The Gift Box Ch. 09

Another two weeks passed, and the day of Emily's doctor appointment came. Scott accompanied her to the office and impatiently waited while Emily went through the normal poke and prod check up. Even though she had been going to Liz for years, this time, she felt very uncomfortable because she didn't know who the father was. She asked the nurse to get Scott when they took her for the sonogram.

She was already on the table and waiting when Scott walked in the door. He took her hand, standing up towards the top of the exam table. The nurse put the jelly down and slid the transducer around her belly, adjusting the picture. She chatted a little bit, easing the tension in the room.

"Mrs. Richmon, you think you are at the four month mark?"

"That's what we figured out, but we were not so sure. I guess we'll find out soon." she smiled awkwardly, "My husband thinks I'm further along because of my size."

"Well, let's just see how far along we are." The picture became a little clearer and started putting little marks on the screen. Emily looked at it, trying to make out the shapes the marks made, and then she gasped, clenching Scott's hand extremely tight. Tears rolled from her face.

"Mom?" he whispered, "What's wrong?"

"Look." she whispered and pointed, showing him what she saw. He couldn't quite make it out, and then realized he was looking at more than he expected.

"Mom? Is that what I think it is?"

"Twins. Mrs. Richmon it's twins."

"Oh my god!" Emily mumbled. She looked at Scott, swallowing hard.

"Here's one, and here's the other," the nurse added, showing the outline each of them. She clicked off the pictures and printed them out, quickly writing things down in the file and handing the photographs to Emily.

Emily took them, her hands shaking. After that, there was no question in her mind, or heart, about whom she was pregnant by.

"Well, Mrs. Richmon, I'll let the doctor know and give you time to catch your breath. I'm sure she will want to see you briefly before you leave."

"Thank you." Emily could hardly speak. The nurse left them and Scott helped Emily from the table.

"No wonder you're growing so quickly," he stated. Feeling her shake holding her steady.

Scott took the pictures from Emily, looking over them. He was just as shocked. Many things floated through his head. He didn't know what to say to her as he kissed her cheek.

Emily leaned against the table in awe of her circumstances. Could it be true. Was she carrying a child for each of them? It wasn't far fetched, she had heard of women carrying twins of different fathers before, and twins coming out looking different because of the different blood lines and such.

She put her hands on her tummy and rubbed, taking a deep breath. "Well, my little ones, I guess well see who you look like in about five or six months. I hope I can handle the two of you. I may be walking sideways for awhile," she giggled to herself, then looked up and whispered, "Scott, we should go see your dad."

They walked out of the room, stopping long enough to speak to Liz, before they headed back to the hospital to see Eric. She held the photographs tightly, excited to tell Eric the news.

When they arrived at the hospital, and entered Eric's room, he was gone and the whole room was empty. Emily panicked, because no one had called her to tell her anything had happened to him. Scott heard her gasp, and put his arm around her.

"Wait mom, I'll go see. They may have just taken him for some tests or something."

"I'm all right. Just go see what's going on."

Scott kissed her cheek and left the room, walking down to the nurses' station to inquire about his father. He was shocked to find out that they had put Eric back in ICU.

"Why wasn't my mother notified?" He snapped.

"We tried to call the numbers left, but we didn't get any answer. We left a message with the number listed as her cell phone," the nurse looked a little wary at him, "Mr. Richmon, we tried to call and let you know that he was having problems again, I'm sorry that we did not reach you. I'll call down to ICU and let them know you have arrived."

Scott went white. His emotional state went from ecstatic father to upset little boy in the matter of seconds. When he turned to walk away, Emily was standing before him. "Mom, they took dad back to ICU." He swallowed hard, "they said they have tried to call your cell, but didn't get an answer. They said he was having trouble again, and took him back."

"Oh God. I forgot all about my phone. I haven't even turned it on today." She looked stunned, "What kind of trouble?"

"They won't tell me. We have to walk down to ICU, the nurse is going to meet us there."

Emily took a deep breath and put the sonogram pictures back in her purse. "Maybe he just over dosed himself and they took him back as a precaution." She tried to smile, but deep in her heart, she knew it was more. When she reached for Scott's hand, he jumped. Wherever his thoughts were, she pulled him back to reality.

They walked to the elevator and rode it to the floor where the ICU was located. They both looked at each other before they exited the car. Scott knew what was in her thoughts, because he was thinking the same thing about his dad.

"Mrs. Richmon." The nurse approached her, "I'm sorry we couldn't reach you earlier."

"It's my fault, I forgot about my phone. Please, what's wrong with Eric?"

"I'm afraid that his lung has collapsed, and we believe that his broken ribs have caused more damage than what we initially thought." She turned to look back where the doctor stood, and motioned towards him, "Doctor Richardson is taking care of him, and can explain things to you better than I can."

She stared at the doctor, this strange look overtaking her expression, "I want you to tell me everything your not."

"I have told you everything I am able to Mrs. Richmon."

"No, no you haven't. I know that Eric was fine when I left him last night. Something is wrong; there is something you haven't told me. Something that everyone knows, and no one is telling me!" she was almost screaming.

"Mom, calm down. You know what Liz said about you getting upset. It's not going to help dad either."

