Wait a minute. He left me. Why should I feel guilty? Besides, calling my current boyfriend by the name I reserved just for him. Whatever. That still doesn’t change the fact that HE dumped ME to screw all of America. Screw HIM,” Jessi thought, guilt turning into anger.
“I fly all the way out here to surprise you and this, attitude, is what I get?”
Recovering from her momentary lapse in judgement, Jessi apologized, “Sorry bout that. You just shocked me. That’s all. I thought you were too busy with work to get away.”
“I did an emergency delivery this morning and got someone to cover for me. The one this morning was the most complicated one, and with that out of the way, I felt comfortable with leaving the other two deliveries and what else comes in with Doctor Burns. I took the next flight out once mother and child were stable and doing good,” Jason explained, “Besides, weren’t you the one who said, ‘a girl only turns twenty nine once?’”
“Thank you,” Jessi responded, wrapping her arms around Jason’s neck as he leaned in for a kiss.
**
Stepping out of the elevator, JC placed Jessi’s purse on the front desk and walked away.
“Come on. Let’s go,” JC commanded, tugging Callie’s arms.
“But-“
“Not now and, definitely, not here,” JC responded before changing the subject, “You were going up, weren’t you?”
“Yeah, but-“
“Let’s go.”
JC picked up her bags and stepped back on the elevator. Callie followed.
The elevator doors shut and Callie's rant began.
“WHAT A BITCH!!!”
JC rolled his eyes, not wanting to listen to Callie’s ranting and raving.
“Was that really necessary? Could-”
“Callie-“
“Did she NOT see you standing right there? How would she feel if you kissed me in front of her?"
"You and I are NOT together."
"She doesn't know that."
"What's your point?"
"If she was in your shoes, she wouldn't like what she just saw. DUH!!!"
"Are you forgetting who broke up with whom?"
"Minor detail. I'm just saying-"
The elevator doors opened on their floor and JC walked off, not listening to what Callie was saying. She was not making any sense and JC had other things on his mind. Like why would she call her boyfriend 'Jace' and, even better, why the hell didn't Justin warn him Jessi was in Vegas. Callie can yak her mouth all she want, but JC wanted answers. He dropped Callie's bag just inside the door and turned to leave.
JC almost made it out the door when he heard, "Where are you going?"
"To get some answers," he said and walked next door.
**
Ana coughed, making her presense known, and Jason pulled away from the kiss.
“So what are you two up to?” Jason asked, referring to both Jessi and Ana.
Since Jessi seemed too into a daze from the kiss, Ana answered, "Jessi's getting a makeover."
Daze gone, Jessi narrowed her eyes at Ana.
"No one's getting a makeover. We're going shopping for tomorrow night," Jessi said before turning her attention to Jason, "Wanna come with?"
"Actually, Justin's waiting on me. I just got off the phone with him two seconds before I walked through the door."
"You weren't gonna come and find me first?" Jessi pouted. I never pout. What is wrong with me? Jessi thought.
Jason laughed. Jessi could be cute sometimes. She didn't realize it, but lately, she'd becomee a pouter. Jutting out her bottom lip to get her way with him.
"He's helping me with your gift. I was going to get that out of the way and find you later."
"Get both. Problem solved," Jessi said, smiling up at Jason.
Jason chuckled, " Get both? How do you know I got you one?"
"Because you're smart."
"Nice try, but Justin still waiting for me."
Jessi groaned, and Jason continued, "Go on. Find something sexy for me."
Jason reached around Jessi to give her the purse and Jessi turned, wondering if JC was behind still behind her. "Whew! He's gone," Jessi thought.
Not noticing Jessi's nervous, Jason gave Jessi one last kiss and headed toward the elevator.
Once the doors closed, Ana listened as Jessi let out every cuss word known to man.
"What is the matter with you. You're gonna see him in a few hours."
"That's not the problem. If I know JC like I think I do, he's probably up there right now questioning Justin left and right about me."
Seeing Jessi's dilemma, Ana mouth dropped before speaking up, "Sucks for you."
"No shit, Sherlock."
"Come on. Let's get out of here before the fireworks exploded," Ana started pushing Jessi out the lobby doors. Only to be met with papparrzzi swarming the sidewalk.
**
Out of the corner of her eye, Christi watched JC pace up and down Justin and hers suite. His little floozie in the corner. After everything JC put Jessi through with the breakup, Christi did not really care for him much. She respected the fact that he was and always be Justin's friend, but that was as far as she tolerated with him. As for Callie, Christi could less about her bizarre attempts to be nice. A little too nice for Christi's liking. Christi did not appreciate Callie offer to get Christi whatever she wanted while in her own room nor did she understand how jumpy Justin or JC mentioned Christi's name.
