Finding Christina (Wild Rose #2) (10 page)

BOOK: Finding Christina (Wild Rose #2)
11.29Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads
Chapter Fourteen

 

 

 

Christina lay in a hospital bed hooked up to an IV. Blood trickled through the tubes and into her veins. She tried hard not to be completely grossed out by the thought of someone else’s blood filling her veins. The doctor promised her it would help her feel a little better. Since she’d arrived by ambulance, the doctor had pulled blood to check for different things and they were preparing to take her to get an ultrasound as soon as her transfusion was over.

Christina felt very alone in the room and scared. A nurse came into the room some time later with a smile on her face. “Hi there, Christina, I’m Vickie! How about we get you down to x-ray and then over to ultrasound? We’re going to run an x-ray on your chest just to check stuff out, okay? Your transfusion is over and I’m going to disconnect this and we’ll be ready to go. I have a wheelchair out in the hall for you.”

“Okay,” Christina murmured. She watched as the nurse disconnected her IV and put the used tubing and bag into a container. The nurse lowered the railing on her bed and Christina took her hand to follow her out into the hallway. Once she was sitting in the wheelchair, she was rushed down the hallway at breakneck speed.

The x-ray technician draped a lead shield around her belly. “Stand here and turn this way.” Christina did as she was told and the process moved quickly. Once she finished, she went for an ultrasound where the tech was already waiting for her. Once she lay back on the table, the tech covered her lower half with a blanket and pulled up her hospital gown.

“Just going to squirt this gel here and see how things look.” She jumped at the cold goo on her skin. “Sorry about that.”

Christina watched the screen as the technician swirled the wand and began measuring her baby. He was beautiful and she fought against the tears filling her eyes again. “Is he okay?”

“He looks great. Nineteen weeks and two days by my measurements.” The technician made a few more notes and passed her a rag to wipe the gel off her belly.

“Can I have a picture?” Christina asked hopefully.

“Sure, just one second.” The technician printed a roll of shots and handed them to her before helping her back into her chair and taking her back to her room.

The waiting was driving her insane, but thankfully she had a TV in her room and she found a movie to watch while she waited. Eventually the doctor came into the room with a furrowed brow. “I have talked to Dr. Imohara and Dr. Raleigh. They didn’t start you on the medicines for the pneumocystis pneumonia because of the potential risk to your baby. It should have been started. I looked at your chest x-ray and you have some fluid in your lungs.”

“What does this mean?” she asked, her nose wrinkling as she tried to process the jargon.

“I was immediately concerned when you mentioned the little cough. Whether you realized it or not you coughed several times while we talked. My guess was that your immune system dropped between your last appointment and coming to see me. Seeing the fluid on the x-ray confirms it for me,” Dr. Cole continued, not really answering her questions.

“I don’t understand. Please explain it to me!” She huffed irritably.

“I think you have pneumocystis pneumonia. It’s really common. It’s caused by a fungus called Pneumocystis jiroveci. A healthy immune system will fight it off and most people never have a bit of trouble. But in your case…you can’t fight it off. We need to start IV antibiotics immediately. Bactrim is the first line drug in this case. It was shown to cause cleft palate in animal studies and it can cause jaundice in babies, but I’d be more worried about jaundice if you were later in your pregnancy.”

Dread filled Christina and she clenched the thin blanket covering her between her fingers. “What happens if this doesn’t work?”

“The success rate is really high. It’s almost entirely possible to knock out the infection.” Dr. Cole attempted to reassure her.

“Almost entirely. So it’s not one hundred percent,” Christina whispered.

“No, not much in life is. Do you know if you are allergic to sulfa drugs? ” he asked quickly, making notes in her chart.

“I don’t think I am. So what happens if it doesn’t work?” Christina repeated, needing to know the answer.

“Ah, well.” He paused to clear his throat, visibly upset by the question. “You could die.”

“So if I died, what would happen to my baby?” Christina pressed.

“If you died today, your baby wouldn’t survive. A baby has to be past twenty-four weeks to be considered viable.”

“Would the baby be okay?” Christina begged.

“Frankly, it depends. Some cases have turned out great and others did not. But you don’t need to worry. We’re going to look at this having the best possible outcome. You need to stay here until we get your titers down to appropriate levels.” The doctor smiled reassuringly at her. “Don’t sit here and doom and gloom, it will be okay.”

