Prince's POV:
"Sir, she's a fall risk. If you don't move, I'm going to have to have security escort you out so we can do our job." Dr. Hill said to John in a cold tone when I awoke to an empty bed and commotion coming from steps away. Mya's cries and Dr. Hill's arguing overpowered my senses as I sat up and swung my legs over the bed just as I caught sight of the woman I was so madly in love with against the sink, pale, sweating, and covering her ears with the palms of her hands. John was refusing to move and seemed to tune out everything being said to him as he attempted to talk to Mya.
She tried to warn me. She tried to prepare me, but nothing could've prepared me for what I was witnessing and it was breaking my heart. By sitting on her side of the bed, I got a clear view of what was going on and pretty soon, Dr. Smith came into the room and observed the situation with an unreadable expression on her face as her patient continued to stand there. Her arms were shaking and John backed away once he saw her lift her head up and take a breath. The tone she used was filled with emotion and desperation, one that I found myself using during my own misery, except this time, it was multiplied by one hundred.
"Get the hell out," She whispered, turning to face the two individuals closest to her. John's expression dropped but Dr. Hill's stayed the same. Mya wasn't listening to her. They were so used to her being kind and quiet and at the moment, she wasn't being that. Tilting her head, Mya's eyes narrowed slightly and she licked her lips, the tears only got worse the longer she stood there and when nobody moved, the cries of desperation to be left alone became more apparent as Dr. Hill refused to do what she asked. "Please get out, please. I..I'm trying to be nice and I..I don't want to cause problems. Just..I'm begging you to get out of my face," She whispered softly, her voice strained as John stared at her and nodded, waiting for Dr. Hill to follow him.
"You're a fall risk, Mya. Policy states you can't get out of the bed without a nurse present." She said sharply, ignoring the look Mya was giving her when John cleared his throat. "Have you ever withdrawn, Dr. Hill?" He asked, watching her turn around with her eyebrows raised.
He didn't give her a chance to answer his question before he crossed his arms and winked at Mya, cracking the door and standing in front of it afterwards. "Let me tell you from experience in case neither of you have. When you withdrawal from hard drugs, especially when you've been clean for as long as she has, your experience is fifty times worse than a first time user. Your body aches so bad that just touching your skin feels like being burned. The migraine is so great that nothing alleviates it. It worsens. Your stomach cramps so bad that it takes your breath and feels like your being stabbed repeatedly with no breaks in between. You feel dizzy from the nausea, the fever that takes over makes you sweat and shake uncontrollably as your body tries to break it, and if you're like Mya, it throws your body into back to back seizures as it tries to figure out what to do. You can't eat because your stomach can't handle it. But you can't throw up because it's empty, so you end up trying to force yourself to ease the pain by dry heaving so hard that you throw up nothing but bile, which makes you more miserable and desperate for relief. You want to die, to be frank." John said, putting his hands in his pockets and looking at me.
"Those are typical withdrawal symptoms but multipled times fifty. And usually, you can avoid them by taking a drug called methadone or suboxine but she's pregnant and can't. So she has to suffer. You become so irritated that you push everyone away by saying things you don't mean in hopes they'll walk away. You want to be left alone, but you want someone to be there to help you through the worst days of your life. She's just not going to tell anyone." He finished, looking at the doctors in front of him instead of me.
"What can we do to help her? I've had training on expectant mothers on drugs, but not on withdrawal. I have no idea what to do, and I'd like to know. The more stress her body is under, the higher the risk of the clot rupturing." Dr. Smith asked sincerely with a saddened look as she mumbled that Dr. Hill was excused before turning her attention back to her question, awaiting an answer. "I know you guys have a job to do, and that's to make sure baby is healthy. I can tell you that Mya will put him or her first over herself, especially if the baby is in distress because of the withdrawal." He answered slowly, sighing heavily and rubbing his face.
"Don't take anything she says personally, If she snaps at you, trust me, she doesn't mean it. I promise you. Just..be patient with her. I've never seen Mya withdrawal like this and I used to sit with her for hours and watch it first hand. I know she doesn't want anyone but that man right there." Smirking, John laughed lightly before he asked one last question. "Can she go home for a couple hours? Do you think?"
