Tea Parties and Feather Boas (Luke Kuechly)

Chapter Thirty-One: Small Bump

Trigger warning: Miscarriage

Dedicated to Everyone who has a child or children, brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, granddaughter, grandsons, cousins, godchildren, and other babies they never got to meet and my baby sister in heaven with them.

•You are my one and only
You can wrap your fingers round my
Thumb and hold me tight
And you'll be all right

You were just a small bump unborn
Just four months then torn from life•

Flashback
July 2, 2010

Wyatt was dead asleep on his couch, taking his afternoon nap when his phone started ringing. Startling awake, the man grabbed his phone off the end-table.

"Yes? he answered, eyes closed and groggy.

"Wyatt?" Lydia's frantic voice came over the line.

Even in his foggy state of mind, Wyatt sensed the urgency and fright in his baby sister's voice.

"Lydia? What's wrong?" He shot up into a sitting position, trying his best to wake up his brain.

"I- I think my water broke," The woman choked out as tears cascaded down her face. "I don't know what to do. Lawson isn't answering his phone. I'm scared. It's too early for this."

Lydia barely got the first sentence out before her brother sprung off the couch, pulling on his shoes as quickly as humanly possible.

"I'm on my way over now, Lydia. Try to stay calm." Wyatt grabbed his keys before rushing over to his sister's house, breaking land speed records as he did.

Lydia was standing on the front porch, grasping the railing when Wyatt arrived at the house. Leaving his truck running, the man rushed to his sister's side.

"It's ok. I'm here now. We'll get you to the hospital and it'll all be ok."

Lydia's head shook as tears continued to stream down her face. "I don't think it will be."

The brother pulled his baby sister into his arms before making an executive decision to carry her to his running vehicle. Making sure she was secure, he quickly took off for the hospital.

Midway there, he called Lawson. When he got sent straight to voicemail, anger welled within the man as he mumbled under his breath as Lawson's voicemail message played in his ear.

"Lawson, I'm taking Lydia to the hospital. Something-" He had to swallow the lump in his throat before continuing. "Something is wrong. Call me when you get the message." He angerly hung up and threw his phone up on the dash.

As they pulled into the parking lot, Lydia doubled over in pain. Wyatt swallowed, feeling helpless to do anything as he fought back the reality that was presenting itself before his very eyes.

While the world passed in a blur, Lydia knew this was a day she would never forget. She was quickly attended to in the emergency room where the doctor confirmed what she already knew. Her baby had died. She was having a miscarriage.

The doctor said something and patted her hand as he left the exam room, but the woman never heard it. She wanted to cry. She wanted to yell and throw things. She wanted to crawl up in the corner and never talk to another person again, but all she could do was sit there and let silent tears continue to flow.

Wyatt never left her side as they moved her to a private, more quiet room. As the nurse quietly worked to get Lydia settled, her mind cleared slightly and the tears stopped, if only for a few minutes.