Finding Christina (Wild Rose #2) (9 page)

Christina sat in the little diner, sipping on a lemon lime soda while she waited.
The trick to getting what you want from someone is waiting until they have everything to lose and you have nothing left. Then you grab them by the balls and squeeze. They’ll roll every time.
She couldn’t stop the wicked smile from gracing her face, and she knew people were wondering what she kept smiling about.

At one-twenty, a harried looking Ted barreled into the diner. As he spotted her, he stalked forward and slapped a manila envelope on the table in front of her. “Here,” he hissed. “Now, do I have your word that you won’t say anything?”

Christina pointed at the seat across from her. “You don’t think I’m stupid, do you, Ted? Park it and let me read this letter. For all I know, you stuck plain paper in here.”

Ted huffed and slid into the booth. “I don’t trust you, Christina. It’s not just plain paper. I believe you’d wreck my life. Crazy bitches like you can’t be trusted as far as one can throw them.”

“Mmm…” Christina hummed as she skimmed the letter.

January 10
th
, 2014

To Whom It May Concern,

I, Ted Humphrey give up any and all parental rights to Miss Christina Morgan’s child. She claims this child is mine and I do not want anything to do with it or her. I relinquish all rights now and in the future. My signature on this document has been notarized, and it is as far as our knowledge, legal and binding. She is free to do with the child as she sees fit. I do not want any future contact with Miss Morgan.

Signed, Ted Humphrey

Notarized this day by Eleanor Laurence

Christina slipped the letter back in the envelope and tucked the envelope into her purse. She sipped her soda and smiled at Ted. “It will do.”

“Great, so I’m going to be going now.” Ted shifted as though he was leaving the booth.

“Oh…not just yet.” Christina stopped him.

Ted huffed and rolled his eyes. “What now?”

“I think you’ll want to hear this. Now, I can’t guarantee what will happen to you after this little bombshell leaves my lips, but I have what I want from you and we’re in public, so I feel pretty safe telling you.” Christina sipped her drink again as though she wasn’t scared shitless to say what needed to be said.

“What now?” Ted groused. He made himself comfortable in the booth again and clenched his fists on top of the table.

“Well, remember how your condom fell off and that’s how I got the present growing in my belly?” Christina asked.

“Yes, yes, can you please keep your voice down? I thought that letter wiped out me being reminded of that incident!” Ted snapped, leaning forward to keep his words from carrying.

“Oh, yeah, that did. Thanks again for signing that. But, see…I gave you a present too. The sort of gift that’s, how should I say it…the kind that keeps on giving?” Christina grinned and took another slurp of her soda.

Ted paled and he fiddled with the top button on his shirt. His breath came fast. “What are you talking about?”

Christina leaned forward, her blue eyes sparkling as she whispered, “I have AIDS.” She watched with glee as he began hyperventilating and she raised a hand for the waitress. “Can we have a glass of water over here?”

The waitress stared at Ted for a moment. “Is he okay?”

“Oh, sure!” Christina giggled. “He’s going to be just fine.”

Ted continued to flounder in his seat and his face changed colors, ranging from pale to red. When the waitress plunked down the water, he grasped it and drained it in one gulp. “More,” he lisped out, barely able to speak.

“Poor Teddy. Did I shock you?” Christina rested her chin on her clasped hands and fluttered her eyelashes.

“You...you nasty bitch! Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” Ted squeaked, his voice hilariously high and awkward.

Christina shrugged and smiled again. “I had to protect my kid first.”

“Did you know you had...had that when we...?” His voice trailed off and his face turned red again.

“No, I didn’t,” she admitted. “I found out over Christmas break. I was attacked and ended up in the hospital. They ran testing and a rape kit. With all the blood work, that’s when I found out I was pregnant and had HIV. They found out that my immune system is down, most likely from the stress of school and being attacked and it turned to AIDS.”

Ted stared at her in disbelief. “Oh my God. You still wrecked my life.”

Christina sobered and she cleared her throat. “Your life is not the only one who got blasted to hell, Ted.”

“But it’s all your fault. If you hadn’t come on to me I would have never!” Ted sputtered, righteous anger puffing out his chest.

Christina shook her head and sighed. “That’s not how it happened, Ted.”

