Chapter Seventeen

Looking down, Jayme knew it was a long drop to the ground but she had to take the chance. Opening the window, she climbed out onto the steep, metal roof, trying to gain her footing. Sitting on her dress before letting go of the window sill, Jayme let go and slid to the end of the metal roof, falling to the ground.
Instantly she felt the sharp pain in her abdomen and felt the gush of fluid from her vagina. Moaning out a long breath, she knew she was in trouble but had to get away from this house. Standing to her feet, she realized she had twisted her ankle and could barely walk. Leaning against the side of the house, she looked around.
“Help…” She yelled as loud as she could, “Please, someone help me…”
At that moment, Jayme looked to see Jim coming around the corner of the house. “Dammit, you were supposed to stay upstairs.” Jim said as he picked her up and carried her on his shoulder. Jayme fought to get away, at least just to release the pressure on her belly. Quickly, Jim carried her into the house, putting her down on the couch.
Jim grew angry when he realized she had gotten fluids all over him. He had to change his clothes. Grabbing the front of her dress, he picked her up and went up the stairs into the bedroom, shutting the door.
“What the hell is this, all over me?” He said as he set her down on her feet.
“I think it’s amniotic fluid. I think my water broke when I landed on the ground.” Jayme said, leaning against the wall.
“Amniotic fluid? Are you in labor?” He suddenly sounded excited.
“I don’t know, maybe. I shouldn’t be, yet.” Jayme answered.
“I thought your due date was Christmas.”
“Yes, that’s what has been determined.” Just as the words came from her mouth, she felt another pain. Then, she looked down at the floor and saw the blood that was flowing from her leg. “Oh my God, Jim, look, I’m bleeding…” Jayme said and started to panic.
Unsure if it was from the sudden panic or the loss of blood, Jayme fell to the floor, grasping her belly feeling scared and diffident. “Please, Jim, I need an ambulance…” Jayme pleaded, the pain in her back and abdomen gradually growing worse.
“Dammit.” Jim cursed and grabbed clean clothes from his drawer. It was the moment he knew he had to release her. Stripping in front of her, Jim changed into clean, dry clothes. Then he grabbed a towel from the floor. Folding it in half, he draped it across his shoulder and chest, then reached to pick her up again.
It was when Jayme felt the next pain, squeezing her abdomen. Being pressed against his shoulder didn’t help the situation. After Jim cleared the last step, Jayme began to struggle. “Put me down…” She said, the pain worsening against him.
“But you can’t walk…” Jim said as he went toward the door.
“Let me try, you’re hurting me this way…” She said in a strained voice.
Stopping just before the door, Jim put her to her feet. “Look, you don’t need to scream when we walk outside. I’m taking you to the hospital and dropping you off. I need time to get out of time before they catch me.” Jim said.
“Ok…” Jayme acknowledged his statement.
Opening the door, Jim put his arm beneath her arm and around her back, helping her to walk. Locking the door, he pulled it shut then helped her to the car. Jayme was silent as he drove towards town. Pulling into the hospital, Jim stopped before the emergency room doors and allowed Jayme to climb out. As soon as she shut the door, he pulled away and disappeared into traffic.
Jayme went toward the emergency room doors and stumbled inside, falling just inside the doors. Her ankle was well enough to barely walk on, but still injured. The nurse looked up at her and Jayme saw the look that suddenly covered her face. Standing up, she came around the corner and grabbed a wheelchair before approaching Jayme.
“Here, sit down, I’ll take you upstairs, to maternity.” The nurse said.
Jayme sat down and the nurse began taking her toward the elevator. “Please call Under Sheriff Adams.” Jayme said as the elevator took them upstairs.
“Under Sheriff Adams?” The nurse repeated for clarification.
“Yes. Tell him Jayme is here.” Jayme said as she felt another pain come on.
With the pain coming and going, Jayme didn’t know how far apart the were, or if they were even contractions. She just knew they continued to gradually get worse. Upon entering the maternity ward, the nurse stopped at the front desk and told them Jayme needed to be in Maternity.
As that nurse turned to walk away, another nurse came around the desk and saw the bloody, fluid that was staining her pants and dripping on the floor. “Oh, lets get you to a room…” the other nurse said and took Jayme down the hall to a vacant room.
“I’ll need help getting into a bed, I think I twisted my ankle.” Jayme said.
“Oh, maybe you’ll need X-ray after maternity?” The nurse said as she helped Jayme from the wheelchair to the bed.
“Probably.” Jayme responded.
“What’s your name? I’m Shannon, I’ll be your nurse, until seven.”
“Jayme.” she answered.
“Is this your first child?” Shannon asked as she gathered items needed.
“Yes.” Jayme answered.
“Here, let’s put this on.” The nurse said and handed her a gown. Starting with her shirt, Jayme stripped her clothes off as the nurse turned on the machines and gathered a clean belt for the Cardiotocograph. After wiggling out of her pants and underwear, Jayme threw them in the trash as they were soiled with fluid and blood.
After getting comfortable in the bed, the nurse strapped the belt around her belly and located the baby’s strong heartbeat. It was an instant relief to Jayme as she knew the strong, fast heartbeat was normal. Finishing with Jayme’s vital signs and entering them into the computer, Shannon asked Jayme routine questions to get her checked in.
Jayme wasn’t there twenty minutes before she heard a familiar voice enter the room. “Jayme.”
She turned to see Rex approaching her bed. But Rex reached down and hugged her with a long, tight embrace. “How did you get here so fast?” Jayme said.
“I was already in my car when I got the call. I probably broke the law as I sped to get here.” Rex said as he sat on the edge of her bed. Looking at the nurse, he apologized. “I’m sorry to interrupt.”
“You’re fine. I still have some questions for Jayme.”
“Of course.” Rex said and stood up, walking toward the window.
Shannon finished her questions and informed her that Dr. Walker would be in shortly. Then she left the room. Rex turned back toward Jayme and walked to the bed and sat down. “Tell me what happened.”
“I wasn’t even gone long, what told you something was wrong?” Jayme asked Rex.
“Your parents, they thought it was suspicious that your car was home, your purse and keys were home but you were nowhere to be found. And frankly, so did I.”
“It was Jim Taylor.” Jayme said.
“Jim Taylor… the suspect from your husband’s murder?” Rex questioned.
“Yes.” Jayme answered. “A few days after Scott’s murder, I met him, under the assumption that his name was Steve. He was a sweet man, handsome and generous. I kinda liked him, until he presented me with a ring that used to belong to me. I believe Scott took it and gave it to his lover, Jim’s wife. Jim returned it to me. He told me he wanted me to replace his wife and be a family with this baby.”
“What? That is delusional.” Rex said.
“He’s crazy. He… raped me.” Jayme said and started to cry.
Rex reached his arms to her, scooting closer, and wrapped them around her. “We’ll get him, Jayme. I’m sorry you had to go through that, you don’t deserve any of this.” Rex spoke in a low, soft voice.