Where We Begin, Chapter 17
This Chapter is dedicated to Rupert, a character after my own heart.
Jamie was just leaving work when his cell phone came to life with the Hospital’s Security desk line. He had purposely set this number to an urgent ring tone, knowing Rupert would never call from this line unless it was an emergency.
Nearly dropping the phone in his rush to answer, Jamie pulled his car off the road to take the call.
“Rupert? What’s happened, man?”
“Get here now. I figured out what’s happened to Claire’s orders. You need to pick her up and take her someplace safe while the hospital and police figure this out.”
“I’m three minutes away,” Jamie answered.
“Good, I’ll explain when you get here.”
Rupert hung up the phone and looked down at Malva as she tugged at her handcuffs. “The police will be here shortly, and then my dear, you’re gonna tell us why ye’ gave Dr. Roth access to Claire’s security codes. And then after that, a quick chat about the pharmacy’s inventory. It should be a verra entertaining talk.”
***
Joe wasn’t sure why he was watching Dr. Harvey’s rounds and then surgery for the last two hours, but Rupert’s instructions were clear.
“Be discreet man, but don’t let him out of your sight. If he approaches Claire, ye make your presence known.”
He’d confided his suspicions about Harvey to Rupert last night, but surely he didn’t think having him watched was the way to solve this?
As Harvey finished closing up his patient, Joe closed up his notebook and stood to leave the observation room. Placing his hand on the doorhandle, Joe’s face fell as he realized the door was locked.
He looked back down into the surgical suite and saw Dr. Roth heading toward the locker room and let out a soft curse. He’d have to wait for the nursing staff to finish dressing the sutures before they could leave the OR to let him out. Sighing in resignation, his hand smacked the intercom button as he shot a friendly smile to the medical staff below.
***
As Jamie entered the hospital doors, the fire alarm sounded, and his eyes darted to Rupert’s across the way. As he jogged over to the security station, he saw two security guards look up from where a mousy looking young girl sat in handcuffs.
“Is that real?” Jamie yelled over the alarm. Rupert grumbled as his fingers flew over the display, locating the tripped alarm and the cameras in the research lab.
“Shiite, nah, no fire, but something else,” Rupert muttered. “Craig! Take Tony with you and go check the research lab! Keep Dr. Roth in your custody but get him cleaned up.”
“What the hell is going on?” Joe stammered, arriving at the security desk, out of breath. A few keystrokes and Rupert had the fire alarms turned off. “You were supposed to be following Dr. Roth!” Rupert hissed.
“I got locked in the observation rooms. I couldn’t…”
“Claire!” Jamie called out, his eyes locking on her as she fell to her knees. She slowly curled forward until she slumped onto her side, though Jamie was there a moment later, tucking an arm beneath her knees as he cradled her against him. He looked up and found Joe beside him, already moving his hands over Claire’s neck and face to check her vitals.
“Bring her this way. She needs a bed,” Joe said as he helped Jamie to his feet. Joe led Jamie down a side corridor away from the mass confusion, grabbing the folder of returned lab reports off the nursing station. Stepping into a small exam room, Joe quickly brought the room’s equipment to life as Jamie deposited Claire on compact hospital bed. Within minutes, Joe had her IV drip secured, oxygen level and heart rate monitored, and a heating blanket draped over her frightfully chilled form. Jamie secured a pillow under her head, trying very hard to stay out of the way, but after three minutes of silence he finally broke.
“Can you tell me anything, Joe?” He croaked, squeezing her hand. He nearly jumped when a soft moan escaped her lips. Joe cracked a smile, as he tore through the lab results, looking for her ID number.
“Well, I can tell you that’s a good sign, if I ever heard one,” Joe said, finding her results and putting them on top of the chart as he brought out his pen lamp. “Hi Claire,” He said softly, flicking the light into her eyes. “Thanks for coming back to us. You’ll be thrilled to know you don’t have a concussion.”
“Get…that light….away…” she groaned. Jamie let out a breathy laugh, and pressed a kiss to her forehead.
“Joe, do you know why Rupert called me down here? He said Claire wasn’t safe…”
“I don’t know about that but…”
“I do,” Claire groaned. “Dr. Roth. He tried to attack me in the research lab.” Joe and Jamie exchanged a look and Joe immediately turned to lock the hospital room door.