"Then someone needs to tell me the truth about your father!" She snapped at him.

He had never seen so much fear in her eyes. Usually, she was strong, it didn't matter what any of them had gone through, but now, she was terrified. Scott walked the doctor away from her before she hit bottom and clawed his eyes out.

"Tell her the truth. If my dad is dying, she deserves to know why. I don't care what he told you to do, you need to tell her."

He glanced over at Emily and continued talking to Scott, "Mr. Richmon, your father has a collapsed lung, the internal hemorrhage has begun again, and we can't seem to stop it. We can do surgery on him again, but he might die."

"What is the chance we save his life, and not kill my mother?"

"It's 70/30. But he may be in a coma, or hospitalized for a long time."

"I don't care. You do what it takes to save my father, and you do it now!" Scott poked him in the chest, not really meaning to, but his emotions were taking over his senses. "My mom is pregnant with his child, this is their seventh, and he has to at least live to see him born." Scott's eyes narrowed, "and I don't care what it takes to get him there."

"Take your mom in to see him, and notify your family. I'll have the surgery prepped, and do what I can."

Scott walked back to Emily and took her in his arms, her look was distant, lost. He kissed her on purpose, hoping no one else would see, and she threw herself around him, clinging to him.

"Mom, they are going to try and stop the bleeding again, but he may not make it. If he does, they say he may be in a coma for long time." He snuggled into her shoulder, leaving a soft trail of his lips to her ear, "I love you, I'm here for you Emily."

"I love you Scott. I need to go see him, take me to see him. He needs to know."

"Yes, he does." Scott held her close for a few more minutes, and stole another kiss from her before they walked down to Eric's enclosed room.

Emily stood in the doorway for a moment, Scott still holding her around her waist before she walked in and sat down next to the bed. She took Eric's hand and looked at him, he was pale, the respirator pushed him to breathe, and the monitors beeped in a low tone, echoing the stillness of the room.

Scott stood next to her, watching the machines, swallowing back his tears, thinking about how happy Emily was after the sonogram, and now, how awful she looked sitting there holding his fathers hand.

Emily ran her hand up his arm and traced the tattoo that bore her nickname, and pulled out her cell phone, turned it on and snapped two photos of it. Scott stepped away and gave her some private time.

She stood up and put his hand against her belly and held it there for a few moments, then bent over him, kissing his lips, that she found very warm, and snuggling into his shoulder, whispering to him.

"You were right, but you were always right." She left a little peck on his cheek, "We're having twins this time Eric. I think one is yours, and one is Scotts. But it doesn't matter, because I will love them both, and so will you."

She drew back to look at his motionless form, and eased back to where she was, "Do you remember the night we first made love, how beautiful the moon was? How fun it was on the motorcycle, how wonderful it felt to know that you loved me enough to make love with me under the night sky. I have always loved you Eric, and nothing will ever change that. You have given me a love beyond my dreams, and a life that any woman would be proud to share with you. I love you Eric. I will always love you."

She trailed kisses to his lips, softly kissing their warmth again, and stood, taking a deep breath, running her hand over his shoulder, down his chest, stopping at the tattoo that held hers and Scotts name upon his chest, traced it slowly, and drew away. She turned to Scott and a tiny smile crept across her lips. "Say good-bye to your father son." She kissed Scotts cheek as she left the room.

Scott walked to his dad, not knowing what to do or say. Two weeks ago, they had this conversation about taking care of Emily; and now, he didn't know if he was ever going to see him again? Why did his mother suddenly tell him to say good-bye? Didn't she have any faith in the doctor, or did she know something he didn't?

***

They came to get Eric and wheeled him down to surgery. Emily called home and let everyone know what was going on, and as soon as she knew something, she would let them know. Erica agreed to watch the kids, and pick up Hayden from dance class. Emily thanked her, and asked her to please call Malcolm because she had only gotten his cell phone, and didn't want to leave a message.

Emily and Scott sat in the waiting room. Scott took a few moments to call and check on Emilia, then sat back with his mother.

Emily stood as the doctor approached her and took her aside, sitting with her, "Mrs. Richmon. I'm afraid that due to your husbands internal injuries, and with this relapse, he may not make it much longer. I have done everything I can to make him comfortable. Now, it's just a waiting game."

She broke down in Scott's arms. She knew there was nothing more that they could do. Before Emily left the hospital, she was allowed to see Eric. Once again, whispered how much she loved him. She promised to care for the babies, and if he did not come home, she would let them know about their father.

On the drive back to the house, she hardly spoke to Scott. His thoughts were for her, and his family. Was this really going to happen, was he going to have to do as he promised, and take his fathers place in his mothers life? He loved her deeply as a woman, and would do anything in his power to take care of her. But loosing his father, was something that he wasn't sure he could handle. He looked at Emily, and reached over and took her hand, kissing it softly.

Emily looked at Scott, seeing how much he looked like Eric, and a slight smile creased her lips.

"You won't have to take your father's place, and I would never expect you too. But I never want you to leave my side. Unless of course, you want to."

"I promised to always take care of you Emily. You are still my mother, but in my heart, you are so much more. You have meant more to me then any woman. I love you, and if you want me at your side, then that is where I will be."