The Girl with The Pink Bat

"I'll ask to send in a bed," the doctor said.

"That would be lovely," Samantha exclaimed, without missing a beat. "Also, send in an obstetrician."

"I'll send in the necessary forms -"

Samantha stopped rubbing my shoulders. I turned and watched as she faced off with the doctor. "You should call her doctor in Middletown to make things easier for her. She's under a lot of stress and needs a familiar face. Please respect the fact that she doesn't want to leave her husband's side and send-," my mother-in-law looked at me.

"Dr. Carroll," I said.

"Right, Dr. Carroll. My daughter-in-law will give you the contact information."

I looked for Dr. Carroll's number in my phone, wrote it down on a piece of paper, and handed it to the doctor.

"I'll have someone give her a call," the doctor said and took his leave, shutting the door behind him.

"You were brilliant, Samantha."

"We're paying a lot for this room, the least they can do is give us a five stars service." My mother-in-law winked at me, and walked over to Ray.

She threaded her fingers through his hair and smiled. "I was going to be a lawyer when I met Ray's dad. When Ray contacted us on Skype, and gave us the news about you being pregnant I feared you might be a gold digger."

I took a deep breath.

"Don't worry, dear. I know you are not. I have to confess we had someone to check on you."

"I have nothing to hide. I've lived in Middletown all my life. Ray and I were best friends in high school. I have loved him since then"

My mother-in-law smiled at me.

"All you did for your sister is nothing but marvelous. You have my respect. Now, you're doing the same for your husband. You are exactly the kind of girl my son deserves."

"What about the bitch?"

"Oh, we have a team of lawyers taking care of that. They are the best firm in the field. She is going to pay. We never liked her. Of course, we kept our mouths shut."

I smiled at her. I discarded the idea of telling Sam about the bitch cheating on Ray. It was not my story to tell.

"I know we didn't give you the best first impression. Ray's father and I prayed you being pregnant weren't some drunken mistake. Some rebound sex that might end with a Vegas wedding conducted by one of those Elvis impersonators."

"I understood your reaction, Samantha. Don't worry."

"Ray called me after your wedding and told me about you and your life together. He sounded genuinely happy."

"I never got to thank you for our honeymoon."

Samantha waved my concerns away. "It's okay. Ray sent a beautiful thank you card. As soon as I came into the room, and heard you talking to my son, I knew he had found someone to love him the way my son deserves to be loved."

"Why did you go on a cruise and left Ray alone when he broke up with the bitch? Oops, sorry..."

Samantha laughed, "Bitch is fine. One of the hardest parts of being a parent is letting your son make his own mistakes and clean his own mess. We had people checking discreetly on him, of course. I'm hoping he'll understand why we did what we did."

I placed a hand on Samantha's arm. "He will."

My mother-in-law smiled at me.

"Then, Ray came to Middletown and met you. You changed my son's life for the better, my dear girl. You pulled my son out of his depression and set his life in the right direction. I could never thank you enough for what you have done for my son."

Jenny and Liam came into the room carrying a tray full of food.

"Kara needs to eat, Mrs. Clarke. You are welcome to join us. We brought food for everyone."

"Of course, dear. I'll let you eat. I need to make some calls," Samantha said, grabbing her phone.

CHAPTER 26

"What the bloody hell are you doing here?" I jumped at the sound of Samantha's voice and her book slamming. I looked groggily around the room before another body came into focus. Standing in the doorway was a tall well-dressed man.

My parents, my sister, and my mother-in-law had been taking turns to keep me company. It had been six days since Ray's surgery.

"I'm sorry to disturb you, Mrs. Clarke, I just stopped by to ask how is Ray is doing."

"Your crazy daughter shot at him and he is fighting for his life. How do you think he is doing?" my mother-in-law growled at him.

"Oh, my! He is the bitch's father."

"I'm truly sorry for what happened. Believe it or not, I care a lot about Ray. He was like a son to me."

I remembered what Ray told me about his former boss, and I knew what he was saying was true. But even so, I didn't want him here.

"I'll take care of the medical bills, of course," he said.

"No, thank you," Samantha said. "We want nothing from you."

The bitch's father bowed his head and stared at his shoes. A picture of remorse.

"I know it's not the best of times, but I was hoping we could talk about my daughter and reach some kind of agreement."

