The One Addicted (2 page)

  
“Something isn’t right. Something bad is happening; I can feel it.” 

“It’s fine, darling - the doctor has scanned you and the baby is in the right position, all observations look good - everything is going to plan.” 

I look up into my mum’s big green eyes, identical to mine and roll my lips tightly as the next contraction blasts into me.
Jesus fucking Christ - no one told me it was this painful. WTF?

“Are you having another?”

I nod, through gritted teeth.
Did the eyes popping out of my head, give it away?
Then instantly berate myself, she was only trying help and I moan in thanks, as I feel her knuckles begin to knead my lower back, pushing in firm repetitive circles, in time to my laboured breathing.
 

Where the fuck is Niall?

As though she’s read my mind, Nina Myers asks the same question. “Niall should be here now - how long does it take to grab your hospital bag?”

“I’m sure he’ll be here soon, Mum.”
He’s only had 9 months to plan for it!

“Well he better be or he’ll have me to answer to.”

God help him - I smile weakly at her furrowed brow. “I’m OK but I think I might just take the midwife up on that offer of an epidural now.” 

Mum’s perfectly threaded arches show me she realises how much pain I’m in. That had not been part of my birthing plan - I abhor needles with a passion but right now, at this very moment I’d happily have one inserted into my spine - fuck I’d do it myself, if it meant the excruciating pain clawing at my lower back and hips and stabbing into my stomach, lessened.

“I’ll go grab the nurse - things really should be progressing a little quicker than this. Let’s get you numbed up and then you’ll feel like a new woman in a bit darling - you'll be sitting up, reading OK magazine and we can have a natter about baby names.” 

I feel her comforting hand sweep across my clammy forehead; her palm is cool to the touch but I’m still on fire. I draw my legs up, as another agonising pain rips through my abdomen, and I hear a loud scream reverberate in the distance - was that my voice? I’m light-headed, dizzy - I feel like I could pass out and the pain is unbearable. I’d been like this for eight hours now and each time the midwife examines me, I’m informed that I’ve only dilated a few centimetres. The last time I’d been tempted to shove a gloved-finger up her flue, and try tickle her cervix- see how she liked it!

Why am I not dilating? Where the fuck is Niall? 

Those fucking sharp claws are back again, clutching at my back and then reaching into my stomach to knife through it in sickening waves - my stomach feels like warm water has burst inside me, and is swimming around on my left side. The heat is scorching - like being in a scolding hot bath.
 

Wait! I don’t think the baby is moving anymore? Come on sweetie, wake-up for Mummy.

I can hear voices and machines bleeping and the blur of figures - lots of people; far too many people around me, touching me, pawing at me. I can’t breathe. My eyes are so heavy. I can’t keep them open anymore - I could just give in to the blackness that beckons - the one place where the pain will not exist - just for a second. Then I’ll fight, again.
 

I’m just so tired; so very very tired, and so very very dizzy.

*****

Almost four years earlier…

Holdgate Hospital was twenty minutes from my address; tonight I made the journey in ten. It’s a wonder I hadn’t been pulled by the Police. I’d seriously broken every speed limit going. I anxiously feed the meter, drop the ticket in the window and zap the car before running hell for leather in the direction of the maternity unit - a place I’d never entered, nor ever expected to anytime soon.

From the moment that Nina Myers had called me with the news, I’d gone into panic mode. 

Fuck, she'd better be Ok!!!

Nina had informed me that Niall had finally turned up, the contempt in her voice had been hard to miss. Where the fuck had he been? Just the thought of Lucia on her own, going through all this made my teeth itch and fists clench. Niall, he had been my mate at University but lately I was beginning to question his integrity and if I’m honest I had serious fears about his loyalty to Lucia. 

I make it to the reception desk and try patiently to wait my turn, whilst the nurse on duty discusses a case with another member of staff. When they begin to start talking about what they’re doing at the weekend, I completely lose it!

“Lucia Myers!” My bellow ripples down the corridor and I take a breath and tone it down a notch, upon seeing their shocked pale faces. “… Please!”

