My Choice (Third in the "Baby Brother Series)

Fifteen

Her phone buzzed back to life and she could barely answer it. All the disappointment hit her at once, why would anyone want to separate themselves from their family? Why did Tom blame Bill for existing? It didn't make sense, and it was premature of him to even feel this way. She started wondering if maybe she jumped into this relationship too fast.

"Hello?"

"I'm coming to the hospital. I don't like the idea of you being pregnant and dealing with that alone."

"Really? So you're over your childish feelings?"

"Is this really the time to be antagonizing?"

"Tom, you literally ran out like a bat out of hell! You left me alone to deal with both your brother having the worst epileptic seizure he's ever had, paramedics and Andy having a full blown meltdown. I'm pregnant and exhausted."

"I know. That's why I'm coming now. I realize that."

"Tom, this isn't about me! You realize how distraught and disappointed Bill has been since you left. I thought you'd at least call to check in or something, but you're avoiding him all together."

"I don't mean to," Tom sighed.

"You don't mean to?! Tom, don't bother coming here if you're only going to try to find some way to get out of it. Are you fucking drunk right now?"

"I had a couple shots after I finished the sketches. It was to calm down after the whole Bill situation."

"The whole Bill situation?! Tom, you can't be fucking serious! What's the point of you leaving if you're not even trying?!"

"I am. I am trying. It's just a lot to deal with."

"Yeah and I'm dealing with it! I'm not running away! Even when I feel sick and nauseous because I'm pregnant with your child or when he's feeling little or when he's seizing or ticcing. I don't fucking leave."

"He's already messed up that I've been gone before, and I can't fix it. I can't fix what I broke. I know he fucking hates me and the only time I can even be around him is when I'm drunk."

"Are you being serious right now? Tom come on, you can't keep going like this, you know you can't. What about when our child is born? Are you going to just leave when it gets too hard? Because let me know now if I'm going to have to be a single parent and a caregiver right now."

"What about all those friends you said you have?"

"Tom, they have their own lives. I can't call them every day because I can't do something. That's just it! You can walk away and not have to look back, I can't just leave! I promised I would stay and that's what I'm going to do! I just need to know if I'm going to be doing this alone!"

"Miley," Tom slurred, clearly far more intoxicated than he was leading on.

"Are you at Georg's?"

"No, he's miffed with me too. I missed a session today and I emptied his liquor cabinet without much care."

"Of course you did. Why don't you stay where you are? I don't need Bill or Andy seeing you pick yourself up from the mess you created for yourself!"

"Miley, I'm sorry. Please don't be crossed at me. I'm trying. I'm really trying."

"Are you?! Because from where I'm standing it looks like you just want to dump your life and find another or go off and kill yourself."

"I do want to kill myself, but you already knew that. I can't do it now. Not with a baby on the way and my little brother needing me."

"Exactly! He needs you and you've gone and gotten yourself into trouble because your inner child is hurting and you won't let it fucking heal! I'm done taking about this! It's just going to piss me off further!!"

"Miley...don't give up on me," Tom slurred. "Please..."

"Tom where are you?"

"Uh, there's sirens and flashing lights. Someone called 9-11, I think."

"Tom, where. are. you?"

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," his voice trailed off. She could hear the sounds of panic before his phone his the ground.

"Hello?! Someone pick up the phone!?"

"Hello? Are you his wife?" A female voice responded.

"Yeah. What's going on?"

"Your husband is drunk, he crashed his car into a tree but we're more worried about empty bottle of antidepressants we found on the scene. It looks like he took them all. Do you know someone named Wilhelm?"

"That's his little brother." Tom oded on his little brother's medication. Tom decided to swallow an entire bottle of pills and chase it with an entire bottle tequila. "Oh god, please tell me he's not dead."

"He's not breathing. The paramedics are on the scene and they're going to do CPR and air rescue him to the emergency room."

"Oh god, oh god."

"I do want to kill myself, you already knew that."

She didn't know he meant he was trying to in that exact moment. The sounds in the background didn't filter in until she faced with the reality that Tom had been trying to make seeing her his final dying wish and instead she fought with him.

"Are you going to bring him to Bridgeport?"

"Yes, are you already there?"

"His brother is. Please, please tell me he'll make it," Miley prayed. It wasn't for the police officer on the line but for her own soul. He couldn't die. That would kill Billy and she knew it.

"It's touch and go right now. But the chopper is landing now and they're going to fight for his life."

"Okay," Miley frowned, hanging up.

Her only regret was yelling at Tom, because if he didn't wake up that would be his very last memory. Disappointing his brother and his wife.