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Always Something.

INVOLVED: Samuel Evans and Mercedes Evans. TIME FRAME: Tuesday, November 14th, 2017. LOCATION: Bailey Office; Los Angeles, California. NOTES: Sam and Mercedes attend a Doctor’s visit.

Mercedes huffed softly as she slid out of the passenger seat of the car, hands under her belly as she stretched her back slowly. She didn’t even want to walk through the door because she knew that Doctor Bailey was going to talk about her weight gain. Closing the door, Mercedes slowly waddled around to the back of the car, barely making eye contact with her husband as she began moving for the entrance of the building.

Samuel parked the car as usual and he climbed out of the car right after. Moving around to Mercedes side he found her already out of the car against his wishes of course, he’d much rather had opened the door and helped her out. But what could he do about it now. So instead he locked the doors and slid his hands into his pockets along with the car keys. They made their way to the entrance of the doctor’s office, as a gentle he opened the door letting her walk in before him.

Mercedes placed her hands on her lower back, rubbing gently as she moved into the building, looking at her husband momentarily as he held the door open for her. Walking over to the counter, she quickly flashed her ID and checked for their appointment before turning and moving to take a seat in one of the many chairs in the lobby.

Samuel swapped a glance with Mercedes before she walked into the building, he found himself a seat as she moved towards the counter. He drummed his fingers against his legs, he truly could use a smoke and he knew now wasn’t the time though he was yearning for a cigarette. After getting comfortable he realized he’d left his phone in the car and cursed himself for it because now he was left without a distraction.

Mercedes slowly lowered herself down in a chair beside her husband and sat back, resting her hands on her stomach, holding her phone against her belly as well. Sighing softly, she shifted in the chair, crossing her ankles. She closed her eyes, huffing quietly. She was exhausted and hadn’t done anything but woken up and got dressed to come to this appointment.

Looking over to Mercedes, Samuel sighed. In a moment like this he would have asked her if she were okay and needed anything, even if there was something wrong. But most days, he just left her alone. It worked out better that way, Miranda was still out there floating about L.A and so was 4:44. Yes, they’d talked about it, yes, he vowed to dedicate himself to her and their children more, including working on their marriage. But as of late, it wasn’t much of a thing. Most days he just wanted to smoke and sleep. Things were a lot more peaceful when he did.

Mercedes opened her eyes slowly, looking around the lobby, glancing at Samuel for a moment before she lifted her phone, looking at the time. Sighing, she held her phone out to Samuel, waiting for him to take it before she placed both of her hands under her belly to relieve a little pressure.

Samuel licked his lips as he tapped his foot idly against the floor, he turned his head to see his wife handing her phone over and he took it. Sliding it into his pocket for safe keeping he assumed. After he went back to tapping his fingers and foot, humming lightly to himself.

Mercedes held her hands under her belly, rubbing here and there gently as they waited. Shifting slightly, she groaned gently, placing her hands on the armrest to adjust herself in the chair a little. Licking her painted lips, she closed her eyes again, trying to get comfortable.

“My dear, we’re slow dancing in a burning room” Samuel hummed through closed lips as he played his guitar against his leg mentally. He cleared his throat a bit as he watched another pregnant woman nearby, he took her in intensely before he squinted and looked away all together. His eyes dropped to the floor and he stared at that for a long while before he began humming again.

Mercedes opened her eyes, looking over at her husband as he began humming. She gazed at him, her eyes tired but tender until she finally looked away, shifting once more before a nurse moved through the door, calling for her. Mercedes looked at the young brown skinned woman and she nodded slowly, sliding to the edge of the chair slowly as she prepared to get up.

Samuel was still staring at the floor and humming when his wife’s name brought him out of his own thoughts. He looked up slowly and moved to stand on his large feet, holding his hand out for her grab. He waited patiently as she used him to pull up her own weight, letting her walk ahead of him and lead the way so that he could follow.

