Tyler's POV
I'm sitting here at my mom's place outside by the firepit. My dogs are laying down by my side. They act lost as well.
I picked up the phone and called Matt to see how he and Kennedy are doing and I get no answer. Just my luck.
Jamie shows up and comes outside after spending a few minutes with my mom.
"Hey Segs, how ya holding up?"
I looked at him and shrugged my shoulders. "Same." Is all I can say. My world has fallen apart. Everything is dull with Rochelle being there. And I know it's my fault. I didn't show her the affection she needed. I treated her as a roommate or a housekeeper instead of the love of my life.
"Have you tried to call her?" Really. Does he think that once she sees my number she is just gonna pick up the phone and talk to me?
I just looked at him, not saying a word. I rolled my eyes and looked back to the fire.
"You know she's a mess without you. And YOU are shit without her. Both of you need to get your head out of your asses and man up."
"I know I fucked it up. She's gone. Probably with someone new. Who treats her like she should be treated." I said with hurt in my heart. Just thinking of her smiling and laughing while being with another man kills me.
"She hasn't been with anyone since Segs." He says.
"How do you know?" I looked at him. I don't know if I want to hear this answer or not.
But just as he was about to answer, my mom comes bolting out the door calling to Jamie.
"JAMIE!"
Jamie and I turned to my mom and there was panic on her face.
"What happened?" He said with concern. I looked to my mom and to Jamie and back. She wasn't talking but something spooked her.
"Take the call." Was all she could say.
Jamie got up and ran to the phone my mom was holding. I couldn't hear the conversation but I knew it wasn't good.
Once he hung up he talked to my mom a bit and she ran somewhere in the house. Jamie made his way over to me and stopped to look at me. I saw fear and panic in his face and I knew it wasn't good. I rose to my feet staring at him.
"Tyler, what I have to say to you is uh well its not good."
"Jamie whats wrong? Dude you're scaring me?"
He takes a deep breath. I can see he is fighting back tears. "Jayson just called."
My heart started pounding. A million thoughts run through my head that something horrible has happend to Rochelle. "Wh what's wr wr wrong?" I was studdering so bad I'm not sure if Jamie understood me.
"Rochelle is in the hospital. Shes unresponsive." He says in a shaky voice.
I fell back into my seat as the dogs moved away. I don't think I heard him right. Not my Rochelle. Not my love. This can't be true.
"Let's go." My mother calls out.
"Tyler come on. She is gonna need you." Jamie calls to me.
I get up and follow my mom and Jamie through the house and to Jamie's car. My mom has been on the phone with whom I am guess is Jayson. She is not saying much but then again I can't focus on anything.
About 45 minutes later I noticed we pulled up to the hospital. But wait we are still in Canada. How can that be? I thought she moved somewhere else, how come she is here.
As we get closer, I see Jayson and Amber, Rochelle's dad, Matt and Kennedy. They are hugging each other and crying. I don't understand. My mom hugs Rochelle's dad.
"Has the doctor said anything?" My mom asks her dad. Tears are falling from everyone that is here.
"Just that she's unresponsive due to the pain levels being elevated. And that uh..." he said to my mom and looking at me. My mom pulled him into another embrace and he whispered something to her as my mom's eyes flew open.
"Is?" Is all she could manage to say. He wouldn't say anything and this is not only upsetting me but making me more angry by the moment.
"Could somebody please tell me what the hell is going on?" I said loudly.
"Come on man, walk with me for a bit." Jayson said. "Well will talk." I went with him and he started telling me that Rochelle has been here for a while. That she was scared that I would leave her and how she was very upset. And she bought a new bowling alley and has been working here to male it as successful as the one in Florida.
We were just talking till we hit this little area. As we walked in the nurses all looked at Jayson and gave him a nod and walked out. We were in the NICU. We stopped at this little incubator that had the tinest little baby in it. Here layed the this little life connected to tubes and wires.
"Jayson, why was she scared?" After everything we talked about this was the only thing I could focus on. "And why are we standing here?"
"Life is full of surprises eh? Just when one thing that is so wonderful that has its scares, it can produce something as sweet and innocent as a new life." He said with what looked like tears in his eyes.
"Jayson, please." I begged still looking at this sweet little angel before me.
"She was afraid you wouldn't have stayed with her if you knew. I told her you were not like Jacob. That you loved her more than anything." He said looking at me.
And thats when it hit me. I looked at him and then at the baby.
"She's mine isn't she?"
"Yeah Tyler she is. I know what she did was wrong but-"
"You're right what she did was wrong in so many levels. She couldn't come to me. She ran. She ran. I missed out on so much of this all because she couldn't trust me." I sighed. "But for some reason, standing here, right now, it doesn't matter. They are both in a fight. And I refuse to leave them."
"This little one is early. She's got a fight ahead of her."
"How early?" My voice showing concern and fear.
"7 months. Not bad from what they are saying but she still needs help breathing. She is having issues on her own."
"Jayson, was she alone in this?"
"God no man, I was with her when she started going into labor. We were at her work. I was trying to get her to call you. She was going to call. Honestly. This just happened unexpectedly. I know you're hurting but understand it from her"
"I do understand. And yes it upsets me and pisses me off to no end on what she did. But that doesn't matter. What matters is this life and hers. And the amount of love I have for her. Hell Jayson I was getting ready to ask her to marry me. If she thinks I am gonna walk away she has another thing coming." He hugs me. "Thank you for being there for her."
He squeezed my shoulder and walked out of the room.
"Hi little one. Sorry I wasn't able to be with you until now. But I want you to know I am here now. And I am not running away. You're breathtaking just like your momma. So you need to get strong baby girl. Momma and I need you."
The grip on my finger from my daughter tightened as her little hand curled around. My eyes were tearing up as a gentle hand was placed on my shoulder.
I looked and saw the nurse and she smiled at me. She asked if I wanted to hold her but as soon as she saw the look in my eyes she let out a small chuckle.
"Don't worry daddy, she's a lot stronger than she looks."
Then it hit me hard. Daddy. I'm a daddy. This is my baby, my daughter. I agreed and the nurse showed me the way to hold her making sure none of her tubes or wires were tangled.
My mom came in as I was holding my daughter in my arms and I started to cry. Tears of love, happiness, and sadness all in one.
As I put the baby back into her incubator I looked at my mom and told her I wanted to see Rochelle.
She led me to her room and there was my heart sleeping peacefully in the bed. I walked in and sat down beside her and gently held her hand.
"I'm here my love. I'm am not leaving you or letting you go."
Then I heard a faint whisper. Ot was loud enoughto be heard if you were paying attention that is. "Tyler." My name never sounded so good coming from anyone else's lips, than hers.
A/N: Sorry for the shorter chapter here. I'm gonna leave it here like this just so I can put my evil mind to qork for a change...haahaa. Anyways, I hope you are enjoying this as much as I am writing it. I know not many people will. But hey that doesn't bother me. If you wanna drop a line or two to let me know how you feel that be cool to. Or vote. Thanks as always for giving this a read. Remember to be safe and always tell your loved ones that you love them. For our days are never promised. They are a gift.