“And you are?”

“Needing to see her right now!”

“That isn’t possible - I need to know who you are first?”

“And I need to know where she is - she’s my best friend!” I can hear the angst in my voice.

“I’m afraid Ms. Myers is in theatre at present.”

My grieved expression must have weakened her resolve and the nurse offers up a more soothing approach. “Look - she’s in good hands. I’ll take you to the family, they are waiting in the room on the left. I’m afraid that’s all I can do.”

I cover my face with both hands and blow heavily into them, composing myself before following her.
 

Nina envelopes me in a warm perfumed embrace the second I enter. “Oh, Seb, you came. Thank God.”

“How is she? They haven’t told me anything.”
 

“We don’t know much either, love. She’s under general anaesthetic, as we speak - so we are all just waiting to hear now.”

“What happened? Last I heard she’d texted me, saying her water broke at lunchtime? She’s not due for another few weeks is she? I should have been here. I was in bloody Newcastle on a job.”

“She began labour pains yesterday apparently - never told a soul, little love - couldn’t get hold of Niall as he worked late - they say she’d been in the early stages for at least 24 hours before we even got here! Then she rang
me
as Niall…” Nina flicks her head with a condescending look in the of the corner of the room, where Niall sits in a crumpled heap, “… hadn’t arrived to pick her up and bring her on to the birthing suite. I brought her straight here and we’ve spent the best part of the day not progressing at all. They finally managed to break her waters at 12 pm’ish, which helped somewhat but she just never dilated.” 

I nod in encouragement - jeez this was barbaric - all those hours in agony!

“She was in an awful amount of pain, and nothing was happening - then the baby's heart rate dropped and Lu passed out - it was awful. All systems go and time for an emergency C-section.”

“Shit!” I look up at her worried face and cringe at my language. “Sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry, Sebastian -
shit
is fine. I’m tougher than I look and I’ve said a whole lot worse than
shit
today.” Her lime green eyes, so similar to Lu’s, drift back in the direction of Niall.

“Are Suzie & Gino here?” I glance behind her to assess the room for myself.

“No, but they are on their way back up from the airport. They’ve only just come back from Majorca today. Suzie was devastated she wasn’t here for it all - no one thought the baby would come nearly four weeks early.”

“Of course. And Abby - should I call her?”

“Abby has been and gone - she’s been a superstar but I sent her home for some rest, the minute Lu was taken into theatre - she was dead on her feet and to be honest I was just glad to separate her and Niall.” I understand that completely. I’m not sure that Nina would be much happier with my arrival, however.

“I’ll call her in a bit with an update - don’t worry, Mrs. M. - we’ll get through this.”

“You’re a good boy - right - I’m going to help Mac get some warm drinks for everyone, see if he’s got some good stuff in his hip flask to splash into the men’s and I’ll be back soon.” With a gentle shoulder rub she leaves the room.

I head over to the only person left in the depressing cream box of a waiting room - Niall - and take a seat on the plastic wipeable sofa bed next to him; it creaks under our combined weight.
God he looks like crap!

“You Ok, mate?”

“Thanks for coming, Seb. I fucked up big time.” I sigh, feeling almost sorry for the guy. He didn’t help himself at all. 

“You’re here now - she’ll be fine, I promise.” I’m not sure who I’m trying to convince more - me, or the sad sack of a father-to-be next to me.

“I’d turned my phone off - didn’t want to be disturbed - too busy fu…”

“Look - don’t beat yourself up about it…”

“…No, you’re missing the point - I was shacked up at The Queen's Hotel with some lass from work - balls deep in blonde pussy - having too much fun and I thought Lucia was just being melodramatic - thought I’d have time to  - you know… finish up, shower and work a few more hours.”

I feel and hear the crunch as my teeth bite down and through my lip  - then taste the warm metallic blood oozing there. Fucking arsehole - what had he been bloody thinking! All my earlier fears had been confirmed - he was cheating on my friend - and for how long? 

