Chapter 23: Something’s wrong
Weeks passed by and Traci was now almost 6 months pregnant. She hadn’t been feeling her best though; she was put on early leave so now she sat at home. She filled her time reading baby books and picking out baby things as well. Things seemed to be back to normal again, JC was back at work again, and Justin did his usual traveling. Though he toned it down a bit, since JC was rarely around and someone needed to be there with Traci. Though JC was rarely there he was always on call when Traci had a late night craving.
Justin had been gone all week on another business trip. Traci was sitting in her room sitting against the headboard watching TV. She hadn’t felt well enough to get out of bed all day. She was feeling crampy and could barely walk to the bathroom. She was just about to reach over to grab the phone when she heard JC’s voice.
“Trace! I’m home” he called
She sighed “Thank God” she said, and then yelled “Up here!!”
She heard footsteps and he walked into the room. He walked in and saw her noticing the pain on her face.
“Hey you okay?” he asked
Tears started to run down her cheeks “No…” she whimpered
He walked quickly to her side, and sat down beside her on the bed.
“What’s wrong?” he asked
She sniffled “I don’t know my stomach hurts” she replied
JC rested his hand on her stomach, rubbing it lightly
“Something’s wrong Jace” Traci replied
“Wanna go to the Doctors?” He asked
She nodded, and JC stood up
“Okay” he said “Get some shorts on, and I’ll get the car ready”
She nodded and sat up. JC rushed down the stairs and out the door and to his Jeep starting it up. He kept it in park as he rushed back into the house and up the stairs. Traci was walking out of the bathroom and had shorts on now.
“Ready?” he asked
She nodded and JC walked to her side. They made their way out of the room and towards the stairs when Traci stopped.
“I can’t go anymore” she whimpered “It hurts!”
“Okay okay” JC said, he bent and picked her up “Hold onto my neck”
Traci wrapped her arms around JC’s next, as he carefully walked down the stairs and out the door, he got her into the car and got in himself and rushed to the hospital. They reached it some 20 minutes later and JC carried her inside. He walked to the front desk, panicked; no way did he know anything about this.
“Excuse me! I need help!” JC called
A nurse came to him “What’s the problem?” she asked
“She isn’t feeling well, her stomach” JC replied nervously
A man with a wheel chair came over, and JC put her in it.
“How many months pregnant are you?” The nurse asked
“Almost 6 months” Traci replied
“Is this your 1st pregnancy?” the nurse asked
Traci nodded, the nurse looked at JC
“Are you the father?” she asked
JC looked at Traci, then at the nurse
“No…I-the father’s away on business” JC said
“I’m afraid you can’t come any farther” the nurse explained
“No! JC please” Traci whimpered, she was too scared to be alone
“It’s okay” JC said squeezing her hand “I’ll go call Justin…it’ll be okay”
With that they wheeled Traci through the doors. JC was sent to the private waiting room. He took out his cell phone, call the familiar number. He waited and finally he picked up.
“Justin here…”
“Justin, it’s JC”
“Hey guy, what’s up?”
“Um, there’s a problem”
“What is it?”
“Something’s wrong with the baby”
“What??”
JC began to explain what had happened, from when he got home until the phone call.
“What have they said?” Justin asked
“Nothing yet, I wasn’t aloud in because I’m not the father” JC replied
“@#%$!” Justin screamed
“You need to come home, she needs you Justin”
“I’ll try and get on the next flight” Justin started
JC was going to say something else when the waiting room door opened
“JC Chasez?” the doctor called
JC turned, “Hold on Jus” he said
JC put the phone on hold, and walked over to the women
“I’m JC” he said
“Hi, I’m Dr. Louis” she said “You brought in Traci correct?”
JC nodded “Is she okay?”
Dr. Louis nodded “Unfortunately…the baby isn’t” she started “The baby has no heart beat”
JC put his hand to his mouth, shocked.
