The Perfect Stranger

Chapter 11: Lizzie

What was she doing here? When Jackson and I pull up to the hospital, all my attention is on the blonde woman standing outside with her arms crossed smoking. Is that Kassie? No way. I haven’t seen her in six months and the first time we see each other is here at the hospital, on my last couple of appointments. I guess it’s appropriate that she’s here today, she was there when I got hit by a car. So why shouldn’t she be here when I get the boot off from the accident. Ugh, she took away my happiness on my engagement party night, I’ll be damned if I let her take the joy about getting this boot off and then getting to see my little angel.

Jackson pulls his car into a parking spot and follows my eye sight and I know when he notices her. That it’s really her. Well, I am not going to be late to my appointment just because of our history and to be honest I want her to see how happy I am without Eric or him in my life. How happy my baby will be without them. My baby. They don’t know about the baby. I never told them I was pregnant because I never returned any of their calls. They didn’t need to know what happened to me, or where I was living now. I didn’t need them knowing about this baby, but you know what, I don’t care. My baby doesn’t need either one of them, he or she has Jackson and me. I mean, during these past six months, I have definitely found a new part of myself and I have no one to thank but Jackson.

He has literally been my support system, emotionally and mentally. I don’t know where I would be without him. Don’t get me wrong it hasn’t always been easy being his friend over the last few months. I blame it on my hormones that have been going crazy and only getting more out of hand.

Hopping out of the car, before Jackson can ask me if I want to go in a different way, I waddle my way towards the front of the building where Kassie is standing. Like I said, she’s not going to ruin today like she did so many months ago. So what if she sees my belly; I want her to. I want her to see the life she didn’t take from me even though she tried her damnedest. I know when she sees me because she goes silent on the phone to whomever she was talking to. At first her eyes just make contact and time stands still while her eyes trace me from head to toe, grow- ing larger when she sees my very pregnant belly. I come to stand in front of her, only my belly keeping us apart, our eyes in a silent duel. I can tell she wants to ask me so many questions, but nothing comes out of her mouth. Rather than see Jackson approach us, I can sense his presence behind me. Its like anytime he’s close by me, I can feel him, almost like my soul reaches out until it finds him. Kassie’s eyes flicker up at his approach to us. I can see the surprise on her face when she sees him. Her eyes dart between him and me before staring at Jackson, her eyes begging the question she dares not ask me.

I know when he answers her because I see the tears well up in her eyes as she clutches her belly and runs off. Instinctively, I rub my belly trying to gather my thoughts. This really just happened. The woman who I’ve known since before I can remember, just stood before me and I don’t know who she is. My heart hurts for our lost friendship and I almost find myself missing her. I stop that feeling al- most immediately before it can develop any further and head into my appointment.

“Come on Jack, I want to get this boot off already.” I say waddling full speed inside. I reach the counter and get myself checked in just as Jackson comes walk- ing inside. He looks at me and I try my best to tell him with my eyes I don’t want to talk about it as I head over to take a seat to wait for the nurse to call me back. Jackson takes the seat next to me in silence and I’m grateful he understood my silent plea.

After a few minutes go by, I hear my name called and Jackson gets up to help me out of my seat before accompanying me to the back.

“I bet you’re ready to get out that boot today? Just in time to give birth, right? Are we still keeping the s*x of the baby a secret?” The nurse, Amber, who I have come to know over the past few months, asks me on the way back to the exam room. “Us nurses here have a bet that its a little girl.”

“Oh, you have no idea how ready I am to get this monstrosity taken off of my leg. I can’t wait to wiggle my toes freely, to be honest,” I say, answering Amber’s questions with as much happiness I could muster up. “I just hope that having this boot off helps me have a more normal delivery. I honestly don’t care what the s*x is, as long as he or she is healthy,” I say turning to look at Jackson standing by the door way of the exam room. His warm half smile my way makes my insides tingle. Every time he’s near, I swear the baby kicks twice as hard.

