Beautiful Perfection (Beautifully Unbroken Book 2) (18 page)

“Hey, look at me.” Even though I too was worried about what the blood results were going to show, I refused to allow Jo’s fears to resurface. Whatever her tests revealed, I would fix it, I would always be able to fix anything that made her sad. I turned to her and took her face between the palms of my hands. “Nothing is going to happen to you or our babies; you have been under immense pressure since we got back to New York and I am surprised that you have coped as well as you have done.”

“I wish Theo had just called us when we were in London, I know that you told him not to and I respect that he did as you asked but if we had known everything that we have walked back into then we could have just stayed in London in our new home, me you and Jasper. I could have had the babies over there and we could have been away from all of the stress that we are suffering now.”

“Jo,” I exhaled, “this is all my fault, I have caused you all of this stress and I am sorry.” Theo had called when we were in London; it was my fault that we were back here.

“Of course you haven’t caused this Blake, don’t be ridiculous,” Jo smiled as she wiped her eyes on the back of her sleeve, “drama follows me, remember?” She sniffed back her emotion as I wrapped my arm around her shoulder and pulled her to me.

“When we were in London Jo…..”

“Right then, I just need you back up on the couch and we will get this done as quickly as possible.” Sam re-entered the room ready to take Jo’s blood samples just as I was about to tell Jo the truth about Theo calling while we were in London. I really was responsible for all of the stress that we were currently experiencing and I desperately needed a way to right all of the wrong and make Jo happy again because if the babies were at risk, then that was my fault.

Once Sam had taken Jo’s blood and rushed it off for testing I sat next to Jo who had fallen asleep on the examination couch in Sam’s office. Mom and dad had gone off to fetch food for us all while we awaited the results nervously. I took a moment to talk to Sam in private about the possible results.

“What exactly is it that you think could be wrong with Jo? If it isn’t stress related then what could explain such a high blood pressure reading?”

“Have you heard or read about pregnancy-induced hypertension?”

“Not that I can remember, no,” I replied confused.

“Pre-eclampsia?” She asked as if I really should have heard about it.

“I’m sorry Sam; I have just been on such a high throughout Jo’s pregnancy that I haven’t even thought that anything could ever go wrong.”

Sam smiled kindly at me from across the room where she sat at her desk; I walked over and took the seat opposite her.

“Are you telling me that something could go wrong? Is there some sort of danger to Jo or the babies if she has that condition?” I asked quietly as I leaned towards Sam.

Sam continued to smile but I could tell that she too was concerned about what they may find, “let’s just get the results back first huh? And then we can take any necessary action needed then.”

“Please Sam, I am talking to you as a friend now, not as a patients’ husband, but as a friend, my mother’s friend who has known me since the day that I was born, please I have to be prepared for whatever it is that you are going to be telling Jo when we get those results back.”

Sam sighed and looked over my shoulder to where Jo lay fast asleep before beginning in a hushed tone.

“Pregnancy-induced hypertension is a very serious condition that affects a percentage of pregnant women. It isn’t completely understood what causes the condition or indeed if there are any contributory factors that lead to its presence but undetected and un-treated, I’m afraid that it can pose dangers to both mother and baby, or babies in Jo’s case.

“What kind of dangers?”

“Blake, we need to get the results back before begin assuming the worst.”

“What other signs is she displaying? I mean, you wouldn’t be so concerned if she wasn’t showing some sort of other signs, that much I know.”

“Jo is displaying a couple of obvious signs such as her extremely high blood pressure, her weight-gain this past week which, if it is hypertension, is caused by excessive fluid around the babies. I have also noticed that Jo’s hands and feet are a little swollen; again it could be co-incidence, but it could also be the signs that we are awaiting the results for but until we have those results Blake, I can’t sit here and tell you that that is what Jo is suffering from.”

“Could I lose her? Could we lose our babies?” I asked feeling my whole body begin to tremble, “Could I lose both my wife and my children to this condition?”

“Blake,” Sam leaned across and placed her hand over mine. “Jo is here now and she is being cared for, she is resting and we have every available resource to keep her and the babies well.”