Dr. Smith shook her head in an instant and pursued her lips as she watched Mya from the crack in the door. "No. There's just too big of a risk at this point, especially with the fact that she's having all the issues she's having. I don't feel comfortable doing that, even for a couple hours." I watched her through the open space in the door and my heart dropped. She was really struggling alone and I couldn't handle it anymore. Taking off the heels on my feet, I felt John stare at the side of my face when I got up and started to walk towards the cracked door. Before I opened it, he grabbed my arm.
"Be patient with her, Prince. She will beat herself up over allowing you to see her like this. She made a promise to herself long ago that you'd never see who she turned into when she did drugs, and you definitely wouldn't see what happened when she withdrew. She'll be breaking that promise as soon as you walk through that door." He whispered, looking at me for a split second before he patted my shoulder in encouragement.
"I'm going down to the cafeteria with everyone, you want something? The less that know what's going on, the better. Liam knows because I told him, but keep this..here, please?" Nodding, I agreed completely and stood outside the door, hesitating, and responding to his question. "No thanks. I'm good, thank you." Taking his hand off my shoulder, John walked away from me and Dr. Smith, giving me a slight head nod before he walked out of the room and shut the door behind him.
-
Taking a deep breath, I slowly opened the door fully and stopped as my eyes watered at what was in front of me. Mya's gown was neatly folded on the sink and she was in the corner of the room, laying on her stomach with her head facing the wall. I could see her body shake and tense every few seconds as she curled into a ball and cried, thinking nobody could hear her. She didn't notice me enter the bathroom and the band around her stomach that was keeping tabs on our baby was still there as Dr. Smith kneeled down to Mya, being mindful of what John said before she spoke softly.
"Miss Mya, you're breaking my heart. I have a question for you. Nod your head if you think you'd be interested." Sitting on the floor with her legs folded, the doctor smiled at me before she cleared her throat and talked in a gentle manner, her own eyes watering as she sat behind someone I admired and loved with every fiber in me and watched her body punish her for her past choices to a degree that I couldn't imagine. "Would you like to switch rooms and go into one of our birthing suites? It's much quieter and more private. You'll only have one nurse, and since water has been proven to help decrease labor pain by 50%, I can only imagine that it'd do the same for withdrawal pain. The tub has jets in it that we normally don't turn on, but I'll do it for you. What do you say?" She asked softly, not pressuring a response.
It took a few seconds but Mya eventually nodded and Dr. Smith clasped her hands together, getting up from the floor and watching as Mya very slowly sat up and grabbed the gown from the sink before I stopped her. "You have to get up to put it on mama." I whispered. Her glare was one I flinched at but ignored as I watched her eyes fill with tears when I touched her skin with my hands to tie the gown in the back once she stood up fully. She didn't say a word and it was scaring me on the inside.
"In order for you to get into that jacuzzi, I'm going to have to remove that chest tube. Based on your stats, you're holding your own, so I definitely feel like you don't need it. Sit on the edge of the bed for me real quick," Doing what Dr. Smith said, I realized that for the first time since she'd been back, her hands were folded behind her back just like they were when she walked around the wardrobe department for the first time. Before I could question it, Dr. Smith sat beside Mya on the bed and smiled softly.
"I'm going to be so gentle when I pull your gown down so I can get this tube out. Okay? How this goes is I take this syringe right here, and I deflate the balloon..then I'm going to have you take a deep breath and I'm going to pull it out at the same time. If I see that the baby is in distress or anything by the new monitor I'm going to put on, then that'll tell me you need it put back in. Understand?" She explained everything in a voice that wasn't in the typical tone she used and when Mya nodded, I watched her whole body tense as her gown was pulled down and she held her hands behind her, her knuckles turning white.