Mercedes looked up at Samuel when he held his hands out for her to grab. She placed her small hands into his, gripping tightly as she groaned softly, using him as leverage to stand. Once she was stable, she let go of his hands and moved for the door, slowly but surely. “Hello,” she said to the nurse with a soft, chubby cheeked smile as the woman led them to a room. “Thank you,” Mercedes said as she entered the room and eyed the examination table wearily.

Samuel followed behind Mercedes, she didn’t meet the woman’s gaze at the door instead he offered he a slight smile as he followed her to their room. When they reached it, he stood there with Mercedes, shifting on his feet he moved aside “want help?” he uttered quietly, it was awkward for him to speak to her.

Mercedes looked up at Samuel as his quiet question and she nodded slowly. “Please…” she whispered softly, looking away from him slightly embarrassed. Her weight gain was kind of out of control and she was struggling to do the simplest because of her pregnancy. Staring down, Mercedes moved closer to the table, waiting for the nurse to close the door behind them.

“Okay” Samuel said to her as he waited for her go ahead and he planned on all but lifting her on the table for good measure. He sympathized greatly with her, she was pregnant with a child plus one. Pregnancies took a lot out of you, as a guy he didn’t know how much, but as her husband he could see what it can do to even the strongest of women. So, he felt pretty bad seeing her daily struggle, especially with it being out of his hands. “Tell me when….” he trailed off barely above a whisper he spoke to her, standing by the table and waiting.

Mercedes stood by the table, looking up at him unsure of how they were going to do this. She reached back and gripped the table, before she said, “Okay, we can try now.” Mercedes held her breath, hoping this worked out.

Samuel looked to her and he nodded his head, effortlessly Samuel lifted her up on the table and sat her down. Once he scooted her back enough, he walked off moving to sit down. She thought she was big as a house, however she was light as a feather. He looked to the poster on the wall behind him before he looked back down at the ground.

Mercedes bit her lip gently, shocked by how easily Samuel lifted her into the table. Exhaling slowly, she gazed at him, her eyes a little wide. She knew that she was big. It wasn’t even a question but he just lifted her as if she was a toy. That made her feel a little better about herself and her weight gain. Maybe she wasn’t so big after all. “Thank you,” she said softly, smoothing her hand down the front of her sweater, over her belly.

His head lifted slowly, he smirked at her gently. She was thanking him for nothing, however it was cute to say the least. Samuel looked back down to the floor as they now waited for her doctor to surface.

Mercedes gazed over at him chewing all the lipstick off her bottom lip before she sighed and looked down at the floor. She kicked her short legs back and forth, looking around the room slowly as she placed her hands under her belly to relieve the pressure once more.

Samuel watched her legs kick back and forth before he finally asked her “are you mad at me?” it was a stupid question. He knew the very obvious answer but he wanted to hear from her own mouth. He wanted confirmation.

Mercedes looked over at her husband slowly at his question and she gazed at him in silence unsure of what to say. “I don’t know what I feel,” she told him honestly. “I guess you can say that I was upset but I’m not anymore. I just feel indifferent I guess…” she said as she tried to translate what she felt to words. “Are you happy?” she asked him back. She was honestly unsure of the answer and that scared her because if he wasn’t happy, then she had no idea what she could do for him.

Samuel nodded his head slowly at her, her averted his gaze and rested his hands in his lap. His foot began to tap slightly in a steady beat, again he could use a smoke. However, at her question he looked up “what do you mean?” he asked her back. The question was broad.

Mercedes shifted on the table slightly, her hand rubbing against her belly. “Are you happy with me, our life, our family?” She asked him. “Do I make you happy? Do we make you happy?” She asked him further. “Do you feel trapped in this?” That’s what she really wanted to know. Sometimes it seemed like he didn’t want to be in this, no matter how much he claimed he did.