Christina nodded as the doctor turned to leave the room. She whispered as the door closed, “But what if it’s not?”

Vickie returned to hook her up to IV medicines, the antibiotic for pneumocystis pneumonia, and new HIV medication. “You’re not going to feel really great with these. Can I get you something to drink? Maybe a ginger ale?”

“Sure, we’ll try it.”

Within minutes of her new medicine starting, she began to feel itchy. As Vickie came back with her soda, she casually mentioned her itchiness and Vickie paled. “Are you allergic to sulfa drugs?”

“I told the doctor not that I know of, why?”

Vickie frowned and checked her chart. “Let me know if the itching gets any worse, okay?”

“Can we put someone on my emergency list, just in case something happens?” Christina smiled up at the pretty blonde nurse.

“Sure, let me get that put in for you.” Vickie opened her chart and pulled a pen from her lanyard that hung around her neck. “Name and number?”

“Grace. Grace Evans. Do you mind handing me my purse and I’ll give you her number.” Vickie turned and picked up her purse and passed it to Christina, who dug through the bag and located the phone. Turning it on, she found four missed calls and as many messages from Grace.

“Her number is 401-837-9876.”

“Perfect, we didn’t have anyone down as an emergency contact, and now we do.” Vickie closed the chart and placed it back at the foot of the bed. “Do you need anything else?”

“No, I’m fine, still just a little itchy.”

“Let me know if it gets any worse.” Vickie hurried out of the room, presumably to take care of another patient.

Christina tried to ignore the itching, but soon it became unbearable. Little red spots were coming up on her hands and arms and she pushed the call button on her remote. The nurse’s station picked up. “Can we help you?”

Christina tried to speak but found that no words could come out. Panicked she began beating her hand against the bedside table. Vickie came rushing in and yelled, “Oh, shit. I need help in here!”

Christina’s vision grew hazy as doctors and nurses came rushing in and out of her room. She jumped as something was jammed in her leg and tried to cry out from the pain. Her eyes slipped closed and she knew nothing more.

After a time, she awoke, and her room was dusky and quiet except for beeping. The concept of time was foreign to her and she still itched. Rummaging under the covers she found the remote and pressed the call button. No one answered, but soon a new nurse came to her door.

“Miss Morgan, how are you feeling?”

“Itchy and tired,” Christina mumbled. “What happened?”

“You had a severe allergic reaction to the Bactrim. We had to stop it and start a new medicine that isn’t in the sulfa family. It’s not the first line drug for pneumocystis pneumonia, but it should still work. We had to put a catheter in while you were out.”

She shifted in the bed and frowned at a lumpy feeling on her back. “Oh. Something is bothering me.” Sitting up awkwardly, she reached behind herself.

“It’s probably the strap to the fetal monitor. Let me readjust it for you.”

“Why did I need that?”

“We just wanted to keep an eye on your baby, no big deal. I’ll be back to check in on you in a little while.”

“Can I have my purse?” Christina asked, catching the nurse before she left the room.

“Sure!” She picked it up and passed it to Christina.

Christina opened it and pulled out her phone. Another five calls from Grace, who was probably frantic. It was four in the morning, and she tried to think about what time it would be for Grace. She’d never been great with time zones, but she knew it was the middle of the night. Instead of calling Grace, she sent her a text message.

 

C:
I am in the hospital. Sorry I didn’t get up with you sooner.

 

She didn’t expect a response, but jumped as her phone buzzed.

 

G:
What? Are you okay?

C:
No I’m not. I’m sick.

G:
Are they keeping you?

C:
For a while.

G:
OMG! I am coming up there.

C:
You don’t need to do that.

G:
I am coming. You owe me some answers and I’m coming to collect that debt.

 

Christina groaned and rubbed her eyes before she responded.
Dammit, Grace.

 

C:
I don’t know if you’ll like the answers.

G:
They can’t be that bad. What hospital?

C:
Yale-New Haven. Don’t come unless you’re able to deal with what I have to say.

G:
I’m looking up flights now. I will be there as soon as I can.

