toy from the freezer, okay?"
Nodding John continued his focus on her, taking the hand that wasn't shoved inside her mouth as she cried, and tracing imaginary things into the tray.
A knock at the door diverted his attention, shuffling through bags of frozen vegetables and possibly expired Popsicles, to find the frozen rubber ring he was sure he put back in there before he went to bed the other night.
"Don't answer that -" Ricky huffed, hearing the slapping of John's shoes against the wood.
But it was too late, his small hands were already pulling hard on the knob. Getting it open, he tugged again, exposing the person on the other side.
"NO!" John shouted loudly, slamming the door hard and scurrying back over to the corner to play with his toys
Ricky's brow furrowed slightly in frustration, sprinting quickly and opening the door, "John! Why did you -"
"NO!" He yelled again, louder, encouraging his sisters rising pitch in cries.
"What are you doing here?" He asked both confused and concerned, stepping away from the door to gather the shrieking baby into his arms
She shrugged, the casserole dish leaning in her hands, "You didn't return my calls or texts - did you forget about our date tonight?"
Since Ricky had called Clementine the week before, they had decided to try again - but slow. Having only been on four dates - all of which consisted of the coffee shop, or some random fast food place between classes, it both confused him, and annoyed him that she would just show up at the apartment. Especially since he'd told her that his children weren't ready to jump on board with him attempting to move on from Amy.
Emma wasn't letting up, and Ricky's mind was frazzled, unable to have a rational thought due to the deafening screams.
"I'm a bit busy at the moment." He stated hastily, motioning with the tilt of his head, "Come in"
Closing the door softly, "I figured you had something else going on so I... made spaghetti..." Clementine smiled sheepishly, taking a few steps into the disarrayed livingroom, "Hi... John..."
Ricky pursed his lips at her, wincing in discomfort at the sharp nails digging into the side of his face as Emma continued to scream and thrash, "I'm going to try to go put her down - make yourself at home."
Nodding as she watched him walk down the hall, she took a few steps closer, touching the sleeve of John's arm, "Do you want some help?"
John shook his head vigorously, moving away from her reach, "No!"
"Are you sure, I'm really good at building things?"
"I se-id NO!" He snapped, taking her hand off of his toys and shoving them down, "I no w-ike you!"
"Well that makes me sad, because I like you..." Clementine pouted, "And more importantly I like your daddy, and your daddy likes me - so you'll learn to like me too!"
Shaking his head again, "Nuh uh!"
"Goodnight stars, Goodnight air. Goodnight noises everywhere" He whispered softly, hoping with a held breath that as he closed the book gently, she was fast asleep.
She was not, rising her head quickly and fussing against his chest, "C'mon, Emma... you gotta go to sleep, sweetie" Ricky sighed, rising off the bed to pace the small room in hopes to lull her to sleep, "Don't you wanna sleep? It might make you feel better?" Emma coughed before starting to cry again, yanking on his shirt collar roughly as she wailed in his ear.
20 minutes later
"I finally got her down - hopefully she'll stay that way for a few hours." He stated quickly and quietly, opening the refrigerator for a beverage
"What's wrong with her?" She asked, running her hand over his shoulder
He noticed the odd gesture, "I don't know - teething, I guess" Shrugging it off and taking a seat at the table, "Smells good"
"Secret recipe" She smiled, handing him a plate, before snapping her fingers towards the sofa, "John... come eat!"
John was playing on the end of the couch, deep in the battle between Spiderman and Mr. Potato Head, "No! I do-nt w-ike it!"
"You haven't even tried it yet, how do you know you don't like something you haven't tried?" Clementine's brow rose, "Can you at least take a bite?"
"No! I no want to!" He retorted, not even bothering to look at her as he yelled back, "I want Dino Mac!"
"John, that isn't dinner, silly! You need to come to the table and eat the dinner your daddy and I are eating." Ricky's brow creased at the way she was being so direct.
"No!" John yelled again, tossing one of Mr. Potato Head's eyes at her, "Go h-wome!"
