"When the silence isn't quiet
And it feels like it's getting hard to breathe
And I know you feel like dying
But I promise we'll take the world to its feet
And move mountains
We'll take it to its feet."
The Tate clan sat impatiently in the cold waiting room. Zach, who rode in the ambulance with Elise, had been escorted to the waiting area with his family. He placed back and forth across the enclosed space with his arms raised and hands clenched tightly behind his head. Alana took the kids home with her but called Mama Vivian and Gianna almost every ten minutes looking for an update. Everyone was desperately searching for a valid reason as to why would this happen today of all days.
Elise had been okay all day. She spent the day relaxing with her best friend and sister and topped her night off with a beautiful birthday dinner that rivaled every birthday celebration she had ever had. It was a beautiful night ruined by her unanticipated fainting. When the paramedics arrived, Elise was slowly coming to, but her vital signs were stagnant, and she was still a bit stunned, so the paramedics thought it best to bring her in. Elise didn't utter a word on her way over; she just kept a firm grip on Zach's hand letting him know that she was still there.
"Nurse, do you have an update on Elise Tate," Zach queried to the intake nurse that sat at her desk, swirling around in her swivel chair.
"Sir," the nurse responded while pooping her gum, " just like I told you the last five times you've asked, as soon as I find something out, I'll let you know," and with her final words, she twirled around in her chair.
"Nurse... Nurse... I need a doctor! My baby is burning up," a female voice sounded and echoed off the walls. Zach's head whipped around at the sound of Jhene's voice. He was alarmed at the panic-stricken look on her and Cam's face.
"Jh-Jhene, what's going on," Zach managed to get out.
"Lizzie was cranky and moving slowly this morning. Then I noticed she had a fever, so I gave her some Tylenol, but it only made her fever worse. By the time Cam got here to visit her, her breathing was shallow. I just-, I don't know what I did wrong," Jhene sobbed while cradling her baby girl close to her chest.
"Nurse, where the fuck is the damn doctor," Jhene growled through clench teeth making the ginger-haired woman spring from her chair and push a button on the back wall, causing the doors to the back of the emergency room open.
"Follow me," the young nurse almost whispered, as she gestured for Jhene to follow her. Jhene's feet immediately began to move as Cam followed closely behind never making eye contact with Zach.
Zach wiped his face with the palms of his hands and made his way to the vacant seat beside his mother. She gently rubbed his back.
"Everything's going to be okay son," Mama Vivian cooed, " El is a fighter, and God is a great commander in chief, all will be well."
Zach took in his mother's words but wouldn't be persuaded entirely until he was able to lay eyes and hands on his wife.
"Was that Jhene and Cam," Destiny queried lifting her head from Jayme's chest. Her big doe eyes were red-rimmed and her light skin blotched from her ever-flowing tears.
"Yeah that was them," Zach answered distractedly. He sat pensively watching the doors leading to the back of the emergency room hoping someone would be calling for him soon. He immediately jumped to his feet startling his family. He then began to pace back and forth once again.
He found himself wedged between a wall and a vending machine. He sat with his back against the wall with his knees pulled up to his chest. He wrapped his arms around his legs and hung his head between his knees.
" God I come to you as humbly as I know how, thanking you for this day and your many blessings. I come asking that you lay your healing hands on my wife, Elise. I pray that your angels would surround her and comfort her. Even if you don't stop by, I ask that you send your word because we know that your word can not go out and return to you void. Speak your healing words over Elise, over her heart, mind, body, and soul-"
"Family of Elise Tate," Zach's prayer was interrupted.
"Amen," he muttered as he rushed to his feet to meet the nurse. He walked swiftly over to the nurse standing at the door.
"Elise is doing well and is coherent. At this time, she is asking that only her husband come back," the elderly nurse with salt and pepper hair said with a small smile on her face.
"Well can you at least tell us what was wrong," Mama Ava voiced gently but frustratedly.
The nurse gave her smile in return, " After the doctor speaks with Mr. Tate, she will speak with the rest of the family," the nurse answered gently.
"But I'm her mother, " Mama Ava fussed.
"And I understand that, but Mrs. Tate only asked for Mr. Tate at this time," the nurse responded apprehensively.
"This is bullshit, " Mama Ava huffed underneath her breath as she turned to return to her seat with Maxwell on her heels. Gianna clutched her imaginary pearls at hearing her mother use profanity. Mama Vivian laughed lightly under her breath, Zach's eyes bulged out of his head, and Jayme clenched Zach's shoulder trying to mask his surprise.
The nurse looked over at Zach expectantly, willing him with her eyes to follow him, to which he obliged. Zach followed the short and round nurse through the door and down three corridors before they reached Elise's room. The painful groans and sighs echoing from rooms he'd passed on the way, had his level of panic rising substantially.
When they finally stopped in front of the last door, the nurse rapped her knuckles against it lightly alerting Elise of our arrival. Zach took a few deep breaths before entering the room, and then let out an even bigger sigh of relief when he saw his wife sitting upright in the bed with a bright smile on her face.