 

Christina leaned her head back against the pillows and blew out a slow breath. She would owe her best friend answers, and soon. That was something she wasn’t sure she was ready for, at all.
Hey, Grace, Christina here. Oh yeah, I was totally lying about what happened over Christmas break. I found out I have AIDS and I’m pregnant!
She sighed.
Who the hell wants to hear that? I guess I’m going to have to fess up about Drake too, huh? Ah that’s going to go over fabulously, isn’t it? But it has to be done. I’ve put off telling her long enough and she needs to know before I ask her for help. She has a right to know.

 

Chapter Fifteen

 

 

 

Twelve hours later Christina heard a soft knock at the door. “Who is it?”

“It’s Grace. Can I come in?”

Christina stared at the door for a moment, her heart pounding in her chest. “Yes, you can come in.” She felt dizzy as her best friend peeked in the door. “Hi, Grace,” she finally managed. “Thanks for coming.”

Grace stepped into the room and closed the door behind herself.
She looks good
. Christina took in her friend’s pretty face and then she smiled. “You look great.”

“You do too,” Grace replied and Christina chuckled.

“There’s no need to lie. I look like shit.”

“Okay, you do, you look like shit. What in the hell happened to your hair and teeth? Why are you in the hospital and why the hell have you been avoiding me?” Grace crossed her arms over her chest and appeared to be angry.

Christina pointed at the pale green chair beside her bed. “Sit down, it’s a long story.”

Grace flopped into the chair beside the bed and crossed her arms again. “I’m sitting. Tell the story.”

Christina rearranged the blankets over her belly, not quite ready to tell that part of the story yet and got comfortable on the thin mattress. “Some of it’s ugly.”

“Stop lollygagging and just tell the damn story. Jesus Christ!” Grace snapped.

Christina’s eyes bugged and her mouth fell open. “Well, aren’t you just Miss Sunshine today?”

Grace huffed and leaned back in the chair. “If your best friend had been avoiding you for months, was suddenly sick enough to be in the hospital and you hadn’t slept in like forty hours, you’d be pissy too, so excuse me for not shitting hearts and farting rainbows.”

Christina sighed softly, her shoulders bowing in with the weight of her secrets. “You’re right, I’m sorry.”

“The story. Tell it,” Grace demanded, her tone brooking no argument.

Christina inhaled slowly and coughed a few times. “It’s not an easy story to tell…” Her voice trailed off and Grace shot her a sharp look. “I didn’t say I wouldn’t tell it, damn! Just that it wasn’t easy. Remember I told you I had a pregnancy scare when I was fourteen?” Grace nodded and Christina continued. “Well, it wasn’t just a pregnancy scare. I was molested by my stepfather, my mother’s husband number five and I got pregnant. When my mother found out she made me get an abortion. I had a back alley thing, kinda like the girl on
Dirty Dancing
, but thankfully I didn’t get sick after. Well, I did, but not from the abortion. At least I don’t think. Hell, I don’t know.”

Grace’s mouth hung open in shock. “What the hell?”

Christina held her hand up. “Let me finish. I told you not to come if you couldn’t handle the story. It’s not over.”

“I’m listening,” Grace whispered, her hand partially covering her mouth.

“My mother and stepdad aren’t nudists either. I’m not even sure why I lied about that, but I did. Maybe because it was funny or because it made me seem interesting.” She paused to cough again, and Grace passed her the box of tissues. She wiped her mouth and continued. “Sorry about that. I also lied about my mother being sick over Christmas break, Grace.”

Hurt flickered in Grace’s warm eyes. “Why did you lie to me?”

“My mother would tell you that I’m a pathological liar and I love attention. In a way maybe she’s right. It’s easier to tell a colorful story sometimes than to tell the truth. I’m not proud of the lies I’ve told and I’ve messed things up. You need to understand that I’m not the good person you think I am,” Christina pleaded softly.

Grace chewed her bottom lip and sighed. “But you are a good person. I know you are.”

“My story isn’t over yet. Don’t make your decision about a character halfway through the story. Haven’t you ever heard to wait until the last page? Maybe the bad person redeems herself. Or, maybe the bad person is rotten to the core. We won’t know until the end. I was going to Oswego to stay with my mother for Christmas and she forgot to come pick me up. It was no big deal, except that it was snowing hard. No taxis were running and it was getting late. A man named Rand offered to give me a ride to my house. He was heading that direction.”

“That was nice of him!” Grace interrupted.

