Ice

The problems started on a Friday morning, a month later. I was eight months along, ad everthing had seemed to be going fine.

Until I got the stomach pain.
It was sharp, and strong, so strong it woke me up from a dead sleep.

I let out a whimper, clutching my stomach.
I thought it was cramps so I got up, walking around and rubbing my belly.

" It's okay, Luc. It's okay. C'est bien. C'est bien." I whispered.

I had felt nauseous last night, but passed it off to the bad Chinese food and went to sleep early. Kris was at a morning practice, and wouldn't be back for a few hours.

I groaned again, leaning against the wall for support.
I jut had a feeling that something was right, so I picked up the phone and called him.

After a couple rings it went to voicemail and I hung up, worried.
Then I felt a trickling, and looking down to see a small trail of blood running down my leg. I started to cry and called Julia, holding the phone up to my ear with a shaky hand.

" Hey, it's early, what's up momma?"
I sobbed, " Jules. Something's wrong. Something's wrong with me- with the baby! Come pick me up, I need to see the doctor, Jules!"

I heard her take a sharp breath, " Calm down, breathe deeply, i'll be there in five minutes"

I hung up and sank to the floor, clutching my belly.

And that's where she found me, five minutes later, when she came running in the door in her pajamas, glasses on and hair in a pony, panting.

" Let's go. C'mon." She whispered, helping me up and out into the car.

She drove like a crazy person all the way there, swerving and speeding. " Have you called Kris?" She asked, trying tokeep me calm, but I was still crying.
" He didn't answer" I spoke through broken words as we pulled up at the ER. Jules honked and two male nurses came running out, helping me into the doors.

" What's wrong with her? Is it the child?" I heard one ask, but I was in shock.

" Yeah, she called me and said she was bleeding. She's had sharp cramps, dizziness, nausea, back pain." She rattled off. The laid me down on a bed, sticking needles into my arms as I was quickly rolled down the hallway and Julia was questioned.

" Where's the father? Husband? Boyfriend?" Another voice asked. " Mrs...Letang? Where's the father?"

" Practice." I murmured blurry eyed.

" Get him on the phone." The voice ordered. " He needs to be here."
Jules' hand entwined with mine and I bit my lip to hold back another sob as I held onto my unborn child for dear life, praying for the first time in a while.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kris POV

I laughed, shoving TK as he made a crude joke about my upcoming life in fatherhood.
' Just you wait until it's you, it'll be different."

As we finally made out way back into the locker room after practice, I grabbed my phone to check it.

1 MISSED CALL : HOUSE
2 MISSED CALLS: JULIA
1 MISSED CALL: ALLEGHENY GENERA HOSPITAL

1 NEW TEXT MESSAGE: JULIA-
Kris, get to the hospital quick, something's wrong with Aury

" Merde" I cursed, heart racing a mile an hour as my face paled. Jordan frowned, noticing my distress as threw off my gear, pulling on my normal clothes, forgoing the shower and running around.

" What's wrong, Tanger?" Sid called.

" It's Aury, something's wrong- the baby- I gotta go!" I yelled as I ran out the back door, leaving all my gear on the ground, only grabbing my keys, wallet, and phone.

I drove about 70 all the way to the hospital, parking sideways in the lot and running into the ER.

" A-Aurelie Letang" I panted to the nurse at the desk. She looked up, then down at the computer.

"Room 7"

I thanked her, running around the corner and slowing to a stop when i saw Julia standing outside the room talking to a Doctor.
She saw me, and I noticed her frantic state and wet face.
" Kris! Thank jesus! Dr. Robinson this is Kris, the husband." I walked up and shook his hand, running a hand through my hair.
" W-what's wrong? It she okay? Is the baby-"
" She's going to be okay. They both are." He spoke, setting my mind at rest. I took a deep breath and Julia patted my arm.

" So, what happened?" I asked after a pause.
Dr. Robinson pursed his lips and frowned, " It's called Pre Eclampsia, and it's quite common, although dangerous. It's a condition caused by a spike in blood breassure or stress, and often result in the symptoms your wife experienced- nausea, cramps, bleeding, back pain, etc. It's not curable, but it is treatable, and last only for the rest of the term, so for this last month of her pregnancy. I don't think it will harm the child, since we caught it early enough, but I recommend bed rest and a stress free environment up until the due date, no matter how much she complains. We need to maintain her blood pressure at a safe level." he explained.

I nodded, taking it all in.

Bed rest. No stress. Got it.

" Can I see her?" I asked. He smiled, nodding and stepping aside.

I took a deep breath and walked in the room.

Her eyes were closed, head resting to the side, and her arms resting around the roundness of her stomach.
I smiled- even in her sleep she loves him.

I walked over and gently shook her.
" Aury, Mi Amour, wake up."

Her eye lids fluttered open, revealing those beautiful blues I love so much, and I kissed her forehead, sitting down in the chair next to the bed. I reached one arm up to brush her hair away from her face and the other to rest on top of hers over our child.

" I'm sorry. I tried to call you but-"
" No, no, don't. I left my phone in the locker room, I shouldn't have. I'm sorry. "

Her eyes watered, 'I was so scared, Kris. I didn't know what to do"

I smiled a little, kissing the back of her hand. "We're going to be okay. He's going to be okay."

"Promise?" She asked.

I nodded, "I promise"