"Why don't you let Prince hold your hands, sweetheart? I don't want you to accidentally jump when I pull this out." Mya sat still and shook her head. She wasn't wanting me to touch her, she wasn't wanting any physical contact and as much as it hurt me to watch her draw blood on her own palms, I sat there and watched her brace herself. Dr. Smith spoke again with the tube in her hand. "Okay, deep breath." I watched Mya's chest rise and a sob leave her lips as she looked at me for the first time in hours. Her eyes closed and when they opened again, I saw a mixture of emotions that she'd never admit to out loud.
Throwing the chest tube in the trash, Dr. Smith excused herself and walked out of the room, only to return a few minutes later with supplies she laid out on the bed, explaining what each was and where it was going."This little gauze and tape here is going to cover your incision. Usually, I tell patients to wait two weeks before they bathe. But this little film here is going to vacuum seal the gauze and tape, as well as around any gaps. So it's going to keep germs and bacteria away." She started, looking at Mya as she placed the gauze, tape, and plastic film over the tiny hole before she moved to the IV in her arm, inspecting it briefly.
"Does this hurt?" Dr. Smith mumbled, her fingers lightly pressing on the skin around the IV, which was swollen. "It's blown. So what I'm going to do is, I'm going to remove it, and I'll give you injections every hour. Sound good?" Not saying a word, Mya nodded and wiped her face with the back of her hand. The body shakes were making it difficult for Dr. Smith to remove it smoothly and Mya rejected every physical touch once it was finally out of her arm. She was irritated, she was hurting, and I could see it all over her face that she was desperate for some sort of relief.
Walking back into the room, Dr. Smith was carrying a new monitor for the baby and she noticed the same look as soon as she whispered to Mya that it was waterproof before she put it on and smiled. "It's just down the hall, do you need transport or are you good?" She asked. I gathered Mya's clothes and mine that Brian brought a couple nights ago before I turned around and heard Mya say that she didn't need to be transported. I followed them out to a deserted waiting room and hallway, and watched Mya struggle to take a few steps, her bottom lip shook and my heart dropped. She was trying so hard to appear okay, to act like nothing was wrong, but she was failing miserably.
-
Dr. Smith was very patient and caring with her as we walked towards the room at the very end of the hall. Eventually, we made it to 767 and I caught the smallest smile curve Mya's lips. We walked in, Dr. Smith shut the door, and it hit me what this room was actually called and I smiled widely when my thoughts were confirmed. "Welcome to one of our birthing suites, you guys. I have to chart that I moved you to keep a better look on things. This is usually reserved for mother's who will have a baby by the end of the day who want a stress-free labor and delivery, so it's stocked with candles and all that good stuff." Dr. Smith said, showing me where everything was located since my girlfriend wasn't paying attention.
A knock on the door interrupted my tour and Dr. Smith told whoever it was to give us a second as she began to fill the tub with water, her hand testing it before she turned to me and whispered in my ear, catching me by surprise. "You're more than welcome to get in with her, if you wish. You'd be surprised how many husbands and boyfriend's do. It's a very calming experience for both." John peeked his head in shortly after, carrying a case that looked way too big on his back.
Carefully putting it on the floor, he put his hands in his pockets and smiled, nodding towards the case that was laying in front of me. "Brian helped me find it, I hope you don't mind. A little birdie texted me and said that you needed it. Also, she asked me to bring you this bag..Amber gave it to me." He mumbled, handing me a backpack and watching my eyes widen at the traveling piano that was begging to be played. Notepads, pencils, and a journal were also in the case and I heard John laugh at my excitement. "Thank you. I hadn't given it a second thought, honestly. But, thank you." I said with gratitude, taking the piano out of its case and setting it on the floor out of the way.
"It wasn't me. Thank your girl who texted me from the cafeteria and insisted you needed it, that she could see the antsy expression on your face and wanted you to be able to still work and do what you need to do. Very persistent, that one.." He joked light heartedly as he winked in my direction and walked out without saying anything else.
-
"Don't take anything she says personally, she doesn't mean it." John's words echoed in my mind when I was beginning to get frustrated at Mya constantly pushing me away a few hours after we got in the suite. "What's your problem?" I asked with a sour tone, glaring at her as we stood inches from one another in the bathroom.