“Who will people believe? Me, the innocent professor, or you, the nasty whore?” His lips twisted up in a sneer and he slapped his hand down against the table.

“Well, I can’t answer that. I’m sure people will form their opinions however they see fit. What others think of me doesn’t concern me in the least. However, I’m sure you’ll want to get tested. I can only imagine how you’re going to break it to your wife that she should get tested…and I do believe you’re supposed to let other partners know what you have too. So those three sweet little innocents you were with after me? You’ll have to tell them. I can’t guarantee they will hold their tongue like I will.” Christina leaned forward and whispered, “You’re fucked.”

Ted paled again and gripped the edge of the table. “You wrecked my life, you little bitch.”

“No, Ted, you did. If you weren’t a lecherous old pervert who preyed on young women, you’d never have to worry about catching something you could take home. Keep your snake locked up and he won’t go wandering into places he shouldn’t. Now, I wish you the best of luck, really, I do. You’re gonna need it. I do hope I haven’t passed anything to you, but if I did, I’m sorry. I didn’t know. I have to protect myself and my child now. Goodbye, Ted. You’ll never see me again.” Christina opened her purse, pulled a five dollar bill from her wallet and placed it on the table to pay for her soda.

Ted lurched over the table and made a grab for the envelope in her purse and Christina grasped his wrist firmly. “Don’t make a scene.”

“Don’t make a scene?” he squealed. “You have AIDS and you fucked me!”

Customers in the diner turned to stare at them and Christina smiled. “Goodbye, Ted.” With all her strength, she pushed him back into the seat and grasped her purse before running for the exit. She rushed for the bus stop and was relieved to see a bus just pulling up. Clambering on the bus she paid her fare and collapsed in a seat.

Ted would never proposition another young girl again. In fact, when all the cards fell, he’d more than likely be out of his cushy teaching position.
Maybe he can join his old high school band like Drake did. Maybe it’ll be called the Creepy Perverts.
Christina knew she’d been wrong in tricking him to get the letter, but it was just insurance that he’d never come after her son. People were fickle and changed their minds. He might not want her son today, but there could come a day when he did and she couldn’t risk that.

Her fear was that he would win because she would be viewed as a whore with AIDS. So at least the letter was some sort of insurance. It might not hold up in every court of the land, but it couldn’t hurt. She rode the bus back to her dorm and hurried into the room. The next thing she had to do was make a call. But she couldn’t face doing so. Not yet. Soon.

Christina felt the noose drawing closer around her neck as the next few weeks passed. Ignoring the frequent calls, texts, and e-mails from Grace had become the norm. Deep down she knew if she talked to her best friend everything would spill out, and she couldn’t risk that. Not just yet. Grace’s messages were becoming irritable and distant, and she knew she was riding the line of pissing her off for good and keeping her around.

She didn’t know what else to do. Keeping the truth from Grace until the last minute seemed like the smart thing to do. Another lie. She suddenly developed a very noticeable belly, and her loose sweaters would only hide things a little longer. She would be completely screwed once spring rolled around. Switching classes, she avoided Ted Humphrey and she only went to each class to keep where she was living, for a little longer. It was all about going through the motions and keeping up appearances.

She’d even been avoiding Addie and Patrick, only texting them periodically to let them know she was okay, just busy with school. They were worried about her getting sick, but Christina didn’t know if Grace would come through for her. So she waited and let the shit storm build. She was constantly on edge with waiting and watching. All that mattered was having enough time to figure out what to do. And time wasn’t a luxury she had anymore.

Apparently Ted hadn’t told anyone about his possible HIV, or he didn’t have it. He was still in his position and there had been no whispers around campus of any dirt on the teacher. She truly hoped it was the latter. She couldn’t bear the thought of giving what she had, something that made her so very sick, to someone else. She might be a bitch, but she wasn’t heartless by any means. Regardless that Ted was a pervert who preyed on young women, he didn’t deserve to get HIV. She wouldn’t have wished this on her worst enemy.

Dr. Imohara’s office had called and found her a doctor in the area, one who would help her sign up for Medicaid and see her both for her AIDS and her pregnancy. Her appointment fell during her English class and she skipped the class to make the appointment. It wouldn’t matter much longer anyway if she made it to class or not.

