Breaking the Habit

-Chester-
I smiled through a mess of tears, “Yes babe, we are.”
She leaned down and hugged me tight, tears running down her face.
“And for the record, I love your name ideas. I’ve been thinking about names to go with them, and I’ve got them. Bailee Jade, and Jonas Michael.” She squeezed me tight.
“Perfect. They’re perfect, you’re perfect, everything is perfect again.” I told her.
“Let’s get you checked out, Michelle.” Dr. Sampson interrupted us.
She sat back against the pillow, never letting go of my hand, while he checked her vitals.
“Everything looks good, so far. We can’t assess your brain injury nor can we x-ray your arm and leg, due to the baby, but I’ll be sending an obstetrician to look in and see exactly how the baby is doing.” He said.
“How will we know if her arm and leg are healed?” I asked.
“Well, the lack of movement should’ve given the bones the ideal environment to heal precisely, so we’ll play it by ear, and in two weeks, when you get your casts off, she should too. As for the brain, we’ll have you hooked up to the EEG machine to monitor the brainwaves, and if you show any signs of trouble, and we’ll have to do a CAT scan irregardless, to see what’s going on.” He explained.
“Stupid question, but are we allowed to have a wedding in here?” I asked.
Michelle looked at me and smiled.
Dr. Sampson smiled too, “I don’t see why not. It’s not exactly ideal, but given the circumstances, I will not rob you of any more time together, so please, by all means, do.” He nods.
Michelle opened her mouth to speak when the door opened, Chris and Chauntelle ran in and embraced her.
“Hello mommy!” Chauntelle squealed.
“Shut up, I’m not used to it yet.” Michelle laughed.
“Glad to see you’ve joined us in the land of the living.” Chris said.
“I needed a good nap.” Michelle still had her hand in mine, holding tightly.
“They just decided to get married. Here. Now. In this hospital.” Mike told Chris.
“Well, then we’ve arrived just in time.” He smiled.
“We can’t do anything without rings, or a preacher.” I commented.
“All of that can be taken care of, no problem.” Chris grinned.

Someone knocked on the door.
“Come in.” Michelle called.
A small lady came in, “I’m Dr. Varnette, your obstetrician. I need to perform a pelvic exam and an ultrasound to check on your baby.”
Michelle smiled, “Of course. Everyone, could you guys give us a little while? Go get some lunch, and bring me something too, I’m starving.” She said.
Everyone left, except for me.
Dr. Varnette looked at me.
“He’s my fiance, doctor. He’s the father.” Michelle explained.
She smiles, her face softening, “Okay then, let’s get started.”
She rolled a stool over in front of Michelle, who slid down on the bed, putting her feet in the stirrups.
“Dr. Sampson told me about your accident, and I must say, it’s very rare that a fetus, especially so young, survives such a disaster. It truly is a miracle.” She slipped her gloves on, and put her mask on.
“Everything looks well, we’ll just swab some samples, and send them off, and soon we’ll find out anything we need to know. Now, you can drop your legs, dear. We’re going to do an ultrasound.” She took her gloves off and tossed them in the trash.

“So,” She slips on new gloves and looks at me, rolling around to the side of the bed, dragging a machine over.
“Are you excited?” She continued.
“Well, still getting used to the idea really, haven’t really gotten that far yet.” I shrugged.
“The excitement will come. Usually the first ultrasound makes it real for them.” She had Michelle lift her gown, and she pressed the sensor against her stomach.
The screen lit up, and Michelle’s hand tightened around mine.
“There’s the little soldier. Grown a bit already since the first ultrasound yesterday.” She smiled.
There was a little black speck in the middle of the black screen, with a smaller white flicker in the middle.
“Still just a tiny little thing. But if Michelle take care of it, it’ll grow to be a beautiful baby in eight months.” She froze the image.
“But, all in all, the placenta, the uterus and the baby all look to doing great. Have you guys thought of any names?” She asked.
“Yes actually, we’ve agreed on a name for each, boy or girl.” Michelle said.
“May I hear them?” She asked.
“Bailee Jade for a girl, and Jonas Michael for a boy.” I said.
“Oh they’re wonderful! Can’t wait to see what it turns out ot be.” She stood, and with a final smile, departed.

