Right Side Up

Twenty Four

A few weeks have gone by and we are still no where close to finding and saving Mason and Tilly. The three of them have vanished into thin air it seems.

Everyone has 'carried on with their lives'. And by carried on, I mean pretending like we all aren't broken inside all the time. Things are back to normal but it is a very fake normal.

We are living as if our siblings aren't in trouble. It's not healthy for any of us.

The house is so empty without everyone running around all the time. It's too quiet.

Everyone has lost hope of ever seeing our baby siblings again yet no one wants to say out loud.

Quite possibly the only good thing that is happening right now is the baby. Tyler and I are working on our relationship and I would say we are actually back to a pretty good place now.

Sitting in the waiting room of the doctors office is always nerve wracking. Tyler squeezes my hand as the doctor pulls us into the room.

She preps my stomach for the sonogram and begins searching for the clearest image of the baby. She excuses herself and exits the room. She returns with another doctor and they continue the appointment. "I'm doctor Pater." She smiles as she sees the confusion on my face.

The two doctors exchange looks and discuss what they see on the screen privately.

I glance over at Tyler, wanting him to give me answers as to what is going on. He doesn't have a clue either.

"Can I ask why you aren't saying anything to us? Normally you are so vocal about everything." I laugh uncomfortably as they both look down on me.

"I called doctor Pater in here for a second opinion." She explains.

"Second opinion on what?" I ask, looking at the screen and seeing my little girl on it.

"Doctor Walsh asked me in here to confirm the lack of a heartbeat in your unborn child. After seeing it for myself, I believe that your daughter had a chromosomal defect that affected her growth and development." The second doctor explains.

"Whatdoes that mean? Is she okay?" I ask, grabbing on to Tyler for support.

The doctors exchange more troubling looks. "Unfortunately, it seems that your body terminated the pregnancy."

"Ter-" I shake my head. "Terminated? What?"

"She no longer has a heartbeat." My doctor says, grabbing on to my shoulder. "I'm so sorry."

I shake my head. I am in total disbelief.

"So- so what do we do from here?" Tyler asks, a lump in his throat making it hard for him to talk.

"Well, you have two options. One, carry on with the pregnancy and carry it to term. If you do this, your body will naturally start the labor. Or, we could Induce labor and remove the fetus immediately." My doctor explains to me as I fight back my emotions.

"Keep in mind that the longer you wait, the more different your child will look when she is removed from you. It is possible she will look very shocking if you wait to bring the pregnancy to term."

"So, she would be giving birth right now?" Tyler asks, speaking for me as I am a loss for words.

"We would move you via ambulance to the hospital up the road and from there, doctors would start the process of labor." The second doctor leaves the room, leaving my original doctor with us. "I'll give you guys a moment to decide." She smiles sympathetically and moves towards the door.

"No." I call out for her. She turns back to face me. "I'll do it. I'll give birth now." An uncontrollable flood of tears overwhelm my eyes. My hands spring up to my face to wipe them away as they pour down my cheeks.

"Are you absolutely sure? There is no need to feel pressured to do it now. Your emotions are high. I think it would be best for you to talk it over with your partner here and I will come back in just a few minutes when you're ready." She suggests, moving towards the door again.

"I don't need a few minutes. I'm ready. Just please do it now."

Author's note: this chapter hurt so bad to write.