Plot twist... (Chapter 9)
Shaking. That was all that the four of them were doing. Surrounded by plastic chairs, the smell of medicine, the feel of cold and death surrounding them as they waited in the white and blue waiting room. No one said a word. Megan and Jesse were sitting close together for comfort, the newly weds close to them with Belle on Daniel's lap. His hands wrapped around her protectively, her head in his neck praying to the one above to help them and save Anne.
This isn't real, this didn't happen...
It was all that was chanting through Annabelle's head. She couldn't lose a person she loved, not her mother, her other mother. She barely knew the one, would life be so cruel as to take her away? Annabelle was shaking and Daniel was becoming concerned beyond measure. She already felt unwell when they arrived and now she was looking pale and shaking. Daniel knew that as soon as things calmed down he needed to take Annabelle to a doctor. Annabelle would refuse at this point, this much he knew. He hoped that Anne was going to recover, Belle losing another person dear to her heart will destroy her emotionally. He knew it would not be pretty, he saw it first hand. It was not something to be repeated.
Daniel left Annabelle and Megan for a while and took Jesse with to get coffee for everyone. Standing at the counter, pouring in the sugar Daniel looked at a torn Jesse.
"She's all family that both Belle and I have left." Jesse said as if seeing Daniel's expression.
Daniel's heart tugged at it. He was always prepared for the worst so if push came to shove, he would prefer to buy a house for both Megan and Jesse so they could both be near Belle. She was going to need them most. But Daniel didn't want to think like that. He wanted to stay positive and be strong.
"She's going to be okay. She's strong." Daniel said patting Jesse's shoulder.
"She's all I have." Belle said in a whisper but Megan caught it. She stood up and sat in the seat Jesse sat in previously. Holding Belle's hand she talked in a soft comforting voice.
"Shh. Hey look, Anne is a fighter. She'll make it." Annabelle nodded, tears still trailing down her face. Wiping it furiously she looked at Megan.
"I'm so sorry, here I am going on about myself when you are in the same boat as I am."
Megan shook her head letting out a soft laugh. "It's okay, let's face it, I am the strongest between the two of us."
Annabelle gave her a weak smile and looked past her shoulders as the men came back with coffee. Taking the cup Jesse held out, Megan thanked him and took her cup while Belle did the same with Daniel, but the minute the smell reached her nose she was nauseous, trying not to tell Daniel she waved it off as 'hot' temp. Annabelle was getting on edge. They have been waiting for 2 hours to hear from the doctor what was wrong with Anne but nothing came. Daniel took Belle in his arms and kissed the top of her head whispering sweet nothings in her ear.
"Family of Anne Lockport?" A deep voice broke their silence; they all immediately looked up and saw the doctor, Megan and Belle were on their feet in no second and in front of him. "Anne is going to be ok, she had a multi-function in her lungs, some bleeding, nothing serious, we did our best but I believe she is going to be ok."
Hearing this they all sighed in relief, Megan hugged Jesse with tears as Belle leaned into Daniel sighing.
"May I see her?" Megan asked.
"Of course." The doctor replied before disappearing.
"Belle, you coming?" she asked when she looked back. Megan wanted to see Anne desperately but she was afraid to go alone. Right now she wanted Belle with her, afraid she might not handle it. She was strong but there was a limit everyone reached at some point. If Anne had to go, Megan would be lost. It was never like her parents cared enough about her to let her come home. They would start complaining about how she wasn't living right or that she should have been married by now. She couldn't deal with this. Anne gave her a bigger purpose, she gave her hope for her future and contentment when it came to her lifestyle. She knew someday things would turn out this way. But same as Belle, they both wished that they still had time.
"Yeah, I'll be there in a minute." Belle told her. Daniel came and hugged her, he kissed her forehead and whispered in her ear.
"She is going to be fine baby girl; it's going to be ok. No need to worry anymore." Daniel wasn't sure, he wasn't a doctor but his gut told him enough not to assume or be oblivious to the inevitable. He had to be here for Belle and he was happy that she also had Megan and Jesse by her side. Looking at Jesse he could see a boy who needed comfort. More than what Belle needed. Belle had him and Megan who were in the same boat as he was. Jesse on the other hand, he could see that Jesse was conflicted. He wanted to be strong for the girls but also had no idea how to stop crying. Daniel could help, shed some light and all that stuff. Giving him a tight hug, Belle took a deep breath.