Touching her arm to prevent her from getting up in frustration at the defiant child, Ricky sighed deeply, "Leave him be - he's fine."
"He needs to eat what I made." Clementine muttered back, "You said he loved spaghetti!"
"He does. But he's also 3, and it's easier not to fight with him over stupid stuff. He's fine."
He shrugged, getting up from the table to grab the yellow cup he'd left on the counter, and run it under the faucet before popping it into the microwave, "If a bowl of watery noodles shaped like dinosaurs is what he's going to eat - then I'm going to give it to him."
Waiting to hear the beep, he took it out and plopped it on the table, waving John over, "It's hot, buddy, be careful"
Situating him with his dinner, Ricky pushed the chair inward and kissed the top of John's head before taking his own seat.
Opening his mouth to speak, he was Interrupted by a loud wail coming from the walkie talkie. Closing his eyes, he shoved his fingertips into them and released a deep exhale.
"I'll get her! She's probably just scared of the dark or something - you eat" She offered, rising quickly, taking the baby monitor, and touching his shoulder again before making her way down the hallway.
"Oh Emma..." Clementine huffed quietly at the sight of the red faced shrieking infant drenched in her own saliva, clutching the bars of the crib. Walking over cautiously, she grimaced, and tucked her hands under Emma's arms, pulling her little body toward the middle of the mattress, lying her down gently before switching the other baby monitor's volume switch down.
"There we go - you be a good girl and go back to sleep okay, so your daddy and I can have a nice, quiet dinner..." Emma whimpered, lip puckered, about to start crying again.
Her eyes roamed over the room quickly, finding some raggedy teddy bear propped crookedly on the messy bedding two feet away. Grabbing it, "here, have this", Clementine tossed it inside the crib, rolling her eyes and walking to the door, shutting it quietly.
"She just needed a pacifier, she's fine" She stated sweetly, handing him the baby monitor and going to the sink.
Ricky's brow furrowed at her words, knowing full well that his 8-month-old knew how to both put in, and take out, her own pacifiers. Opening his mouth to rebuttal, he decided that the fight just simply wasn't worth the headache and let it go. Shrugging it off as he took the fork between his fingers and took a bite.
"I nee-d go pott-y" John announced, leaping off the chair and skipping into the livingroom
"John... that's not appropriate for the table!" Clementine scolded, scrunching her face in disgust. Ricky rolled his eyes, taking another bite.
He got another 3 bites in before he heard the shrill pitch of his son's voice shouting, "Daddy! Em-ma cwy-ing!"
Turning in his chair quickly, Ricky expelled a breath, "Emma's trying to sleep, John - get away from the door please"
John didn't listen, pressing his ear more against the door, and tightening his grip on the knob, "Em-mas cwy-ing a-wot, daddy!" Finally just pushing the aged wood open with a shove, "Wisten!"
Sure enough, the once semi-silent apartment now erupted with high pitched, ear splitting cries.
Clementine rose to stand again, tossing her napkin on the table, but his hand on her wrist and the stern way he ushered, "I got it!" Sent her back to the chair.
Getting to the door, Ricky nudged John by the shoulder, "Please go finish your dinner,"
Nodding, he skipped back over, kicking his feet under the table slowly as he swayed in his chair and spooned mushy noodles into his mouth.
Pushing the door open, he tried to put on a smile, "What's up, Peanut? Huh? Why you crying now?" Ricky comforted, using the nickname Amy had given Emma in hopes that it would somehow calm her.
"What are you doing with Benny?" His brow rose slightly, confused as to why Emma was clutching Johns favorite toy. Shrugging, Ricky put it back on John's bed, and lifted Emma from the crib into his arms, stroking her curls with his fingers, "You still don't feel good, hmm?"
Against the moonlight shining through the thin curtains, he could see that her cheeks were extremely red, her lips an abnormal shade of pink, and her nose was running as she continued to cry; the tears shimmering on her small face.
Something wasn't right.
