Learn to Live Another Day
15: Tell Me Only If It's Real
Bekah
“…white female, GSW to the upper left leg…”
…
“…book an OR…”
…
“…fiancé…”
…
“…last year…”
…
“…brother…cops…under control…”
…
“…hang in there, Bekah…”
…
“…a lot of blood loss…”
…
…
…
Pain. Beeping. Bright lights. Uncomfortable bed. Thin scratchy sheets.
Warmth. My hand is touching something warm. I wiggle my fingers around, attempting to figure out what it is. Soft. Smooth.
“Baby, can you hear me?”
Zack.
My eyelids feel heavy. I can’t open them, I’m not strong enough. I need sleep. God, I’m so tired.
…
…
…
“…been sleeping all day…”
…
“…be fine…”
…
“…blood tests...loss of blood…”
…
“…congratulations…”
…
“…her parents…”
…
“…Zack…what happened…”
…
…
…
The light is gone. My eyelids aren’t as heavy anymore and I open them. The room is dark. There’s a figure slumped in a chair to my left, and to my right, another figure with its head on my bed.
I touch the figure and it jumps awake. “Beks?”
“Water.”
Zack turns on the lamp next to my bedside and it blinds me. “Sorry,” he mumbles, pouring me a cup of water and lifting it to my lips. The wetness instantly adds moisture to my dry lips, then mouth and throat. Instant relief.
My eyes adjust to the lighting and I can finally get a good look at Zack. He’s been crying. I lay my head back on the pillow as the events from the incident pass through my head. We’re alive. Zack and I – we’re both alive.
“Jesse?” I ask.
“In jail,” Zack replies.
I nod and look over to the sleeping, slumping figure to my left. The hood on their hoodie is pulled
up and I can’t tell who it is. “Who…?” I start but Zack interrupts me.
“Matt,” he answers.
At the sound of his name, Matt jumps awake like Zack had only moments ago. “What’s wrong?” he asks. He sees me and stands up from his seat and rushes over. “Bekah. How are you?”
“Tired,” I answer. “My leg hurts.”
“I’ll go get the nurse,” Matt smiles, kissing me briefly on my forehead. He walks out of the room and I turn my attention back to Zack.
“Are you okay?” I ask him. There’s no more blood on his neck and he’s wearing a clean shirt.
Zack gives me a small smile. “You were shot, again, and you’re worried about me?”
“Yes,” I smile. Zack kisses me softly. I never thought I was going to kiss him again.
“Baby, I’m so sorry.”
“Why are you apologizing?” I ask.
Zack touches his necklace and I recognize my engagement ring on the end of it. They must have taken it off when I had surgery. “I promised I would always protect you.”
“You tried. It’s not your fault I’m stubborn.” I smile. I shift uncomfortably. Man, pain is annoying.
“I’m going to go see where Matt went,” Zack said standing up.
I grab his hand. “Don’t leave.” I try my best to scoot over in bed. Once I’m over as far as I can, I pat the bed beside me.
Zack crawls in as gently as he could and I curl up next to him. “I have some news.”
“Is it good news?” I ask.
I can’t see Zack’s face but I can hear the smile in his voice. “I think so.”
I smile. “I could really go for some good news right now.”
“You’re pregnant,” he reveals.
“I’m…” I raise up turning to face Zack, a shooting pain runs through my leg but I ignore it. “What?”
Zack is grinning and he’s got tears in his eyes as he nods. “We’re going to have a baby. They confirmed it with bloodwork.”
“We’re going to have a baby?” I repeat.
Zack lifts up too and kisses me. “You’re not very far along, but yes.”
“Wow,” I whisper, smiling.
A doctor walks in and looks at my chart. “How are you feeling, Ms. Bowman?”
“My leg hurts,” I answer honestly.
She nods, smiling. “As expected. The bullet nicked your femoral artery, you lost a lot of blood.”
“The blood loss, that didn’t affect the baby?” I ask.
“Oh, your husband told you!” She looks at Zack and then me. I don’t correct the use of the word husband. I like the sound of it. “It was very worrisome at first. You’re so early in your pregnancy, we just didn’t think the baby was going to survive. But miraculously,” she starts to inject something into my IV – pain medicine, “the baby survived the stress, surgery and blood loss. You are very, very lucky. We are going to keep a very close eye on you and baby for the next few days, but the both of you should be fine.”
I could cry. I could really cry. Zack kisses my hand and I look over to him – it looks like he could cry too. Everything is going to be okay.
“The pain medicine will make you tired. Your husband and brother-in-law can stay, but you should really get some more sleep,” The doctor tells me. “I will be back to check on you in a few hours, but if you need anything before then, feel free to find a nurse. Oh, and my name is Doctor Kirk, by the way.” She smiles before exiting the room. When she exits, I can see Matt, my brother-in-law, in the hallway talking on the phone, probably talking to Val.
“I called your parents. They were here earlier but I told them to go get some sleep. I should call them, tell them you’re awake,” Zack whispers.
He moves to get out of bed but I stop him. “No, stay. They’re probably sleeping. Call them later.” I didn’t want him to move. I just wanted to hold me and he did.
I close my eyes and snuggle up next to him. I’m so tired…and alive, pregnant, engaged and happy. Zack is alive, Jesse is in jail and everything is good. Everything is going to be okay.
Zack presses his lips to my temple. “I love you, Beks.”
“I love you more.”
“…white female, GSW to the upper left leg…”
…
“…book an OR…”
…
“…fiancé…”
…
“…last year…”
…
“…brother…cops…under control…”
…
“…hang in there, Bekah…”
…
“…a lot of blood loss…”
…
…
…
Pain. Beeping. Bright lights. Uncomfortable bed. Thin scratchy sheets.
