Changes Ch 15
“How are you feeling Claudia?” Dr. Santos
asked a week later.
“Tired, my feet and hands are swelling some also.”
“That’s to be expected. I guess you are getting
bored being off of work?”
“Yeah, a little bit. Toby has been calling me fifty
times a day to see that I’m okay. He couldn’t take
the entire day off, so he’s taking me to see Dr.
Phillips this afternoon. How is the baby?”
“She’s fine.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Good afternoon, Claudia. How are you today?” Dr.
Phillips asked.
“A little tired.” CJ replied
“Well let’s see what’s going on.”
After examining CJ, Dr. Phillips had Toby brought
into his office. CJ came into the office a few
minutes after Toby did.
“He hasn’t done this since the first visit.” CJ said
after she had sat down.
“Yeah I know. What did he say to you?”
“Not much, but I do think that it’s getting worse.”
“Why?”
“Why else would he have called both of us back here.
I also haven’t been feeling well lately.”
“That’s true.” Toby said quietly.
“I’m sorry to keep both of you waiting.” Dr.
Phillips said as he came into the office. “Claudia,
I’m not going to hospitalize you this week, but I want
to see you again in three days. If your condition has
not improved by then, I’m going to hospitalize you.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“I’m calling Leo.” Toby said.
“Why?” CJ asked.
“I’m staying with you until she is born. And don’t
argue with me.”
“Okay.”
“It’s going to be okay, CJ.”
“Are you trying to convince me or you? Oh, never
mind I don’t want an answer. I’m going to lay down.”
Toby watched CJ go into the bedroom, and then called
Leo. “Margaret I need to speak to Leo please. Thanks.”
“Yeah, Toby.”
“I’m going on leave until after the baby comes
starting tomorrow.”
“What did the doctor say now?”
“CJ is getting worse. I’ve thought that myself for
the last week but I was praying I was wrong.”
“What are they going to do?”
“If her condition doesn’t improve in the next three
days, they are going to hospitalize her.”
“And the baby?”
“I assume that if CJ doesn’t improve they’ll take the
baby early. I think they will tell me that but not
tell CJ until the last possible moment.”
“Why?”
“If the choice is left up to her, she’ll never allow
it to be done.”
“I see. I know I don’t have to tell you this, but
take care of her.”
“That’s easier said than done.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After getting off the phone, Toby went into the
bedroom to check on CJ. She was lying on the bed
crying. He sat down beside her.
“Do you want me to leave?” He asked.
“No, what I’d really like for you to do is hold me.
I feel like everything is going to be okay when you
hold me.”
Toby laid down on the bed beside her. “That better?”
“Yeah, I’m sorry about the way I acted.”
“Don’t worry about it.”
CJ finally calmed down and fell asleep. Toby brushed
her hair back from her face, and wiped the tears from
her cheeks. He then begun to silently pray for her
and their child.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When CJ went back to the doctor she was hospitalized
later that day. She had been in the hospital for two
weeks, and Toby had not left her side for more than a
few minutes. He was outside the room talking to Dr.
Santos and Dr. Phillips at that moment. She knew that
they were discussing taking the baby early.
“CJ.” Toby said sitting beside her on the bed.
“They want to take her early don’t they?”
“Yes.”
“I don’t want that.”
“I know that, but I’m not going to lose either of
you.”
“Let it wait a little while longer.” She said
weakly.
“We can’t. You are getting weaker everyday, your body
can’t take this anymore. I will NOT stand by and
watch you sacrifice yourself.”
“I won’t, but she’ll be stronger if we wait.”
“And you’ll be weaker. Tomorrow is our best chance.
Let them do it. I know you want to be there for her.
And I’m selfish I want you to be here with us.”
“How did Dr. Santos say she is?”
“She’s strong, the test indicated that her lungs are
probably completely developed. She will likely weigh
about four pounds they think.”
“They give her a good chance?”
“An excellent chance.”
“And me?”
“You have a very good chance if it is done now.”
CJ sighed before replying softly. “Do it tomorrow
then.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CJ looked around the darkness of the room when she
woke up. She saw Toby sitting in the chair beside the
bed reading. He had not noticed she was awake yet.
She softly called his name.
“Yeah, CJ.” Toby said getting up to sit on the bed
beside her.
“I can’t seem to sleep.”
“You’ve been asleep for about six hours.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, Leo, Josh, and Sam were in here earlier. You
slept through their entire visit. I told them that
you were going to have the baby tomorrow. Leo’s going
to send either Josh or Sam to sit with me tomorrow. I
told him that wasn’t necessary.”
“I’m glad you won’t be alone. Is it going to be
announced in the briefing tomorrow?”
“After everything is over with.”
“I’m scared.” CJ voice was barely a whisper, and as
she spoke she placed her hand on her stomach.
“I know you are.” Toby said softly.
“You’ve known this would happen for awhile haven’t
you?”
“That they would take the baby early?”
“Yes.”
“Yeah, I’ve know it was a possibility since you were
admitted to the hospital. We all hoped it wouldn’t
come to his.”
“She’s going to be fine right?”
“They think so.”
“Toby.”
“Yeah.”
“Will you hold me for the rest of the night?”
Toby moved until he was sitting beside her. He put
his arm around her shoulder and drew her against his
side. She laid her head against his shoulder. He ran
his fingers lightly through her hair, and talked
softly to her until she fell asleep again.
to be continued...