Samuel blinked long a hard “am I happy at the moment…” he questioned himself. Samuel shifted leaning up in the seat. “I have always been honest with you” he said wiping at the corner of his mouth. “No, I am not” he admitted “it’s frustrating to be happy with something that keeps crumbling” he told her. “I keep trying to fix things before they self-destruct and it never works” he said as he sat back sucking his teeth, he looked away from her. “I love my family, I love my kids, I love my wife. But the more I try to fix things, the worse things get. And yes, that makes me very unhappy” he said looking to her. “But am I unhappy with, no” he shook his head. “Sydney, Sebastian, the twins… no” he listed, counting off on his fingers as he shook his head. “Our marriage” he questioned “hell, no” he told her. “Our lives are still” he paused unsure of what word to use “stagnant… at a standstill. No matter what we say or do. It’s torture” he breathed.

Gazing at him, Mercedes waited patiently for his answer. She knew that sometimes everyone was a little unhappy with life. Sometimes things just didn’t work out the way you wanted. But you learn to adapt. Things you thought you didn’t want, you come to love. However, that never seemed to be the case with her husband. When he finally opened his mouth to answer, she focused on him once more. Just taking it all in. She was quiet, dropping her eyes to the tile floor as she sighed. Her mind thinking things over for a while before she finally said, “not everything needs fixing.” Looking at him once more, she said, “you don’t always have to try to stop the demolition. Sometimes things just need to break and be rebuilt,” she told him gently before she looked away from him again. She didn’t feel as if their lives were stagnant. Things were changing. They were about to welcome two beautiful babies in just a few weeks. If that wasn’t change she didn’t know what was. Their daughter’s changing. She’s getting older and that’s change. Yes, Sydney was currently going through a phase where she was upset with them and feeling some type of way but that wouldn’t last forever, that Mercedes knew. Their son, was always doing something. Getting into something. He was change. She just didn’t understand what more Sam could want. “What do you want for our lives Sam?”

“You are honestly happy with the direction things are going for us?” Samuel asked. “Don’t get me wrong. Despite a few bumps in the road I have enjoyed watching the development of these children however I thought they’d bring about some peace in the midst of their growth” he told her. “After Sebastian, there was peace. Was it perfect every day, no. Did life get a little rough here and there, yes. But we were peaceful” he told her. “We all were a unit. We were one” he said holding up his finger. “Sydney has never hated us and we never gave her a reason to. And now you are comfortable with her being locked away in her room and cursing us every time we breathe around her. Our first born?” He said shaking his head. “And I get Bash, his destruction is wanted. That means he’s growing. The terrible twos are terrible, but at least I know he’s learning from his mistakes and his discoveries. What is Sydney’s gain? And therapy can’t help her, because her problem is us” he said outright. Samuel looked to the wall for a long while, “I’m not asking for a perfect family… I don’t think” he breathed. “I don’t know what I want from our lives. When you word it like that you make it sound like me wanting everybody to be function able and happy is unrealistic or a joke…” he told her. “I thought I was trying. To focus on your guys more. Workless. Be interactive. People keep asking am I all in?! I don’t get it. When aren’t I anymore?” he asked her seriously. “It boils down to if I need to be observant and completely invested in home life or do I need to be out in the streets. Because it seems to me either way someone isn’t happy.”

Sighing, Mercedes took a moment to think over Samuel’s question. “Yes, I’m happy,” she said out-right. “Am I happy every single moment of every single day? Of course not. Like you said there are ups and downs but in general I am content,” she breathed out, looking at him. “I’m not seeking happiness elsewhere and I’m not depressed about our current situation…” she said honestly. As he spoke about her pregnancy, she looked down. “For that I am sorry but I legitimately cannot control it. My hormones are all over the place. I can barely stand to look in the mirror most days and sometimes my attitude gets the best of me but it’s all in the pregnancy,” she told him gesturing around her ever growing belly. “Peace will come. I know it will…” she said softly. “And I will try harder,” she told him. “It’s just really hard for me…” she said thinking to herself. She couldn’t be the woman that he wanted her to be and she felt that, that put a strain on their relationship. Looking around the room, Mercedes shifted on the table, her hands on her belly as she tried to get comfortable, her back killing her. “Baby, Sydney’s 8. She’s been through a lot and believe it or not, her body’s already changing. Her hormones are coming in. She’s a little girl. She’s going to go through times where she simply doesn’t like us. I did it with my parents as well. Yes, I too feel like it’s more than just her growing up but what can we do?” she asked him. “You don’t want to put her in therapy but I feel like it’ll help,” she said shrugging her shoulders. “I know we did it before but she’s older now. It might be more effective.” Sighing, she looked at him again. “I just feel like she’ll come around…” she told him gently. “I don’t know Sam…” Mercedes said shifting again, placing a hand on her back. “I can’t read you anymore. I used to be able to look at you and see exactly what was going on in your head,” she told him gently. “Now I feel like you shut me out,’ she told him how she honestly felt. “I’m not going to lie, you’ve definitely been home more but when you’re there you’re not really there. Which is why I asked you if you felt trapped…” she said looking away from him towards the door as someone knocked. “I don’t know baby…” she said kicking her feet. “Sometimes I feel like you're just going through the motions… and that’s what makes me unhappy.” She paused for a moment, gathering herself a bit before she said, “come in,”

