FicWad

“Gee, Frank’s home.” Monica knew the words were the most important so she spoke them first.
“Thank God” he muttered. She could hear him telling the news to whoever was in the room with him.
“What happened? No. First, how’s Jamia?”
“We’re on the way to the hospital right now so we don’t know. I just knew you were about to take the stage and I wanted to tell you about Frank.” Monica glanced over at him. He looked ready to drop.
“Tell the mother fucker I love him and he better not ever pull this shit again.” Gerard said. “They’re dimming the lights. I gotta go. I’ll call as soon as the concert's over.”
“Okay.” Monica agreed. “I love you.”
“I love you.” He disconnected.
“Gee says he loves you uh, mother fucker and don’t ever do that again.” Monica said repeating the message.
Frank continued to look at the traffic and did not respond.
“How are you doing?” Monica reached over and placed her hand on his arm.
“God, Monica. Just tell me she’s gonna be all right. Tell me the babies are fine. Christ, if anything happens; it’s my fault. I should have found a way to call home.”
Monica had heard his story about the flights being messed up and his race through a strange airport. “It’s not your fault. You were just trying to get home.”
Frank shook his head, “It’s gotta be all right” He repeated, “It’s just gotta be all right.”

Kara sneaked a peak into Liv’s room. She was lying with her eyes open.
“Any news?” Liv’s voice sounded so tired.
“Bob just called. He couldn’t say much because they were getting ready to take the stage but I know Frank’s okay. He’s on his way to the hospital. They think Jamia’s gone into labor. The stress got to her.”
Liv sighed, “Hope she’s okay. I can’t imagine how different my life would have been if I hadn’t had Elle.”
Kara was saddened by how she was speaking of her life in the past tense. “Are you hungry?”
Liv shook her head, “No, not really.”
“Wanna watch some T.V.?
“Truthfully I’m too tired. I don’t think I could walk all the way downstairs.” She tried to shift her body in the bed but the pain stopped her.
Kara got to her feet. “Be right back.” She returned to the room carrying her small portable color television. She placed it on the chair and went in search of a small table. Soon she had it set up so Liv could watch T.V. from her bed.
“Thanks” Liv muttered.
“No problem.” She moved towards the bed. “Here let me help you sit up. I’ll put some pillows behind your back.” Liv said nothing while Kara helped her get comfortable. “That better?” Kara asked taking a step back.
Liv nodded. Her eyes turned to the television.
“There’s not much on right now.” Kara said with a shrug.
“It doesn’t really matter.”
Kara sat down in the chair by the bed and both women sat quietly watching the rerun of an old show.
“Kara?” Liv whispered.
Kara looked over at her, “Yeah?”
“Do you think Elle will remember me?”
The question tore at Kara’s heart. ‘Yeah, she’ll remember you. She loves you so much. I talked to Kelly last night and she said Elle keeps asking when you’re coming back.” She wanted Liv to know that Elle missed her very much.
Tears sprang to Liv’s eyes. “The last day we spent together I tried so hard to make it special.” Her voice broke, “I still can remember every minute, every second.”
“Liv, are you sure you don’t want to see her? We can tell her you’re sick. She won’t understand that you’re dying.”
“God, you don’t know how much I want that.” She paused, “But I don’t want her to remember me like this. I want her last memory to be of the day we spent together.” She closed her eyes and leaned back.
Kara wiped her own eyes. She sat watching Liv until she heard her even breathing of sleep. She stood and walked from the room. Reaching her own room she sat on her bed and let her tears flow.

Jamia was lying with her eyes close. She was more afraid than she’d ever been in her life. The doctor had just left the room and his words were still echoing in her ears. They had given her drugs to stop the contractions. The longer she could carry the babies the better their chances for a normal delivery. She had listened to him speak but her mind as numb.
She felt his presence before she opened her eyes.
“Hey, little mama.” Frank leaned down and tenderly kissed her lips.
“Oh God, Frankie.” She whispered. “I was so scared.”
He pulled up the chair and sat by the bed. Once more he took her hand in his. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t know about the plane crash until Monica told me. I would have called but all I could think of was getting home to you.”
Jamia felt the tears on her cheeks but couldn’t stop them. “It’s okay.” She squeezed his hand. “All that matters is you’re here.”
“I’m here and I’m not going anywhere. I’m gonna be here to see my babies born.” Frank said gently reaching over and wiping the tears from her cheek.

