Somewhere Over the Rainbow

March 2016
Easter Sunday

“Daddy! Are you ready to go to church yet?” I asked from the bottom of the stairs. I was wearing my special Easter dress that Mommy bought for me and she was all dressed up too, the baby sure is getting big.

“I’m coming!” he said and I heard him close a door. He walked downstairs while putting his tie on. “Well don’t you two look beautiful.” He said, kissing us both on our cheeks.

“Thank you Daddy,” I said, smiling.

“Thanks honey but really, we have to go or we’ll be late.” Mommy said, opening the door. She and I walked outside and finally Daddy came and locked the door. He put me in my car seat while Mommy got in front.

When we got to the church I saw Gran, Gramp and Uncle Frankie waiting for us. Daddy got me out of my car seat and carried me in one arm and held Mommy’s hand with his other hand.

“Just in time.” Gran said, smiling.

“Sorry,” Daddy said as we walked inside. We saw Uncle Nick and Auntie Lana sitting near the front, Uncle Kevin, Aunt Lauren, and Brody were there too. Mommy and Daddy went in and Daddy sat me down next to Uncle Frankie.

****

After church we all went to Gran, Gramp, and Uncle Frankie’s house for a big lunch. I sat at the table with Mommy while Gran, Aunt Lauren, and Auntie Lana cooked in the kitchen and we talked about the baby. My uncles, Daddy, and Gramp left… Daddy said they had a surprise for me. Brody was sleeping in his carrier on the table and I watched him as he slept. He was so cute.

“So Lexi, you’re excited to be a big sister?” Gran asked.

“Yes! I just want the baby to be here already!” I said, smiling at her.

“Only three more months sweetie,” Mommy said, smoothing down my hair.

“Mommy… where’s the baby going to sleep?”

“Well… for awhile the baby will sleep in the crib that Daddy will put in our room. Then we’ll turn your room into the baby’s room and you will get the guest bedroom and we can decorate it any way you want.”

“Really? I get a new room?” I asked, bouncing in my seat. Mommy, Gran, and my aunts laughed.

“Yes sweetie, you get a new room.” She said, touching my nose and I laughed.

“Who’s ready for an Easter egg hunt?” Uncle Nick asked, coming back into the house.

“Me!” I cried, raising my hand.

“Well come on!” he said, taking my hand and leading me outside. When we got outside Uncle Frankie handed me my basket.

“Go for it!” Gramp said. I took my basket and ran around looking for the eggs. Everybody was outside now watching me and laughing.

“Lexi, look over here!” Mommy called. She was holding her camera. I stopped running and turned to smile at her. Right after the flash went off someone… or something… picked me up and I screamed. Whatever it was, was really fuzzy. I turned and looked and it was a giant bunny.

“Mommy!” I screamed.

“Sweetie it’s okay!” Mommy called. “It’s Daddy in a costume.”

“Daddy?” I whimpered, turning to look at his face. He pulled his mask off and smiled.

“Hey Ally-Baby. I didn’t want to scare you! It was supposed to be funny and make you laugh.” He said, kissing the top of my head.

“It’s okay Daddy.” I said, wrapping my arms around his neck and hugging him. “I guess it was kind of funny.” He laughed and put me down so I could keep egg hunting and I had so much fun.

****
April 2016

Today is Saturday and it’s after lunch which means it’s... nap time! Mommy decided she was going to take a nap too so when I woke up I went to see if she was up. I walked into her room and saw she was still sleeping. That’s weird because she always gets up before me. I climbed into bed with her and poked her nose.

“Mommy. Nap time is over. It’s time to get up.” I said.

She was still sleeping so I shook her arm… nothing was working. I walked downstairs to find Daddy but couldn’t find him.

“Daddy!” I shouted as I looked around.

I walked into the kitchen and saw him through the back door mowing the lawn. I tried to open the door but couldn’t reach it. I went into the small bathroom and got my step stool in there and brought it to the door so I could open it. It was hard but I was able to reach it and opened the door and stood on the deck.

“Daddy! Over here!” I cried, waving my arms to get him to see me. He kept riding around mowing. “Daddy!” He saw me and smiled and waved. “No Daddy! Come here!” I cried, ready to cry now.

****
Joe’s POV

I was mowing the lawn while Lyss and Lexi took their naps. While riding around I thought about the baby and Lyss and she seemed to be doing fine. That’s when I saw Lexi waving at me from the deck. I smiled and waved back and then I noticed she looked ready to cry. I stopped the mower where I was and ran across the rest of the lawn and to the deck.

“Ally-Baby what’s wrong?” I asked, kneeling in front of her and cupping her face in my hands. “Are you hurt or sick?” I asked, placing my hand on her forehead to feel for a fever.

“No,” she said, sniffling as a tear fell down her cheek. “Mommy didn’t wake up from her nap. I went in to wake her up but it wasn’t working.”

I scooped her up in my arms and ran into the house and up the stairs two at a time. I set her down at the door to my and Lyss’ bedroom and scrambled onto the bed, observing my wife’s body. She was still breathing thank God.

“Lyss?” I said, shaking her body gently. “Melissa, wake up.” Nothing was happening. “Shit.”

My eyes widened for a second and I looked back at Lexi whose eyes were as wide as mine. She was so scared. I walked over to her and hugged her tight.

“Do Daddy a favor and pretend you didn’t hear that word.” I said, picking her up again and rushing downstairs to the phone.

“What’s wrong with Mommy?” she asked as I set her down on the counter and dialed 911.

“I don’t know sweetheart.” I said, wiping away her tears. “But we’re going to find out. Hi, yes… my wife is seven months pregnant and won’t wake up from her nap… she’s been having issues. Yes… 1322 Constabulary Road… Thank you.”