She heard and listened to what the doctors had said, yet she felt as if something bad was about to happen and she could see Daniel felt it too. And for some unknown reason she couldn't shake the feeling off. She started feeling dizzy again and nearly fainted, Daniel saw this and reacted quickly, catching her in time and called a nurse.
"Daniel I'm ok." Belle argued, no matter how bad she felt, she wanted to see Anne.
"No. Nurse help her." Daniel said as the nurse arrived, ignoring Belle's protests.
After much arguing between the couple the nurse took her to a room and looked at her eyes, smiling as she knew what was wrong.
"It is alright sweetie, you are just dehydrated, after you finish that water you can go see your friend, I think all this stress was just piling up." She said giving Belle a cup of water.
"Thank you. Yeah we just came from Greece and then found her in a bad state." The nurse nodded giving her a reassuring smile. Belle thanked her again and went to see Anne. Belle rolled her eyes at Daniel's worry, she knew it wasn't that serious.
Anne looked sick, and not just sick, she looked very thin and that only in a matter of hours. She was tied to machines, lots of them, she had pipes in her nostrils for oxygen and a heart monitor attached to her as well as a IV with fluid. Belle tried not to gasp but she was beyond worried now. Anxious if all. Looking at Anne's face she was smiling at something Megan said, Megan was seated next to her, holding her hand, Jesse was behind Megan, hands on her shoulders for comfort. She could feel Daniel standing behind her by the door waiting for her move.
"Belle, you came." Anne said as she saw Annabelle, taking a deep breath Belle walked to her and gave her a hug, tears falling down her cheek slowly.
"Anne, I was so worried, how do you feel?" Annabelle asked taking her other hand in hers, Daniel came and still stood behind her, he was ready for anything at this point.
"Good, a little sore, nothing a little bit of meds can't fix. Oh dear why are you wasting your precious tears like this?" Anne asked as her own tears formed by the look on Belle's face. She didn't want any of them to worry. She was going to be okay.
"I was just so scared Anne, I've never seen you like this." Belle said trying hard not to let a sob out.
Daniel saw this and took hold of her waist from behind and with one hand, he slowly let it trail up and down her arm soothingly.
"Oh my dear, I am going to be just fine." Anne said and looked at all of them. Seeing the desperate look in Anne's eyes, Daniel brought up Greece, distracting everyone from the sad moment. It was as if Anne's eye lit up, hearing about Greece and the beach, the wine and olive testings they did, the trips around the island and small shops they went to. Everyone laughed as Daniel told them embarrassing stories of how Annabelle thought a guy was stalking her in Greece only to find out he was blind and just happened to love the cafe they went to. Anne was happy that Belle found a charmer. Someone she could hold on to forever. Someone that would stay matter what. Who loved her beyond measure, she was in peace,
Megan and Jesse grew close and Anne could see it, Gay my ass Anne thought, she knew they would be close and there for each other as well for Belle. She took a deep breath and then she felt it.
Belle was still talking about the food in Greece all the time holding Anne's hand, when all of a sudden Anne's heart monitor went off beeping. Everyone looked at the machine, they saw enough movies to know her heat stopped. Megan froze and Jesse took her out as the doctors came running in. Try as he may, Daniel struggled to get Belle out there who held Anne tightly. She shook her holding her face in her hands.
"Anne? Anne wake up!" Doctors came in rushing and tried to push them out of the room, Daniel got the message and tried to take hold of Belle but she struggled.
"No! Mom! Mom! No Daniel let go! Daniel no! Stop it! Let go!" She kept yelling and thrashing in his arms, this broke his heart too much but not as much as her next words.
"Daniel stop!! I hate you! Let me go! Let me go!" She kept yelling but Daniel held on tighter taking her in his arms pulling them out of the room. Daniel turned her around and held her face in his chest, she kept pounding her fists against him but he held on.
"No! No! No!" She yelled and Daniel tried not to cry as well.
Annabelle cried until she was exhausted of crying. She slumped in Daniel's arms and he picked her up carrying her to the waiting room. What he just saw scared him, he knew she didn't mean a word but it still tugged at his heart, he had the same reaction towards his family when his father passed and it all just brought up memories. Daniel cleared his throat, he wasn't going to break, not yet.
They sat in the waiting room waiting for what felt like hours, Belle was cuddled in Daniel's arms while she held Megan's hand who was in Jesse's arms, none of them said a word, too scared to talk. An hour went by when the doctor came out. They all rushed to their feet. Megan was being held tight by Jesse as she began to frantically ask him questions.