Doctor Bailey stood outside the door patiently, having heard faint conversation from her position outside. When she was finally given the okay to come inside, Doctor Bailey cracked the door open, smiling softly at the couple. “Hello,” she said sweetly, holding her hand out to shake their hands before she moved over to the sink to wash them. “How are you feeling Mercedes?” Doctor Bailey asked first and foremost.

Samuel looked to Mercedes, before he looked away. What did a man have to do to get a cigarette? The more he thought about the smoke the more he realized just how dependent upon the things he was. He ran both his hands through his hair as he sat upright in the chair straightening his spine. He chuckled at her and it could have come off as a bad thing in the moment but he wasn’t truly laughing at her. He wasn’t laughing with her either, he thought to himself. He had started to chuck it all up to actual karma himself. He’d played some many games in life, and done so much wrong to people. It backfired but clearly God still had a few more things to throw his way. He played on innocent people so much that now no matter what he did, his wife still didn’t take a single thing he did serious. Licking his lips slowly, he heard the knock and looked to the door as the woman entered. “Hi” she said, simply shaking her hand as he rested back in the chair again. He fell silently and it was beyond the physician’s appearance shutting him up, quite frankly he was quiet because he didn’t know what to say. And he didn’t necessarily know what the hell he was supposed to do now. And clearly no one had any suggestions.

Mercedes glanced at Samuel as he chuckled and she but her bottom lip, looking down. Shaking the Doctor’s hand Mercedes shrugged. “I’ve been alright. Tire more than usual lately. My back is killing me and there’s so much pressure under my stomach that sometimes it feels like they’re already coming out. From time to time I get migraines and they last forever and occasionally I run out of breath doing the simplest things,” she told the doctor easily. “But other than that, … I feel okay.”

Doctor Bailey dried her hands and picked up Mercedes’ chart, looking at the woman with an arched eyebrow. “All that and you say you feel fine?” Doctor Bailey chuckled, looking over at Samuel. “She is so strong,” she told him thoughtfully before she turned her attention to Mercedes once more, sitting down in a chair, rolling over slowly. “Alright so, let’s see you say you have shortness of breath, migraines, fatigue, abdominal pain or pressure, and your back hurts,” she repeated as she sat her chart down and gently lifted Mercedes’ hand into her own. “Have you noticed any swelling in your hands, wrists, and ankles?” she asked as she looked over Mercedes hands and wrists. “All your symptoms are actually signs of preeclampsia,” she told the couple truthfully, looking over at Samuel as well. “Preeclampsia is a condition that occurs during pregnancy, however, before I get you two all riled up over nothing, I want to continue with the examination and determine fully rather or not you have it. So, Mercedes’ let me take your blood pressure and we’ll move forward from there.”

Samuel looked to Mercedes and then her doctor again, as they spoke he sat there. His hands back in his lap and he blinked. “Yeah” he said, offering a sympathetic smile because he did know it was a struggle and it didn’t necessarily make him feel the best knowing she was dealing with all of things. At the woman’s next words, he looked to Mercedes again, this had to be the very last thing they needed right now but of course another curve ball was thrown their way. And that also made him laugh to himself, before he quickly silenced himself considering it wasn’t a laughing matter.

