- Nerves of Steele,
Will of Iron and Dreams of Gold
- Part 7
- by SteeleChic
1999
His eyes were shining with tears. His voice had been steady but
Dr Barnett asked anyway,
"Are you sure?"
"Yes," Remington said unwaveringly, "Save Laura's
life."
"What?" Laura choked out, her astonished gaze turning
to him, "No! You can't make this decision for me, it's my
baby too, and my body!"
"Laura please," he pleaded, "It's so much more
than just your body, it's your life we're talking about
here."
"And our baby's life too," she insisted quietly, stricken,
"A life I'm supposed to protect."
"Not at the expense of your own," Remington tried to
reason, "Laura, we can always have other children, but there's
only one you," his voice was strained. He didn't
know how she was keeping her emotions in check when he was dangerously
close to breaking point.
"I said no!" she protested again, her voice shrill,
as Remington noted with relief that she was at least feeling
the pressure of their situation and not repressing her emotions.
Her eyes flew to Dr Barnett, "They can't do it without my
permission, can they?" she demanded.
"No, but Mrs. Steele, I urge you to reconsider," Dr
Barnett answered. Realizing that the Steeles had been unable
to discuss their decision because she'd had to calm Laura's earlier
outburst with a sedative, she continued, "You need to discuss
this and come to some agreement. I'll give you some more time
but if you wait much longer it may be out of your hands. We've
waited too long already." And on that somber note she left
the room.
"Laura please," he said again, his voice barely more
than a whisper, grasping both of her hands with his, "What
are you doing?"
"It's our baby," she implored, her voice thick and
low, something which Remington had learned by now was a telltale
sign that tears were threatening. He watched them pool in her
eyes. She blinked furiously, fighting to control her emotions.
"Yes, it's our baby," Remington agreed, "And that's
why I believe Dr Barnett when she says that chances are it will
survive. With two such strong parents..." he trailed off.
"Strong?" Laura laughed, a harsh sound that echoed
in the room, "I'm not strong, I'm terrified," she admitted
weakly, the tears finally beginning to fall.
"Of what?" he asked gently.
"Of losing the baby, of losing you," she told him through
tears, barely able to hold back her sobs.
"What? No," he tried to soothe her, although he didn't
quite know what she was talking about, "If you let the doctors
deliver the baby you'll both be fine. Nobody's losing anyone."
"NO!" she protested again, angry that he didn't understand
what she meant, "I won't do it!" she cried out in anguish,
"I won't take away the one thing that means the most to
you - a family!"
"What?" he choked out again, stunned by her outburst.
He studied her intently, his own eyes filling with tears, emotion
tumbling in on him. What on earth had made her think that? But
suddenly he knew. His own words echoed in his mind as he stared
at her, tears free falling and sobs gasping.
That one sentence -"If anything happens to this baby"
had haunted her, he realized guiltily. He squeezed her hands,
his heart aching both with the pain of their decision and her
anguish and also with the immense love he felt for Laura, such
an incredible selfless person, more of a gift to him than any
child.
"Laura, listen, please listen," he begged, forcing
himself to speak through his emotion. His own tears began to
fall as he continued, "You'll never lose me," he whispered,
"How could you? I'm a part of you. You gave me a name, a
career, an existence, I can't live without you Laura, and you're
my life. I love you and I need you, please let them help you?
It's OK," he finished on a sigh.
Standing swiftly, he released her hands and slid his arms around
her, kissing her tenderly, holding her fiercely. Her arms tightened
around him as she held him close. Their tears mingled and dropped
soundlessly onto the sheets.
"I love you," he whispered into her hair, "Please
let them save you, make you healthy again."
"I love you too," she responded brokenly, cut off by
a hiccup.
"I'll be right here by your side," Remington promised,
"Please Laura?"
Taking a deep breath, she sighed, resting her head back wearily,
her eyes closed, lashes glistening with tears. Her arms stayed
firmly linked around his neck.
"OK," she whispered in resignation, "OK, let them
do it."
Remington let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding
and felt some of the tension seep from his shoulders but he knew
their ordeal was far from over. When he would have released her
to go and find Dr Barnett, Laura held tight and wouldn't let
go.