Callie's action around Christi did not go unoticed by Justin. He may have been focused on getting JC out of his room before Jason arrived, but Callie's uneasiness was a little too much. If he had not had heard the entire story about her sister Lana's attempt to kill Christi from JC earlier he may have been weirded out by it. Justin made a note to pull her aside and tell her not to act so nervous around Christi.
"Can we talk about this later, man? Christi's worn out, and we need to get some shut eye."
As if on cue, Christi yawned and turned over from her stretched out position on the couch. JC stopped pacing, watching Christi.
"Sure. Come on, Callie. Let's go."
Christi didn't know what was wrong with the girl but she didn't like how JC ordered her around and putting her in a corner like a child. "Whatever," she thought, "He's not with Jessi anymore. Not like Jessi would take any crap from him anyways."
Once they left, Christi got up and went into the bedroom. She really was tired.
"I won't take long. Jason's on his way up. He needs to talk to me about something."
"Kay. It's probably about Jessi anyways."
Justin watched Christi close the door and was glad he didn't have to say anything else. No lies. He did not want to lie to Christi. Things between them were great, and that's how he planned to keep them.
About five seconds later, Justin found himself opening the door to Jason.
"We alone?"
"Yeah," Justin answered, ushering Jason in and looking out the hallway. He wondered how Jason could be so calm after see JC and Callie downstairs and then again on the same floorhis girlfriend is staying on. "You didn't see anyone in the hall, didya?"
"Nuh uh. I saw the door to your right close, but that was it."
"Thank God," Justin thought before speaking, "So what didya need to talk to me about? Why does Christi need to 'relax'? You sounded off on the phone. Don't you really tell all your patients to relax."
“True, I do recommend all patients to ‘relax.’ The more relaxed the mother is, the less likely for complications to arise. Meaning, a healthy baby. However, as I mentioned on the phone, I’ve come across a complication which affects both Christi and the baby. I didn’t inform the two of you at last Thursday’s appointment for a couple of reasons. One, I wanted a consultant on this. Two, I knew you going away was more than enough stress on Christi. Telling her the potential of this complication wouldn’t have helped much.”
Justin looked around. He needed a chair, bed, something. He wasn’t exactly sure if he could handle whatever Jason had to tell him standing.
“Potential? You sound like it’s anything but potential.”
Jason hesitated for a minute but eventually answered Justin, “Actually, either or. The kind of complication Christi and your son have is rare and unusual. If they’re a mild case, we shouldn’t have too much of a problem. But severe cases are different stories. They can cause other complications.”
“What is it? Does it even have a name?”
“Polyhydramnios is a condition of having too much amniotic fluid. It’s rare in the sense that only two percent pregnant women have it. That’s why I wanted a consultant. I wasn’t sure if I was seeing right. I’ve had plenty of patients over the years and only remember polyhydramnios once, as a resident.”
“Do you know what’s caused this? Causing this?”
“Well, I need to run some tests, but studies show the cause in two thirds of the cases are unknown. The other third is accounted for by heart defects or even birth defects, which hinder fetal swallowing. Diabetes are taken into account as well as some other theories. As far as I can tell, the cause in Christi’s case is unfortunately unknown.”
Jason watched as Justin slid from his chair to the floor. There, he quietly sat, hands combing through his small curls and elbows perched on his knees. Minutes passed and, Jason watched the news soak in.
Once again, Justin broke the silence, “Further complications? You said this may cause further complications. What kind of complications were you speaking of?”
“None, any, or many complications such as abdominal discomfort, preterm rupture of membranes, preterm delivery, placental abruption, poor fetal growth, still birth, and postpartum hemorrhage,” Jason listed off the top of his head but added, “But don’t think too much about those right now. Christi can still deliver a healthy baby boy complication-free. You two have plenty of options for treatment, which I’ll suggest at her next appointment.”
Justin couldn’t believe what he was hearing.
“Wait? You want us to wait three week when Christi and my son may be at risk?”
“No, that’s not what I’m saying. You said she’s been worrying for a week. Worrying is no good for her condition. So let her go to this huge birthday bash the girls have planned for tomorrow. I’ll schedule Christi in for an appointment for the following afternoon. We’ll get everything squared away then.”
“Meaning, telling Christi is outta the question, I guess?”
“For now, yes?”
Remembering the whole Lana fiasco, Justin sighed, “She hates being left out.”
“I’ve heard.”
“I'm screwed. She’s gonna hate me.”
“She’s going to be okay.”
*****************
All polyhydramnios information came from http://www.americanpregnancy.org/pregnancycomplications/highamnioticfluidpolyhydramnios.htm.
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