Mercedes took in what Doctor Bailey was saying, nodding slowly, slightly shocked. She knew about preeclampsia. She had read about it before but she never thought that she could possibly have it. She was just stressed. That’s what she thought. However, it was clear to her by the look on Doctor Bailey’s face that it was quite possible that she had it. Hearing Samuel’s chuckle, she looked at him, her eyebrows furrowing slightly before she nodded at Doctor Bailey and rolled up her sleeve.

Doctor Bailey stood from the chair and moved to grab the wrap for Mercedes’ arm. Carefully she wrapped it around her arm before she turned the machine on, allowing it to read Mercedes’ blood pressure as she picked up the chart again. When the machine beeped, Doctor Bailey looked at Mercedes with soft eyes as she wrote down the numbers. “130/89, that’s prehypertension,” she explained to them as she pressed her foot against the pump under the table, lowering it for Mercedes. “May I have you step on the scale really quickly,” she asked Mercedes gesturing for towards the scale.

Samuel tucked his lips away as the two women as her doctor continued to speak. He moved his hands beneath his legs, sitting on them as he rocked a little. He listened to Mercedes blood pressure reading and he sighed before he watched as the doctor asked her to get up on the scale for her.

Mercedes nodded slowly, swallowing hard as Doctor Bailey told her that she had prehypertension. She knew that was bad, pregnant or not. Sighing out, she slid off the table carefully, moving over to the scale. Stepping onto it, she closed her eyes, not even wanting to see the numbers.

Doctor Bailey followed Mercedes over to the scale, eying her a little as she did. Once Mercedes stepped onto it. She watched the numbers before they settled and she said aloud, “205,” and wrote it down. “Okay, Mercedes you can sit back down.” She told her softly. “I am going to be right back and then we can talk and continue with your exam,” she told them both before exiting the room.

Samuel looked over at Mercedes and her doctor as they moved for the scale, she read off the woman’s weight and he licked his dry lips again. It was a little shock to him but then again what could anyone expect when she had to lives growing inside her. It was normal to him, and he didn’t understand why she felt so bad about it. As the woman asked Mercedes to sit back down, leaving them in the room alone. He blinked slowly, “it’s always something” he mumbled picking at his jeans with a slow shake of his head.

Mercedes nodded slowly as Doctor Bailey said her weight aloud and she bit her lip hard as she stepped off the scale and moving to sit down on the examination table once more, grateful that it was now lower and much easier to get onto. As Doctor Bailey exited the room, Mercedes looked over at her husband. “Sam…” she said softly, not even knowing what to say to him. “If I have preeclampsia I could lose our babies…” she said sadly, “I could go into premature labor, one or both of them could be in distress, all three of us could die…” she breathed out looking away from him as she closed her eyes, trying not to overthink it and stress herself out anymore.

“Huh?” Samuel said looking to her wildly, “what do you mean Mercedes?” he asked her confused. He had to be honest in saying “I don’t know what the hell any of this mean” because he didn’t. He figured whatever it was, was serious because of the way the doctor had gone about things. However, life and death? What in the hell would he do if his wife died or worse if all three of them died? The thought of losing two more children all over again brought tears to his eyes. “Is that what she’s saying?” he said standing up, 6 feet 3 inches of him stood before her. And he breathed out slowly, a shaky breath at that the thought caused four walls to come closing in around on him.

Mercedes kept her head turned away from him as the reality of what was happening set in. She opened her eyes, blinking hard to clear away growing tears. At his questioning, she looked at him, her lips tucked inward and as he stood before her, she reached for him, her hands gently taking his into hers. “Preeclampsia is a really serious medical condition and depending on the severity, it can be fatal,” she said in a whisper. “I don’t know what is happening or if anything is happening but… Sam… I’m scared,” she told him honestly.