He stared at her with worry, making a quick effort to comfort her by wrapping his arms tighter around her, and patting her bottom soothingly. His brow creased further feeling the small amount of heat from her tiny body, and shoved his hand to her forehead, "Oh my God - you're burning up -"
Biting his lip to keep himself from freaking out and scaring her, he quickly grabbed the thermometer from the drawer by John's bed, and sat down. Pushing the power button, he shoved it to her ear, wincing in pain and guilt at his daughters sobs, as he knew the painful pressure was building in her small little ears, and the chime scared her.
Kissing Emma's head lovingly, "I'm sorry," Ricky brought the device up to the light, his eyes going wide and breath catching in panic at the digits flashing on the small window - 102.4
"Toys go on the floor, not on the table - you should finish your dinner." She glared, moving the pasta around on her plate, both annoyed by John's lack of listening skills, and Ricky basically ignoring her.
Coming back into the room in a practical sprint, Ricky put a hand up to her, "Not right now -" Placing the shrieking baby on the sofa cushion for a brief second as he searched in a frantic panic for the diaper bag.
"John, put your shoes on, and grab your Dino Mac to eat in the car -" He ordered quickly, pacing in a circle and grabbing everything he could shove inside the bag. Looking up for a split second to see John still sitting there, "Now, please!"
"What are you doing?" Clementine questioned, rushing into the livingroom, arms crossed across her chest.
"Going to the hospital -" Ricky stated, expelling a breath before flying past her and into the kitchen, pulling the chair back and ducking under the table to do the task himself. Strapping John's shoes on, Ricky urged John off the chair, "Go to the couch, and wait"
Noticing his sister was still crying, John sat beside Emma on the cushion, wrapping his arms around her before kissing her cheek, "It-it o-k Em-ma!"
"Don't you think you're being a little... ridiculous?" Clementine chuckled, shaking her head at how frantic he was being, "She was fine 10 minutes ago! It's probably just teething!"
Ricky paused for a second, having to take deep breaths from his nose to keep from exploding, "Teething or not - She's been up half the week, and won't stop crying! She won't eat, she won't sleep, and she's running a fever - a high fever -" He grabbed the roots of his hair, yanking them, "so excuse me, but no - I'm not being ridiculous, and we've got to go."
She shrugged, grabbing her purse from the bookshelf, "Alright, well I'll drive?"
"No, I meant we as in myself and the kids." He deadpanned, grabbing the baby from the couch, wrapping a blanket over Emma, even though she hated it.
"Don't you need someone to keep an eye on John?"
"I called my mom -" Shaking his head, he jostled the baby, "You really need to go, or else you'll be stuck here until I get back."
"D-ey jus h-urt-ing Em-ma, daddy!" He cried, rubbing a fist into his eye as he watched, from the big window, a room of people dressed in green try to get his baby sister to stop crying
"They're not hurting Emma, John, they're trying to help her get better" Ricky calmly explained, running his hand over John's cheek, "She's gonna be okay."
John's eyes got big, a small sniffle as he touched the plexiglass barrier, "But - but - she's cwy-ing!"
"I'm here! I'm here!" A loud shout came sprinting down the hallway, stopping abruptly and leaning against the wall to catch her breath.
Putting John on his feet, he skipped over to her, wrapping his arms around her legs. Nora put her hand on the top of John's head, looking up worriedly at her son standing across from the large window: Ricky's fingers were pressed into his face, worry penetrating every inch of it. "What's going on?"
"I don't know." Ricky swallowed, "Kathleen picked them up from daycare, and Emma's been fussy and restless all night. I put her to bed and then she kept waking up - so I took her temperature... and now we're here."
Taking in a deep breath through his mouth, he fought back tears, "They said they think it might be an ear infection, but they can't get her temperature down..." Nora nodded, gathering John into her arms, putting a hand on Ricky's shoulder and standing beside him.
He closed his eyes and shook his head slowly, letting a few tears roll down his cheeks as he whispered, "I gotta call, Amy..."
"Voicemail full" Pulling the phone away, he huffed into his hand pressed against his face, before bringing it down, and starting to type: "You really need to empty your voicemail! I need you to call me as soon as possible - it's about Emma!"