Meanwhile, Jhene leaned over the small crib running her fingertips gently along the side of Carmen's face. Doctors were convinced that she had some type of virus that would eventually pass, but they gave her a dose of antibiotics to target any infection that may show itself and a medical grade Tylenol to help reduce her fever. She was still lethargic, but her color was coming back, and her eyes seemed to hold a little more life.
"Cam you can leave if you need to. I know you weren't expecting to be here this long and I know you need to get back to CJ," Jhene said softly keeping her gaze on Carmen.
"Carmen is my child just as much as CJ. He is healthy, and with his mama, Carmen needs me right now, so I'm right here," Cam professed while Carmen gripped his index finger in her little fist.
"And Cassandra," Jhene questioned hesitantly.
"Cassandra is fine. I texted her, and she sends her prayers," Cam responded still focused on his sweet baby girl.
"I'm really sorry you know," Jhene confessed lifting her head, her eyes finally meeting Cameron's.
"For what Nae? You have nothing to apologize for. These things happen with children," Cameron answered looking at her quizzically.
"Not for tonight Cameron, but the way I handled things in general. I could have handled things so different between us," Jhene confessed shifting her eyes back to a cooing Carmen who had leaned her head onto her dad's arm.
"I could have responded differently, and for that I apologize. I would fu-, I mean mess up any guy that came at Carmen that way. I should treat her mother the way that I expect her to be addressed." Cameron paused in thought as he gently rubbed his hand against his baby girl's face.
After a few beats of silence, Cam spoke up, "You know, I finally get it now, the reason why Zach treated you the way he did. At first, I thought it was because he was still in love with you, but now I see he was handling you the same way he would want someone to handle Kiya. He practiced patience because he would want someone to have patience with her. I get it now."
"I never thought about it like that," Jhene mumbled while biting down on her lip, "it makes sense though. I used to think the same thing until I looked at how he gazed at Elise when she was looking and realized he had never looked at me like that."
"I was convinced he was still in love with me although he married her," Jhene muttered mindlessly while she continued to love on her baby girl. "We invested all that time you know, so it seemed like the logical next step. But now I see, that he does love me but not in a romantic sense you know. He loves me like ... like... he would love any member of his family. I get it, finally."
"I can feel that. Maybe you and Elise can figure everything out as well and move on," Cam suggested.
"Maybe so, but hey, what's up with you two?" Jhene queried.
"Man," Cam dragged out, " I honestly had a crush on Elise since we were little but she always referred to me as her brother, and I guess I couldn't hold it anymore. I was a coward for not telling her a long time ago, but that was my loss. I honestly miss my best friend though."
"Well, maybe you should talk to her and Zach and sort things out. decide wh
at's most important, your friendship or some form of relationship," Jhene suggested.
"Maybe so," Cam responded absentmindedly.
"Hey, baby! You happy to see me," Elise sang sweetly at her husband who stood frozen across the room staring at her lovingly.
"I am. You scared me," Zach confessed breaking out of his stupor and convincing his feet to travel toward his wife.
"I'm sure I did, but all is well. Come sit with me," Elise cooed while patting an empty spot beside her. Zach made his way over and cautiously perched himself on the side of the bed.
"Boy stop playing and get on this bed," Elise fussed while pulling on Zach's arm. Reluctantly, Zach swung his legs onto the bed while turning on his side to face his wife. Elise reached behind her and pulled a small slip of paper from underneath her pillow. Elise firmly held the delicate piece of paper between her index finger and thumb. Zach just stared wordlessly. His eyes were drifting between the article and Elise.
"I'm fifteen weeks and three days," Elise beamed with glistening eyes, " the urine test came back negative, but when they did an ultrasound to look for fluid in my belly, this beautiful being took the show."
Zach continued to stare at the picture, eventually removing it from Elise's grasp and moving it closer to his face to admire the beauty in front of him.
"Is this-, Are you for real," Zach choked out while his eyes shifted from the picture in his hand to Elise's stomach. He reached out to palm her barely-there stomach. "It's so flat," Zach said confusedly.
"Mmmhm, I'm sure. The doctor confirmed it with a blood test," Elise assured. Zach finally lifted his head as his eyes met Elise's. A slow trickle of tears traveled waywardly from the corners of his eyes as he stared intensely into Elise's. A thousand unspoken words were exchanged between the two. Decibels of love screamed to the heavens in inaudible sounds. A fog, the spiritual would deem as the Glory of God encompassed them.
Zach leaned forward and cradled Elise in his arms. Her head rested in the crook of his neck as his head and tears got lost in Elise's hair. Many words could have been spoken, but none parted their lips. They truly believed the words spoken in Jeremiah 29:11, " For I know.the plans I have for you," says the Lord. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope."
Thoughts?
I know that you all are happy right now? Elise is PREGNANT!!!
I need baby names both boy and girl, please and thank you.
While I do not want to steal your joy, this is, unfortunately, the last chapter. Only the Epilogue is left. *Ducks down*
Happy Early Thanksgiving! Just know that I'm thankful for you and all your continued love and support. Those readers that have been with me since the beginning that never gave up on me or judged me for my mistakes. I appreciate you. For those that flood me with comments, that I love love love to read, I appreciate you. For my new readers. that vote or even if you don't I appreciate you too! Love Kay