Michelle smiled down at me, “Don’t you look a pitiful mess.” She cooed.
“You should see you from my eyes.” I laughed.
“I’m sure I looked worse than this a month ago.” She replied.
I paused, my smile fading, “Though I try to forget, you’re right.”
She wiped the ultrasound gel off of her stomach, “The size of an appleseed, yet there’s already a bump there.” She whispered.
I looked over at the bump, “You look gorgeous.”
She smiled her beautiful smile, “So, the night of the party, huh?” she asked.
I nodded, “Or the day after, sometime.”
“Well, I guess it was meant to be.” She rubbed her stomach gently.
“Our little miracle.” I leaned over and kissed her stomach.
“I guess my dad is going to have a meltdown.” She said.
“If he doesn’t know already, yeah. When he found out about the accident, he was so upset, he wanted to kill me. But your brother went toe to toe with him, and forced him to understand that this wasn’t my fault, and that I was miserable with guilt over it. He finally came around, and wanted to apologize, but Chris convinced him it was better not to bother me, and wait until I was released from the hospital, or better yet, when you woke up from your coma.” I told her.
“I still don’t think he’s going to be too happy about this.” She laid back on the bed.
“Like it matters. The baby is there, it has a pulse, and there’s no taking it back now. He’s going to have to deal with it.” I said.
“You look uncomfortable.” She commented.
“These casts are miserable. I’m ready to be able to crawl in bed with you and hold you until we fall asleep.” I told her.
She smiled, “That’s not all you’re ready to do. I guarantee that you want to crawl in bed with me and do something else.”
“Well of course I am, it’s already been five weeks, now I have to wait two more. It’s misery.”
“Oh, but think of how amazing it will be when we get to again.” She cooed.
“I’m going to blow like a volcano as soon as you touch it.” I laughed.
“Shut up, even after two months, I still think you have more endurance than that.” She laid back.

“They’d better bring me some food, I’m about to starve to death. That feeding tube kept me alive, but whatever they were funneling through it is not sustaining my conscious hunger.” She checked her phone, dialing Mike’s number.
“Hey, I’m about to pass out again from starvation, you guys bringing us some edible food?” She asked.
“I don’t care, after this long, anything will do. Just bring me anything. The baby is starving too. It’s a wonder we didn’t both starve to death on that feeding tube.” She laughed.
“Okay, I’ll see you guys soon.” she hung up, and put her phone down.
“Pizza is what we get.” She said.
“I can live with that. You think the feeding tube was bad, at least you didn’t have to suffer trying to eat the hospital cafeteria food.” I laughed.
“I’ve had hospital food, it’s bad.” She agreed.
“So, um, with everything going on, and the fact that we’re getting married, would you like to move in with me?”
She smiled, “I thought that was the plan.”
“Just wanted to make sure that’s what you wanted to do, before just assuming you were doing it.” I shrugged.
“Where else would I live, but with my husband and our baby?” She asked.
“I’m not your husband yet.” I smiled.
“It won’t be long, trust me.” She replied.

The door opened, Mike walking in with three pizza boxes.
“Here, you animal.” He dropped one in Michelle’s lap.
“You don’t want to see the animal in me come out.” She flipped the lid of the box open and grabbed a piece of pizza, handing it to me, and then grabbing one for herself.

-Michelle-
“I don’t think I’ve ever known pizza to taste this damn good.” I muttered through a mouthful.
“Didn’t anyone ever teach you not to talk with your mouth full?” Joe joked.
I looked at Chester, who shakes his head, “I’m not touching that one.” he shoved another bite in his mouth.
“No comment.” I finally said.
“Did you bring something to drink?” I asked.
“Your soda is on the table.” Mike pointed.
I drank half of it in one gulp.
“Slow down, damn.” Chester said.
“I’m literally starving.”