"I hope your bitch of a daughter rots in hell," I blurted out. "That's the only agreement you'll get from me."

The man acknowledged my presence for the first time.

"I think we haven't been introduced. Who are you?"

"I'm Ray's wife," I said proudly.

He looked down at my tummy.

"I see you're pregnant," he said in an accusatory tone. "Ray being the kind of man he is did the right thing. I suppose congratulations are in order."

"That's enough, Reginald," Samantha said in a firm voice. I could have sworn she puffed out her chest. "If you think for a minute that you can come here and insult my daughter-in-law, you're sadly mistaken. One more word and I won't need security to escort you out, I'll do it myself. I think you owe Ray's wife an apology."

"No, it's fine. I don't want him to pretty up his ugly-assed words with a half-assed apology. He should look at his own daughter's actions before judging others. But it's easier to blame others than to look at his failures as a father."

Samantha smirked, which caused Reginald to shake his head. "I'm truly sorry. I shouldn't have said what I said. I'm not myself lately. You're right. I'm the one to blame for my daughter's behavior. I was the one who spoiled her."

I stood up, not that I could do anything to this man in my state, but he needed to know I was serious. "This is my husband. He is fighting for his life because of what your crazy daughter did to him. She is going to pay. You'll find no mercy here."

The man stood up there, maybe trying to find the right words to say. He found none because he turned around and left.

I sat back down and bit the inside of my cheek when Samantha started clapping. "No wonder Ray loves you," she said, with eyes full of admiration.

I tried not to smile, but I couldn't help it.

Beep... beep... beep...

Suddenly, the monitor went crazy.

Beep... beep... beep...

I looked at Samantha, and she looked back at me with eyes wide open.

A hand touched mine. The touch was familiar and comfortable.

Then, Ray's eyes flashed open.

"Calm down, love, you're in the hospital," I said, fighting back the tears and doing my best effort to keep my voice steady.

He nodded.

A doctor rushed into the room, gently pushed me aside, and started checking Ray's vitals.

"I know you're scared, Ray, but I need you to listen to me. This is a tube to help you breathe," the doctor explained to my husband. "You've sustained some damage to your lungs and before we remove the tube we'll need an X—ray. I'm going to sit you up, but no talking. If you feel the need to cough, please do. I'll be back in a few minutes,"

He raised Ray's bed, and his eyes blinked rapidly.

I tried to smile at him. I knew my eyes were probably watery and red-rimmed but I didn't care. I moved closer and touched his cheek.

"I love you so much, Ray. I was so scared. Little One and I have been here all the time."

His hand moved down to my stomach and pushed against Little One. My heart raced when she pushed back. She knew her daddy's touch.

I felt a soft touch on my shoulder. "Ray, your mom is here. She has been incredibly helpful."

"Oh, Ray," Samantha said, as she kissed her son's head. She was also crying.

He grunted, to get our attention. He pulled at the tube in his mouth, but I knocked his hand away.

"Ray, stop," I said, holding his hand down. "I know you must have a lot of questions. Let me help you."

I knew exactly what Ray needed and I started searching through my bag for my phone. I handed it to him. He typed his question.

What happened to me?

I pulled away the phone and read his message.

"You were shot," I said, taking a deep breath. "Your psycho ex came to Middletown and tried to kill me. You pushed me out of the way and saved my and our baby's lives."

Did they arrest her?

"Yes, she is in custody now. His father's lawyers must be busy, but your parents hired the best team of lawyers to make sure she spends a lot of time in jail."

He nodded, and typed back, "Good. I hope she rots in hell."

I read his message, and laughed, "My words exactly."

"I love you," he typed.

I smiled wide, "I love you too."

"You're bigger"

I laughed. "Yeah, I'm as big as a whale."

Ray shook his head and typed, "You're gorgeous."

"I've missed your lies."

"I'm not lying. At first, I thought you were an angel."

The doctor walked in, and I had to move aside.

"How are you feeling, Ray?" the doctor asked.

He rolled his eyes and pointed at the tube in his mouth.

"We're going to take you down for an X-ray now. We usually do them here, but getting your wife to leave the room is a bit of a hassle."

Ray looked and closed his eyes at me and I knew he was thankful I was there for him all the time.

I placed the picture of our daughter's ultrasound in his hand. He placed the picture on his chest and squeezed my hand as the nurse started moving his bed.