“Daddy?” Lexi asked as I sat down at the island in the kitchen.

“The ambulance is going to come to take Mommy to the hospital. They’re going to take some tests and make sure she’s okay, right now we have to wait, they’ll be here soon.” I told her pulling her onto my lap and holding her tight. I kissed the top of her head and rocked her back forth. “Everything’s going to be okay.” I hope.

****
Still Joe’s POV

“Hi, the ambulance just arrived with my wife.” I said, holding Lexi tight to my body. We drove here separately… not a good idea. Even thought the Jonas Brothers may no longer be together… paparazzi are still interested and right now they were crowding outside the hospital doors behind us. I kept Lexi from looking that way… I knew it might freak her out.

“Name?” the young girl behind the desk asked.

“Melissa Jonas.” I said, exasperated that she didn’t get the fact that the paramedics had literally just brought her in.

“They took her to Trauma 1 but you can’t really go in there.” She said.

“Where is it?” I asked as Lexi clutched to my shirt.

“Down the hall to your left. It’s a big green room.”

“Thank you,” I said, turning swiftly on my heel and walking down the corridor. I found the room she mentioned and stood outside, watching as the doctors worked on my wife, her enlarged stomach protruding, almost blocking her face. A nurse saw me through the glass in the doors and motioned to one of the doctor’s who I recognized as Dr. Lockhart.

“Daddy, what are they doing to Mommy?” Lexi asked as Dr. Lockhart walked towards the doors.

“They’re doing tests just like I told you.” I said, rubbing her back.

“Joe, Lexi, hi,” Dr. Lockhart said, stepping into the hallway to talk to us.

“So… how is she?”

“She was unresponsive when the paramedics brought her in and she had a weak pulse. She seems to be slightly dehydrated. We had to put a tube down her throat to help her to breathe and she has IV fluids. She should wake up in a few hours.”

“What about the baby?” I asked… some of the worst possible thoughts coming to my mind.

“The baby is fine. We have a fetal monitor attached to Melissa and there is a perfect heartbeat and the ultrasound is crystal clear. When Melissa wakes up there’s something we need to discuss.”

“So Mommy’s going to be okay?” Lexi asked looking up at me, her brown eyes shimmering.

“Yeah Ally-Baby… Mommy’s going to be just fine.” I said, kissing her forehead and hugging her tightly again, a tear dropping down my face onto her hair as I looked through the window at a seemingly lifeless Melissa.

****
Still Joe’s POV

After about two hours I called everyone to let them know what was going on. My parents and my in-laws immediately came straight to the hospital. Nick and Lana came to pick up Lexi to take care of her for the night. I didn’t want her to stay in the hospital. Kevin and Lauren said to call if I needed anything and Frankie said he’d ride his bike to my house to check on Lucky.

I was currently sitting in the doctor’s lounge with Dad and my father. Mom and my mother were in the cafeteria getting tea. The doctor’s lounge was closed off from windows so the paparazzi couldn’t try to get pictures. I could only imagine the story’s they were making up. Joe Jonas’ wife goes into early labor. Things not looking good for Jonas family. Joe Jonas seen with daughter heading to hospital to visit wife. Story of my life. Covers of tabloids. I can’t think about this. I thought, shaking my head to clear my thoughts. I stood up and started pacing the room for probably the fifth time.

“Joe?” Dr. Lockhart said, poking her head in the door. I stopped pacing and looked at her. “She’s awake.”

My father and father-in-law stood up and the three of us followed Dr. Lockhart down the hallway to the room Lyss was in. They left to get my mother and mother-in-law and I walked closer to the bed. Lyss’ eyes were open and as soon as she saw me she reached her hand out. I laced my fingers through hers and smoothed her hair back, kissing her forehead.

“You scared the shit out of me and Lexi babe,” I said, a tear falling down my face. “I thought I was going to lose you.” I whispered. She shook her head no and brought our hands to her chest, over her heart. “I love you too.”

“Melissa,” Dr. Lockhart said. “We can take the tube out now but you can’t speak, only whisper. Are you ready?” Lyss nodded her head. “Okay deep breath in and… blow.” She said, extracting the tube. Once it was out Lyss sat up and was coughing. She sat back against the pillows and took a deep breath and looked up at me.

“Where’s Lexi?” she whispered, placing her other hand on her throat.

“She’s with Nick and Lana. Your parents are here, mine too. We were all so worried.” I said, stroking my thumb across her hand.

“You did give us quite the scare Melissa,” Dr. Lockhart said, checking the monitors. “You’re at a good heart rate now and so is the baby. However, I’m afraid that for the rest of your pregnancy you’re going to have to be on monitored bed rest. Meaning, you’ll have to stay in the hospital.”

“Two months?” Melissa asked, still in a raspy voice.

“It’s the only way we can make sure this doesn’t happen again. It will be better for you and the baby.”

“Babe, it sounds like it’s all we can do.” I said, shrugging my shoulders. She opened her mouth to speak but I knew what she was going to say. “Don’t worry about Lexi. I’ll call Logan… he can take her to and from school while I’m at work and he and Annie can baby-sit her if I’m not done in time. It will all be fine Lyss. I promise.” I said, giving her a kiss. She put her hand to my cheek and stroked it with her thumb.

“I trust you.” she said, a small smile playing on her lips.

“I love you,” I whispered, giving her a short kiss.

“I love you more,” she retaliated, closing her eyes. “I’m so tired.”

“You rest up. You can visit with your parents when you wake up.” Dr. Lockhart said. I kissed Lyss’ hand before letting go and walking out of the room backwards.

Everything’s going to be alright I reassured myself.