“Excuse me Cynthia? Has my daughter been brought in?” The elevator ride down to the ER had been the longest 2 minutes of Bobbie’s life to date. She had tried to compose herself, drying her eyes and stopping the sniffles. And she had prayed. She had prayed Carly would be all right.Please God, don’t take another child away from me. Don’t do this again.
“Bobbie? Bobbie?”
“Huh? Oh, I’m sorry Cynthia. My mind, it keeps running away from me.”
“That’s okay Bobbie. Your daughter, she was brought in, given a prelim exam, sent for x-rays, and is getting her arm set right now. Otherwise, she and the baby are both fine. There’s no need to worry. She’ll be taken up to the 4th floor after her arm is set because the want to run some more OB tests.”
“Wait, wait, baby? Carly’s pregnant?”
Cynthia nodded in the positive, not really sure why she would ask such a question. That was her daughter.
“Where is she right now Cynthia?” Bobbie asked, still a little shocked that her daughter was pregnant.
“Well, I think she’s in with Orthopedics…setting her arm? Try Room 7 or 8, she should be in one of those.
Cynthia patted Bobbie’s shoulder before she turned to leave. Even though meant as a symbol of comfort, it only served to make her feel more empty. As she moved towards the rooms the head ER nurse had specified, she came up a disturbed looking Sonny.
“Sonny. What are you doing here? Did you here about the accident?”
Sonny looked up into Bobbie’s eyes, his own not seeming to work. He refused to cry, because that was a sign of weakness and if there was one thing he knew how to be, it was strong…not weak. But he sure as hell wanted to drop a few tears right now. He had almost killed the mother of his child…and his child for God’s sake! What kind of man was he?
“I was…I…I was there when it happened. But I…I think I should go.”
“What do you mean you were there when it happened? Why did she run into the street Sonny? That’s what the report said happened, but I can’t for the life of me come up with a valid reason for her doing that…especially if she’s…”
“Pregnant.” Sonny finished the sentence. She was pregnant and he had stood there and been exstatic that she had been run over by a damn car!
Shocks around every corner today, Bobbie thought. “How do you know about her pregnancy? I didn’t even know until a minute ago!”
“It’s a long story…Is she…Is she all right? The baby?”
My baby.
Bobbie didn’t know what to think. There was a story behind Sonny’s presence here, but she didn’t really have time. She needed to see her daughter.
“Actually, I was going to check on her right now. How about I go see my daughter, and then I’ll come back and we’ll finish talking?”
“Fine…fine. Yeah…just ah, tell her that…never mind.” Sonny shook his head and turned to walk away. Bobbie wanted to say something, but her need to see Carly seemed a greater priority. She checked Exam 8, first, but it was empty. Turning to look through the window into Exam 7, she saw her daughter. Rushing past the unused medical equipment, she pushed through the doors into the room.
“Um, ma’am, we’re conducting a medical procedure here.” The young doctor said.
“I can see that doctor, but that is my daughter and I am head OR Nurse here at General Hospital. Barbara Spencer. And you are?”
“Miller, Dr. Miller Track. I’m sorry. I’m just a resident, I didn’t really know…”
“Its okay. How is she?” Bobbie asked as she pulled up a stool beside the bed Carly lay in. She ran her hand through her daughter’s hair, thanking God that he had spared her child. And her grandchild.
“…minor injuries really, considering the type of accident she was in. She was given a local for the setting, but she comes and goes. I’m actually almost finished here, then she can be sent up to a room. I think they want her to stay at least the night, just for precautions.”
“Carly? Carly, can you hear me? It’s Bobbie. It’s your mama, Carly.”
“Mmmm…mama?” Carly mumbled. She turned her head from the bright lights until her bleary eyes met those concerned ones of her mother.
“Right here baby? How are you feeling?”
“Like I got hit by a truck mama.” Carly’s face scrunched up in thought. “I don’t think I’m that far off. I got hit by…a car…right?” Carly remembered seeing the car. She remembered thinking that her baby would never be held or know love. That she would miss Michael’s first day at kindergarten and his wedding. And it all happened in the span of about 1 second. After that, there had been nothing. No light. No sound. Not even any pain. Well, the pain seemed to be steadily returning because her whole body ached.