Hitting send, Ricky took in another deep breath, craning his neck up to the ceiling.
An alarm brought his attention back, the loud beeps buzzing through the small space with a familiar, sickening ring.
"It's a girl!" Ricky cried, watching as the doctor lifted up his daughter. "You did it
Ames, we have a daugh-" He turned to tell her the good news but froze in petrified terror.
The baby started flailing; her cries coming out short and strangled; little gasps coming from her tiny body. There was no time to congratulate the young parents on their new arrival. A nurse took her into her arms and gently placed the gasping baby inside the incubator, worry crossing her young face.
"Amy!" He shouted, looking at his wife, whose head was lolling to the side; her face a ghostly pale. "Amy!" The monitors had started to go crazy; blinking, beeping, and yelling out loud rings of waring.
"She's going into shock!" A nurse yelled from her bedside, checking her pulse as it was slowly becoming weaker and weaker.
Turning on his heel, Ricky nearly fell to the floor as the beeping escalated and a flood of nurses swarmed the room.
Emma's room.
"What's going on?" He tried to shout, feeling like glass was cutting his throat as he tried to push his way through
A nurse, gloved up, shoved him by the shoulder, "Just take a step back sir, and let us do our job"
"Ms. Emma just had a bad reaction to the antibiotics for the ear infection, and she's just a little dehydrated... she should be fine, but we want to keep her overnight just to be sure." A blonde smiled sweetly, handing Emma back to him, touching her fist before it went inside her mouth.
Ricky released the breath he was holding in, clutching his baby tightly, his fingers drumming themselves against her back, "Thank you"
Nodding, the nurse touched his forearm and smiled again, opening the door with her foot for the two standing by it.
"Oh, Emma you scared grandma so much!" Nora cried, rushing into the room and wrapping her arms around them both, kissing the back of Emma's head repeatedly
Ricky sighed tiredly, "It's getting late - can you take my car and take John back to the apartment or over to Kathleen's? I'm gonna stay here."
John's eyes lifted apprehensively, fiddling with his sisters blanket draped on the bed. Ricky caught it, bending to his level, "It's okay, buddy - Grandma Nora is going to be with you. I need to be here with Emma right now. Make sure the doctors get her all better, okay?"
John touched Emma's hand as she whimpered, his voice small, "I - I - want you..."
"I know, but Emma needs daddy too." He sighed again, pulling John into his one handed embrace, and kissing the side of his head, "I love you, okay?"
Nodding slowly, John put his sisters hand to his lips, "I luh you, Em-ma!"
"I know... this bad place again... I'm sorry" He frowned, pacing around the crib slowly, careful not to shift even a fraction, and yank the IV unfairly taped to her incredibly tiny hand.
She blinked with watery, tired eyes, sucking her thumb between fussy bouts of crying.
Rubbing her back softly, Ricky held Emma tight against him, whispering soothing sounds into her ear in hopes to lull her back into a state of calm.
With jittery and shaky hands, he placed them on the glass; feeling it's cold substance with his fingertips. "Hey there…" Taking in a gulp of air, his lip wobbled, "Hi baby it's uh - it's daddy… your grandma's here to see you too"
Lifting the latch of the slot closest to his torso, he opened it up, sliding his left index finger inside the web of her tiny, fragile palm. "I just want you to know that I love you…" Tears crept down his jawline as it lay, unmoving, against his skin. "Me and mommy… we just want you to know that."
She was so small; so tiny and fragile, yet so beautiful, and although she wouldn't respond to his touch, Ricky brushed her tiny finger with his as his tears hit the casing around her. "Me and mommy need you to get better okay? You gotta let this medicine and these nice doctors make you better, okay?" He sniffled, "You gotta let it make you strong so that you can come home to - to your family…"
With his forehead now pressed firmly against the glass, he braced the incubator, wracking with heaving sobs, "Please baby… please do that for me… please…" he begged, pleading in silence with his daughter unresponsive to his voice in front of him.
