They Can't Protect Me From Loving You

Brian pulled up outside the automatic doors of the ER, rushing around to get her out of the car and carried her in to the waiting room.

“You’ve got to help me, my girlfriend is in a lot of pain and is loosing blood!” he said to the nurse behind the desk. She looked up from her computer screen, her eyes widening at the sight of Eloise, her head buried into the crook of Brian’s neck as she clung onto him, her grey pyjama shorts now crimson from the blood she’d lost.

“Follow me.” she said walking around the side of her desk and starting down the corridor, where she pulled back the curtain of one of the treatment bays.

“Put her on the bed.” she said to Brian who was already lowering her gently onto said bed.
“What’s your name sweetie?” she asked as she put on a pair of disposable gloves.

“Eloise.”

“Ok, Eloise, are you pregnant?” the nurse asked quietly as she approached the bed.

“No!” she whispered quietly, shaking her head in confusion as the nurse placed her hands on her legs.

“Ok, I’m going to remove you pyjamas, but could you be pregnant?” she asked as she slowly began to remove her blood stained shorts.
Eloise was silent for a moment, swallowing hard before she nodded her head.

“Ok, then I’m sorry to say that it looks like you are having a miscarriage. I’m going to give you a quick examination and decided whether if we need to take you into surgery.” She said with a sympathetic look.

“Surgery?” Brian yelled at the sound of the word hitting his ears.

“Yes, there is a possibility that we’ll have to take Eloise into surgery to perform what we call an ERPC, where the remaining pregnancy material will be removed from the womb.” She explained.

“Nurse?” Eloise said as the nurse brought in an ultrasound machine from the next bay.

“Yes dear.” She replied pausing from where she was setting the machine up to look up at her.

“Could this be happening because I took the emergency contraceptive pill the other day?” she asked quietly.

The nurse was silent for a brief moment. She glanced between Eloise and Brian before taking a step forward.

“It’s a possibility.” She said pondering the question.

“You see I was raped multiple times last week and I got given the emergency contraceptive just in case, but I was told that it may not work because it may have been more than seventy two hours.” Eloise explained as Brian gripped her hand.

“Oh I see. As I said it could be a factor. I’m going to do an ultrasound to see what’s happening and we’ll take it from there.” She replied before turning back to set up the machine.

“It’s going to be ok baby.” Brian whispered, edging closer to her, leaning across to gently rub his thumb over her tear stained face.

“Now this may be cold.” The nurse said placing gel over the lower half of Eloise's stomach. They were silent as she passed the conductor over Eloise's stomach. Eloise and Brian kept eye contact as the nurse did her job.

“There’s no easy way to tell you this but, you are in fact having a miscarriage, I’m sorry.” The nurse said wiping the gel off Eloise's stomach. Eloise nodded and sighed deeply. A twinge of guilt hit her as she silently thanked God. She wasn’t sure if she could have dealt with a child knowing it was the result of a rape.

“However, I’m not a specialist but I would say that you were more than a week pregnant. You were closer to two months.” The nurse added. Eloise turned her head back to the nurse.

“What do you mean? I couldn’t be, I was only raped last week.” she said with a puzzled look.

“I could ask a doctor to check for you, but judging by what I’ve just seen on that screen I would say that you had been at least two months pregnant. The baby wasn’t the rapists.” The nurse explained.

“But I’ve had my period, I was on the pill, I haven’t been sick or anything.” Eloise rambled.

“Some women do. Do you want me to get the doctor to check?” the nurse replied. Eloise nodded, unable to truly believe what she’d been hearing. The baby could have been Brian’s and she’d killed it because she’d been raped. The nurse left and Eloise broke down into uncontrollable sobs.

“Shh, baby, it’s ok.” Brian whispered quietly, moving so that he was led on the bed next to her.

“It was yours.” She sobbed out.

“I know baby, but its ok.” he replied as the nurse returned followed by a female doctor.

“Eloise, hi, do you remember me?” Eloise looked up to see Doctor Williams, the doctor who’d looked after her after she’d been found.

Eloise nodded, pushing herself into a seated position. Brian moved to sit next to her, holding her.

“Ok, nurse Young has explained to me what’s happened. Do you mind if I take a look?” she asked. Still fighting back tears Eloise nodded. She allowed Doctor Williams to examine her and waited for her verdict, part of her hoping that the nurse had got it wrong. The look on the doctor’s face once she’d finished was not promising.

