Chapter 81
Climbing out of the car and taking Ang to Kai's door winds me.
"Daddy!" Ang cheers rushing into his waiting arms.
"Hello, gorgeous." He says squeezing her until she laughs. Putting her down she races into the house without a second thought. He glances around me and arches a brow.
"Tell me about it." I sigh. "I'll see you tomorrow morning."
When I'm almost to the car he calls my name making me turn around.
"This is a good thing. You'll see." He says nodding his head in the direction of Carter who waves. Kai waves back and smirks shaking his head.
Rolling my eyes, I get into the car, and we drive to the hospital.
When we get inside Amy the nurse is waiting for me.
"Morning sleeping beauty." She grins.
"Hey Amy. Glad to see you." I wink. Tutting me leads me to my regular room.
"Take a seat and I'll hook you up. Carson will be in when she gets here."
I sit on the bed, and she hooks me up to some machines. Nodding to herself she leaves me and Carter alone.
"She knows you by name." He muses.
"Yeah, so?" I ask glancing at him.
"What are those machines for?" He asks.
"Mine and the babies heart rates are being monitored. When Doctor Carson comes in, she'll hook up for my infusion and do some scans on the baby and me. It's normal." Small lie. My new normal I should have said.
"Infusion?" He asks.
"Blood."
"No shit, Cassandra. Why do you need somebody else's blood?"
Before I have to answer the door opens and Carson comes in smiling.
"Hey, brat. Amy said you beat me for once and I had to see for myself."
"In the flesh." I tease.
She notices Carter and her grin widens.
"My, my. She didn't tell me he was finally here."
They shake hands, Carter unsure and her grinning cheekily.
"It was a surprise. Believe me." I sigh leaning back.
"How are you feeling today?" She asks setting up the infusion line.
"Fat. Hormonal. The usual."
"Bleeding? Cramping?" She asks not looking at me.
"Still no and no."
"Okay. Let's take a look inside at this baby."
"Parasite." I correct making her chuckle in response.
She furrows her brow at the screen, pushing buttons quickly. Printing. Repositioning. Printing again.
"What is it?" I ask sitting up slightly, making her shoot me a look. Laying down I hold my hands up in defense.
"I have to run out. I'll be right back." She says taking the scans with her.
When she leaves Carter looks at me with a stormy expression.
"What?" I ask.
"Parasite?"
I roll my eyes and look at him.
"It's kind of a long story."
"I have all day."
"It's not the place for this conversation."
"I don't care where we are. We're having it because I am sick of feeling like I am missing something."
"You missed 20 weeks of something!"
"Whose fault is that exactly? If I remember correctly, you told me after 12."
"And the other 6 were on you."
"I have a job, a life, Cassandra. I had to make arrangements to be here!"
"Maybe it would be best if you went back then. To your new life. How long are you even here for?"
"As long as I need to be." He warns glaring at me.
Before I have a chance to make a retort to him and his attitude the door opens, and another doctor comes in.
"I need another set of eyes." Carson explains. I watch her point to the screen several places and the new doctor nods.
"Incredible." He mutters.
"So, it's real?" She asks him.
"Yes." He says standing and exiting the room. Taking a breath, she faces me.
My heart rate increases.
"What? What is it? Does my baby have two heads? Oh god it does." I rush out.
"Cassandra, don't be so dramatic all the time. The baby does not have two heads." She tuts.
"Then WHAT is it?" I ask gripping the bed sheets in my fists.
"Have you ever heard of shadowing?" She asks sitting beside me in a chair.
"Is that a trick question?" I ask. Rolling her eyes, she flicks my arm.
"Cassandra, for one second don't be such a smart ass." She tuts.
"Then tell me what you have to say." I bite back. Instead, she turns the screen to me, and I gasp.
"Why does my baby have three legs!" I shriek making her laugh.
"You're having twins you idiot." She says stifling her laugh.
"Two parasites?" I say wide eyed.
"Yes. Two. Would you like to know the sex?" She asks facing the computer again.
I nod slowly.
"A girl and a boy."
Happy. I feel happy. Then the fear slams into me. She must see it because she takes my hand in hers.
"I know what you're thinking. The odds stay the same. Mostly."
"Mostly?" I ask.
"20/80."
Closing my eyes, I clench my jaw.
"Does this change anything?" I ask.
"It makes getting them out harder. With one the rate was better. With two.." She trails off and I nod. Carter resumes pacing. Trying to fit pieces he doesn't realize he's missing.
"Will someone tell me what the hell is going on?" He says pinching the bridge of his nose.
Swallowing thickly, I look at Carson.
"Carter." She says gently. She waits until he looks at her. "At 18 weeks Cassandra was brought to me. She had fainted and there was slight bleeding. Not enough to raise any alarm. Still, we had to run all tests and scans. By the time she came two we had her diagnosis. You see when trauma happens, we adapt, or we die. Her daughter seemed to adapt early on when she was abused. She was a miracle. The doctors, they didn't look for underlying issues. That's my job." She states slowly.
"I don't understand." He says finally.
"The trauma she went through, the injuries that she sustained then. It never healed. This pregnancy was dangerous. It just got more so, actually. She was given a choice two weeks ago. Moving ahead on her decision my goal is to deliver these babies safely."
"Obviously." He says annoyed.
"Carter, what I am failing to get you to understand is her condition. Hemorrhaging. Hence the infusions. Preparations. But things slip through the cracks. What I am trying to say is that someone is not making it out of this alive. And she chose herself."
I watch the words sink in. I watch him make sense of them. And then I watch him stare at me like he has no idea who I even am.
"I'll give you some time to process all of this. I'll check on you in a few hours." She says leaving us alone. I stare at the scan as a tear falls down my cheek.
Twins.
That I may never be able to see.