“Start from the beginning,” Joe said, adjusting the hospital bed into a seated position.
***
Ten minutes later, Jamie’s face had taken on the shade of a cherry tomato, and his finger was tapping a frantic beat against his thigh.
“I may kill him…and…God, Claire…if this is Geneva? There’s no saving her,” Jamie growled.
Claire sighed, and laid back against the pillows. She closed her eyes briefly and squeezed Jamie’s hand. “Joe…the room is spinning.”
Jamie’s anger evaporated as concern took its place. Joe, who had been studying her lab reports, looked up at her, nonplussed.
“Well, you’re anemic, dehydrated, hormonally imbalanced, and malnourished. This is probably the worse case of hyperemesis gravidarum I’ve ever seen. You should be ashamed to call yourself a doctor, LJ,” Joe said with a glowing smile.
Claire’s mouth dropped open, her eyes widening in shock as Jamie looked between her and Joe. “Hyperemesis…What? What’s wrong with her?”
Joe stood. “Lock this door behind me. She’ll tell you once she stops gaping. I’ll be back with Rupert in a bit.”
Jamie locked the door, and turned to see silent tears streaming down Claire’s cheeks as she looked over the lab results. He slowly moved over to her side and squeezed her knee. She looked up at him, and finally a smile broke out over her face. “You arrogant, ridiculous Scot…I don’t know how…” She breathed out a laugh. “Oh…living with you now will be absolutely impossible…”
“Claire, you’re making little if any sense…”
She took his hand and pulled him down so his face was at eye level. “I don’t know how you did it, but I’m pregnant,” she whispered.
Jamie let out a breath that rattled his entire body before his lips split into a heartbreaking smile. “Och, I believe we both took part in it, love.” He leaned his forehead against hers as his own tears began to form. She let out a chuckle, and pressed her lips to his as his arms circled her waist and tucked her under his chin.
“You’re still sick though, aye?” He asked softly. “Is something wrong with the bairn?”
Claire sighed. “Probably not, but we’ll see. Hyperemesis gravidarum is medical term for extreme morning sickness, but it can be dangerous if not treated.” A blush burned her cheeks. “I’m…really pregnant…according to these hormone readings, almost ten weeks. To go so long without prenatal care can be risky.” Her lip trembled as he kissed her again. “I’m sorry…I’m sorry I didn ‘t…”
“Shhh, Sorcha…” he whispered. “It’s a wee bit of a shock, aye? We’ll manage.”
“We?” She sniffed and he produced a handkerchief from his pocket. “You mean you want to parent with the idiot doctor who didn’t know she was pregnant?” She blew her nose as he pushed her hair from her face.
“Aye. Snot covered, grumpy, pregnant, and all mine.”
***
When Joe finally returned with Rupert in tow, Rupert gave a full report on Dr. Roth as Joe had Claire wheeled towards their ultrasound wing.
Dr. Roth had initially denied any wrong doing that afternoon, until a quick 30 minute rewind replayed the scene Claire had survived. He was immediately taken into custody, and Malva was terminated with notice to have charges pressed. Geneva’s part in this however, was still vague. Malva had cracked immediately, but seemed confused when asked if Geneva conspired the plot.
Rupert finished his story looking to Claire and Jamie, who both were shaking their heads in disbelief.
“Dr. Alma will be informing the board of everything, and I’m sure more things will come about from this, but for now I believe you have your hands full,” he said with a smile as Joe readied the ultrasound machine.
“Thank you, Rupert, for calling me, and everything…” Jamie rasped, squeezing Claire’s hand.
With Rupert’s exit, Joe motioned to Claire’s stomach with the tube of jelly. “Start your engines.”
Claire lifted her shirt as Joe prepped her lower abdomen, squeezing Jamie’s hand like a vice as Joe searched for…
It was the tiniest little bean, with delicate wisps for fingers and a thudding heart, beating stubbornly against her womb. It shivered as Joe moved the wand, and he wordlessly took measurements before letting out a sigh of relief.
“Perfect,” Claire whispered to Jamie, who was pressing kisses to her cheek.
“She’s perfect.”