"I asked you not to touch me. Why can't you listen, just this once?" She matched my glare, and we both ignored the sound of the door opening as I huffed and laughed silently to myself when she licked her lips. "Oh, I forgot, you're perfect, remember? Mya Johnson does not wrong whatsoever, right? Isn't that why you're in this situation? Because you said yourself you'd use without a second thought if you weren't pregnant. How do I know you wouldn't use while carrying our child because you don't have self-control? After all, you are James Anthony's kid," I regretted my words as soon as I felt her palm come in contact with my cheek, her strength caught me by surprise as a groan escaped my body.
"You don't want me. You haven't wanted me ever since I told you that I used drugs. You haven't trusted me, you don't touch me the same. I disgust you and you know it. I told Brian this would happen. I told him you were just being kind to me because you felt sorry for me. All of you. Do you think I was stupid enough to not see it, Prince? From you? From John? From everyone around me? I could feel it. I can see it every time I look at you, at him, Amber, Brian. Nobody wants me, and nobody ever has. Not you, not anyone. You wanted a baby. You wanted me to be the same girl you fell in love with, and I told you I wasn't her anymore. I told you repeatedly. I'm sick and tired of being a burden to every person I'm around. I'm so tired of it."
"You know what? My father used to tell me that you never loved me. That I was just a charity case to you. That you felt sorry for me, and I never believed him. I knew better. I knew you better. Now, I see it plain as day, and it's hurting me more than you'll ever understand. I have nobody now just like I did when we first met and it hurts my soul to know that you just used me like everyone else in my life. The bad thing? I still love you. I still love you and I lay awake at night envisioning our future together, you as a father. I get so excited. Because I'm finally happy. My father used to tell me I deserved every time he put his hands on me, every time him and his friends raped me, every time he'd shoot me up so I wouldn't fight him, he told me I didn't deserve to be happy because I was a terrible person. He told me that everyone was just faking their kindness, their love. When I withdrew by myself, I came to the conclusion that I deserved every bit of it, just like I do now. I may be his daughter, but I would never do the things he did. I wouldn't put my child in danger, I crave every single day. It eats me alive. And because I unintentionally used again, it's going to eat me alive even more, but by all means, I'm so glad I could help the legendary Prince Rogers Nelson kick his habit in a matter of days and go on like nothing happened. I don't claim to be perfect. You do." She was getting louder and louder and it wasn't until Dr. Smith stood in the doorway that I realized what I had done.
"Sweetheart, the little one isn't liking this. Whatever it is that's going on, this isn't the time." She said, looking between me and Mya, the black eye Mya gave me was throbbing and when she walked past me, opened the door and threw the backpack she had John bring me out the door with such force that it hit the wall in front of it, is when I really started to regret my words. "Get your ass out of this room." She said through gritted teeth, watching me do what she asked before she said something that broke my heart.
"When the baby is born, sole custody goes to you and I'm relinquishing my rights, just like you planned from the beginning." She doesn't mean it.
I walked out like she asked without responding and as I rounded the corner into the family bathroom, my vile words to her caused me to become physically ill. I felt the the weight of her slap overwhelm me all at once as I looked at my reflection, then back down at the backpack in the floor. Wiping my tears away, I slowly unzipped it and what I saw inside hurt me even more. There was a pair of swimming trucks with the tags still on, several of my outfits, a couple days worth at least. There was also a pair of earphones she knew I used in the studio in the very bottom, and I closed my eyes when I felt the tears return.
-
The afternoon turned into the evening and I woke up with Natalie tapping my shoulder. "I just dropped your favorite little human off." She whispered. "He's struggling today, much like Mya. The exact same things. We finally gave him the last dose of something similar to what he was born addicted to, and his little body is really going through it. To see her go through that the way she is, and then wanting him in there with her..she's one strong woman. You should be so proud of her. She's going to rock labor." Bowing my head, I nodded slowly as I saw Amber glaring at me from the doorway of her room.
"You should be ashamed of yourself, Prince. Seriously. I would've never thought you would say such repulsive things, not to her. You know better than that, especially since you claim to love her so much. Don't forget where you were two months ago, my friend." She said sharply, pulling me to my feet and licking her lips while she stared at my face. "She got you good. You deserved it." I didn't respond before I came face to face with John, who glared at me with narrowed eyes and his jaw clenched.
