Needs, Wants, Desires, and Dreams

Edge of Desire

July 15, 2015

"Whatever Em, I don't get why it's so hard for you to just let me take care of you sometimes. I'll be back."

Alison hustled to the car, trying to remedy her wife's sudden pain. Though Emily had told her earlier in the week that her back was hurting, after a quick search on Google, their fears had been dismissed as simply expected pain heading into her last trimester. But at no point in time had Emily said that the pain continued or had moved past just pain and onto bleeding.

She began to feel the unpleasant trembling associated with losing her breath as her chest began to heave. Sitting in the driver's seat, Alison looked up at the front door, desperately inhaling the new air contained within her car. Everything in her heart told her to run back inside and ask Emily for more information, but Emily had just asked Alison to not make her freak out her wife's. So despite her better judgment, Alison put the key in the ignition, the gear shift in reverse, and made her way to the drug store across town. Little did she know that doubting herself had started a series of dominoes falling that couldn't be reassembled without destroying the world they had so delicately put together. As at the exact moment Alison's car ignition started, her wife was less than 100 feet away passing out into their stairway, bleeding out alone.

Alison reached the drug store about twelve minutes later. Parking diagonally and in a panic, she rushed out of her car, pulling the handle to the drug store only to find it locked. Her eyes traced up from the doorknob, reaching the taped paper note on the inside of the door.

'Closed due to a family emergency. Will reopen Thursday.'

"You're fucking kidding me!" Alison announced exasperatedly, slapping her hand to her legs. She pulled out her phone to call her wife, who did not pick up.

"Emmy? It's Ali. I went to the drug store, but it's closed for some reason. I'm going to have to run out of town to grab whatever you need. Please call me back when you get this so I can tell the pharmacy people all of your symptoms, okay? I love you, and I'm sorry for being overbearing. Your pain is my pain, babe. I'll be back soon. Also, call me back soon, or I'm going to have to send Mom over there to take care of you. It's all going to be alright. Bye."

Alison's fingers began to impatiently tap on the steering wheel as she put her phone in the cup holder to drive out of town, back toward their house in the same direction she had just come from. Temporary seconds later when her phone hadn't rung, she picked it back up to text her mother-in-law at the 3-way stop off of Main St.

'Hey, Pam. Em's in pain. I went to the store, but she's not answering my calls. Can you check on her? I'll be back ASAP. Thanks. Love you.'

Living just outside of town was Alison's favorite and least favorite thing about their home. They were far enough removed that it felt peaceful and calm compared to the everyday rush of Rosewood. But because of how small their town was in the first place, their distance from the grocery store, pharmacy, gas station, or anything else needed from time to time was even further away when the first option was closed.

About a ½ mile from their home on the main road, Alison picked back up her phone to see that Pam had received her message and was near the house 3 minutes earlier. She knew Emily had to be safe and in good hands, so there was no need to go check on her. Her phone went into her purse just as Mrs. Fields was placing her own phone call from their house.

'8432 Driftwood. My daughter is hurt and bleeding. I think she passed out... Yes, we need an ambulance immediately... My daughter-in-law was worried about her wife, and I showed up here to check on my daughter and found her lying passed out at the bottom of the stairs. There's a hell of a cut on her forehead from falling, I guess... She's waking up and breathing, but I think she's having a miscarriage. Blood is starting to pool around her... Yeah, she is. Emmy? Can you hear me? They're on their way... I got here about 10 minutes after getting my daughter-in-law's text, so no more than that? I'm not sure. She was at the store and couldn't reach her, I think. I'm sorry I don't have more info. Please just say you're on the way. Please... Yes, I can get a towel for her head, but I really don't think one for the blood around her will be helpful... Okay, I'll grab one from the kitchen. Are you almost here? She's opening her eyes off and on but won't reply to me... Emily, sweetheart, you're alright. You just had a bad fall, okay? Help is on the way... Yes, I can hear the sirens. Thank you. Thank you... Yes, ma'am. The door is open.'