Samuel looked to Mercedes as she reached for his hand, he was panicking and if she was telling the truth he had every reason to be. His worst nightmare was coming to life. They couldn’t go through this, again. And he damn sure couldn’t lose his wife. Licking his lips, he moved towards her grabbing ahold of her hand. He felt like a punk because he wanted to be able to tell her that everything would be okay, but he was scared and probably far more scared than she was. He nodded his head slowly “okay” he breathed out cautiously. “I’m scared too I don’t really know what to say” he said sadly, his eyes glossing over as his heart raced. “We can be scared, together right?” he asked her seriously.

Mercedes blinked away tears as she gazed up at her husband. “We can,” she whispered, pulling him a little closer before she wrapped her arms around him, laying her head on his chest. She hugged him close, closing her eyes as she did. She knew how he felt about his children and she couldn’t go through another loss. So, she prayed that everything would be okay. Hearing a knock at the door Mercedes slowly began to pull away from Samuel as she cleared her throat and said, “come in.”

Doctor Bailey knocked on the door gently before she re-entered the room, looking at the couple sadly. Pulling her chair back up to the table, she sat down looking at both Samuel and Mercedes. “I’m sorry, Mercedes but in my professional opinion I do believe that you have a case of preeclampsia,” she said looking between the two before she continued. “Preeclampsia is a very serious condition that affects about 5 to 8 percent of pregnancies. At this time, we don’t necessarily know what causes preeclampsia but we do know how it can affect a pregnancy. In most cases preeclampsia causes high blood pressure, it can cause kidney damage, it can lead to liver or renal failure, or even cause future cardiovascular issues,” she explained to them. “When it comes to your babies,” she said gesturing to Mercedes, “preeclampsia can prevent the placenta from getting the blood it needs. If the placenta doesn’t get enough blood, your babies get less oxygen and food, which could result in low birth weight.” She told them. “Now most women can still deliver healthy babies if this is caught earlier enough and Mercedes I do believe that we have caught you in the early stages so we can do a few things to help you out and get you to 37 weeks with no problems.” Licking her lips, she reached for her chart and read it over briefly before she said, “Honestly, I would recommend going on bedrest Mercedes. I know that you have a very busy life but stress is not good for you or the babies right now. Also, I need you to cut back on your proportions when you’re eating. Less salt, less fatty foods, less fried foods. More fruits and vegetables. Drinking 6-8 glasses of water a day can also help. And this is a big one, exercise. Yes, I recommend bedrest but getting up and going for a walk around the neighborhood once or twice a day would help also.”

Samuel looked down at Mercedes again as she pulled him close to hug him, he hugged her back. Kissing the top of her head as she laid against him gently, he closed his eyes. Rubbing her back lovingly, he finally said “it’ll be okay babe. You are the strongest woman I know. It’ll be fine” sincerely to her. As he heard the knock he let her go reluctantly as her doctor returned once more. Samuel stood back as she spoke, sliding his hands into his pocket comfortably. He looked between them both, bedrest was doable she didn’t have the energy she uses to anymore anyway. So, her resting was fine with him, whatever it took they’d do. He looked to his wife’s face to see what she was feeling or possibly thinking by her expression. Licking his lips slowly, “so if she changes her eating habits, exercise once or twice a week, and rest completely. This thing can potentially go away?” He asked seriously. “37 weeks is a long way doc, and I don’t want possible fixes. We need to know what to do to ensure that all three of them are safe definitely” he said looking to her. He wasn’t taking any chances and he wasn’t playing any games at all at the moment. During their first pregnancy with the twins, she was healthy as a horse no complications in sight and in a blink of an eye it all went to hell for them. To think that there was something wrong and all people could throw was possibilities out at him wasn’t good enough. The woman was a great doctor but he could do without her, possibilities.

Mercedes gazed at Doctor Bailey as she began to explain things to them and she nodded slowly, already knowing some of the facts about preeclampsia. Taking in the instructions, she sighed, looking down as she began to fiddle with her chubby fingers. When Samuel began to speak, she looked at him, biting her lip gently before she looked back to their doctor. She didn’t know what to say. She didn’t know what to feel. Like Sam said, it was always something. Placing her hands over her belly, she nodded once more.