Warmth. My hand is touching something warm. I wiggle my fingers around, attempting to figure out what it is. Soft. Smooth.
“Baby, can you hear me?”
Zack.
My eyelids feel heavy. I can’t open them, I’m not strong enough. I need sleep. God, I’m so tired.
…
…
…
“…been sleeping all day…”
…
“…be fine…”
…
“…blood tests...loss of blood…”
…
“…congratulations…”
…
“…her parents…”
…
“…Zack…what happened…”
…
…
…
The light is gone. My eyelids aren’t as heavy anymore and I open them. The room is dark. There’s a figure slumped in a chair to my left, and to my right, another figure with its head on my bed.
I touch the figure and it jumps awake. “Beks?”
“Water.”
Zack turns on the lamp next to my bedside and it blinds me. “Sorry,” he mumbles, pouring me a cup of water and lifting it to my lips. The wetness instantly adds moisture to my dry lips, then mouth and throat. Instant relief.
My eyes adjust to the lighting and I can finally get a good look at Zack. He’s been crying. I lay my head back on the pillow as the events from the incident pass through my head. We’re alive. Zack and I – we’re both alive.
“Jesse?” I ask.
“In jail,” Zack replies.
I nod and look over to the sleeping, slumping figure to my left. The hood on their hoodie is pulled
up and I can’t tell who it is. “Who…?” I start but Zack interrupts me.
“Matt,” he answers.
At the sound of his name, Matt jumps awake like Zack had only moments ago. “What’s wrong?” he asks. He sees me and stands up from his seat and rushes over. “Bekah. How are you?”
“Tired,” I answer. “My leg hurts.”
“I’ll go get the nurse,” Matt smiles, kissing me briefly on my forehead. He walks out of the room and I turn my attention back to Zack.
“Are you okay?” I ask him. There’s no more blood on his neck and he’s wearing a clean shirt.
Zack gives me a small smile. “You were shot, again, and you’re worried about me?”
“Yes,” I smile. Zack kisses me softly. I never thought I was going to kiss him again.
“Baby, I’m so sorry.”
“Why are you apologizing?” I ask.
Zack touches his necklace and I recognize my engagement ring on the end of it. They must have taken it off when I had surgery. “I promised I would always protect you.”
“You tried. It’s not your fault I’m stubborn.” I smile. I shift uncomfortably. Man, pain is annoying.
“I’m going to go see where Matt went,” Zack said standing up.
I grab his hand. “Don’t leave.” I try my best to scoot over in bed. Once I’m over as far as I can, I pat the bed beside me.
Zack crawls in as gently as he could and I curl up next to him. “I have some news.”
“Is it good news?” I ask.
I can’t see Zack’s face but I can hear the smile in his voice. “I think so.”
I smile. “I could really go for some good news right now.”
“You’re pregnant,” he reveals.
“I’m…” I raise up turning to face Zack, a shooting pain runs through my leg but I ignore it. “What?”
Zack is grinning and he’s got tears in his eyes as he nods. “We’re going to have a baby. They confirmed it with bloodwork.”
“We’re going to have a baby?” I repeat.
Zack lifts up too and kisses me. “You’re not very far along, but yes.”
“Wow,” I whisper, smiling.
A doctor walks in and looks at my chart. “How are you feeling, Ms. Bowman?”
“My leg hurts,” I answer honestly.
She nods, smiling. “As expected. The bullet nicked your femoral artery, you lost a lot of blood.”
“The blood loss, that didn’t affect the baby?” I ask.
“Oh, your husband told you!” She looks at Zack and then me. I don’t correct the use of the word husband. I like the sound of it. “It was very worrisome at first. You’re so early in your pregnancy, we just didn’t think the baby was going to survive. But miraculously,” she starts to inject something into my IV – pain medicine, “the baby survived the stress, surgery and blood loss. You are very, very lucky. We are going to keep a very close eye on you and baby for the next few days, but the both of you should be fine.”
I could cry. I could really cry. Zack kisses my hand and I look over to him – it looks like he could cry too. Everything is going to be okay.
“The pain medicine will make you tired. Your husband and brother-in-law can stay, but you should really get some more sleep,” The doctor tells me. “I will be back to check on you in a few hours, but if you need anything before then, feel free to find a nurse. Oh, and my name is Doctor Kirk, by the way.” She smiles before exiting the room. When she exits, I can see Matt, my brother-in-law, in the hallway talking on the phone, probably talking to Val.
“I called your parents. They were here earlier but I told them to go get some sleep. I should call them, tell them you’re awake,” Zack whispers.
He moves to get out of bed but I stop him. “No, stay. They’re probably sleeping. Call them later.” I didn’t want him to move. I just wanted to hold me and he did.
I close my eyes and snuggle up next to him. I’m so tired…and alive, pregnant, engaged and happy. Zack is alive, Jesse is in jail and everything is good. Everything is going to be okay.
Zack presses his lips to my temple. “I love you, Beks.”
“I love you more.”
Notes
The End!
Thank you so much for all the support and comments! Hope you guys enjoyed it, and enjoy the happy ending!
Thanks to Hollie, Cheyenne16, ShadowSkye, imagine fiction, foREVer-A7X, MeRi, Kimmie, a7xdeathbats6661, kaylakakes for commenting!
And Merry Christmas and Happy first day of Hanukkah!
Title credit: Avenged Secenfold "Buried Alive"
WHAT?! No! I wanna know about Baby Vengeance! Why have you forsaken me?! *cries*
5/8/18