I know, I am nine months pregnant and about to give birth to my ex-fiancee’s baby, there is no way I should still be feeling things like this for this man. He shouldn’t evoke this feeling in me, especially since he’s been so good to me as a friend. He gave you a place to stay while you get yourself together, don’t ruin this friendship over a fleeting hormonal feeling, I try to remind myself. It’s just so hard sometimes. Even more so now that I’m pregnant. The hormones have been raging like crazy and Jackson doesn’t help, being the sexy man that he is. Its almost like torture some- times the way he looks at me or goes to help me and we touch. It’s like an inferno under my skin whenever we are in the same room together. I don’t know how much more of this I can take before I crack.

“The doctor will be right in.” Amber’s voice brings me back to the present. I smile and nod before she exits the room, leaving me with the star of my fantasies. I try my best not to look directly at him, but I can’t help myself sometimes. He’s deep in thought staring at the wall like it has some hidden clue in it until he jumps a little while reaching for his pocket. He pulls it out and his eyes fly straight to mine. There’s a little bit of panic there, but its short-lived because the doctor walks in.

“Lizzie! Time to get this boot off and get you on your way to deliver that baby!” His voice is boastful but that’s just how he is.

“Yes, finally, Dr. Green. I’ve been ready since the day you put it on!” I reply still half focused on Jackson who is now staring intently at his phone. I can hear the vibration of his phone when it goes off again, and this time he excuses himself to make a phone call. That has me a little worried. I try not to focus on that now and bring my attention back to the moment at hand. Dr. Green takes a look at the boot and my leg surrounding it before he removes it. And man, oh man, is it a relief to have that heavy ass, clunky boot off of me and this baby. Just as the doctor heads out and the nurse starts giving me instructions on how to take it easy for a while, Jackson enters the room.

The look of confusion and panic are no longer present on his face once he sees the boot off my leg. He gives me that smile and I forget all about why he left out the room in the first place. His smile is a godsend. After getting the rest of my instructions and checking out without my boot in tow, we head for the elevators.

“I’m glad that your doctor’s appointments are in the same hospital. Saves us a trip coming and going,” Jackson says as we reach the elevators. I start to think me too when a sharp pain shoots through my belly. There’s a popping feeling before a rush of liquid flows down my leg. Oh no. This can’t be happening right now. Jack- son turns around just in time to see me clutch my belly as the rest of the fluid hits the floor.

“I-I think my water just broke Jackson.” I stammer out in slight panic. Before I know it, Jackson is by side helping me into the elevator. “It’s the third floor.” I man- age to get out right as another contraction hits. This one is powerful and almost takes me to the floor, but strong arms hold me up. We reach the third floor just as

a random nurse walks past the elevator doors. She notices me and instantly calls out for backup and helps Jackson escort me to the nearest wheelchair. The contractions are coming faster and faster by the time we reach the delivery room. By that time, everything is a blur. I see people coming and going past me, trying to get everything they can set up before my baby makes his or her grand en- trance into this world. The pain is unbearable at this point and all my body is tell- ing me to do is push and I can’t help it. I scream. “The baby is coming, now! I can’t hold ‘em!” I feel a tight squeeze on my hand. I look up and its Jackson. I for- got he was there for a second, even with him holding my hand. The next contraction hits and I push as hard as I can, with everything I can while trying not to break Jackson’s hand.

Two nurses rush over to put my feet up on the stirrups while the doctor rushes over all gowned up. This is not how I expected the birth to go, a surprise delivery.

I guess that’s one thing my baby and its sperm donor have in common, they like to spring surprises on me at the worst times. My thoughts are interrupted by another contraction and this one feels like it’s the one. I push again as hard as I can with all of my might. I feel like I’m about to pass out, but I keep on. And then a rush of relief hits me just as the sounds a piercing high pitched wail hits my hears. My baby, is my first thought.

“It’s a girl!” The doctor shouts over the wail. “Congratulations, on the beautiful healthy baby girl!”

Tears are pouring down my face by the time one of nurses brings her over to me. Her ears and eyes are just like her fathers. But, her head is full of shiny black hair, she has bow shaped lips that mirror mine, and she has my nose. She’s perfect. I can’t take my eyes off her even if I tried. And, she’s all mine.