Raising her head slightly off his chest, Emma's green eyes squinted at him, lip puckered as she ushered a very pitiful "Da" before starting to cry again.
Wrapping his arms tighter around her shuddering body, Ricky kissed the top of her head repeatedly, letting a few tears slide down his face, as he whispered softly, "daddy's here, Emma... Daddy's here."
Stomping off the sticky floor, she entered the adjacent room, rolling her eyes before slamming her hand atop the table, blocking the shot from going into the hole.
His brow knitted, shuffling the pool stick in his grasp, shouting, "What the hell!"
Amy wasn't having his attitude, crossing her arms tight across her chest and pursing her lips, "What's you problem?"
Adam shook his head, tossing the pool que to Zach, "You! My problem is you, and your constant yapping about your ex all night!" He huffed, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his faded leather jacket, "Did you even hear me tell you about that record exec coming here to see us play?"
The way her brow rose and an uninterested look crossed her face, told Adam his answer. Clicking his tongue, he shook his head, about to continue as her phone let out yet another annoying string of chimes. He blew out an irritated breath, "Of fucking course!"
Grabbing the device from her purse, Amy put a hand on his arm, "I've told you all night that I felt something wasn't right - Ricky wouldn't call this much if there wasn't." Adam wasn't having it, rolling his eyes and yanking the phone from her grasp, causing her to shout out in protest, "Hey-"
Pushing the button, he put it to his ear, wasting no time in spewing out his frustration, "Listen you little asshole, you need to solve your own problems and stop calling your ex for every little fucking thing! She doesn't want to talk to you!" Rolling his eyes again, he hung up and threw it back at her.
Her face was appalled, unbelieving that he did such a thing, "You had no right to do that!" She fumed, shoving him as she tried to keep her composure. Taking the ring from his lip into his teeth, he flashed her the middle finger before scoffing and walking away with his buddies.
Trying to keep the angry tears inside her eyes, she called Ricky back, hoping with a held breath that he would pick up. He did on the forth ring, but it wasn't a pleasant greeting.
"If you want to ignore my calls, that's fine! But don't have your little punk of a boyfriend do it for you!" Ricky seethed through clenched teeth, trying to keep quiet.
"I had no idea he was going to do that - I swear he just grabbed my phone when you called -" Amy tried to defend herself, but blew a breath out knowing it was pointless, "Is something wrong?"
"Something like what?" He snapped back, his tone starting to quiver ever so slightly.
"I don't know but I can hear it in your voice..." Her brow creased, worry starting to creep in, "What happened? Are the kids okay?" He was quiet, not offering a rebuttal which told her he was hiding something, "Ricky..."
He sighed, "Why do you care?"
"Why do I care? Ricky those are my babies, of course I care!" She choked, grasping onto the collar of her shirt, bracing for whatever he had to say.
He sighed again, softer, "I uh - I had to bring Emma to the Emergency room..."
Her heart sank, "Oh no - No, no - I knew something was wrong! I could feel it!" Shaking her head in disbelief, letting the tears she was holding in, out, "Is she okay? Is she hurt?"
"She's fine, it's just a double ear infection. They gave her some antibiotics that she had an allergic reaction to, but she's good now. They're keeping her for observation but we'll be discharged in the morning."
Hearing his explanation, Amy exhaled through her nose, "Okay... okay that's... that's easy though, she'll be fine in a few days." It was silent for a few seconds between them, both unknowing what to say.
"Amy..." Ricky started, sniffling once before going quiet again
"Thank you - thank you for telling me." She finished, wiping her eyes with what used to be her ring finger, "Give Emma a couple more hugs and kisses for me, will you please?" Her voice was starting to break, and if she didn't stop now he would hear her crumble.
"I can do that." He answered softly, "I need to go, she's starting to get fidgety again..."
Nodding, she sniffled again, "Goodnight - call me if anything changes?"
Adam walked back in, grabbing the pool cue, "Have fun talking to Prince Charming?"