Doctor Bailey looked at Samuel, giving him a sympathetic expression. “Unfortunately, there is no definite cure for preeclampsia,” she told him honestly. “All that we can do is try to combat it with different techniques, such as bedrest, dietary changes, and the like,” she told them both. “The dietary changes will help lower Mercedes’ blood pressure and that could help fight some of the other symptoms however, as I said there is no cure so there are no guarantees.” Shifting on her feet, she went on. “If we want to have a smooth remainder of your pregnancy, I would recommend coming in for a checkup once a week until delivery, which is normal anyway in the third trimester, however, most woman miss a few appointments, it’s in your best interest not to miss any due to your condition. The closer of an eye we keep on you, the better until delivery,” she said speaking to Mercedes. “I know this is a very hard pill to swallow and I am always here if you guys have any questions or any concerns,” she told them sincerely. “Do you have any more questions now before we continue?” she asked looking between the two.

Samuel looked to the woman it wasn’t the answer he wanted but he knew getting pissed off about it would only upset his wife as well. So, he just stayed quiet and he shook his head because after all to him nothing was answered. Was he going to plan a homecoming or homegoing after all is said and done. Would he be bringing two babies home to a nursery or just another broken wife? Or would he be bringing his wife home at all? He already had only half of her to spend the rest of his life with, and now someone was telling him that possibly, he’d lose the other half as well. And that was a tremendously hard pill to swallow. So, he looked to her doctor for a moment, before he simply said in response to her last statement “no” moving to sit down in the chair he was sitting in before. He looked to Mercedes as he waited for this hell on Earth to be over. Something was always happening in their World, and if losing two kids would be the next thing or losing if wife perhaps… well then, he’d better get his damn head in the game now.

Mercedes looked over at Samuel, gnawing on her bottom lip as she thought to herself. She didn’t have any questions. She didn’t even have any thoughts. At this point she was just numb. She felt numb. Closing her eyes, she shook her head as she groaned softly, laying back on the examination table to finish with the exam.

Doctor Bailey gazed at the couple with soft eyes. She knew about their previous loss of children and she could only imagine what they were feeling at the moment. As Mercedes laid down, Doctor Bailey moved to wash her hands a second time before quickly drying them. “Lift your shirt for me,” she said softly, as she grabbed the measuring tape. Once Mercedes lifted it, she held the tape against Mercedes’ belly, measuring baby number one, from crown to rump, pressing into Mercedes’ stomach a little, to get an accurate measurement. Moving to the second baby, she did the same thing. Once she was finished, she placed the tape aside and write down the measurements, trying to be gentle with Mercedes. Grabbing the ultrasound machine, she wheeled it over before grabbing the gel, lightly squirting some over Mercedes’ belly. “Okay…” she said gently as she placed the probe against her stomach, moving it around slowly as she began to look the two children over. “Everything looks fine,” she said gently looking between the two. “As far as I can see, I don’t see any negative affects to the placenta. Your amniotic fluid is of normal levels for this stage of pregnancy. Your little girl has already started turning downward, which is a good thing but it might be very uncomfortable for you,” she said looking to Mercedes. “Your son it still facing up right but don’t worry he still has plenty of time to shift down before delivery,” she told them both. “Both of your babies look fine,” she said to reassure them. “Your little girl is still a little larger than your boy but that’s not uncommon,” she explained.

Samuel looked to Bailey as she began measuring, poking and prodding his wife. He sighed heavily, he’d have to do something he truly didn’t want to and it was making him sick to his stomach. He’d have to call his mother-in-law and ask her to come to LA for extra hands and help around the house. He hadn’t talked to the woman much and he didn’t really have the best opinion about her mother anymore. He used to love the woman to death, just as much as he loved his own mother. But in recent years, and after witnessing a few things he’d realized that his wife and daughter had a lot of her tendencies and it annoyed him greatly. However, at the mention of their children growing fine within his wife’s womb, hearing how healthy and strong they were made him smile. He looked to the screen, watching them closely. Despite everything that was going on, he was still very gracious for the blessing that they had become. Licking his lips, he cleared his throat a bit as he shifted in his seat. He wasn't going to cry in front of the both of them, nope, not even a little bit.