"Where is she? Is she ok? What is going on?" Like every cliche film, the doctor looked sad and down before looking at all of them.
"I-I am so sorry for your loss, we did everything we could."
Megan turned in Jesse's arms and cried, grabbing the collar of his shirt and cried frantically in his neck. Jesse grabbed her tightly around the waist and joined in her grief. Daniel moved and turned a frozen Annabelle around to face him.
She was shaking, her world stopped and everything started to turn grey. Anne was g-gone. She wasn't coming back. Belle had lost her only mother, she lost the one person who meant everything to her besides Daniel. She couldn't comprehend what she just heard, she was lost, she never should have left, she should have stayed. She needed time, she wanted more time! As her world started to come back to life she heard Megan hysterically started crying, she couldn't feel her legs, she started slipping out of Daniel's hold as he stood there trying to talk to her, he was kneeling with her as she fell on to her knees and just sobbed. Daniel's voice was zoned out. How was she to deal with all of this?
Few hours later back at Anne’s house, Megan was calling everyone she possibly could on the phone, beginning to arrange the funeral, she had been on to it non-stop. All she did was arrange the funeral that she wanted done tomorrow; she said she just wanted it over and done with... Megan was in denial, in disbelief, she was making herself crazy but she couldn't help it. She needed to stay focused, Jesse already tried talking her out of it but it didn't work, so they decided to let her be and do what she had to.
"Ok so the priest check, guests check, coffee and tea will be here at the house, the caterers are on point and then all we need is to get dresses and suits and we're good to go." Megan said scribbling in her note book.
Jesse nodded, humoring her while Daniel gave a short nod, holding Belle, and Belle, she looked at Megan dumbfounded.
"Don't give me that look Belle, I know what you're thinking, you think it is too soon and all, well it's not, I need to bury her and get a move on, she isn't coming back." She looked down with a sad face and then turned to walk away.
Everyone was quiet, no one knew what to say, it was like their little light had faded. Daniel took Belle in his arms and held her, taking her bridal style to bed. Daniel put her on the bed and started dressing both of them in their pajamas. When he was done he sat down beside her.
"I didn't mean it, what I said in the hospital. Daniel I don't hate you. I-" Daniel cut her off with a kiss to the lips, he pulled back and let both of them lay down on the bed, her body pressed against his.
"I know baby girl." He said and kissed her head softly.
The next morning all four of them were getting dressed and ready for the funeral. After a restless night, no one sleeping a wink, they just gave up and started preparing everything early in the morning. Megan and Jesse was already at the cemetery and Daniel was standing behind Belle zipping up her dress.
"It's going to be ok, I know you miss her, but I am here for you." Daniel said softly.
"I know" She whispered. She turned and he kissed her softly before they left and were on their way to the funeral. Megan and Jesse were both letting out silent tears as they greeted everyone, there were people who she didn't recognize, and Daniel was in the corner with Belle as well.
Megan took a hand full of ground and threw it in the whole were Anne's casket laid. Everyone was heading home already for the whole 'I'm sorry for your loss, thanks for the tea' party. Annabelle wasn't feeling up to it at all...
"Come, let's go home baby girl." Daniel took her in his arms as she silently cried. It was cold and dull around them. Annabelle couldn't believe this would happen. She was never going to come back. Anne was gone, for good and she felt the whole return her heart. She stepped forward and put the red rose down on the already there tombstone.
"Goodbye Anne..." She said and turned around to be met with Jesse.
She ran to him and held him tight. In the time of Belle knowing Jesse, she knew he loved Anne like a mother as well. She was a mother to all of them.
"I am so sorry Belle, if I can do something I would." Jesse said. Megan was next to him and also joined the hug.
"Don't, I can't accept it yet." She said in a sob and Jesse kissed her forehead, they all pulled back and Jesse went with Megan to the house meanwhile Daniel said that they should go home. Not being able to take all this, Annabelle agreed to go back to NYC.
"Are you two going to be okay?" She asked Megan and Jesse, bags packed and ready to go, they all stood outside next to the car as they said their final goodbyes.
"We'll be fine, I'll call you as soon as all the paperwork is done and we'll see you in New York yeah?" Jesse asked.
He and Daniel already talked. Daniel had already told them that he would arrange for them to start a new life in New York with Belle. They agreed but had to stay for a while to sell the cafe and house. Belle nodded and hugged both of them before Daniel greeted them as well. They said their final goodbyes and flew back to New York.