Dr. Sampson came in, “Afternoon again, all. Did I miss the ceremony?” He asked.
“Not yet. But we’re going to have things in order soon.” I answered.
“Good.” He started to say something else, but the door opened.
My smile slid off my face.
“Dad?” I asked.
“You’re okay.” He hugged me.
Chester had a look on his face that said he wanted to beat the shit out of him, but he knew he couldn’t.
“What are you doing here?” I asked, coldly.
“You’re still my daughter, and I still love you, even if I don’t agree with your decisions. And right now, I’m glad you’re alive.” he responded, stepping back.
“But you’re here to chastise me, and make me move back in with Gabi.”
“Look, you don’t have to go to Gabi’s, but I think it’s best for you if you go somewhere. Before you end up in a situation where I lose you. I don’t want you to ruin your life.”
“I guess nobody told you the good news, then.” I held up my left hand, my ring glimmering in the sunlight.
He turned on Chester, “You’ve got my baby fooled into thinking you love her.” He said.
“I do love her.” He snapped.
“I wasn’t finished, dad. I have more news to share.” I looked at Chester.
I reached over to the table and picked up the ultrasound photos, handing them to him, “You’re going to be a grandpa again.” I said.
He looked at the pictures, then at me, with tears in his eyes.
But they weren’t tears of joy, they were tears of anger.
“You’ve ruined her!” He turned on Chester, fists balled in anger.
“I’ve saved her, you’re just so overprotective, that anyone who doesn’t fit into your ideals is dangerous. I’m getting her away from you.” Chester struggled to get out of the wheelchair, fury in his eyes.
“This is why I had her on birth control, because I knew someone like you would take advantage of the fact that she’s an alcoholic, and I didn’t want her to end up with a baby she never wanted. I didn’t want her to end up like her mother.” He said.
“She does want this baby. You don’t know your daughter anymore. I never took advantage of shit, she wanted to have sex with me just as badly as I wanted her.” The inability to move only pissed him off more.
“She doesn’t know what she wants. I’ve known her since she took her first breath, and after everything Marie put her through, I vowed to protect her from anyone and anything that would hurt her again, including herself.” My dad stepped toward me, hand out to grab me.
“She doesn’t need you to protect her anymore.” Chester seethed.
“And you can think all you want, that I took advantage of her that night, but the next morning, and every day after, when no alcohol had touched either of our lips, she chose me. She wanted me.”
“You can’t take advantage of someone who’s of sound mind.” I interejected.
“Whoever said YOU were of sound mind?” My dad asked.
I looked around at everyone, standing their ground until called on, or needed, and back at my dad, “Just because mom is a lunatic, doesn’t mean I am.”
“You act just like she did.” Dad was trying to hurt me.
“No, because never in my life would I allow someone to do to my daughter what mom did to me. I’d never hurt her the way mom hurt me.” I glared at him.
He reared his arm back to slap me, and I closed my eyes and braced for it.
“You’d better not fucking touch her.” Chester pulled himself into a standing position to the best of his ability, dragging his leg cast across the floor, “Because if you do, I will end you here and now.” he was holding himself up on the edge of the bed.
“She’s recovering from a brain injury, you god damn psychopath.” Mike stepped forward.
“It’s his fault she’s here in the first place.” My dad said.
“No it isn’t.” I argued.
“It’s your fucking fault she’s in here. A good, supportive father never would have made his daughter think she had to run away to be happy.” Chester said.
“Who’s fault is it that she’s carrying YOUR bastard child?” My dad shoved him, knocking him off balance.
Chester grabbed for the bedrail, but missed and hit the floor.
I tried to help him up, but I still couldn’t move either.
He groaned, and coughed.
Mike and Joe helped him back into the wheelchair.
I looked at my dad, “For the record, it’s MY fault that I’m pregnant. Because I chose to lay down and spread my legs. I wasn’t planning on getting pregnant, but I made a mistake, and I’m going to bear the consequences. Now leave, and if you come within a mile of me again, I’ll have you arrested.” I kicked him in the leg with the one good leg I had.

At the same moment, two police officers grabbed him and dragged him out of the room.
I fell back against the pillow, breathing heavily, my chest shaking with sobs.
I closed my eyes.
“Babe, are you okay?” Chester asked.
I felt his hand touch mine, and I nodded, “I’ll be fine, I just need a few minutes.” I said.
“Are you sure?” He asked.
“Chester, I have a horrible headache right now, please, just leave me be.” I said.
“I will, but please let Dr. Sampson make sure the headache doesn’t have anything to do with your head injury.” he pleaded.
I sighed, “Sure, fine whatever.”

