Gun Brooke - Course of Action

Clearing her throat, Carolyn tried to sit up but changed her mind. "Where are we?"

"About halfway, maybe a little more. Are you okay?"

Carolyn's eyes narrowed and a wry smile appeared on her face. "You ask me that a lot, you know."

Annelie smiled, nuzzling her lover's hair. "And so do you. Want some coffee?"

Carolyn raised her seat back and tossed the blanket aside. "Coffee might just do the trick."

"Want me to get it for us?"

"No thanks, love. I need to stretch my legs." Carolyn got out of the car, pulling her coat closer around her as the autumn breeze played havoc with her hair.

Annelie circled the car to stand close to Carolyn. Without hesitation, she pushed the disheveled tresses out of her lover's face, letting her thumb quickly brush against her tightened lips. "Don't worry. We'll be there in no time."

"I know. It's just…"

"…she was once your baby."

Hooking her arm under Annelie's, Carolyn nodded. "I'm so glad you understand. If I didn't already love you, I'd fall in love with you this instant."

***

"Carolyn!" Joe was pale and needed a shave. "Beth'll be so glad to see you. Hell, I'm glad you're here." He pulled her into a firm hug.

"How is she?" Carolyn pulled back, examining Joe's features for any signs of disaster and noticing the dark circles under his eyes.

"She's doing everything they tell her and she's not complaining, but she's scared." Joe glanced over Carolyn's shoulder. "You must be Ms. Peterson?"

"Oh, sorry." Carolyn sighed, wanting to kick herself. "Joey, this is my good friend, Annelie Peterson. Annie, this is Joseph Rossi."

"I guessed as much. Nice to meet you, Joe. Please call me Annelie. I just wish we'd met under happier circumstances."

"Nice to meet you too, Annelie. I'm so glad you could come. Beth can't wait to meet you. Perhaps you can distract her a little." Carolyn noticed her brother-in-law didn't seem convinced. "Come on. She's in room 1412."

Carolyn stopped in the doorway, looking at her sister lying in bed with several IVs connected to her arm. Beth was beyond pale.

Carolyn stepped inside. "Hello, kiddo. How you doing?"

Beth's eyes snapped open. "Lyn!" She stuck out a hand and burst into tears. "Oh, Lyn, it's happening all over again. I'm going to lose my baby."

Carolyn rushed to the bed, pulling her little sister into her arms and rocking her. "You don't know that, honey. Joe just told me how brave you are. He says you're following the doctor's orders to the letter. Have faith in that."

"I can't go through this again. I'm so scared. I was doing everything right at home too. Staying off my feet, letting the help do everything. And Pamela's been good as gold. Why's this happening now? We never should have tried again."

Carolyn's heart ached. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw Annelie and Joe waiting. Annelie raised her hand, indicating she knew Beth was in no shape to meet a stranger. Wiggling her cell phone, she motioned toward the exit. Carolyn nodded.

Focusing on her sister, Carolyn ignored her uncomfortable position, not about to let go of the distraught woman. "I don't know, but I'm here now. So's Joe. We'll see this through, and you and the baby will be all right. I'm not leaving you until you're okay, I promise."

Carefully rocking Beth some more, she hoped her acting skills wouldn't fail her. She wanted to believe her own words, but it was hard.

Carolyn felt the thin form in her arms gradually relax. "That's it, sweetie. Just go to sleep. It's the best thing for you. I'll be right here. Joe too."

Joe came in and helped her lower the now-sleeping Beth onto the pillows. "Amazing," he whispered, stroking his wife's hair. "She's had a hard time relaxing, even when the doctors told her it'd be best for her and the baby. You two have an astonishing connection."

"Yes, we do." Carolyn reached out for Joe's hand. "And so do the two of you."

"Yes, but sometimes you need the person who comforted you when you were little."

"I know I've certainly missed our mother over the years. Beth doesn't remember her, of course, but I do. When Mom died, though I was young, I knew I had to be a mother to Beth. It was odd. Our father was wonderful in many ways, but he couldn't fathom how difficult it all was." She flashed Joe a wistful smile. "Don't get me wrong. Beth was a gorgeous baby and I loved tending to her."

Joe pulled up two more chairs around the bed. "I know you did. You were just a child, and suddenly you had two children of your own."

"True."

Joe stroked his wife's damp forehead. "She was afraid to fall asleep earlier. She was convinced the baby would be gone when she woke up."

"Oh, God, poor Beth. No wonder she was so wound up."

Almost soundless steps approached from behind, making them both turn their heads. Annelie looked hesitant, but Joe rose, pointing to the empty chair next to Carolyn. "Please have a seat. Beth's asleep, but I know she won't mind us sitting here. In fact, I know she'd feel safe if she wakes up to the sound of our voices."

"You sure? Thank you." Annelie sat down. "Carolyn, I called Margo and let her know where we are."

"Good. Everything okay at her end?"

"Yes. I told her to enjoy her Sunday. Everything going on can wait till we go back."

The three of them sat in silence, occasionally engaging in small talk as Beth rested. Joe had been awake all night but refused to leave his wife and go home for a nap. Carolyn admired his stamina.

Looking at Beth's face, almost transparent in its paleness, Carolyn wanted to make a bargain with the devil if only her sister wouldn't lose her child. Suddenly Beth jerked and woke with a start, her body curling up as she gave a muted cry.

"No! Oh, it hurts…"

Joe pressed the alarm and Carolyn rose, taking Beth's hand. "Calm down, Beth. We've called for help. Try to relax, sweetie."

"I can't! It hurts too much." Beth yanked her hand free, pressing both hands onto her stomach as if to protect the endangered fetus. "No, no, no, this can't be happening…" Her voice rose to a loud cry as pain wracked her body.

Annelie disappeared out the door when several of the medical staff entered. Carolyn pressed her back against the wall, watching them administer more drugs and try to calm her sister. Unless they threw her out, she was not about to leave. She'd promised Beth to be there.

Joe looked up at his sister-in-law from where he was leaning over

Beth. "Carolyn? Please try to talk to her again. She's shaking so badly." His dark eyes were brimming with tears.

Circling the medical staff working around Beth, Carolyn stepped close to the bed. She leaned down, hugging Beth. "Please, baby, stop fighting so. Let the drugs do their job and just relax. There you go, try to breathe in and out. Nice and slow. Settle down."

"You don't understand," Beth moaned, tears and drops of sweat mixing at her temples. "You just don't understand. You've never been a mother, and you don't know what it's like to lose a child. It's not like losing a damn role!"

Stiffening at the stinging words, Carolyn swallowed hard, forcing herself to remember her sister was in a lot of pain and under great stress. "Shh, sweetie, calm down. That's it. The medication's working now, right? Can you feel it?"

Slowly the cramps lessened, and after a while Beth fell back into a deep sleep. Carolyn stretched her aching back, looking at Joe and the doctor. "What's happening now?"

"We gave her a new medication," the young doctor said. "All we can do is wait and see. You did a great job of calming Mrs. Rossi down. She's been terrified ever since she was brought in."

"Thank you." Carolyn moved out of the way to let Joe sit on the bed next to his wife. "She needs to see your face when she wakes up."