- Text Size +
Faithfully
Chapter 12
By Dottie
Copyright 2016

Once the plane is on the ground, an ambulance is waiting to take Jessi to the hospital. They don’t want to let AJ and I ride with her, but when she cries out for us to go, the ambulance attendants give in. AJ crawls into the front as I climb in the back, holding her hand tightly. Every time she grimaces I want to vomit.

The trip to the hospital seems to take forever, when in reality it was less than fifteen minutes. Once there, AJ says “Stick with Jessi, I’m gonna call Hanna Jo.”

I don’t have much of a choice. Jessi won’t let go of my hand. Once in an examination room, the nurse tries to kick me out, but Jessi holds on for dear life. A doctor hears the commotion and comes in. “Ma’am you need to calm down. Your husband can stay.”

I’m stunned into silence. I never really was her husband, except in name only for a few days. My heart clenches when she grips my hand and mutters, “Thank you.” That’s when I see it. Her wedding band on her finger. It’s easy to see it hasn’t been off her hand since the day we got married. Her fingers are swollen from carrying the baby. I drag my eyes up to hers and she whispers, “Nick, she has to be ok.”

I reach up with my free hand and brush her hair back. “Jessi…” I don’t know what else to say or do. I lean down and kiss her forehead. She sobs, reaching for me and for the first time in a very long time, I feel like I might have a chance at a life with the woman I love. I hold her tightly, crying with her, praying that God takes care of the two most important people in my life.


Half an hour later, a doctor comes in and says, “Mrs. Carter, you can rest easy. You are not in labor.”

I feel as if the weight of the world is lifted off my shoulders. Jessi sighs and whispers, “What is it? Why do I hurt so bad?”

The doctor sort of chuckles and says, “Well, Mrs. Carter, to be perfectly frank, you have a gas bubble about the size of a softball.”

I can’t help it. I want to laugh. But I don’t dare. If I do, Jessi will kill me. Her face turns blood red and she whispers, “You’re kidding.”

The doctor shakes his head. “No. It’s not uncommon for pregnant women to have problems with gas bubbles. Coupled with your recent trip to Mexico…the food probably exacerbated your condition. I can give you something to help dissipate the gas and you’ll feel a lot better.”

Jessi covers her face and says, “I can’t believe this.” I bite my lip. She peeks at me between her fingers and mutters, “Not one word Nick Carter.”

I can’t hold it in. I start to chuckle. I try to sound contrite when I say, “I’m sorry; I know it’s not funny…”

The doctor leaves the room before he starts laughing out loud. Jessi rolls her eyes. “I can’t believe this.”

I fold my arms, placing one of my hands over my mouth to keep my laughter contained. “It’s nothing to be embarrassed about Jessi.”

She rolls her eyes. “Yes it is. Stupid Mexican food.”

Before I can figure out what to say, AJ’s head comes around the edge of the door. “Hey, the doc said I could come in. What’s going on?”

I can’t look at AJ. If I do, I’ll lose the battle with my laughter. I move to look out the window as Jessi says, “I’m fine. I’m not in labor.”

AJ heaves a sigh of relief. “Thank God. Now I can call and tell Hanna Jo she doesn’t have to run down here. What was it?”

When Jessi doesn’t say anything, he says, “Come on, one of you tell me what it was.” I just shake my head, refusing to look at him. Jessi doesn’t make a sound. He says, “Seriously, what the hell am I supposed to tell Hanna Jo? She’s making reservations for her and Todd. She’s gonna want to know what happened.”

I turn to Jessi. She looks at me and shrugs. I turn to AJ. “It was nothing really. Just the spicy food in Mexico didn’t…agree with her.”

AJ gets it almost immediately and he’s not a bit ashamed to share his mirth. “You’re fucking kidding me! She had gas?” As his laughter pours out of him I move to Jessi’s side and take her hand. She looks up at me and just shakes her head. AJ continues, “Well fuck, come on, it’s a natural enough occurrence. You gotta be more like Nicky here Jessi. Your husband was famous on tour for farting.”

My turn to blush. I turn to AJ and mutter, “Shut up Dickhead.”

From out of nowhere, Jessi starts to laugh. I turn to look at her and she mutters, “Oh my God!”

I sit beside her. “What is it?”

She giggles but tears are starting to fall from her eyes. She sniffles and whispers, “I’ve missed you guys so much. It’s just so good to see you like this.” She grabs my hand. “Thank you for coming back with us.”

AJ moves to sit on her other side. He slaps my shoulder and says, “It is good to have you back Man. I never knew how much I depended on having you around until you weren’t there.”

I look over at him. “I’m sorry Bone.” I look at Jessi. “How do you feel?”

She reaches up and touches my face. I want to pull away but I know it will hurt her feelings. She says, “Embarrassed as hell. When can I get out of here?”

Trying to lighten the mood, AJ says, “I’m sure if you fart that would speed things right along.”

Jessi slaps his arm and mutters, “Shut up McLean.”

He pulls out his phone. “I can’t wait to tell this one to Hanna Jo.”

Jessi giggles and says, “Tell her to stay home. We’ll be there soon.”

As AJ leaves the room I look at Jessi. “I’m sorry I laughed.”

She pushes herself up and puts her arms around my neck. “I’m not Nick. I…I don’t know what’s going to happen but having you here…knowing the truth…it means everything to me.”

I let my arms slide around her waist and I hold her close. “Jessi…”

Before I can say anything else, she whispers, “Don’t. Nick…just…don’t.” After a few seconds, she whispers, “I still love you.”

With my face buried in her hair, I whisper, “I still love you too.”
Chapter End Notes:
Let me know! :)