“I’m sorry guys, you’re going to have to have an ERPC; it’s a surgical procedure that will remove the remainder of the pregnancy material. I can arrange for it do be done this morning.” She began to explain.

“How far gone was I?” Eloise asked in a whisper.

“I can’t be exact, but I would say somewhere between eight and ten weeks.” A strangled sob escaped Eloise as Brian’s arms tightened around her, pulling her into him.

“I’ll leave you to it for a while. I’ll try and arrange a private room for you and then explain what will happen with the procedure.” Doctor Williams said stepping out of the bay and pulling the curtain securely shut around them.

Brian arranged them so that they were both led on the bed, so that he could hold her as she sobbed for the loss of their baby they didn’t know they were having.

Slowly her sobs steadied and they lay in silence. They were moved into a private room and the doctor came to explain the procedure. Eloise would be given a general anaesthetic so she would be asleep through the whole thing, something Brian was glad of.

“Due to the emotional stress of this procedure we’ve arranged for you to be the first on the list today. We’ll get you prepped ready to go down to theatre just after nine.” The nurse explained. Eloise nodded solemnly, tears still trailing down her cheeks.

“Ok, I’ll leave you in peace, call me if you need anything.” She replied with a sympathetic smile as she turned to leave.

“Thanks.” Brian muttered as she left. Other than the quiet sobs that left Eloise they both remained silent until nurse Young re-entered the room half an hour later.

“We’ll be taking you down to the theatre shortly.” She replied as she began to take her blood pressure.

“Will I be able to be there?” Brian asked.

“I’m sorry, there’s a waiting room outside. But it’s a straightforward procedure that will take no more than twenty minutes.” She explained as she jotted down something in her notes.

“Call one of the guys, I’m going to need clothes later anyway.” Eloise said quietly as she turned to face Brian.

“I’m not leaving you yet.” Brian said sternly.

“Bri, it’s ok, they’ve got to prep me now anyway, go call one of the guys so you can be back and I know it’s done before I go.” Eloise replied softly. Brian nodded, leaning over to kiss her lips gently before leaving the room.

“I’ll be here waiting. I love you babe.” Brian said before pecking Eloise's lips as she was wheeled into the room where the procedure would be taking place.

“I love you too Bri.” She whispered back, tilting her head to the side to get a better view of him, holding onto his hand until it was out of reach.

Brian began to pace silently up and down the corridor outside of the small operating room, nervously biting his nails as he waited for Eloise to come back out.

“Brian, sweetie.” Leana’s sweet, calm voice pulled him out of his thoughts, stopping him in his tracks. He looked up to see her and Jimmy walking down the corridor.

“Oh Brian, we’re so sorry.” She said wrapping her arms around his waist.

“How is she baring up?” she asked as she pulled away from him, leaning into Jimmy’s embrace.

“She’s doing ok considering. She’s been quiet, apart from the crying.” He said.

“How are you doing?” Jimmy asked.

“I just want her to be out of there.” He said gesturing towards the large double doors of the theatre. “I want her home.”

“Um, Bri, this is probably the last thing on your mind now, but does she know about Val yet?” Jimmy asked. Brian looked up at him and shook his head.

“Unless Val told her before she was kidnapped. I’ve been waiting for the right time to tell her.” Brian replied.

“You can’t tell her now dude, she’ll be crushed!” Jimmy replied.

“I know, but she’s going to have to be told soon!” Brian replied running his hand through his hair, just as the double doors behind them were pushed open by a bed being pulled through them.

“Eloise!” Brian gasped turning to take hold of her hand.

“She’s still under anaesthetic, but everything went ok, it won’t be long before she’s coming round.”

The three of them followed the bed back to the private room but Jimmy stopped Brian outside.

“You don’t need us hanging around dude, here’s the things you asked me to get, call us later once you’re home.” He said passing him the bag to him.

“Cheers dude.” Brian replied as they shared a man hug. He quickly hugged Leana good bye before he disappeared into the room to take hold of Eloise's hand.

A faint smile soon flickered onto his lips as she woke from the anaesthetic. She returned the smile as she laced her fingers with his.

“I want to go home.” She whispered.

“Ok baby, as soon as the doc gives you the all clear I’ll take you home.” Brian replied.