The Basketball Player's Wife

Chapter 13: I Can't

"Gabby, will you speak to me please?" August asked.

I had been awake for the past hour and still hadn't said a word other than to ask for some water and my cell phone.

Obviously excluding the part where the attending physician asked me questions about my health and made sure I remembered my identity. That in itself was brief and only required yes or no questions.

Other than that I was been uncharacteristically quiet.

Knowing August, he was already worried. I know my silence wasn't doing anything to ease his mind.

I just couldn't find the words to express how I was feeling. I also couldn't bring myself to ask the question I already knew the answer to. The one thing the attending physician had not acknowledged.

"Gabby, please talk to me. I need to know you haven't shut down. Don't close me out especially after I found you so close to the brink of death...I need to hear your voice to know you're here. You were almost gone. Your heart beat was so faint, I thought you was dead. I-" August said with a cracked voice and eyes that put all his emotions on display.

"Did I lose the baby?" I asked. I wanted to know, I needed to know.

"They did the best they could, but you were losing so much blood Ga-"

"Stop beating around the bush Aug. Give it to me straight, is my baby gone or not? I need the truth please." I said with tears streaming down my face.

"I'm sorry, Gab." August said gently pulling me into his embrace as I openly cried my heart out in his arms for the first time in years.

____________________________________________________________________________

About a Week Later

"This show is trash, Gab. I can't believe I let you finesse me into watching this garbage." August teased shaking his head.

"Did you just say finesse?" I laughed.

"See this garbage is seeping into my brain and affecting my vocabulary usage. They'd revoke my Mensa membership if I was caught watching this." August said knowing damn well he was enjoying Love and Hip Pop: New York.

"Aug, shut up. Cardi is about to whop that girl's ass for talking about her." I shushed him putting my hand over his mouth.

I watched as Swift introduced his girlfriend Asia to Cardi. Just as suspected, Cardi laid the hands on the girl just moments later.

"We have been watching Love and Hip Pop reruns for the past 3 days and I'm convinced these people don't understand the concept of conflict and resolution."

"True but it makes for good television." I interjected.

"Correction, it makes for entertaining television. This show is trash."

"I'll let you have that one. Now, can you help me sit up." I said motioning for August who was sitting in a chair he placed next to my hospital bed.

"Sure thing."

"Thank you." I said once Aug had me situated comfortably.

"Gabby, can we be serious for a moment?" Aug asked as the show went into commercial break.

Feeling anxious, I asked, "What's on your mind Aug?"

"Gab, you have been in the hospital for almost two weeks. I'm so happy you're recovering physically. I've been holding off on this for as long as possible but the police are breathing down my neck-"