Taking her bottom lip in, she was keeping her temper at bay, glaring with her daggers at him as she fumed, "My baby is in the Emergency room you fucking jerk! That's what Ricky wanted to tell me!" Grabbing the pool cue from his grasp, Amy threw it on the table, pushing the hair from her face, and stomping away. Adam followed after, reaching out to her as he called her name. Turning on her heel, she shoved him again, "Leave me alone - I'll find my own way back to my dorm!"
Weeping, she fell back against the bed, her lungs on the verge of collapse. "I… c-can't... p-push... any... more…"
Amy could feel herself ripping, trying so hard not to shriek in utter agony at the pain piercing every single cell in her body.
One more push. All they needed was one more push.
Her lungs were on fire, struggling to allow oxygen to breathe through the intense contraction.
Ricky was trying, trying so hard to be there and keep her going by moving her matted hair away from her face, breathing himself, "Come on Amy, you can do this!" hoping as she copied him that it was working. It wasn't.
"N-no I-I c-can't… n-no", The pressure was building again, the pain coming in another backbreaking wave. She put her hand to her stomach, the normal fiesty kicks of their unborn child, stilling.
Something was wrong. This wasn't like John's birth; John's was painful, but it was normal. This one didn't feel normal. This one felt... scary.
"Owens" She heard the nurse say, her voice was muffled, trying so hard not to let the worry seep in. But when the next words came, her attempts failed, "There's blood..."
Blood. She was bleeding? How much? For how long? Her heart was beating so loud it was ringing in her ears, "I... can't... too...tired." Her lip wobbled, unable to handle much more as she whispered his name, "Ricky..."
He was trying to be strong too, grabbing her hand tighter and kissing her forehead, "I'm right here." But she knew Ricky too well, and knew that through his soft smile and adoring eyes, he was struggling to keep it together
The sheer look of terror on his face twisting her stomach into such a tight knot she thought she would vomit again
One more push.
Bracing tightly, she mentally prepared herself; gritting her teeth and bearing down as that one long, hard, and painstaking string of pushing sent her over the edge.
The agony bounced off the walls as she let it lose and screamed, feeling a burn so fierce, she thought she'd been set on fire.
That last ounce did it.
The pressure was gone, and the blood pounding in her ears was starting to dissipate.
Falling back once more, her lip tipped up into a smile. She'd done it. Their baby was out.
Through her slitted vision Amy saw her, covered in a lot of blood, as the Doctor announced to the room, "It's a...girl!"
Inside she was overjoyed - a little girl. She had a daughter. They had a daughter.
"It's a girl! You did Ames, we have a daughter -" Ricky was beaming, every inch of his face twisted so tightly in sheer joy, she was going to tease him for days.
Her eyes were getting heavier, the rise in her heartbeat starting to get slower, and slower.
Something frightening was happening
She was struggling, Amy could hear the strangled short cries as she gasped for air for her tiny body.
Too tiny.
She wasn't ready to come this early.
Her throat was getting dry, an odd sensation buzzing through her head as it started to feel fuzzy, and everything went black.
"Amy!" Ricky shouted, the quiver in his voice breaking through as the alarms started to sound.
Was she dying?
Amy could still hear everything though... dead people can't hear... can they?
"She's going into shock!" The nurse yelled, the same nurse whose calm usher of the word "blood", now fully changing to panic.
Amy barely felt the two fingers to her neck, just another odd sensation from somewhere on her body before her breathing started to slow. And become slower. And slower. Ricky was scared, his tight grasp on her hand told her that before it too felt like a feather and the breath escaped from her lungs.
Blink
It took every ounce of strength in her body to walk into the room. And every ounce of control she had not to run away the second she did.
Margaret was standing there, holding onto her only son as he heaved and sobbed, pleading to their sick child.
It broke her in ways she never thought possible.
Ricky wasn't one to crumble. He was the one who held everything together when she was falling apart. Now... now to see him on his knees, grasping onto a glass casing, begging their child to get better... nothing she could say to him would matter.
She had to show him.
One shaky step after another, until they were face to face.