"Why are you out here crying? You caused it yourself. I told you to be patient with her. I specifically said to not take anything she said to heart. You did, and you saw the consequences. She loves you. I've told you over and over. I'm still trying to get back into her good graces, but you, she's not mad at. She's upset. She's hurting something out of this world and she's doing it without any help. The baby isn't liking it at all. The doctor has tried to calm her down, I've tried, Amber tried. Dr. Smith even filled that tub thing up and tried to encourage her to get in with the little man she has in her gown, but she won't touch it. I've..never seen her like this, P. Ever. Dr. Smith is keeping this from her, but the baby can't take much more. I need you to help her, please." Standing there listening to him, I nodded without hesitation and grabbed my backpack before he slightly pushed me towards the open door in order to walk in with Dr. Smith. Natalie came out with a sobbing baby in her arms and I looked at her with confusion.
"I'll bring him back, I promise. Go take care of her first." Natalie whispered, allowing me to kiss his cheek before she whisked him away. Walking into the room and hearing the water running once more, I braced myself and placed my backpack against the wall as I retrieved the swim trucks from the top and quickly put them on, watching Dr. Smith give Mya an injection in her stomach when I walked out of the bathroom and kneeled down so we were eye to eye. "Does she need to put a bra on?" I asked, looking up at the medical professional who shook her head.
"No. She's okay. We see it all day long." She said, watching the fetal monitor go up and down as I untied her gown and tried to ignore her pleas for me to leave her alone. "We really have to watch her tonight and tomorrow. It's critical now that the baby is being affected more so than I anticipated." Dr. Hill whispered, sighing softly as she stepped away from the bed, signaling to the button on the wall where the jacuzzi was.
"This is an intercom. We don't use them except in emergencies, but I'll be using this to check on you guys, especially if I notice anything weird going on. Besides the injections and vitals, I'll leave you alone for now. Anything you need Miss Mya?" Shaking her head, Mya sat up and ran her fingers through her hair and didn't dare look at me, her silence told me where I stood. She wouldn't move. She wouldn't go near the water that would bring her relief, that would help her. She laid in the same position and cried for an hour before I picked her up, watching the monitor on the wall flash an alarm as I stepped into the hot water with her head in my neck.
Slowly sitting down, I heard a groan of satisfaction leave her lips and her body relax against mine as I turned the jets on and watched as she lifted her head and ran her fingers over my cheek in slow motion before she spoke. "I'm so sorry. I..I don't know what came over me. I..I'm so sorry.." She whispered, staring at me with a look of pure exhaustion. We both had started to take our frustrations out on one another and I didn't like it. "It's okay, Mya. I should've left you alone. Instead, I got angry and said things I shouldn't of ever said to you, and I'll be forever sorry for that. I just want you to get better, and seeing you like this is hard for me. John told me to not take anything personally and I did. I deserved it. Just..tell me how I can help you, my love." I whispered back, seeing the monitor return to normal when she took a breath.
"I want us to start over, P. We never used to be like this, you know? I promised myself I'd never use again, that you'd never see me like this, and I failed miserably. Look where I am. Look where you are instead of working, instead of doing what you love." She said somberly, laughing softly to herself. "This pain is for nothing. At least the next time I'm in this room, there'll be an end goal," She whispered, smiling softly as I kissed her cheek.
"Are we good? I don't want to continue this way and I know you don't either. It seems like all we do is fight lately." Mya mumbled, biting her lip and staring at me. "Yes mama, we're always good. I promise. Let me help you like you helped me." Her lips met mine and I vowed to follow through with my words. She was willing, and that's all I could ask for.
-
Part four - CHAPTER SIXTEEN of "TIME" is here. The next chapter is coming soon...(like, tomorrow..maybe.)
As you can see, Mya and P are both frustrated and hurting in their own ways. We will eventually get to chapter seventeen...eventually. 😂 these parts are very important. If there's any typos or anything, please let me know and I'll fix them asap.
Until next time...
💜