I couldn't wait to hug my husband without all the tubes and wires. I paced the room back and forth for almost an hour, until my mother-in-law said, "You should sit down, dear. He'll be back soon."

We sat there waiting in silence for a long time. My heart was full of hope for the first time since the shooting; I said a silent prayer, thanking God for my husband's recovery.

"I'm happy you're here, Samantha," I said to my mother-in-law.

"Me too. I just wish we didn't meet like this. I'm worried I'm going to outlast my welcome and you won't want me around when the baby is born."

"Nonsense," I said, pulling her into my arms. My mother-in-law had been a comfort to have here. "Ray is happy that you're here."

"I truly am," a hoarse and scratchy voice said.

We both turned to Ray coming back into the room. His breathing tube had been removed and he was smiling. He sounded like he had been yelling for days on end. Once his bed was in place, I rushed over and placed my lips on his. He pulled away too quickly for my liking.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"I haven't brushed my teeth in God's know how long, Kara. I would like to before you start kissing me again."

"We can have a nurse come in and give you a sponge bath, Mr. Clarke," the doctor offered.

I saw red when the doctor suggested that. I'd be dead before some nurse came in to wash my husband.

"I'll do it."

Ray laughed a short laugh. He was tired. I could see it in his face. He was trying to stay awake to please me. I brushed his hair away from his face. He leaned into my hand.

The doctor adjusted a mask on my husband's mouth, and said, "I'll repeat what I told you after I read your X—Ray. You'll need to wear an oxygen mask until your levels rise, but you can take it off to answer questions. You're going to feel tired for a while. So be patient with your recovery."

"Thank you," Ray said through the mask.

"I'll leave you to enjoy your bath," the doctor said, winking at me. "A nurse will bring you everything you need."

"The doctor said we can't have sex for a while," Ray commented.

"You asked?"

"Yeah, I haven't been able to please my wife for a while. I have a lot of catching up to do."

"For better or for worse, in sickness and health -those are the vows we said to each other. I'm not going anywhere, Ray."

"Kara?"

"Yeah, Ray?"

"I love you."

CHAPTER 27

We left the hospital after being there for six more weeks. Ray couldn't walk without assistance yet. Physically, he could walk, but his oxygen levels were still too low to maintain his normal habits. This also meant no sex until he was given the okay by his doctor.

I loved to be back in Middletown. I was tired of hospital life. I'd like to say I'll never be back, but the baby's due date was fast approaching. I was just thankful that Ray would be there to help bring her into the world because if he missed that, I didn't think he'd forgive himself.

X-rays showed his lungs had healed, but there was scar tissue that could be bothersome later in life. He had to work with a physical therapist three days a week until he was cleared.

During the next weeks, he worked hard to improve his physical condition. One day, the doctor cleared him to have sex again, as long as he kept his oxygen bottle close. He still needed to sleep and heal, but I was ecstatic that his road to recovery was almost complete.

I'd spent many hours watching Ray sleep. It was funny, I never thought it would be an activity that I'd be fond of, but I was. I thought it was the only time his mind shut down and allowed his body to rest because when he was awake, he wanted... no, he needed... to be a part of everything going on.

My mother-in-law, my parents, and everyone else had been incredibly helpful. Even Ray's boss said, his job would be waiting for him when he came back. My mother and my sister brought food and cleaned our place, they all offered to drive Ray to his checkups and mine.

"Morning, darling," Samantha said over her cup of coffee. Once Ray was released from the hospital, my mother-in-law went back to Boston briefly before coming back to Middletown.

"Morning," I said, leaning up against the kitchen counter.

"Are you okay?" Samantha asked, coming to stand next to me.

I shook my head and leaned down to rest my head on the counter.

"Everything aches and I think I have a fever."

"Let me check." Samantha had become my second mother to me. To say my mother was jealous of our relationship was an understatement.

"Ray is sleeping and I don't want to disturb him."

"The sofa will suffice." Sam started to guide me to the couch, but my stomach wasn't having any of it. I covered my mouth and ran off to the bathroom. Samantha followed and held my hair back as I threw up last night's dinner.

I heaved again and felt a warm trickle run down my legs.

"Shit I just pissed myself," I said through tears. Today was not going to be a great day for me.

"Does your back hurt?"

I nodded. "Everything hurts."