Monica felt bone tired as she pulled into the driveway and cut the engine. This had been a day from hell. However, as bad as it had been, things were okay now. Frank was staying with Jamia at the hospital and her contractions had stopped. She would stay in the hospital for a least a few day to make sure they didn’t start again. Monica felt positive they wouldn’t with Frank at her side.
She got out of the car and walked slowly towards the house. It wasn’t late yet she felt like she could fall into bed and sleep until morning. Kara was waiting for her at the door.
“I made soup and sandwiches for dinner. Want me to heat some soup up for you?”
Monica surprised her by pulling her into her arms and hugging her tightly
“Mom? What’s wrong?”
Monica shook her head, “Things are fine now. I’m just glad today’s over. Did you talk to Kelly and tell her what happened?”
“Yeah, I talked to her.” She didn’t tell her mom what was going on over at Donna’s. Elle was having a bad day. She wanted her mommy and nothing anyone said could make her happy. “So Jamia’s doing good?”
They walked into the kitchen and Monica fell into a kitchen chair. Kara started to heat up a bowl of soup for her. “Yeah, the contractions stopped. I really think now that Frank's home she’ll be okay. So how’s Liv?”
Kara poured her mom a glass of ice tea and sat it down in front of her. “In a lot of pain. I took my TV into her room and set it up. She didn’t think she could make it down the stairs.”
“That’s good.” Monica nodded, “Carrie will be here in the morning. She said anytime I needed she would stay with Liv while I got out of a bit. I think I’ll visit Elle.”
“Actually Kelly and Luke are gonna spend the day with her. They’re taking her to the park and out of lunch.”
“Oh” Monica said, “That’s nice of them. Did Kelly say if her stitches are still hurting?”
“She says she fine. Luke goes back to the doctor on Monday. I hope he gets good news.” Kara said as she placed the chicken and noodles in front of her mom.
Monica hadn’t realized until now that she hadn’t eaten since breakfast. She dug into her dinner. “This is really good,” She said in between bites. Her cell phone rang and she dug it out of her pocket. Kara grabbed it from her. “Keep eating.” She told her mom.
“Hello”
Gerard was surprised to hear Kara’s voice, “Kara?”
“Yeah, it’s me.”
“Oh, how ya doin’?”
Kara shrugged, “I’m okay. Mom’s eating right now. She hasn’t eaten all day.” She hoped he took the hint and would call back.
“Oh, yeah. I understand. Tell her to give me a call when she can. I’m back at the hotel and I’m gonna jump in the shower.”
“Will do.” Kara answered. She saw her mother watching her closely. “Nice talking to you Gee.”
“Nice talking to you too, Kara." He shook his head and grinned as he closed the phone.
Monica smiled, “Thanks”
Kara arched an eyebrow, “I can be nice you know.”
“You are nice.” Monica corrected her. “I am proud of the woman you’ve become.”
Her mom’s words surprised her. Kara stood and leaned over and hugged Monica. “I’m the woman I am because of my mom.” She whispered. “Now finish your dinner then call him back. I’m gonna go check on Liv and give Bob a call. I’ll take care of the dishes before I go to bed.”
“Thank, Honey.” Monica said. She watched Kara walk towards the door. “I love you.”
Kara turned, “Love you too, Mom.”

Kelly handed the phone to Elle, “You can talk to Luke for a few minutes, okay?”
Beside her on the sofa Elle bounced up and down, “Otaky.” She took the phone from Kelly, “Hi Uke,”
“Hi, Bug. How are you?” Luke leaned back on his bed and got comfortable.
“Me’s dood. Me’s made tookies today,”
“Wow” Luke said, “That kind?”
“Sugar.” Elle answered happily, ‘They’s dood.”
“Well can I have one tomorrow?” He asked.
Elle looked over at Kelly. “Kewee keeps eatin em.”
Luke laughed, “Why don’t you hide one for me.”
“Otay” Elle said happily, “Me’s will.”
“My turn” Kelly said putting her hand out for the phone. Elle frowned.
“Uke, you’se comin tomowow?” She wanted to make sure.
“Sure am. We’re gonna go to the park, right?’
“Yeah” Elle said smiling, “Me’s likes you’s Uke”
Luke smiled, “I like you too Bug.”
Elle handed the phone back to Kelly then walked into the kitchen. She snuck two cookies off the plate and looked for a place to hide them. She wanted to make sure Luke got his cookies.
“More cookies?” Donna looked up from the newspaper she was reading. She thought Elle was taking them for herself.
Back in the living room Kelly lowered her voice, “I can’t wait until tomorrow night.”
Luke didn’t answerer right away and Kelly noticed. “Luke, what’s wrong?”
“Nothings wrong, Sunshine.” He said softly.
“Hey, if you don’t want to it’s okay.” She said
“There is nothing I want more than to be alone with you.” He grabbed his cigarettes and lit one. “More than anything.”
“Kelly smiled, “I feel the same way.”