Her heart clung to an area between her throat and chest, making it uncomfortable to swallow. She sat waiting in a room for a lady to help her get insurance before her appointment with the doctor. Soon the Hispanic woman came into the room with a smile. “Christina? I’m Maria.”

Christina shook her proffered hand. “Hello. It’s nice to meet you.”

“Do you have your ID and Social Security card with you?” Maria moved to her chair behind her desk and sat down.

“I do. But I need to ask you something. If I do not stay in this state, how much trouble is it to change states and get help?”

Maria shook her head, her short dark hair swishing around her ears. “You can’t switch states. You would have to apply there. You’d most likely get temporary coverage, but you’d have to do the work all over.”

“Oh,” Christina mumbled.

“Planning on moving?” Maria asked as she worked on the computer, filling in paperwork.

“Maybe,” Christina admitted. “I have some plans, but we’ll see if they work out. Life has tended to have a funny way of messing up my plans recently.”

“Well best of luck. You’ll at least be covered here. If you do move you’ll need to call me and let me know to cancel your coverage in this state.” Maria cautioned.

“I understand.”

“Well, let me finish filling this in and you can go down the hallway to see Dr. Richards.”

Christina waited patiently and once Maria finished, she took her paperwork and left the office, following the signs to the doctor’s office. Signing in at the front desk, she sat to wait. Another young woman sat in the office, very pregnant, reading a magazine with Jacob’s Ladder on the cover.

“Excuse me,” Christina murmured.

The girl looked up with a smile. “Can I help you?”

“When you’re done with that magazine, could I look at it?”

She closed the magazine and handed it over. “Sure, I was done anyway. Are you a fan of Jacob’s Ladder or something?”

Christina chuckled as she opened the magazine and searched for the interview with the band. “Something like that.”
Oh yeah, I totally knew Drake. He was boning my bestie…

The other girl was called back to see the doctor and Christina barely acknowledged her leaving. She was so engrossed in the interview. Drake talked about how he’d fallen in love with a girl and it ended up not working out, so he’d struck out and rejoined the band he never should’ve left. The interviewer asked if he had met anyone new and Drake replied he’d met plenty of great ladies recently.

Christina felt her throat tighten at his casual response.
What if he falls in love with someone else? Shit.

“Christina?” The nurse called her name and her head snapped up from the article.

“Yes?”

“If you’ll come with me?” Christina put the magazine down and followed the nurse back to a room. She found that she’d lost about ten pounds off her naturally slender frame, that her blood pressure was slightly elevated, and that she had a low grade fever. The nurse asked how she’d been feeling, and Christina answered honestly.

“I’ve been stressed. I’m tired and nauseated all the time.”

“Have you felt the baby move yet?”

“Not really anything I’ve noticed.” Christina swept a hand down her burgeoning belly and frowned. “Should I feel something by now?”

“Well, based on your due date, you should be about nineteen weeks, so you should start feeling something soon.” The nurse reassured her.

“Nineteen weeks,” Christina whispered. “It doesn’t seem real.”

“I bet you can’t wait to hold that baby in your arms!”

“I haven’t thought about it much, really,” she whispered, realizing how heartless she sounded.

“Oh.” The nurse seemed visibly unsettled.

“It’s not that I don’t want him. Just with my disease…it’s hard for me to get excited about a bleak future.” Christina attempted to explain, knowing her excuse sounded weak.

“I see,” the nurse replied, her voice suddenly sharp. “The doctor will be with you soon.”

“Thanks.” Christina sighed.

I’m making a mess out of everything, baby. Grace is going to hate me if she ever finds out what I did. Oh, baby, why do I keep lying and hiding? Why?
She rubbed her belly and tears pricked her eyes.
I have to protect you and make sure you have a home. I have to.
She’d considered asking Patrick and Addie to adopt her child, but no, that wouldn’t do. She wanted to raise him if at all possible. That meant having somewhere to live and she knew of somewhere just right.

The doctor walked in the room with her chart in hand. “Hi, Christina, I’m Dr. Cole. How are you feeling today?”

“Tired.”

“You have a little fever. Do you feel sick?” Concern flitted through his brown eyes.