Mike took Chester out of the room, and everyone else followed.
Dr. Sampson came in and asked me a bunch of questions about my headache.
“Unfortunately, it seems that the headache is from the stress in the room earlier. It’s aggravating the nerves in your brain, which are already sensitive from the scar tissue. It’s causing your blood to pump harder, and since you’re pregnant, your blood is thicker, and your organs are all doing double the work, which, in your state, isn’t a good time to be stressed.”
I gave him a look, “English please.”
“Stressing is going to cause you to lose the baby, and possibly your own life.” he said.
“You see what I have to put up with for a father, I don’t think that’s possible.” I sneered.
“Get a protective order against him. You don’t want to risk your life or your baby’s, and from what I hear, he was going to hit you, which is also not good for someone recovering from a major brain injury.” He looked over his shoulder.
“Okay fine, just let us go home.” I whispered.
“He is free to leave whenever he likes, but you’re still under surveillance because of your injuries. You’re going to be here for at least another two or three weeks. Just until your casts come off and you can take care of yourself again.”
I shook my head, “You’re the doctor. You call the shots. Just keep that man away from me.”
“Your father, or your fiance?” He asked.
“My father. But I don’t need Chester worrying about me, so keep him away too. Just until tomorrow.” I laid back again.
He smiled and nodded, “Okay. I’ll be in to check on you in a little while.”

He closed the door behind him, and I began to sob uncontrollably.
“I’m not fit to be anyone’s mother.” I whispered.

-Chester-
Mike and Joe helped me back into bed.
“She’s really upset, I shouldn’t leave her alone like that.”
“She’s upset, yes, but I think it’s best if you leave her be for while, let her decompress, and calm down.”
“Did she mean that? That she made a mistake? And that she’ll bare the consequences? Is that what she thinks we are, a mistake?” I asked.
“Chester, that’s not what she mean, and you know it. She adores you, and she’s already so in love with the baby. She just said that to drive Jack away from her. She doesn’t think of you as a mistake. She wouldn’t still be with you if she did.” Mike explained.
“What if she does?” I asked.
“Don’t do this to yourself.” Mike said.
“You heard her, Mike. She made a mistake.”
“She’s going through a lot right now. Waking up from a coma, the news of being pregnant, planning everything for you guys to get married, and her fathers psycho meltdown. I don’t blame her for wanting to be alone.” He said.
“Maybe it’s overwhelming her. Maybe she’s changed her mind.” I said.
“She hasn’t. Let her rest and start fresh in the morning. You love her, so give her some space. I gotta go, but I’ll be back in the morning to check on you guys.” He closed the door behind him.

I wish I could say I fell asleep, but I didn’t.
I laid there and worried about her, trying to ignore the pain in my neck and back.
Finally, at 2am when the nurse did checks, she gave me something to help me sleep.
I faded out of consciousness slowly, now that I was able to relax.

-Michelle-
I opened my eyes because I felt nauseous.
I grabbed the basin and let it out.
The door opened and Dr. Sampson came in.
“Good morning. How are we doing this morning?” He asked.
“Besides nauseous, I think I’m doing better than I was last night.” I answered.
“Morning sickness will last throughout the first trimester, but drinking water and ginger ale should help.” He nods.
“How’s Chester doing?” I asked.
“I haven’t been in yet this morning, but Genni, my nurse told me that she had to give him a sedative to put him to sleep in early this morning.” He said.
“He’s restless, being in here is making him crazy.” I sighed.
“Like I said, he doesn’t have to be here. He can go home anytime he wants, he’s staying for you.” Dr. Sampson said smiling at me.
“I know, but I don’t have the heart to tell him that it could be awhile before I can go home.”
“I don’t think any of us do, Michelle.”