"Belle, my dear I am so sorry to hear about Anne." Daniel's mother gave her a big hug as they walked through the door.
Daniel and Belle was to live with his mom in the mansion while he waited for his own house to be bought. He had the penthouse ready for Jesse and Megan, but he wanted a family home for him and Belle. Annabelle barely hugged Claire back all she wanted was to just be alone. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Daniel giving his mom a sign not to say stuff like that and she gave him a small smile.
"I am tired, I think I am going for a nap." She told them and went up the stairs.
"Mother, I told you on the phone not to do something rash, she's been through a lot." Daniel said to his mom.
His mom nodded. She knew it was already too much for Belle. This girl had been through so many of life's curve balls. It was only a while before she would break. Daniel didn't know what to say to his wife, he did know that he could try every bit to be there for her, but he knew how she felt. Belle went to lie down on the bed and started to sob again. She couldn't help it, she just cried and cried until she eventually fell asleep.
And this was routine for them. Belle wouldn't eat, she would just cry and sleep. It's been like this for the past five days. Daniel busied himself when she was asleep, he had things working faster for Jesse and Megan, as soon as he can get them here, the sooner Belle would be better. These past five days were torture to see the love of his life so torn apart. What was he to do? He showered her with love everyday and she would give a weak smile but he knew she was hurting.
That night, Belle woke up in the middle of the night, startled. She looked at the night stand and saw it was 3 o'clock in the morning, sighing she fell down on her pillow, she looked to her right and saw Daniel fast asleep. She felt like the worst wife in the world, being so distant from him. She did appreciate everything he did for her. She knew she was not the same Belle that was celebrating her honeymoon at Greece. She was pale and very thin, she didn't feel the need to eat at all, her once baby soft skin was now like sand, rough to the touch. She knew she had to do something to show Daniel that she was still inside there, that the Belle he knew was still within her, that she was just hurt. She began thinking of something when all of a sudden she felt a burning/stabbing feeling in her lower abdomen. She couldn't control the scream that escaped her lips. It hurt so fucking bad. She had been feeling very sick the last few days but blew Daniel off when she was asked about it. She didn't know what was wrong, she thought it was just something her body was reacting to after the shock. Daniel woke up with a jump and looked at Belle with an alarmed look.
"Belle? What's wrong baby girl?" He asked as he sat straight up.
"D-Daniel, it hurts." He stood up and rushed to her side of the bed switching on the bed lamp light. When there was light all they saw was blood between her legs. Belle's eyes widen, this can't be happening. Daniel looked at it and then back at Belle. He didn't know what to think.
"Belle? Are you on your period baby?" He asked confused, the numbers didn't make sense, Daniel knew her dates and she was not on her normal date. Annabelle looked at him fearfully and shook her head. Daniel's eyes stretched. He started counting and then he gasped. She wasn't on her period, in fact she was late. Acting fast he picked her up bridal style as she cried out in pain, running out the room he yelled for his mother.
"Daniel? What is going on?" His mother asked as she emerged from the kitchen downstairs, meeting him halfway. She saw the blood and her eyes widen. This was not happening.
"Mom get the car, Belle is hurt. Now! Hurry!" He yelled when she froze, snapping out of her daze she gasped and got the keys.
Both her and Daniel rushed outside towards the car, she climbed behind the wheel and Daniel in the back seat with Belle on his lap, gripping his t-shirt hard.
"Mom, I'm going to need you to speed the hell out of this car." He said and she looked at him through the rear view mirror.
"Don't worry Daniel, I remember how to drive." She said putting the Bentley in gear and speeding off.
As they arrived at the hospital, Belle was near to pass out. "Stay with me baby, come on. Stay with me, keep those gorgeous eyes open. Help!" He said and then yelled as he entered the ER.
His mother stayed behind talking to the cops who were hot on their trail. Claire had used her speed racer skills and as she did, she caught the attention of the cops, but this was her daughter in law, she had to do what she could. Daniel was freaking out, he tried to stay calm as the nurses took Annabelle from him and moved her away leaving him drenched in blood in the waiting room. Claire came behind her son and held him tight.
"The cops?" Daniel asked her and she shook her head.
"They understood." She said and took her son's hands in his. "She's going to be okay." Claire said and Daniel let a tear slip.
"I-I didn't know. Mom none of us knew. What if... what if.." Daniel couldn't even finish his sentence as he shook, crying and held his mom close to him. She comforted him until he calmed down.