He was hesitant. She could see it in his eyes; afraid to show her how vulnerable he is. But before those pursed lips could speak, she threw herself into him, "I-m s-so s-s-sorryyy", sobbing and sputtering into his protected chest, "I need you! I need this! I need us!" There were needles poking inside her throat, "I need all of it! I can't- I can't do it w-without y-y-ouu" The IV stung as she moved her arms around his waist, but the calming comfort of his body made the pain more bearable. "I need you, Ricky..."
His wall was starting to break now, his face was showing it by removing the mask: wrapping his strong arms around her wounded body. "And you have me... Promise" He grasped her tighter, still hesitant and afraid she would break, "I think there's someone you need to meet..." His eyes got glassy again, their chocolate brown starting to puddle in a sea of pain cascading down his chiseled cheeks.
It was almost too much to see. "I -"
"Can..." Ricky nodded at her, the reassuring way he often did with John when he was trying to calm him. His heart was racing; the pulse point in his muscular hand practically beating into her thin one as he took into his. "I'm right here, we're in this together. For better and for worse."
Stepping back a few more centimeters, her hands went to her mouth; tears like rain falling fast and hard down her pale face, as she saw all the monitors, wires and tubes hooked up to the small life she had carried within her for so many months.
The air had been ripped from her lungs, like a balloon was just violently stomped on.
Placing her fingertips against the glass, her voice had softened to that tone she often used with John when he was distressed as she sniffled, "Hey there... Remember me? I'm your mommy..."
Fighting back the lump in her throat from choking her, she braced his muscular arm for strength and balance, whispering as she slid her hand along the cold glass, "She's so beautiful..."
His lip twitched up into a small smile as his hand rested gently on the small of her back; kissing her temple lovingly, "Just like her mommy."
The pillow was soaked: the mixture of tears and saliva melded with the mascara still running down her cheeks. Clutching the only thing she had as a connection to her, to her chest.
Before she had left, Amy took one small thing from each one of their shared children: a memento to have in comfort in case she had to stay.
Nobody knew about them, or where they were. They were secret, kept locked inside her suitcase inside a plastic bag.
The knock at the door, perked her ear, and before she could even get a word out to leave her be... he stepped inside.
Amy's face contorted upon seeing him, seething, "Get out!"
Adam took the jab, standing with his hands shoved in his pockets as he stared at the floor - which only angered her more.
"Why are you here? Don't you have buddies to dick around with some more?"
"I'm sorry..." He blew a breath out, taking cautious steps forward, "I had no idea your daughter was sick, and if I did I wouldn't have acted like that."
"Yeah well... neither did I..." Her voice cracked, her lip quivering as she sobbed against her palms, "I-I-I'm l-losing t-them"
Adam sighed with remorse, getting down beside her and wrapping his arms around her shuttering body.
The gesture brought her comfort, but also brought her pain because it wasn't the same as when Ricky did it. She wished it was him; his arms wrapped around her; his lips pressed to her hair; his soft whispers in her ear. She wanted it to be him. She needed it to be him.
But it wasn't, and that made the pain worse, and her tears thicker.
The comfort of Adam's gesture missing because of the lack of love behind it.
"Why do you care about my baby, anyway?" Amy muttered against his arm, putting up the walls Ricky taught her how to build.
The gentle way Adam shook his head as he looked into her eyes, "Because I care about you, and I don't want to see you so upset" scared her.
Not in a frightening way that made her fear for her life, but in a frightening way that she'd seen all too well before. The same way Ricky looked at her on various nights where he'd come over at whatever time of night it was just to help her: he'd be there for John, but also her.
The thoughts of herself potentially falling for another, made her want to vomit, and before she could register what her heart was telling her, Amy was on her feet, a coldness in her voice, "Yeah well, it's a little too late for that. I think you should go, I want to be alone."
Adam didn't speak, not even so much as a scoff, just got up, and shut the door behind him.
The pain in her chest radiated; jack-knifing the rest of her body as visions of them swam through her tear filled eyes, and she clutched the teething toy that belonged to Emma so tightly she was afraid it would break as she wept into it.