“Melodramatic! She is having a baby you prick -
your
baby!”
 

You’ve no idea how lucky you are.

“I know. I know. I’m so fucking sorry. I just don’t do pregnant women and Lu ’s bump was bloody huge - she just didn’t do it for me anymore and nine months is a long-time mate - you wait till you have to go through it - swollen ankles and veiny tits!”

I can’t bear to listen to his whiney, self-absorbed voice any longer. How dare he bad-mouth her now, whilst she fights to deliver their child and save her own life? Lucia’s my priority now, not this deadbeat. I stand and glance back towards Niall, his head buried in his hands, wallowing in self-pity. The guy needed his head knocking off and when the time was right, I’d be first in line to do it. 

How could he do this to Lucia?

In that second, I lost all respect for him. I am no angel - fuck, I’m a total player - but I’m no cheat!  I abhor cheats! I’m about to turn the handle of the door when Nina blasts through, a bag of nerves and out of breath - with the news we’ve all been waiting for, on baited breath.
 

“
It’s a boy!
He’s doing well - it had been tough but he’s here. He’s finally here.” Her eyes are glistening with unshed tears and Mac Myers is beaming at her side. “He’s finally here!”

“What about, Lu?” I’m aware that Niall and I have asked the question in unison.

Mac responds. “She’s not doing so great lads. She’s lost a lot of blood and they need to give her a blood transfusion and she needs blood fast - we are hugely depleted in A Rhd negative ”

A nurse interrupts us, popping her head around the door. “Niall, you can come meet your son now.”

I watch as he twitches nervously. Filled with guilt. He didn’t deserve this - to be a father. I’m surprised at the amount of resentment I feel towards him - that he should be the one to see Lu’s child before me. 

“Go see to your son, Niall - I’ll sort things here.” I hear my encouraging voice but don’t remember saying the words. I feel helpless and scared and completely out of my comfort zone - I’m not in control and I hate not being in control.

“She can have my blood, I’m the same blood type - I know from when we donated at Uni.”

The nurse smiles and advises me that she can set that up - they just need to check a few things first. 

I kiss Nina’s cheek and shake Mac’s hand firmly before heading off with Becky the nurse and Mac, who is also going to donate to Lu. After checking my medical notes to confirm my blood type is in fact the same as Lucia’s I’m relieved of a pint of my own blood and watch as it is taken in its bag to be attached to Lu. Anything to help my best friend - anything to get her well - anything to bring her back to me, to us, safely.

 
The baby is fine - thank God - but
she
is my priority.

I’ve never been so scared in my life. 

“She’ll be Ok, son.”

I look up into Mac Myers' friendly brown eyes, grateful of his support and respond unconvincingly. “Yeah, she will.” 

She has to be.

*****

It is a further three hours before we are given another update. This time the Consultant Gynaecologist enters the family room with a tired serious face, still dressed head-to-toe in surgical scrubs.

“Lucia is stable now - you can go in and see her in a few minutes, once her last obs have been taken. She’s been very lucky. Getting that blood so fast helped.”

I hear Nina’s calm voice speak, asking the one thing I wanted to hear. “Will she make a full recovery?”

“We managed to save the remaining ovary and clear the pelvis of all fluid - it was a rather large cyst that had twisted and become attached to the bowel.”

“So she’ll be able to have more children?’

“Yes, Dr. Chada our in-house registrar did her best, before I arrived to limit adhesions to the bowel and a second C-section surgery would not be without risk. Unfortunately, the labour did not establish the way we would have liked, putting pressure on her and the baby and the large ovarian cyst she had  - it burst and the baby’s heart dipped - the infection of the burst cyst hit Lucia’s blood stream, sending her blood pressure haywire. The baby was very large for her small frame and her section cut had to accommodate this. We were even considering a second cut up the centre of the abdomen, but we managed to get the little fella out in the end. Unfortunately we had to crack the bottom rib on her left, to remove the baby - he was just too wedged but that will heal with rest.”