“Just tired,” she admitted, knowing the answer was lame, but it was all she could give him. Tired was all she knew these days. That and nauseated.

“Let me feel your neck.” He palpated her skin and frowned. “Your lymph nodes are swollen.”

“They stay swollen on and off.” Christina informed him.

“Have you been coughing a lot?”

“Yeah, just this little dry annoying cough. I’ve done that for years. It’s just allergies.” She shrugged and clasped her hands in her lap.

“No, sometimes an annoying cough like that is a symptom of AIDS, not just allergies. Do allergy meds help it?” He probed, wanting more information.

“Not really. It’s never been bothersome for me. The most annoying thing is the constant nausea and diarrhea from these medicines,” Christina complained.

The doctor sat down on his stool and looked at her file. “Mmm, one hundred ninety on your first CD4, we should’ve seen it start going up after starting treatment…why didn’t they start you on treatment for pneumocystis pneumonia? That should’ve been started at less than two-hundred. Did you know your last CD4 reading came in at one hundred twenty?”

“No, I didn’t.”

The doctor pinched the bridge of his nose. “The meds you’re on aren’t working. Your CD4 should be going up and your viral load should be going down. Neither are happening. I think I’m going to put you in the hospital for a little while. I need to get your treatment straight and we need to get you on treatment for pneumocystis pneumonia immediately. I will tell you that one of the medicines we routinely use has some risk for your baby, but I think the benefits outweigh the risk. I’m also going to give you a blood transfusion as well. It will help with your exhaustion. I’m going to run some tests to make sure you don’t have something like mono, too. It’s very possible being in the dorms. You’re still living there, right?”

“Yeah, I have nowhere else to go. Wait, I have to go to the hospital?” Christina frowned as she processed what he was saying. “I should’ve been on treatment for this pneumonia something or other? Why didn’t anyone put me on it?”

“I don’t know, but I'm going to. You need this medicine. Do you have transportation to the hospital? I can meet you there and we’ll get the ball rolling.” The doctor closed her file and stood. “Christina?”

Christina blew out a breath and shook her head. “I don’t have transportation. I rode the bus.”

“We’ll call an ambulance then.”

“Is all of this necessary?” Christina whined, thinking about being stuck in the hospital again.

“Yes, it is. I can use the lab at the hospital to get your results quickly and I can give you IV medicine and a blood transfusion. Both should help you feel better. We’ll check the baby at the hospital and make sure it's doing okay too.” Dr. Cole rushed from the room and Christina began to shake.

What am I going to do?
Pulling her phone from her purse, she texted Addie.

C:
Going to hospital. Need a blood transfusion and treatment for some pneumonia something. Doc says I’m sick.

A:
OMG! Let us know what happens.

C:
I will.

Christina wrinkled her nose and weighed her options with calling Grace. Finally, she mustered the courage and dialed her number. The phone rang three times before Grace answered.

“Hello?” Her voice was sharp and Christina couldn’t help but wince.

“Grace?”

“Where the hell have you been?” Grace cried. “Do you know how worried I have been?”

“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.” Christina sighed, rubbing her forehead.

Grace snorted. “Oh, try me.”

“I need my best friend,” Christina pleaded, her voice cracking with emotion.

“What’s wrong?” Grace’s temper deflated immediately.

“Everything, Grace. Everything is wrong. I need my best friend.” Christina sobbed, her war with her tears lost.

“I’m here, I’m listening! You’ve pushed me away and have been ignoring me. I thought you were over me or something,” Grace babbled.

“Stop. It’s not you. It’s me. It’s always been me. I need your help.” Christina cut her off, knowing she didn’t have long before the ambulance came.

“Okay, what do you need? Anything! Name it!” Grace fervently promised.

“You’re such a good person, Grace. I need you to—” She covered the mouth piece as the nurse came in to tell her the ambulance was there to take her to the hospital. “Wait until I call you again. I just need to know you’re there.”

“What’s going on?” Grace demanded. “I’m here, but I want some answers.”

Christina followed the nurse down the hall. “I know you do, and you deserve them. I’ll give them to you soon. I love you, slut.” She hung up and shut off her phone before Grace could respond or call back. She at least knew her friend was there.
For now, anyway.