“Her body seems to be trying to get rid of it, so it’s going through the motions of labor…but she’ll deliver a still born” Dr. Louis said
“Umm okay” JC said
“Have you contacted the father?” Dr. Louis asked
“I’m on the phone with him…he’s on hold” JC said
“Okay, I’ll let you tell him…but I need to know if or when he cane be here…this process will be very traumatic for her…she needs someone with her” Dr. Louis said
“Okay” JC replied “I’ll let you know”
Dr. Louis nodded and walked out of the room. JC sighed and sat down again taking Justin off hold.
“Justin?”
“Still here…what did the doctor say?” Justin asked anxious
“Umm…the baby’s heart stopped…” JC kinda whispered, still shock himself.
The line went quiet for a minute.
“Jus?” JC questioned
“Oh my god…” Justin whimpered, JC knew he was crying
“I’m so sorry” JC said, trying not to cry himself
“Wha- what did the Doctor say?” Justin asked “Is Traci okay?”
“Dr. Louis said her body is going through the motions of labor…so she’ll deliver the baby, but it won’t be alive”
JC heard a strangled cry leave Justin’s mouth, and JC waited for him to talk again. JC whipped his eyes with the back of his hand and sniffled.
“Is…Traci okay?” Justin asked finally
“I don’t know…they haven’t let me see her” JC said “How soon can you get here?”
“I’m heading to the airport now…the flights gonna be 5 hours minimum”
“Dr. Louis said this event is gonna be very traumatic for her…she needs support”
“Jace you have to be there” Justin started “Please, she needs someone”
“Jus, I don’t know-“ JC was cut off
“There’s no one else” Justin insisted “Please Jace, she needs you”
JC sighed “You’ll have to give the Doctor permission” he said
“Fine, give her the phone” Justin said
JC rushed out of the room and down the hall towards the nurse station. Dr. Louis was standing there filling out charts.
“Dr. Louis?” JC asked
She looked up “Mr. Chasez…have you contacted the father?”
JC held up the phone “He wants to talk to you” JC said
Dr. Louis took the phone from JC
“Dr Louis here” she said
“Dr. Louis, its Justin… Traci’s fiancé”
“Right, I’m sure you’ve heard the news”
“Yes, unfortunately I won’t be able to make it there for a few hours or so…I want to authorize JC to be in the room with Traci”
“Okay, are you sure?” Dr. Louis asked
“Positive…she needs someone with her”
“Alright, I’ll write it on the chart”
“Thank you”
“Please, get here asap”
“I will”
They both hung up. Dr Louis looked at JC
“You’re authorized…right now she’s going threw contractions…the closer they get the closer to delivery she is…”
“Okay” JC said
“When she does get closer, you’ll be taken out to put scrubs on…any questions?”
“Not right now” JC said
“Okay, follow me” Dr. Louis said
Dr. Louis showed JC the room, and he took a deep breath before entering. The sight completely broke his heart. Traci was laying against some pillows, her eyes closed and tears running down her cheeks. JC could hear her whimper and more tears fell down her cheeks.
“Trace…” JC said
Traci gasped and opened her eyes and looked at him. Her face scrunched, and she began to cry harder.
“Oh Josh!” Traci cried, holding her arms out to him
JC rushed to her side, and sat down beside her on the bed and wrapped his arms around her. Traci laid her head against his chest and began to bawl like a baby holding him close. JC sighed rocking them back and forth as he hummed a song. They spent a few minutes like that until Traci relaxed and lay back against the pillows and JC pulled up a chair to sit beside her bed.
“Did you talk to Justin?” Traci asked
JC nodded “He said he’ll try and get here ASAP…but authorized me to be in here with you until then”
Traci sniffled “I can’t believe this” she said
JC watched her, he didn’t know what to do, or say. He took her hand into his and kissed her fingers.
“The baby wasn’t ready to be born” JC said “It wasn’t her time”
Traci’s eyes filled with tears “But I wanted her” she whimpered
“I know” JC said rubbing her fingers with his thumb
“Oww” Traci hissed, holding onto JC’s hand tightly
“What? Contraction?” JC asked
Traci shook her head, and closed her eyes. She fell asleep for an hour her contractions becoming closer together. JC was taken out to be put into scrubs and they rushed Traci into the delivery room some 5 hours later with no sign of Justin. JC was now by Traci’s side once again, behind her head with her back against him. Her hair was a sweaty mess, her face covered in a mixture of sweat and tears. The nurses were doing their last minute prepping when Dr. Louis finally came in, dressed in scrubs.
