Don't Need A Man

in which they return a sign

"Grammy got you balloons, and I got a little bear." Prim holds up the blue stuffed bear. The balloons, held down by an anchor, rest in the corner of the hospital room. Basil struggles with his homework on the floor and no matter how much I tell him to sit on the bed he refuses. "Oh, and she give me some choco for you."

I take the chocolates from the two year old. She rushes around the hospital bed to grab the remote and switches Judge Judy to Disney Channel.

I haven't seen the doctor since last night when I was admitted. The nurses check on me hourly, making sure my fluids are good and I've eaten. Everyone here is friendly-- too friendly.

Just as Prim bursts into giggles from some badly executed joke on the show she's watching nurses push an ultrasound machine into the room. Both children glanse up to see who's entering, but when they see it's just my nurse they relax. Those little munchkins are so protective of their momma.

"Good evening, Miss Beckett. How are you feeling?" I answer with my usual 'just fine, where's the doctor?' She giggles. "Well your wishes are about to be granted, Doc is on his way to see you." She hands each kid a lollipop before scurrying off. They happily suck their treats without a care in the world.

Luke enters, his hair now a peach color, with a small smile. He greets with me a kiss on each cheek. "How are you feeling, Rosemary?"

"Anxious. Very anxious."

At that he starts the usual ultrasound. My gown is pulled up and my sheet blanket covers my nether regions. Like almost two months ago Luke hmphs. Last time it was a good hmph but I have an eerie feeling this time around.

"Luke. . ."

"There's only one fetus."

I don't know how to feel. Happy because I still have one baby, or crushed because I lost the other. I watch the screen, listen to the thumping, now only a single heartbeat. "H-How? What happened?"

"We call it Vanishing Twin Syndrome. It happens during the first trimester usually, like yours did. Your body absorbed the miscarried tissue."

"W-What about the other baby?"

"He or she is perfectly fine. Most cases come out where the remaining baby comes out fine." I grip Luke's free hand. It's times like this I wish I had a significant other to hold me while I cry. But I chose to live my life this way, and there's no way I'm about to wallow in my self pity. "Your olive is in a rather awkward position, probably not used to all the free space, so it's difficult to tell the sex. We'll have to wait until your next appointment. I'll have a nurse get your discharge papers."

Luke packs everything up and leaves at the beep of his pager. Basil packs all his homework back into his Power Rangers backpack. Prim snuggles into the hospital chair and continues to watch her show.

"When can you come home? I don't like staying at Grammy's house," Basil asks. I stroke his cheek while kissing all over his face. He giggles and struggles to get free.

"Today. So grab your jacket and help Primmy into hers."

Two nurses come in, one to unhook me and another with papers and a pen. Once I'm free from the machines and I sign all the papers I'm handed a new prescription for prenatal medications. I scoop Prim into my arms, immediately she wraps her legs around my side and snuggles into my neck. Now with a free hand I take Basil's.

Like the little family we are, we talk out the hospital.