“Didn’t I tell you not to judge a character until the end of the story? Rand took me halfway there, then pulled over his jeep. He was determined I was going to pay for my ride. He didn’t want money. He wanted me. After he took me, he left me on the side of the road and took off. He killed himself on Christmas by hanging himself with Christmas lights after I remembered his face and first name and they put him on TV.” Christina closed her eyes against the flood of memories washing through her. Tears filled her eyes and as Grace grasped her hand and squeezed, she broke down. Sobs wracked her slender shoulders and she jumped as Grace hugged her.

“I’m so sorry,” she whispered.

“If I hadn’t lied, I would’ve been with you in Phoenix and then nothing else bad would’ve happened,” Christina wailed.

“What do you mean nothing else bad would’ve happened?” Grace pulled back and sat in the chair again. “What else happened?”

“Ah, it’s time for me to come clean about another lie…remember how I told you my professor hit on me and I told him no?” Christina wiped at her eyes and blew her nose.

“Yeah, I do.” Grace’s mouth pursed, and Christina wondered if she was thinking about Drake.

“Well, that was my lie.”

“So he didn’t hit on you?” Grace pursed her lips.

Christina shook her head and sighed. “I accepted his offer. For a good midterm grade it started out as me sucking his dick. Then I let him fuck me for a guaranteed good grade for the semester.”

“Oh, Christina!” Grace gasped. “Why would you do that?”

“I liked the attention. I loved being in control and knowing I could take him out just like that.” She snapped her fingers. “It was a thrill. Plus, the classes were hard and I didn’t know how I was going to do it all. Crappy excuse, I know, but there it is. Yale ended up being a little more than I bargained for.”

“That’s sick,” Grace muttered. “Why would you do that?”

“Well, you were only too happy to screw Drake Stone!” Christina snapped, regretting her words instantly as her friend’s face fell.

“I loved him, Christina. You didn’t love this teacher. There’s a difference,” Grace retorted, pain twisting her lips down.

Christina rubbed her forehead. “I know and I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. I was wrong.”

“Yes, you were. You were wrong for telling all these lies. But it doesn’t make you a bad person and it doesn’t make you worth getting raped by some asshole.” Grace finished sternly.

Christina smiled weakly. “Thanks for that. Let me finish my story before you judge me.”

“Well, get on with it. The truth will set you free.” Grace leaned back in her chair and crossed her legs at the ankles. “I’m waiting. I didn’t fly all the way from Phoenix, with no sleep just for pleasantries. This isn’t a lunch date.”

“You’ve changed. You’re a stronger woman.” Christina stared at her friend in awe. Grace really had changed. She was sure of herself, strong, and cocky.

“Yes, I have. I had no choice. You did too,” Grace remarked.

“So like I said, Rand left me on the side of the road after he had his way with me. I ended up in the hospital, incoherent for a few days. They did a rape kit and ran a bunch of tests. When I came to, they told me some interesting things they’d found out. The reason I told you about the professor is that…he gave me more than an A for the semester.” She lowered the blanket bunched around her bulging belly and watched Grace’s face.

Grace’s expression went from angry to disbelief, to shock, then to teary eyed smiling. “You’re having a baby?”

“A little boy. But the story isn’t done yet. I was also told something else. The doctors and I have figured out that there’s a very good chance that when husband number five was messing with me, he gave me something too. Something that keeps on giving,” Christina choked out, her nerves getting the best of her.

“So you have the clap?” Grace shrugged. “No big deal.”

“God rest my soul, the nun is talking about the clap.” Christina chuckled, hoping to ease the tension in the room.

“Not a nun anymore. Remember I’m the slut now. Dad was telling me about different STDs some porn stars get. It’s a good thing they started demanding condoms.” Grace smiled, the expression not meeting her eyes.

“I have AIDS, Grace. I didn’t routinely go around and screw people without a condom. Only Earl, and well Professor Humphrey’s condom fell off. But I did tell him that there was a chance he could have it. I mean, I’m not a total bitch, I didn’t want him screwing people and infecting others, so I guess that redeems me a little bit…” Christina rambled.

“You have AIDS?” Grace gasped, her eyes wide again. “Oh my God, why didn’t you tell me sooner? What are they doing for you? Can they do treatment while you’re pregnant?”

