A Collection of Stories

The Girl Who Signed

Daniel didn't miss me at all. He had moved on.

"The hell Aubrey, get out!" He shouted, dropping the phone and shoving this Aubrey girl out. I took that moment to press the phone into my stomach and scream in pain. Mrs. Martinelli rushed in, stopping in her tracks when she saw me.

"Maddie, don't move, sweetheart. Just keep talking to Daniel." she said calmly, getting her cell out and calling someone. I shakily pressed the phone back to my ear, clutching my stomach.

"Maddie, please talk to me. Don't listen to that girl, she is drunk and didn't know what she was saying." He said in a panicked voice. "I didn't move on Maddie. I still love you; and I've always loved the kid. I was just scared."

I didn't register what he was saying at all. I just knew that there was something wrong with my baby. I gripped the phone tighter, uttering three simple words to him; "Something is wrong."

Daniel started getting up, making loud clatter in his path. "I'm on my way Maddie; I'll stay on the phone with you. It will be alright." He said; I could hear him rushing outside to his car.

I shifted onto my back, keeping the phone pressed to my ear so I could hear Daniel talk. It was so painful, I couldn't bear it. "Danny, it hurts," I whimpered as Mrs. Martinelli came over to me, pulling my hair away from my face.

I heard him rev the engine and his tires squeal as he drove faster. "I know, Maddie. I'll be there in two minutes, I promise." He said.

Mrs. Martinelli sat with me, holding my hand as we waited for Daniel. It felt like an eternity after he hung up on me; the front door opened and slammed shut. Mrs. Martinelli shot up, running into the kitchen and started speaking. They were muffled voices, but I could tell the second voice was a man's. They were speaking urgently, the man wanting the conversation to end quickly. I moaned and got on my side, curling into a ball. Someone burst into the living room and to my side, taking my hand as they knelt down.

I looked up at the person, squeezing his hand tightly. He smoothed my sweat-dampened hair as he pressed his lips to my forehead. "Shh, Maddie, it's okay. Everything will be okay." He murmured.

"Danny," I whimpered, clutching my stomach. There was something wrong with my baby and they weren't telling me what. Daniel rested his hand next to mine, not saying anything for a while.

"I know Maddie, I know it hurts. It'll be over soon." He murmured as he stroked my stomach. I gripped his hand, making an effort not to cry. Daniel did all he could to comfort me, not one thing helping at all. After a while the pain started to subside. I closed my eyes and collapsed against the couch as Daniel's strong and lifted me up and carried me out to his car. I moaned as he cradled me to his chest, knotting his shirt in my fingers to keep them from shaking. I finally figured out what happened to my baby.

My baby was gone.

~

Two days ago, I lost my child. Two days ago I lost one of the last people who loved me. Two days ago I lost everything.

I don't remember much after my horrible realization; it was all a blur, a very painful blur. I remember passing out in Daniel's arms and waking up in a hospital sometime later. The first thing I saw was him sitting in a chair, waiting for me to wake up. I rolled onto my side and hugged my pillow to me, not acknowledging him. I just couldn't deal with anything that had to do with him right now. I just couldn't. He left me and chose now to try and win me back.

I didn't stay at the hospital long. The doctor came in and talked to me late in the day and I was discharged later that night, the hospital allowing him to drive me home. I thought about objecting to it, but Mrs. Martinelli wasn't my emergency contact and Daniel was. I grudgingly let him touch me as he escorted me to his car, but quickly wrenched my arm from his grasp and opened the door, sitting in the seat and closing the door for myself. Daniel walked around the car and got in the driver's seat, starting the car and driving off. Daniel didn't say anything for a while as he drove, but when he missed the turn to get to his mother's house he finally spoke up.