“Don’t worry Carly, you and the baby will be fine. Speaking which of, when were you going to tell me you were pregnant?” Bobbie frowned at her daughter. Now that she knew Carly would be all right, it was time to get down to the bottom of all this…this…well, whatever it was!
“God! Who told you? Sonny? Is he still around? I swear I will get him for this!” It’s all his damn fault I’m here aching like I just got run over by a truck…car. See how much he likes being run out into the path of a speeding car!
“How does Sonny know that you’re pregnant? You told him before you told me, your own mother?”
“Must we discuss this right now? I thought I just got run over by a tru…a car.” Carly turned her head to see a man bandaging up her left…no right arm…”Excuse me Dr., but don’t I have some internal injuries? Some wounds that can prevent my mother from badgering me…”
“Enough with the theatrics Carly. You were just almost killed. And then, I find out you’re pregnant. Then I see Sonny in the hallway looking all miserable and…” Bobbie stopped. She thought about what she had just said and everything seemed to fall into place.
“Carly, you didn’t! Please tell me you didn’t get pregnant by…by Sonny! Is he the father of your child?”
“I think I’m falling under the haze of the medicine…I can’t seem to hear you.” Carly closed her eyes and hoped her mother would disappear. The last thing she needed right now was a “How could you Carly” lecture. She’d already had two today, and she was positive she would here more of it in the days to come.
“I’m finished Mrs. Quartermaine. Someone will come in a few minutes to take you to a room.”
“Thank you.” Carly mumbled the words, knowing that Bobbie was still lurking about.
“Your welcome.”
“Carly, open your eyes. Now!”
“What mother?” Carly said, her eyes wide open and looking into her mother’s angry one’s.
“Who is…”
“Why do I have to tell you? Huh? I mean, it’s my business. My life. My body. My pregnancy.”
“You are my daughter, that’s why. Carly, how c…”
“Just stop right there, cause I don’t want to here that speech right now. My head hurts. I was just hit by a car, remember?”
“Like I could forget! I was worried sick!”
“Thanks.”
“Well, don’t hold back your appreciation any.”
“I’m sorry mama. I’ve just had a really horrible day and you are not making it any better.” Carly tried to get up from the gurney she was on, but her mother pushed her back down gently.
“What? Let me get up so I can leave before AJ gets here.”
“Carly, as you have reiterated several times, you were just hit by a car! You aren’t leaving the hospital right now. They’ll want to do more tests on both you and your baby. You can expect to be spending at least one night here.”
“Will you bring me food?”
“Stop with the games Carly.” Bobbie said in a warning tone.
“Fine! Fine. Yes, I am pregnant. Yes, the baby does have a father who is a suspected criminal in this town. Yes, I am a slut. Yes, I am a whore. And I am going home today, no matter what anyone says. Is that enough for you?”
Bobbie sat quietly, digesting her daughter’s tirade. She really should be an actress she thought to herself.
“Well, even though you seem very adamant about leaving today, I am 100% sure you won’t be. As for the other bits of information you shared, all I have to say is that you made your bed, now you have to lie in it.”
“Oh, well, thank you mother for you unending, never wavering show of support!”
“What do you expect me to say Carly? You say you are in love with Jason, but then you sleep with his best friend? No wonder the man left town!”
Carly didn’t really need to be reminded of that fact, but she was nonetheless.
“Would you leave too? Will you leave? Cause I know…I know what I did was, well wrong, but…If you leave too…” Carly just let the sentence hang. If her mother left, then she would definitely be fighting this battle alone. But she would, if she had to.
“Carly, I’m not going anywhere. I actually have a stable life here and…” Bobbie stopped when she saw her daughter roll her eyes.
“AND you are my daughter Carly. No matter what stupid mess you get yourself into, you know I will always be here for you. Always. Now, let me go see someone about getting you to a room and then we can finish this conversation.” Bobbie got up to leave, but before doing so, she gave Carly a kiss on the cheek and a smile.
“I’ll be right back.” And then she was gone.
And once again, she was all alone.