“I didn’t tell you because I couldn’t bear for you to look at me like you are right now. Shocked, horrified, curious, judging me a little even though you don’t mean to. Because I didn’t know what to do. My lies have tightened around me so much I couldn’t see through them and make a decision. And yes, they are treating me now.” Christina explained.

“Why are you in the hospital? For the AIDS treatment? When can you go home?” Grace continued the rapid fire line of questioning.

“The doctor says I have some kind of pneumonia. I had a reaction to a medicine they tried on me and now they have me on a different kind, hoping it works. I’m really sick, Grace. I don’t know when I can go home. My immune system is wrecked. They think that it dropped after I was dumped on the side of the road. Plus hiding and lying all the time didn’t help matters. There’s one more thing I need to tell you and I would understand if you hated me for it.” Christina held her breath as she waited for Grace to ask about what she needed to tell her.

“Well, what is it?” Grace shrugged. “It can’t be much worse than this.”

Christina gathered up all her courage and finally blurted out, “Drake came back. Twice. He wanted to talk to you. He resigned for you. He wanted to be with you. I thought you didn’t want to be with him, so I didn’t tell you. You said he was dead to you. I-I just wanted to protect you from him. No one in my life ever protected me and I thought it was the right thing to do to protect you. Then you just left and found your dad and me—there was just never the right time to tell you…I’m sorry.” She wept, covering her face with her hands because she couldn’t bear to look at Grace.

Grace’s hand came to her shoulder. “Thank you for protecting me, but I didn’t need protecting. In a way it was good. I met my dad and I’m happy. I loved Drake. A piece of me still does, but he’s back with his band and living his life. I’m living mine. As much as I’d love for us to have another chance, I don’t see it happening in this lifetime. You shouldn’t have carried that lie for so long. I’m not a weak little girl that can’t handle it. Last I checked, I have broad shoulders and can handle most stuff.”

Christina sniffled again. “I have a favor to ask of you. I know I really have no place to ask you for a favor right now, though.”

“Name it,” Grace said simply, no hesitation.

“If anything happens to me, I want my son to be yours.” Christina revealed.

Grace froze. “You want me to take care of him?”

“I want paperwork drawn up that he will go to you if anything happens to me. Godmother, guardian, whatever you want to call it. I don’t know how to handle it, but I want it done. Please. It’s important. He needs a home with someone I trust. Someone I love. I met a wonderful family when I left the hospital and they’d give him a great home. But no, I want it to be you. You’re my best friend.” Christina held out her hand to Grace, pleading softly for her to do the most important thing she’d ever asked anyone to do.

“I will. My grandma said that even the wildest roses need a home. Your home is with me. Your son’s home is with me. I will call my dad and see if he knows who I need to contact for the paperwork. But hey, nothing bad is going to happen to you.” Grace took her hand and squeezed it. “You’re going to be here to raise him.”

“What if these medicines don’t work, Grace? I need to know that he’s being taken care of. I need the reassurance that he will be fine.” Christina coughed again, wincing at the pain blossoming in her chest. “I feel so crappy.”

“I’m sorry. Do you mind if I step out and call my dad? I think I’m going to grab some coffee too. Do you need anything?” Grace stood and smoothed the front of her shirt, her hands trembling as she did so.

“If I give you my keys, do you think you could slip to the dorm and get my phone charger? Plus, I’d really like my toothbrush. This cheap one they gave me sucks,” Christina asked hopefully.

“Sure, I can do that. I’ll get some stuff together for you. Give me a couple hours and I’ll be back.” Grace took the keys from Christina’s hand.

“I would understand if you didn’t come back and you kept running. I wouldn’t even be mad,” Christina mumbled, her throat tight with emotion.

“Good to know you wouldn’t be mad. But I’m not running. Not this time. See you later,” Grace murmured.

BOOK: Finding Christina (Wild Rose #2)
11.29Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

Other books

After Math by Denise Grover Swank
Kissed; Christian by Tanya Anne Crosby
Always Kiss the Corpse by Sandy Frances Duncan
The Vikings by Robert Ferguson
A Breath of Fresh Air by Amulya Malladi
Nobody's Baby but Mine by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Guardians of Rhea by Rodriguez, Jose
Day of Doom by David Baldacci
Spark Rising by Kate Corcino