“Okay Traci, are we ready?” Dr. Louis asked
Traci nodded, as JC gripped her hand.
“Okay when I count to 3, I want you to give me one big push okay” Dr. Louis asked
Traci nodded and looked up at JC, who was watching her.
“It’ll be okay” he whispered, kissing her head
Dr. Louis watched them, before speaking “Okay…1…2…3…push!”
Traci gripped down, her chin resting on her chest and pushed as hard as she could squeezing JC’s hand tightly. Traci screamed, more tears running down her cheeks as she cried.
“I know Traci, okay…one more push” Dr. Louis said
Traci whimpered and leaned back against JC. JC squeezed her hand tightly.
“You can do it” JC encouraged “one more push…”
With that Traci pushed with all her might, crying in agony over the pain and the fact that she’d never hear the baby cry. They baby came out with that push; silence. Traci slumped against JC closing her eyes tightly not wanting to see her; the daughter she’d never know. JC looked over at the baby, tears in his eyes. There was the problem; the umbilical cord was around her neck. JC sighed and hide his own face in Traci’s hair.
“You did so good” JC encouraged quietly
The nurses cleaned the baby, cutting the cord and treating it like she was alive.
“14 inches, almost 2 pounds” the nurse said to Dr. Louis
Dr. Louis nodded, writing it down before turning to Traci.
“You want to hold her Traci?” Dr. Louis asked
“No” Traci whimpered her eyes closed tightly, tears escaping.
Dr. Louis looked at her sympathetically, and then turned to JC signaling him to follow her outside.
He nodded “I’ll be right back” he said to Traci
“Okay…” she whimpered
JC kissed her head once before letting go of her hand and walking out with Dr. Louis. They moved to some benches by the room.
“I’m sure you saw why the baby’s heart stopped” Dr. Louis began
JC nodded
“You need to let her know there was nothing she could have done that would’ve changed the outcome” Dr. Louis started “Things like this happens all the time”
“Okay” JC said
“Also…she needs closure, the baby’s body will be taken away in a couple hours” she said “You need to convince her to hold her…if she doesn’t…she won’t even be the same”
“I can’t make her” JC said
“Of course not…but I can tell you by watching you two…you’re close” Dr. Louis said
JC sighed and ran a hand through his hair
“Any word on the father?” Dr. Louis asked
JC looked at his watch “He should be here any minute”
Dr. Louis nodded “I’ll send him in when he arrives” she said
“Alright…I should get back in there” JC said
Dr. Louis nodded “Use the call button if you need anything” she said
JC nodded before walking back into the room. Traci was lying back in the bed, her eyes closed. JC looked at the corner of the room, and saw the baby bed a pink bundle inside no larger then a football. He drew in a breath before walking towards it. He peered into the carrier and his eyes began to water. He picked up the bundle, holding it nestled to his chest. She looked peaceful, like she was sleeping. JC let strangled cry leave his mouth as he stood with his back to Traci. This was his daughter, whether Traci accepted it or not she was his blood. He went down to kiss her forehead sniffling.
“Hey baby doll…” JC began, and rocked it against his chest “It’s me…your real daddy…the one that helped make you. I’m sorry that we never got to meet. I would’ve been known as your uncle anyway. But I just wanted you to know that I love you, no matter what. Also I wanted to say bye…and I guess I’ll see you again someday”
Traci had woken when she heard JC’s strangled cry, and had been watching him ever since. She fought not to burst into tears as she heard him talk to her. JC put her back into bed, as Traci closed her eyes once again. JC went and sat down next to Traci on the bed. He took one of her hands, and held it tightly. He looked at her, and noticed he tears on her cheeks and leaned forward to whip them. Traci eventually fell asleep as JC held her hand tightly.
Chapter End Notes:
*&*Traci*&*
Comments??? Questions??? E-mail me at Spacey1141@hotmail.com
Comments??? Questions??? E-mail me at Spacey1141@hotmail.com
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