.

Mercedes laid there silently as Doctor Bailey began to measure her belly, biting back small groans of pain as she pressed against her stomach some. Shifting just slightly, Mercedes closed her eyes, trying to ignore the pain in her back as she waited patiently. As Doctor Bailey finally began speaking again, she opened her eyes, looking at the screen nodding slowly as Doctor Bailey spoke. “So, they haven’t been affected at all?” Mercedes asked, wanting to know out-right. As she went on, Mercedes nodded a bit more, just taking it all in. She was relieved. At least her babies were still alright. That’s all that mattered.

Doctor Bailey looked at Mercedes saying, “No, as far as I can tell they haven’t been affected. They’re perfectly fine and their development is right on track,” she said before she turned up the sound on the monitors, allowing them to listen to their babies’ steady heartbeats. “This is your baby boy’s heartbeat,” she told them, holding the probe steady so that they could listen before she moved the probe towards their little girl, “and here’s your baby girl’s heartbeat.” She grew quiet for a moment allowing them to listen once more. “Both very strong,” she said reassuringly as she began to snap a few images for the couple.

Samuel pulled his bottom lip into his mouth, biting down on it even as the woman turned the sound up and allowed them to both listen to their children’s heartbeats. Sighing out, he assumed he at least needed to thank God that their little hearts still kicked a powerful punch. And he did, hands pressed together he held them to his lips just exhaling, internally thanking God before he dropped them defeatedly.

Mercedes gazed at the screen, her eyes watering as the listened to their heartbeats. They were stronger than ever. Looking over at Samuel, she caught him in a moment of what seemed to be reverence and she looked away, not wanting to interrupt his moment. Closing her eyes, she sucked in a soft sniffle biting down on her lip hard.

Doctor Bailey stayed silent, the emotion heavy in the room. Licking her drying lips, she quietly began to put the machine away, turning it off and pushing it back into the corner before she grabbed some tissues and began to gently clean off Mercedes’ belly. Carefully she pulled Mercedes’ shirt down for her, before she exited the room to give them a moment and get their images and informational packets.

Samuel finally raised his head as he watched her doctor clean up and move to excuse herself again. It was a heavy relief after all was said and done. Had the woman said anything seemed to be wrong or out of sorts with their children he might’ve thrown in the towel today. But, their kids we obvious fighters, so should he. Moving to stand up from his seat he walked over to his wife and he looked down at her. “You okay?” He asked her caressing her head of hair and offering his hand to her, to help her lean in an upright position again.

Mercedes opened her eyes when she heard the door close and she looked at her husband, watching as he moved to stand beside her. Biting her lip, she sniffled again before she nodded, saying, “I’ll be okay,” as she took his hand, groaning gently as she pulled against him a little to sit up. Shifting on the table, she turned her body, swinging her legs off the side of the table once more before she squeezed his hand. “I can deal with all that’s happening to me as long as they’re okay,” she said gently, wiping under her eyes some.

Samuel nodded his head at her understandingly. “Good” he told her with a simple smile. As she went on he nodded his head at her, he didn’t know how he felt about that statement he was conflicted. He wanted them safe and healthy but he felt the same about her as well. “Well I’m fine as long as all 3 of you are okay” he told her rubbing her back gently.

Mercedes nodded slowly, taking both of his hands into her own. “I love you,” she breathed out gently, resting her forehead against his chest, “and we’re going to make it through this,” she whispered. She knew that they always had ups and downs, they fussed and they fought, but at the end of the day, when it really mattered as long as they had each other, they could make it through anything.

Samuel allowed Mercedes to grab both of his hands and he laced their fingers. Holding her hands tightly in his large ones he allowed her to rest her head on his chest again. “I don’t doubt that” he replied easily, as he pecked the top of her head. “And I love you more” he told her.

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