Innocence

He was worried. Upset. I wasn’t sure. I kept moving through the thick sludge trying to find the source of the voice. There was no sense of time.

A slight pressure on my hand helped further bring me to the surface. I was so close. Maybe if I squeezed back, he would know I was here.

“London! Ken, she squeezed my hand! London! London, sweetheart! Call the nurse! She squeezed my hand!”

The clearly worried voice rushed me to the surface as my eyes fluttered open. “Jax—” My voice silenced not wanting to work.

Forms took shape as Jaxson leaned over me, his five o’clock shadow prominent. How long was I out? “Thank God, you’re awake.” His hands gently stroked my face. “Sweetheart, don’t move. The doctors are on their way.”

I cleared my throat, attempting to speak again. “What happened?”

“Crystal ran you over.”

Choppy images of the hairdresser, then the sidewalk, then running with Ty. Tossing him. I tried to sit up. “Ty?”

Jaxson gently pressed me down against the white cotton sheets. His was wearing his red, faded, wrinkly T-shirt. How long had I been here? “Ty is okay. You saved him. He’s in the cafeteria getting dinner with my parents.”

I relaxed minutely. “Crystal?”

“Is in police custody. She’s been arrested for attempted murder on two counts.” Jaxson sat in the chair and rubbed soothing circles on my hand.

The doctor came in. The white of his coat was bright, matched with a gleaming telescope. “Good morning, London. How are you feeling?”

“Confused. Groggy. How long have I been out?”

“A little over a day.” He checked a few things on the clipboard he carried. “From the impact, you had a concussion and some minor swelling. Your ribs are bruised, but the baby is fine.”

“Ty. Yes, Ty is fine.”

The doctor paused and looked at Jaxson. A silent message passed between them. Everything still swirled about some and was hard to process and focus fully. The doctor focused on me as he put the stethoscope up to his ears. “Let’s get you checked up.”

After looking me over, the doctor was pleased with what he saw. I’d be released in two days if all went well. There was a lot of stuff said that got lost in all the fuzziness.

Dad kissed my forehead. “I’m going to give you and Jaxson a few minutes while I get Ty, punkin’. He’s been anxious for you to wake up.”

“Okay, Daddy. I can only imagine.”

Jaxson held my hand between both of his. He swallowed hard, then looked at me with happiness. “London, the baby the doctor talked about earlier wasn’t Ty.”

“What?”

With his hand on my stomach, Jaxson continued. “The pregnancy test was wrong. We’re pregnant.”

“What?”

Moving to sit on the edge of the mattress, Jaxson brought my hand to his lips. “Sweetheart, we’re pregnant. It’s early on and the test wasn’t able to detect it. It came back in the blood work.”

“A baby? We’re pregnant?” My hand squeezed his as he searched my eyes. Was it true? Was the test wrong?

He knelt beside me while placing a feather kiss on the spot our child grew. “We’re pregnant. Our baby is growing right here.” I was speechless as I watched Jaxson place a few more kisses on my stomach before looking up. “Are you upset?”

“No. I could never be upset about having our child inside me. I’m still so tired. But, I love you, Ty, and this baby.”

“Sleep, London. I won’t leave you.”

The darkness claimed me.

I felt a poke on my nose. “Ty, if you touch your Mom one more time, we’re going to have a timeout.”