Mr. Big (5 page)

Oh well, at least I won't have to deal with him this afternoon
, she thought.

But the walk to the clinic proved to be just as difficult as she expected. Her feet quickly got wet, and she was finding herself getting tired quickly. Then she had to contend with the icy sidewalks, which she hadn't expected today.

She was relieved to finally sit in the clinic waiting room, and she was also glad there would be a long wait to see the doctor today. At least here she could relax.

After about forty minutes, Dr. McDonald's receptionist finally called her into his office.

“Jennifer, you look exhausted. Are you taking care of yourself? Eating right? Getting enough sleep?” he asked.

“I'm following all your orders. It's just that I had to walk here today, and it's kind of worn me out.”

Dr. McDonald looked at her, puzzled. “Where is your boyfriend? Did you walk here alone in this weather?”

“Yes,” she replied.

“I know it isn't easy for you, but you are going to need help,” he said. “Is there someone who can drive you?”

His words echoed in Jennifer's mind as she walked home.

By the time she got home, her feet were freezing and strands of her hair had clumped together around her face.

That's enough of this walking around to appointments
, she thought.

The next morning, Nelson agreed to help her look for a car, and she enrolled in a student driver program.

With so much work to do, and so little help from Nelson, she had the motivation she needed to get her licence.

It wasn't long before she was enrolled in driving school. While her pregnant state made the driving instructor nervous at times, she continued on. Finally, she got her driver's licence, while she was five months pregnant. By that time Nelson had found a car for her to buy. She paid $300 for a little Chevy. The car might not have been much, but it gave her the freedom to get things done.

Suddenly, the medical appointments weren't such a large burden, and taking care of Nelson got a lot easier, too.

16

But the $300 car wasn't such a great buy. It seemed like it broke down more than it worked these days, and social services didn't provide enough money to fix cars.

“I don't understand why you don't have any money, Nelson,” said Jennifer. “We only got paid last week. Did you spend the money when you were out with your mother this weekend?”

“No I didn't. Plus, it's none of your business what I do with the money, anyway,” he said. “Just you wait till I get the settlement from my accident. I won't have to worry about money then.”

Since the accident, Nelson was working with lawyers on a claim that he had filed against the taxi firm. Based on their legal opinions, Nelson could expect thousands of dollars in compensation. They were holding the taxi firm responsible for Nelson's injuries, but it wasn't clear when, or even if, he would get any money.

For now, the couple had to walk to the grocery store, despite Jennifer's condition. With only three weeks to go, her feet were nearly always swollen. The weight of her big belly was also taking its toll on her lower back.

But chores still needed to be done, and she was grateful that at least this time Nelson had agreed to help.

Nelson grabbed a few of the grocery bags while Jennifer carried the remaining two. She was grateful for the shortcut they had discovered. At least they would be home in five minutes or so.

As she walked out of the main entrance, Jennifer's grocery bags dropped to the ground and her body fell forward with pain.

“Oh my God, Nelson, I think I'm in labour.”

Instead of calling an ambulance, Nelson picked up her groceries, and the two began the walk down the trail.

Every couple of feet, Jennifer would double over in pain. Several times the world around her would darken and blur. Sounds would drift in and out. At times her body felt like it was on fire.

“I don't think I can make it,” she moaned. But each time, Jennifer picked herself back up. She was determined to make it home.

When the apartment building came into view, she regained her strength enough to make it inside. The stairs brought their own challenge, but she continued on until she made it to her couch, where she fell down, exhausted. Right now she didn't even have the energy to call the hospital. Instead, she had a short nap. But no sooner had she dozed off than the pain woke her with a start. She got up and found the strength to call a taxi. She knew she needed to get to the hospital.

She grabbed a bag and headed back down the stairs and into the parking lot. The driver looked at her nervously as she climbed into the car, and he wasted no time getting to the hospital.

“That's it. The time has come for you to rest,” said the obstetrician. “Get this girl admitted,” he said to the nurse who was standing next to him.

“Right away, Dr. Kent.”

He said, “Jennifer, the babies have dropped, so we have to keep a close eye on you until the surgery.”

Dr. Kent was taking over from Dr. McDonald from this point on. The babies would be delivered by Caesarean section on March 15.

Jennifer had never felt so tired. She answered the questions as the nurse checked her vitals and went through a long list of questions. They brought her a hospital gown, which would have to do until someone brought in her suitcase.

As she climbed onto the little bed, she wondered how long she would have to wait before the twins came.

For the next week, Jennifer tried her best to sleep and to enjoy her time away from chores and work. But rest didn't come easy. At night she could hear the staff in the hallways. It seemed like every time she dozed off someone would laugh or call out, waking her suddenly. By day five she was longing for a night's rest in her own bed. She was also wondering how Nelson was doing. He wasn't exactly used to being on his own, and it seemed like he was calling her every ten minutes.

“No way, Jennifer. It's too risky to let you go home at this stage,” said Dr. Kent.

“But I'm only five minutes away from home,” she pleaded.

Dr. Kent agreed to give it some thought.

Later the same day, Jennifer got the green light to go home, with strict orders to return if anything seemed out of the ordinary.

Dr. Kent also gave her his home phone number, in case there was an emergency.

Her first night home was the best night's sleep she'd had for a week. The next day she felt brand new.

