Love for a Lifetime

Chapter 26

   When Christmastime came, Jackie and Ethel traveled to New York City together to do some Christmas shopping. They stayed together in a hotel room near all of the good shops. The first morning there, Ethel woke Jackie up by running into their bathroom and slamming the door, "Ethel?" Jackie questioned climbing out of bed.

   "Jackie," Ethel returned through the door, "I'm really sick."

   "I'll call for some crackers and ginger ale."

   "No. No. No. No."

   "You don't want crackers?"

   "Jackie, what's today's date?"

   "It's the seventeenth of December. Why?"

   "Damn it!"

   "Ethel! Tell me what's happening."

   "Jackie," Ethel said cracking open the bathroom door, "I think I'm pregnant."

   Jackie nearly fell over, "What!" she exclaimed.

   "The night before Thanksgiving when I went to get water-"

   Jackie put up her hand for Ethel to stop, "Okay, I took health class. That's all I need to know, but we need to get you to a doctor."

   "I'll go after we get home."

   Jackie sighed, "Why don't you give me your list and I'll get your stuff for you while you rest?"

   "Jackie, what would I do without you?"

   "I don't know, Ethie," Jackie said hugging her.
  
   Jackie got dressed quickly and then went out to shop for the day. When she returned, Ethel was resting, "I feel like I'm dying."

   "Ethel, you look like hell."

   Ethel breathed heavily and Jackie began to get nervous, "Jackie, we had better go to the hospital."

   Jackie helped Ethel to her feet and helped her to put her robe on. "Let's go," Jackie said shakily, "I'll hail a cab."

   They caught the elevator down to the main floor and then Jackie hailed a cab that took them to the hospital. When they arrived, Ethel held onto Jackie for dear life. Jackie somehow managed to get Ethel to the waiting room and sat her down in a chair. "Excuse me," Jackie said to a nurse at the front desk, "I have a woman here with me that thinks she may be pregnant."

   "There's a 'but' coming. I can tell."

   "But she may have had morning sickness all day and I think something's wrong."

   The nurse nodded understandingly and handed Jackie a clipboard. Jackie took the clipboard over to Ethel and helped her to fill it out. After it was completed, Jackie handed it back to the nurse, "Thank you. A nurse will be right out to get her."

   They only waited a few more minutes until a nurse emerged from the back with a wheelchair, "Miss Skakel?"

   "Jackie, come with me, please?" Ethel said as the nurse helped her into the wheelchair.

   "Of course," Jackie whispered.

   Ethel cracked a slight smile and then walked behind the nurse and Ethel. When the nurse took Ethel in a room to run tests Jackie went to call Jack. "Excuse me, nurse?"

   "Yes?"  the nurse spun around in her chair to look at Jackie.

   "Is there any chance I could make a telephone call?"

   "Of course."

   The nurse stepped away wile Jackie made her call, "Jack!"

   "Jackie, what's got you in a tizzy?"

   "Jack, you gotta listen to me and act like you know nothing."

   "Uh, alright."

   "I'm at the hospital with Ethel. She thinks she might be pregnant and she's really sick. I don't know what to do."

   "What do you want me to do?"

   "I don't know. What if she's really sick? What if something happened to the baby?"
  
   "Slow down, Jackie. Do you want to talk to Bobby?"

   "I don't know, Jack. What do you think I should do?"

   "Well, he's here right now."

   "No, I'll call back later. Just wait for a little while."

   "I love you, Jackie. Make sure you call."

   "I love you too. Don't say a word."

   Jackie returned the phone to the receiver and then walked back to the room Ethel was in. When the doctor came out, he looked at Jackie, "Are you here with Miss Skakel?"

   "Yes, I brought her."

   "She is expecting, but she's very ill right now. She has severe dehydration and she has high blood pressure."

   Jackie sighed, "How long will she be in the hospital?"

   "Until we can get the dehydration under control and until we can get her blood pressure down."

   Jackie nodded, "So a few days at the very least?"

   "The very least."

   Jackie entered the room to see Ethel looking pale and weak, "Jackie, what if Bobby doesn't want the baby?"

   "He will, Ethie. I'm going to call him and have him come out here now."

   "Why?"

   "They said that they need to keep you until you're all better. I don't want to be alone in New York City until you get better, especially at Christmastime."

   "I'm sorry, Jackie.''   
  
   "No, it's fine. I'm going to call Bobby."
  
   Ethel smiled weakly and Jackie went back to the nurses' station and asked the nurse to use the telephone again. The nurse smiled and left Jackie alone to make the call.

   Jackie telephoned and Jack answered. She explained the situation to him and then asked to speak to Bobby. "Bobby," Jackie said quietly.

   "Jackie? What's wrong?" he questioned sensing the tension in her voice.

   "Bobby, stay calm when I tell you this. I need you to come to New York City."

   "Why?"

   "Ethel is in the hospital."

   "Is she alright? What happened? Are you alright?"

   "Bobby, do me a favor and just sit down."

   "I'm sitting, Jackie."

   "Ethel and you are expecting a baby."