"Please don't leave me," she begged, her voice barely
more than a whisper, "Just hold me a little longer?"
Standing by the bed as he was, leaning down to hold her, was
hell on his back so he eased onto the bed beside her.
"Of course, darling," he murmured, drying her tears
gently with his fingertips as she laid her head against his shoulder,
"I'm right here."
He felt her shuddering sigh reverberate through his own body
and held her tighter, trying to offer some comfort. She was petrified
and he didn't know what else to say to make it better when he
was just as terrified if not more so. He chose actions instead
because, after all, they were supposed to speak louder than words.
Her eyes still closed, she raised her face to his. Gently he
pressed a kiss to her temple and each of her eyelids before finally
touching his lips to hers. Clinging to him, she kissed him back,
trying all at once both to draw strength from him and to comfort
him as he had comforted her. She wondered suddenly who had been
being strong for Remington while he had been being strong for
her?
Unable and unwilling to leave Laura's side just yet, Remington
turned his head to see their family waiting anxiously at the
window. He'd totally forgotten about them since Laura had stunned
him with her refusal to deliver the baby but there they all were,
waiting patiently.
His eyes turned to Daniel, the only other person who knew him
almost as well as Laura did. Daniel always seemed to understand
and it was no different now. With a nod of his head, Remington
told Daniel all he needed to know and the older man quickly summoned
Dr Barnett, who arrived in seconds.
The sight of the Steeles, locked in each other's arms on the
bed, stabbed at her heart. There was something about this couple
that just enchanted Dr Barnett but she couldn't quite put her
finger on what it was. They seemed to radiate energy and strength
like none she had ever seen before. She liked the Steeles and
was determined to do everything in her power to try and get both
mother and child through this fiasco in perfect health but everything
rested on their decision. Hoping that they'd reached an agreement,
Dr Barnett asked gently,
"Mrs. Steele, Mr. Steele, I'm afraid I need to know and
I need to know now. What would you have us do?"
Laura took a deep breath, lifted her head from Remington's shoulder
and opened her eyes slowly. Empowered by the safety she felt
in his embrace she answered quietly,
"Do it. Deliver the baby."
Dr Barnett almost sagged with relief, "You've made the right
decision," she assured them, reaching out to depress the
buzzer to summon more medical staff.
"We hope that's true," Remington told her.
Dr Barnett tried to smile reassuringly, "Let me explain
what's going to happen," she began, "Obviously your
body isn't ready to give birth naturally, so we're going to deliver
the baby via caesarian section. Usually we keep the mother awake,
but because of the eclampsya, that's too risky, we need you completely
calm and sedated. Unfortunately, Mr. Steele, you won't be able
to be in there with us. Please don't be alarmed when we rush
the baby off to the neo-natal unit, it's just a precaution we
take with all premature babies, but remember you child is going
to be very tiny and will most likely need special care. As soon
as we know anything, I will personally come and tell you."
Remington stood up as several other medical personnel entered
the room but maintained a firm grip on Laura's hands. Dr Barnett
turned to the hospital staff, barking orders,
"Prepare OR 2 for an emergency c-section, call anesthesiology
and get them to send someone down, get a cross match on Mrs.
Steele's blood and alert neo-natal, tell them to have a humidi-crib
ready and oxygen tanks on hand, we're about to have a baby. Time
is of the essence people, go, go, go!"
They all hurried off to fulfill Dr Barnett's orders as she approached
the bed and began detaching Laura from the machines.
"We've already waited longer than I would have liked,"
she told them, "Are we ready?"
Laura and Remington nodded mutely, still tightly gripping each
other's hands.
"Take good care of her," Remington pleaded hoarsely,
his chest tightening with pain and a feeling of futility.
"We will, Mr. Steele," Dr Barnett responded.
He stayed by her side, never once letting go of her hand, until
they reached the operating room.
"I love you!" he called as the doors swung closed and
he came to a stop in the empty waiting room.
Each taking one arm, Mildred and Daniel led him over to where
Frances, Abigail and Donald were already sitting.
The waiting game had just begun.
To Be Continued . . .
- Back Home CaseBook
E-Mail Next