What We Deserve

Part 54: A.G.A.W

"Well, we're going to get you both checked out and in a room together- alright?" Max states and as we exit the elevator, he leads us down to an open room as a nurse comes in. "Ah! Abby, I need a second bed brought in- please."

"Right away, Dr. Goodwin." She incorrectly states and Georgia looks at Max.

"I thought...you said your name was Sharpwin..."

"It is...long story short, when my wife and I got married- we wanted to give each other and our children a combined named. She was a Sharpe and I was a Goodwin...so we combined the two. Unfortunately, the staff here still sometimes reverts back to our original last names." Max answers her question and she smirks.

"That's cute...I like...I like that."

Getting them both set up in bed, we get fetal heart monitors attached and once we do, we know the problem is now unearthed.

"I don't think mines working..." Helen states and Georgia looks at her and then us.

"Let me check the wires and connection." I state as I work on the woman who has my own name.

It kills me.

This whole experience kills me.

It's killing Max as well.

I fiddle with the wires- despite knowing the reason behind the silence on the machine.

"Allow me to grab an ultrasound machine. Sometimes these hookups don't work if we can't get a decent enough placement." I lie and head out of the room. Getting to the monitor storage room I begin to hyperventilate and sure enough Max comes and shuts the door behind me.

"Honey..."

"I...I can't...Max...I can't..."

"Shh...it's alright. It's alright- Love." He tries to calm my pacing, but he knows this is a mess.

"I can't...Max....please...I can't..." I begin to cry and he pulls me into his arms.

"I don't want too either...but we have too. Helen..." He pulls me back a bit and looms deep into my eyes. "We have too...alright. We're doctors. We're doctors and we're needed and though this hurts—very very much- we have too."

I nod a few times and he wipes my eyes.

"Do you want me to tell her?"

I shake my head no.

"I'll...I can do it. I'll do it." I say and he pulls me close to his chest and tightly squeezes me.

"We can do this, Baby. We can."

After grabbing the machine and coming back with a smile on my face, I hook up the machine and prepare her for the imaging.

Before I can even begin, Georgia's labor seems to progress even further along. Max draws the privacy curtain so the hallway cannot see as Max lifts Georgia's gown to see where she's at.

"Alright, Georgia- you're dilated at 4 centimeters. I'm going to call the anesthesiologist to get an epidural for you if you so wish."