Sad News
Rachel
The morning after my admission, after breakfast, a nurse led me to undergo an ultrasound. This intrigued me, as I would have preferred to have someone close to me, like Lindsay, for example. However, I wasn't informed in advance about the change in the exam schedule. It was originally scheduled for 9 a.m., but now I was told it would be at 8 a.m.
Being alone in that room, without the presence of trusted people, made me tense and nervous. Soon, they noticed that my blood pressure was higher than recommended. Despite this, the exam proceeded.
"And then, doctor?" I asked nervously. "How are my babies?"
I noticed that the doctor performing the ultrasound was not the same one who attended to me the previous afternoon. Furthermore, he lacked the kindness of the doctor who was there during the shift change. His demeanor was making me uncomfortable.
"There are no babies, I'm sorry to inform you," he said with false regret, making it clear that he didn't care much about it. "There's only one baby. Would you like to know the gender? I can prescribe a fetal sex determination test."
As he spoke, it felt like a piece of my heart had been ripped out. I never imagined that a single sentence could cause such intense pain.
"There's only one baby?" was all I managed to utter.
Tears started streaming down my eyes, and I couldn't control the sobbing that followed the doctor's words. It was overwhelming pain, and despite my futile attempts to wipe away the tears and contain the crying, it persisted.
"Yes, unfortunately, you didn't carry on with the multiple gestation as confirmed yesterday."
The question about the baby's gender faded from my mind, as all I could do was cry, cry, and cry.
Lindsay arrived thirty minutes later, finding me back in the room, still engulfed in tears. I couldn't understand how there were still tears left to shed, even after trying to dry my eyes from the uncontrollable sobbing several times.
"What happened!?" Lindsay asked, rushing to hug me. "Are you in pain? Did they medicate you?"
Lindsay's desperation was evident as she saw me cry, and when I tried to lift my head, I realized she was already crying before even knowing what was happening to me.
"I lost a baby," I said bluntly. "I lost my baby, Lindsay! I've been so bad, and now I'm being punished for the things I've done. I lost my baby..."
Tears wouldn't let me continue, as if I had cried before, now I was crying even harder, while I snuggled into my friend's comforting hug.
"Oh, my friend..."
Lindsay didn't seem good with words, repeating the same phrase incessantly. But at that moment, there wasn't much to say, because nothing would bring my baby back.
I don't know how long we stayed there, embraced, trying to console each other, because Lindsay seemed to be suffering as much as I was.
After what seemed like hours, I pulled away from Lindsay and tried to organize my thoughts. I was exhausted, and despite losing one of my babies, I still carried another in my womb, which now needed to be cared for even more carefully.
"Where's Joseph? How is he?" I asked, wiping my eyes with the sheet, already wet from the tears I had shed.
I wanted to know how Joseph was if he had stayed home and with whom. I also felt curious about Enrico and my family, but I didn't ask about them. My heart was heavy, and I feared that if Lindsay told me that they didn't care about me or the state of my baby... or rather, my baby, as I thought with a distressed sob, I would be even sadder than I already felt.
"Joseph is in the waiting room with Enrico," she replied, making my heart race in my chest. "They want to see you and said they won't leave here until they talk to you directly."
Hearing that made me think I was going to faint, but I believe the medications they gave me to control my nervous system prevented me from falling unconscious on the bed. Enrico wanted to see me? What could he want with me? He already made it clear he wasn't the father of my child, so why did he want to talk to me now? These questions instantly frustrated me.
"I don't know if I want to talk to Enrico," I murmured, reluctant. "He's already said everything he needed to say."
"You should consider hearing what he has to say," Lindsay advised, holding my hand in a supportive gesture. "But it doesn't have to be now. When you feel better, stronger. You can talk then."
"Maybe," I reconsidered in the end.
Lindsay was right; at some point, we would need to have that conversation. But it wouldn't be now.
We heard a knock on the door, which quickly swung open to reveal the doctor who had performed my ultrasound, someone I already disliked. Now, I disliked him even more, seeing his smug smile after delivering one of the most devastating pieces of news of my life just minutes ago.
"Hello, Miss Mitchell," he greeted me with a smile, which disgusted me with his unethical demeanor. "I just came to inform you that you're discharged and can go home."
"But she just lost a baby!" Lindsay protested, indignant. "How can you release her from the hospital like this?"
"There's no issue in that regard," the doctor replied calmly. "She just needs rest, and since it was early in the pregnancy, she will recover soon."
"Do you have any empathy, Doctor? It's obvious she won't be okay so quickly!" Lindsay seemed ready to confront the doctor, and I thought it best to intervene, as arguing with him wouldn't bring my baby back.
"It would be better to leave the hospital, Lindsay," I told my friend. "I don't feel well here, and I'm sure I'll be more comfortable at home."
"Maybe you're right," Lindsay agreed, shooting a furious glance at the doctor. "This place doesn't seem very welcoming anyway."
*****
It didn't take long for me to be discharged from the hospital. The doctor simply advised me to rest for a few days without specifying how long. After that, he left the room.
I didn't want to accept a ride from Enrico, and I made that clear to Lindsay. She tried to argue but soon realized how determined I was not to accept her boss's help.
Enrico was no longer part of my life, and even if Thompson didn't take me back to the office, where I had only worked for a day, I wasn't willing to become an employee in Joseph's house. I would look for another job but would avoid crossing paths with Enrico again at all costs.
Even though my rational side acknowledged that Enrico wasn't to blame for what happened, I felt a deep disgust toward him. He never gave me the benefit of the doubt, and it felt like he was the main culprit for the loss of one of my babies.
"I guess I'll need to call a taxi then," Lindsay admitted with a resigned tone. "Even though I'm trying to change your mind, I want to make it clear that I understand you, okay?"
I smiled at how Lindsay always cared for me and tried to promote harmony between us, even when she disagreed with my actions. She was very much like Sarah, and I think that's why I liked her so much. It was as if I could have a piece of my sister with me, even now that she didn't want me in her life.
I felt tears welling up in my eyes again, but quickly wiped them away. Crying like that would only harm me and the baby.
At that moment, Lindsay's phone rang, and after a glance at the screen, she answered the call.
"Hello, Thompson," she said, leaving me anxious to know who it was. "Are you here at the hospital? Rachel has been discharged, and we're heading home."
She listened for a moment to what he was saying and gave me a questioning look. I quickly understood that she was asking me if we should accept Thompson's offer of a ride, to which I responded with a nod of agreement.
"Yes, Thompson, we'll take you up on your offer."
After finalizing the details with Thompson over the phone, she ended the call and smirked ironically, explaining the reason for her wry laugh.
"Enrico is going to be furious when he finds out we're not going with him but with Thompson instead."
She covered her face with her hands and, after releasing a tired sigh, concluded:
"Now I'll go outside and break the news to the beast. I'll be back in ten minutes to escort you to Thompson's car."
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