“Oh my God,” I felt my heart as it began to beat hard, thumping against my skin. “They could all die couldn’t they?”

“I didn’t say that Blake,” Sam said firmly.

“You didn’t have to,” I said quietly. “It’s written all over your face.” Sam stood and placed a pile of papers into a filing cabinet in the corner. “I need to know how to fix this Sam, I am Jo’s fixer and I promised her on our wedding day that I will always fix her, I need to know what I can do to help her.” I tried to keep my voice calm because Jo was sleeping but the fear that was building up inside of me was now bubbling so fast it was about to spill over. “I have never, in my life not been able to fix something, there has to be something that I can do, please just tell me,” I pleaded.

Sam sighed and took her seat across from where I still sat, “Blake there is no conclusive treatment that will take Jo to full term.” I adjusted in my seat; I could feel the beads of sweat forming all over my body.

“So how do you cure it then?”

“The only proven way to keep mother and baby safe is to deliver the baby as soon as possible.”

“But the babies aren’t even near ready yet, if they were born now they would be premature… they could die,” I answered nervously.

“Before we would allow the babies to be born Blake we would inject a steroid to help form their lungs and vital organs so they are strong enough to leave Jo. We take the health and wellbeing of all babies and every single mommy to be very, very seriously, nothing that we do is ever taken lightly. Jo is in the best hands possible and we will do everything that we can to keep both Jo and the babies fighting fit Blake, as I said we need the results back first and then we will take whatever steps we need to take, okay?”

“This is my fault,” I said as I turned my head to look at my wife lying there unknowing that I could have stopped her from being ill had I have just taken the calls from Theo when we were in London.

“You couldn’t have prevented this Blake; no one can prevent these illnesses. Now the results shouldn’t be too much longer, I’ll go and fetch us both a coffee and while I am gone, you need to calm yourself down for Jo’s sake, the last thing any pregnant woman needs is a husband who has lost control.”

I nodded to Sam who stood and rounded the table stopping in front of me as she reached my gaze, “we won’t let anything happen to your wife or children Blake; that I can promise you whole heartedly.” I wanted to thank her or tell her that I understood but I couldn’t. As Sam left the room and I was left alone with my thoughts the only thing that continued to take over my mind wasn’t the vision of me holding those babies the day that they were born while my wife smiled back at me; Instead, a vision of me stood at their gravesides mourning the loss of the three most precious people in the world was imprinted into my mind and I couldn’t shake it off.

Mom was chatting away to dad as they entered the room causing Jo to stir; as soon as her eyes opened she focused on me and gave me a sleepy smile before yawning.

“Did I seriously fall asleep having my blood taken?” She pushed herself into a seated position before rubbing her eyes.

“I’m so sorry dear I didn’t know you were asleep, did we wake you?” Mom asked concerned.

“No,” Jo said quickly. “I think the smell of that food along with my tummy grumbling woke me up, I am starving.”

“Well at least now we don’t have to be subjected to Blake’s cooking this evening.” Dad joked as mom and Jo laughed along.

“Blake?” I pulled my focus away from the food cartons to Jo who had a concerned expression on her face. “Are you okay? You look pale.”

I forced a smile and I began sorting through the food cartons, “I’m fine,” I lied, “don’t you worry about me.”

“Come sit here.” Jo patted the couch next to her as she smiled; I grabbed her food and handed it to her before sitting down.

“Where is your food?”

“I’m not hungry, I’ll eat in a moment, firstly and most importantly is that you eat.” I watched as Jo opened the carton and took out the plastic fork before she began devouring the contents. She let out small groans of appreciation with each forkful before turning her attention to me; she stopped chewing and smiled shyly as her skin flushed.

“Why are you watching me eat like you have never seen me eat before?”

“I just want to look at my beautiful wife,” I reached forward gently wiping a spot of sauce from the corner of her mouth. Jo continued to smile as she took out another forkful of food and placed it to my mouth instead, I gladly took it. For a moment I had forgotten that Jo and I weren’t alone in the room when Sam entered carrying a tray of drinks and some important looking papers in her hand.