My mother-in-law helped me stand and offered me a washcloth and a glass of water. "Honey, you're in labor. Sit down and I'll make some calls, go wake up Ray, and get you a change of clothes."

"It's not time."

"Our little girl says it is. You'll be fine. Now lay on the couch, I'll be right back."

I did as she said, except the moment I touched the seat a warm geyser rushed out between my legs soaking the floor mat along with my yoga pants.

"Ray," I screamed for him. I could hear him coming down the stairs.

"Kara," he panted as he came running into the bathroom. "Did you pee yourself?"

I was going to roll my eyes, but whined as another contraction rolled over me.

I leaned on him, hobbling like I'd broken every bone in my body.

"Let's get you to the hospital," Ray said.

"I need to change first."

"Kara, don't be vain, you're fine. Besides, they'll give you a gown."

He helped me to stand up.

"I'm not being... ahhhhhh, holy cow." I leaned against the wall and worked on my breathing technique.

"What's happening, Kara?"

"I'm in freaking labor. Where's your mom?"

"Right here, darling. Come on, let's go and get you changed. Ray, by the door, is Kara's hospital bag. Take it to the car and bring the car around so we can leave."

"Um..."

"Now, Ray, or Kara will be delivering your baby on your floor!"

"I need to call my mom," I said.

"Already taken care of, I called her when I was getting your clothes. She'll meet us at the hospital," Samantha said.

Ray drove us to the hospital and we made it in record time.

A nurse was waiting for us. "Hi Mrs. Clarke, ready to have your baby, I see."

"Yep, she's like a burst pipe, she's leaking so much," Ray blurted out.

I sat in a wheelchair and Ray pushed me down the hall.

"That's normal. Follow me."

The nurse walked into a room that was decorated in passion pink. Ray groaned and I wanted to bleach my eyes.

"Put this on and get comfortable," said the nurse handing me a gown. "I'll be back."

+++

"I never want to go through that again," Ray said, mopping his damp brow with the back of his palm as he plopped into a chair next to the hospital bed. When he noticed his hand was shaking, he dropped his fingers, trying to forget how utterly petrified he'd been less than an hour ago.

I looked up at my husband. "What did you go through? As I recall, I'm the one who did all the pushing. Next time I swear we can switch places. You give birth, I'll stand there and hold your hand. How about that?"

"You're right, Kara, sorry. I expressed myself badly," he apologized. "What I meant was that it broke my heart to watch you grit your teeth and cry out as the pain split you apart," he muttered, paling to almost as white as I was.

"Good save," I said.

His tired eyes were twinkling with love as he beamed at me. I reached out my hand, and he took my fingers immediately, though he had to grind his teeth when he saw the IV and hospital band.

Rubbing his thumb over my knuckles, he said, "No next time. This is it. I mean it."

I rolled my eyes. "No way, Little One needs at least a brother or sister."

I knew what Ray meant. I'd had a long, rough night, morning, and afternoon, delivering the most perfect baby girl I'd ever seen.

Our daughter was sleeping peacefully at my side, and I felt relief. The worry was over. Everything was going to be fine. Ray had taken her out earlier for everyone to meet her.

"We don't need to talk about this now," he said. "You need to rest."

"Okay, but this conversation is far... " I yawned. "...from being..." another yawn, "...over."

Dropping his eyes to our daughter, Ray reached out and touched her thick head of super-fine baby hair. "I hope she turns out to be just like her mother."

I pulled back to give him an 'are-you-insane' look. "God, let's hope not."

"I'm serious. I hope she grows up tough and strong, and wraps some poor, hopeless guy around her little finger, so I can kick his butt for looking at her."

I laughed a tired laugh. "You're so diabolical," I answered, with a twinkle in my eyes. "One of the many reasons why I love you."

As we grinned at each other and shared the next chuckle, I realized this was the best moment of my life, though strangely enough, every new experience with Ray —starting a family and building our life together— was fast proving to be the best I'd ever had.

CHAPTER 28

During the next few weeks, it seemed like half of Middletown visited us to meet the baby. I finally got to meet my father-in-law.

The most asked question was, "Have you decided on a name yet?"

"Yes," Ray and I said at the same time. "Little One's name is Hazel."

Her hair was an odd color, but it was completely unique to her personality. It was dark, but with natural hazel highlights, hence her name. She was a combination of Ray and me. Hopefully, the best parts of us.