He was almost asleep in one of the waiting room chairs. Claire looked at her son and she felt her heart pain. She had seen her son like this thirteen years ago, with her husbands death. She knew how much he wanted the child. But she couldn't change fate. She just prayed that Annabelle was alive and okay.
Picking up the phone, seeing it was four o'clock she called Sophie. Alec was still in Chicago and she would call him after Sophie. They were closer and Daniel could use the support. All of them could.
"Mom? What's wrong?" Sophie groaned tiredly in the phone.
"Hello sweetheart, listen we're at the hospital, think you and Don could come? Daniel needs you guys."
Suddenly awake, Sophie sat up and shook Don awake who looked at her confused but sat up. "Mom, what's going on?"
"It's Annabelle sweetie, we think that she's having a miscarriage."
Sophie and Don, along with a sleepy Matt came running into the hospital. Daniel saw them and looked confused, seeing his mother's expression he knew she did this. He gave her a thankful smile as he hugged Sophie and Don. Matt did a lazy wave making himself comfortable on the chair, instantly falling asleep. Sophie shook her head and turned back to Daniel. "What happened?"
"I don't know, we were in Greece and she started feeling bad but she said it was the chicken we ate. I let it go but when Anne died she started getting worse, I thought that it was because of the grief and pain she was feeling. Then all of a sudden she woke me and... there was blood everywhere Soph. She has pain and the doctors took her but I-I don't know.... I-I didn't-" Daniel broke off crying and Don patted his back. Sophie hugged him and whispered reassuring words in his ear.
Fifteen minutes later the doctor came out, blood spots here and there on his shirt. Daniel along with the family, except for a sleeping Matt, stood up alarmed. "What happened? Is my wife going to be ok?"
The doctor looked at Daniel for long and his mom gripped his hand. "Your wife is fine, she will be ok in no time."
Daniel sighed a sigh of relief and looked at his mother, smiled big at her and kissed her forehead.
"However, I am sorry to say that she lost the baby. There was nothing we could do, it was a natural miscarriage." Daniel along with everyone froze. No no no. This was not happening. Not another loss, why their baby? Daniel tried to form words but the doctor just patted him on the shoulder, telling him he could go see her and then left.
"We j-just came from our honeymoon. We were happy, we-" Daniel whispered with tears in his eyes his voice cracking.
He would have loved the baby, the both of them would have. The baby would have been happy. Would it have been a boy or a girl? Would he/she grow up loving music or business? Daniel's head started spinning but his mom took hold of him.
"Daniel? She needs you Daniel." His mom hugged him as he cried. She was right. Annabelle would need him now more than ever.
"Baby girl? You awake?" He asked softly walking into Belle's room, she looked ok from this angle but as he walked closer to her and she gave a soft smile.
"What did the doctor say? Am I ok?" she asked.
She passed out before they could do anything. It was probably just a fail in her body from the stress. She saw tears formed in Daniel's eyes and she hoped that she wasn't dying. Daniel took her hand in his and kissed her hand. He looked up in her eyes and she looked at him confused.
"T-The doctor said you are going to be ok." He said, how was he going to tell her this, she was going to break more than ever.
"Then why are you crying?" She asked with a smile on her face, she felt okay, sore but okay.
She didn't feel sick anymore and nor did she feel nauseous. But as Daniel let out a sob her smile faded.
"Y-You had a miscarriage, we lost the baby." And she froze.
Repeating the word in her head the whole time. Baby. Baby. Baby. Baby. Letting out a gasp/sob she put her hand over her mouth looking at Daniel as she started shaking and tears ran freely down her face.
"Baby? I was pregnant?" She asked after a long silence of just us trying to figure it out a softly crying she whispered. "I-I am so sorry Daniel, it's all my fault. I swear I didn't know. Daniel I didn't know. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry, please forgive me." She started hyperventilating and crying hysterically and Daniel saw this self blame, not what he was expecting.
"No, shh shh shh, it is not your fault, these things happen. Baby look at me, I love you okay we can... we can always try again okay?" Belle nodded but kept crying, how could she not blame herself? This was her fault, she couldn't even carry his child. She was a failure, she was cursed, first Anne and then the baby. She could see the look in Daniel's eyes. He was devastated.
He moved so he could lay next to her on the bed, he held her until she fell asleep. This was just too much. He knew they could work through it. He just didn't know how or what to do. He just prayed to the big guy up there that everything will be okay. That they would be okay...
jacobvanloon
pixelskylines
ellievsbear
stormborns
dededos
origamiaround
kianamaiart
discoholicmusic