“Good news,” she smiled as she placed the drinks tray down and waved the papers in our direction.

“The blood tests came back clear.” It felt as though I must have been holding my breath since Sam had originally told me about the possible dangers to Jo and the babies when I exhaled a huge sigh of relief. “How are you feeling now Jo?”

“Better since you told me that news,” Jo smiled. “So why do you think my blood pressure is so high?” Jo asked as Sam walked over and stood next to the couch.

“As we initially thought, I imagine that it is down to the stress that you have been under recently with the trial and the media; it isn’t good for anyone let alone someone carrying twins,” Sam smiled. “However, the tests may have come back clear today but it is important that you rest, we don’t want to be here again in a week’s time or two even and still trying to control your blood pressure. You need complete bed rest, in fact try to keep away from anything that will cause you stress and we will see you again next week to see if it has done the trick.”

“And if it doesn’t do the trick?” I asked not sure if I wanted to know the answer.

“Then we re do the tests and continue to keep an eye on Jo as closely as possible.”

Jo nodded sadly, “I have had almost complete bed rest now since we got back from London which has been weeks, just being in the apartment knowing that someone is out there waiting to get close to me and ask me about Cooper or Sara or any of it, it just stops me from being able to relax, you know.”

“Right then,” mom butted in as she stood from the desk and walked over to us. “When Jo is given the okay to leave here we are going back to your apartment, packing some clothes and the both of you are to come back home with us where I will personally ensure that you get complete rest for as long as you need it, how does that sound?”

“I don’t want to be a burden to anyone, seriously it will be fine, I don’t want to impose on you both.”

“It is not imposing, it is doctors’ orders,” mom smiled. Jo turned to me and waited for me to decide but I could tell that she wanted to get out of New York for now and I could think of no place better to take her.

“Are you sure?” I asked turning to face my parents.

“Yes, we are sure,” dad said firmly. “And how can having my son and his wife come stay with us be a burden? I tell ya, it will make a nice change from listening to your mother talk about the snow every god damn minute of the day.” He winked at Jo as mom gasped and turned to him with an evil look in her eyes.

“I’m kidding, I’m kidding, of course you don’t talk about it every minute of the day, you sleep for at least seven hours.”

As everyone laughed yet again at my fathers’ dry humor, I couldn’t help but think that being around mom and dad would be the best medicine for Jo right now. Mom after all was a nurse for a long time before she was forced to retire, so having her with Jo twenty-four hours a day would be more than helpful, and as for dad, well his jokes would be enough to cheer up anyone.

“Thank you, both of you.” Jo said.

“Great,” Sam smiled as she placed her hands together. “Well, let’s have Jo finish her food and I have a nice cup of chamomile tea here for her too and then once you are done you are free to go and we will see you again next week.” Jo breathed a sigh of relief as she once again dug into her food happily. I felt myself begin to relax too as I hoped that the horrible visions could finally replaced with the happy thoughts of when I get to hold my two beautiful babies.

Jo

I had seen the fear in Blake’s eyes as he placed himself next to me whilst I devoured the Chinese food that Marti and Julia had kindly fetched for me. I had been in a funny kind of sleep and although my eyes were shut and I seemed to drift from one dream to another, I had heard the entire conversation that had taken place between Blake and Sam. Hearing Sam talk about pre-eclampsia had worried me somewhat, I had read enough baby magazines and watched enough pregnancy shows to know that the condition that she was referring to was nasty enough to prove fatal for me or the babies. When my body had finally allowed my eyes to open and I had seen Blake’s face, it was time to push my fear to one side and for once try and help Blake through the feelings that he was now experiencing. Blake was somehow trying to tell himself and Sam that if something were to happen to me and the babies it would be all his fault, he was practically begging Sam to tell him how he could fix me and when she didn’t give him an answer, I could hear in his voice that he was slowly crumbling inside from the fear that for the first time in his life there was something that he wasn’t able to fix.