"She needs milk - which I can give her! Why can't I give it to her?" She sobbed, wincing as she struggled to stand against the bed without assistance, "I feel like a freaking milking machine, and for what? I'm barred from touching the child I carried inside me!"
His eyes roamed over hers, unknowing what to say in order to comfort her, so he just wrapped his arms around her, and kissed her forehead, "I understand you're upset, Ames... but you heard what they said - she's still really really vulnerable right now. Too small to fight off anything, and if she does God forbid get something, it'll send us all into a tail spin"
"But... I won't hurt her..." Amy choked, her lip wobbling, as the tears fell down her cheeks, her voice low and breaking, "I just want to hold my little girl..."
It had been two days since their daughter had started to breathe on her own, and the doctors wanted to try administering some of Amy's breastmilk through the feeding tube to see if it would help with her weight. The only down side was how they wanted to do it.
It wasn't fair that Amy was stuck inside a room, having to go through her postpartum alone, without even holding her child. Ricky knew that, and he saw that first hand ever since they'd went to the NICU for the first time. Her hormones were raging, and all the staff would allow her to do was pump out her breastmilk, and sit in a chair next to the incubator while they touched her incredibly tiny hand, both unable to hold her in any other way out of fear she would get sick. And while he as the little girl's father understood that, he as Amy's husband wasn't happy with the pain it was putting her through. She was right, she carried - almost dying - that baby. It wasn't fair that she wasn't even able to so much as pick her up, or be told when she could/could not touch their child. Her journey to get to a place where she wasn't blaming herself for the birth was already painful for her.
"I know, and you will."
A tiny little whimper cut through his dream, his eyes shooting awake in fear she had awoken and was distressed. Looking over, his lip tipped up slightly, thankful that it was just a reflex, and that she was still asleep.
Taking out his phone, Ricky tapped it to his knee before hitting the button and pressing it to his ear. This decision either smart, or very dumb.
"Is something wrong?" She answered on the second ring, her voice cracking like it did when she'd been crying.
Surprised by the way she sounded, the crease in his brow started to fade, "No, nothing is wrong. I just... I wanted to talk." He sighed, "I don't want to fight with you, Amy. I know that this... situation... it can't be easy on you regardless of how you feel about me. Emma is still your daughter, and I should be a little more sensitive to your feelings surrounding her." Ricky sniffled, looking at Emma as she flexed her fingers, "I remember what her hospital days were like for the both of us, and if you felt betrayed that I didn't tell you about tonight... I'm sorry.
She started to cry, "This is all my fault!"
"Amy..."
"No! No, don't -" Amy snapped back, sniffling loudly, "I caused this! If I hadn't of left... Emma would be -"
"Emma would be here, either way, Amy. You leaving didn't cause an ear infection. It's not your fault. It's not."
She sniffled again, "Can I -" gulping back tears and air, "Can I talk to her?"
His eyes went down, pursing his lips, "She's sleeping..."
"Oh..." Ricky heard the disappointment in her voice, "Well do you think I could - Can you put the phone by her? I just want to hear her..."
He opened his mouth to speak: to tell Amy she should just be happy he called her, and leave it at that... but the way she was crying, choking on her own guilt... it poked the soft spot he carried for her.
"Please... I swear I'll hang up when she wakes up... I just need to hear that our baby is okay..."
Sighing again, Ricky wiped the tears gathering in his eyes away, watching their daughter's chest rise and fall steadily, "I think Emma would like that" Sniffling as he removed the phone from his ear, and tucked it up against the corner of the crib, and a discarded Terry cloth he'd packed inside the diaper bag.
Keeping his eyes glued to Emma, he allowed himself to cry again, wishing he could take away all her pain. And surprisingly, also, the pain of her mother.
Getting what she wanted, Amy clutched the teething toy against her chest again, sobbing into her palm softly as she heard the slightly congested little snores of their daughter.
This was supposed to be longer - but this ending scene just felt like the perfect place to stop. Why put more filler into an already emotionally charged chapter? And I also couldn't sit on my couch and cry anymore... not for this chapter anyway.
Stay tuned!