“Do you feel well enough to run out to the store with me?” Aunt June asked. Her aunt had dropped by to see how Jennifer was holding up.

Jennifer couldn't resist the opportunity to look at the baby section. At the department store, she combed through the racks of newborn-sized clothes. She couldn't wait to find out whether she'd be buying boys' or girls' clothes. But her shopping trip wasn't going to last long.

“My back is really starting to hurt,” Jennifer told her aunt.

What she didn't realize was the labour had already begun.

“Let's get you home,” said Aunt June.

Every bump along the short trip home brought sharp pains in Jennifer's lower back. Enough pain to nearly take her breath away.

“I don't think it's labour,” she told her aunt. “It's all in my back.”

Jennifer went home and napped for a couple of hours. At home, she was overcome with exhaustion. The cramping in her back started up once more.

Lying on the couch, she was starting to worry something might be wrong, when suddenly she wanted to throw up. She managed to make it to the toilet. The last thing she needed this night was to be cleaning up vomit.

But the nausea confirmed it was time to call the doctor.

“Nelson, give me the paper with the doctor's number, would you?”

Her fingers were shaking as she dialled the number. She got the answering machine.

“The message says he's at the clinic tonight,” she said. “I don't have a choice, Nelson. I have to walk down there.”

In her exhaustion and pain, Jennifer managed to make the five-minute walk down to the medical clinic. She was relieved to see the lights on in Dr. Kent's office.

“Get her onto the table right away,” Dr. Kent told the nurse.

Jennifer let herself relax on the table. Part of her was excited about the possibility she would soon see her children. Another part of her was scared that something was seriously wrong.

“Five centimetres,” said Dr. Kent. “I can't believe you walked over here. I knew we should have kept you in the hospital.”

Nelson was sitting in the chair in front of Dr. Kent's desk. “Nelson, go out to the pay phone and call a cab right away. There's no time to waste here.”

Meanwhile, Dr. Kent called the hospital to ensure everything was ready for Jennifer's arrival.

As Jennifer listened to him speaking to the hospital staff, she knew everything was going as planned. Her new family was just moments away.

Dr. Kent hung up the phone. “Everything's going to be fine, Jennifer,” he said. “Hopefully the cab won't be much longer. Stay right here until it arrives.”

Dr. Kent opened the door to his office into the lobby.

“Is the taxi on the way?” he yelled to Nelson.

Jennifer couldn't hear Nelson's response, but there was no mistaking Dr. Kent's response. He was furious.

“What are you doing out there? I told you to call a taxi! This is not a joke! She has to get to the hospital now!”

Dr. Kent's nurse helped Jennifer off the table and to get her clothes on.

The pain was getting more intense, and it was getting harder for Jennifer to move.

She managed to get her coat and boots back on, and they began the walk to the clinic entrance.

“Please God let the taxi be here,” she heard Dr. Kent say to the nurse.

When Jennifer walked through the doors, Nelson was standing outside. Two women were getting into their car. When they looked at Jennifer and realized her situation, they asked if she was okay.

“I'm on the way to the hospital to have my babies as soon as the taxi gets here,” said Jennifer.

“You're in labour!” said the first woman. “Well, there's no way you'll be waiting for a taxi. Get in.” So Nelson and Jennifer climbed into the back seat. Jennifer was grateful that at least she would be at the hospital in just a few minutes.

The pain, compounded with her anxiety and excitement, made the ride feel as though it were taking forever. But soon they were getting out of the car in front of the emergency doors.

“Are you Jennifer?” asked the nurse. She was standing at the entrance with a wheelchair, ready to take Jennifer to the operating room. “Well, don't worry. Everything is all ready for you. Just have a seat and you'll be well taken care of.”

With that, the nurse headed down the hallway.

She looked behind her to see if Nelson was with them. She wasn't the least bit surprised when she saw him wandering off down a corridor in the opposite direction. No longer did she care. All that mattered now were these children.

17

“Do you need anything for the pain?” asked the nurse.

“The babies . . .” Jennifer managed to utter from her groggy state.

She had to ask herself whether or not she was dreaming.

“You've had a bit of a reaction to the anaesthetic,” replied the nurse. “The girls are fine, but it's very important you rest.”

“Nelson?” Jennifer could hear his voice, but she couldn't see him.

“Everybody out,” she heard a female voice say.

Then her world went dark once again.

18

It was morning.

That much Jennifer understood. She was surrounded by the smells of toast and bacon, but there was only one thing she wanted at that moment.

She rang for the nurse.

“Did you say I have girls? Are they okay? When can I see them?”

“They're just fine, Jennifer, we'll bring them in right away,” said the nurse. “She's awake,” the nurse called out as she left the room.

Jennifer tried to sit up. She was so anxious to see her daughters. But she quickly realized that a Caesarean section was major surgery. Her stomach was pulled tight, and it was impossible to move.

Suddenly, the first little bed appeared from around the corner, and Jennifer started to cry. She was about to meet her daughters for the first time.

“Do you need anything for pain?” asked the nurse.

Jennifer had no words. She certainly felt no pain at the moment.

They were perfect.

“You have two beautiful girls there,” said the smiling nurse.

Two little girls with a healthy body weight and both with beautiful dark hair. They were wearing yellow hospital pyjamas.