-Chester-
I opened my eyes, to the sun shining through the window.
I looked around the room, and yawned.
Dr. Sampson knocked and came in, “Good morning, how are we this morning?” He asked.
“I’m here, I suppose.” I shrugged.
“Did you sleep better after the nurse gave you the medicine?” He asked.
“I guess.”
I picked up the glass of water I’d left on the table the night before, and took a drink.
I woke up a little more, and looked at Dr. Sampson, who was checking my casts, “How’s Michelle?” I asked.
“She’s doing fine, worried about you, naturally. The two of you are going to drive yourselves crazy worrying about each other.” He chuckled.
“Can I go and see her?” I asked.
“You’d better let me ask her first if she’s up for visitors. She is okay, but she’s got a touch of morning sickness this morning.” He said.
“I wish I hadn’t done this to her.” I whispered.
“You’ll change your mind once she has the baby. Hell, you’ll change your mind the first time you feel the baby kick.”
“I already love that baby, very, very much, but I hate what Michelle is having to go through for it.” I said.
“She doesn’t seem to mind much, sure, she hates the morning sickness, but all women do. She’s looking forward to holding that sweet baby in her arms.”
I shifted uncomfortably, “This next two weeks better go by quickly. These casts are driving me insane.” I sighed.
“You still have to go through physical therapy.” He reminded me.
“I know. Will she have to do it too?” I asked.
“Yes, she will.” He said.
I started to say something, when the nurse rushed in, “Dr. Sampson, you’re needed in room 214.”
“Hold that thought, Chester.” He darted out the door.
I tried to remember what room number Michelle was in.

-Michelle-
After throwing up for the fourth time in a row, and nothing coming out, the nurse ran to get Dr. Sampson.
“Start some anti-nausea medication in her I.V, and turn down the air in here, being too hot won’t help her.”
They laid me back in the bed, dabbing my forehead with a cool rag, and fanning me with a piece of paper.
I felt my head starting to hurt, so I covered my eyes, and took a few deep breaths.
“Michelle, you still with us?” Dr. Sampson’s voice seemed miles away, but he was right next to me.
“My head, it hurts.” I managed to mumble the words coherently.
“Get me radiology, now!” He called.
I groaned, “Where’s Chester?”
“He’s down the hall.” Dr. Sampson had his stethoscope pressed to my chest.
“Her rhythm is off, her heart is beating too fast.” He told the nurse.
“I think the nausea may have triggered a reaction in her brain.” The nurse looked at the file again.
“WHERE is radiology?!” Dr. Sampson shouted.
“On their way, sir!”
I felt drowsy, and knew that I was fading out of consciousness.
“Michelle, stay with me.” The voice was distorted now.
“She’s seizing!”

-Chester-
I heard the commotion down the hall, and started to worry.
I decided to hell with it, and dragged myself out of bed, grabbing the one crutch I had, and hobbled into the hallway.
Not far away, I heard Dr. Sampson’s voice, “She’s seizing!”
It clicked in my brain, and I dragged my ass down the hall way as fast as I could, only to be stopped at the door.
“Sir, you can’t be in here, you need to go back to your room and get back in bed, we have this under control here.” the nurse was stern.
“That’s my fucking fiancee and my unborn child in there, let me the fuck in!” I shoved past her and dragged myself into the room.

Michelle was laying on the bed, shaking violently, eyes rolled back in her head.
“What’s happening to her?!” I demanded, grabbing her hand.
“The nausea made her body overheat, which triggered her brain, causing her to go into a seizure. We’re trying, Chester.”
I squeezed her hand, “I’m here Michelle.”

After about five minutes, the shaking slowed to a stop, and she was unconscious again.
The brainwaves have stopped.” The nurse called, looking at the EEG.
“What?!” I asked.
“Her brain injury isn’t healed, and it’s obviously still affecting her. She’s fallen into another coma.” Dr. Sampson told me sadly.
I burst into tears, burying my face in Michelle’s neck, “Come back baby, come back. We need you.”
“Chester, we have to intubate her again, as she’s stopped breathing on her own.” he whispered.
I moved away, and watched them shove a tube down her throat into her lungs, and another into her stomach for food.
“We still can’t see how bad the brain injury still is, because we can’t give her a CAT scan. All we can do is monitor her brainwaves via the EEG machine, and pray for another miracle. We’re going to do an ultrasound to check on the baby, and make sure that it’s doing okay in there.” He walked out.
I kissed her forehead, “I love you, I’m so sorry Michelle.” I whispered.