Toni and Lauren waited in the doctor’s clinic during her lunch break. They were next in and she watched while the doctor checked out Lauren, then took her into a separate room. Toni sat still when the doctor came back “don’t you want to see”
Toni sat next to Lauren; she was excited and wanted to take her hand. Lauren sensed that so she pulled her hand further away. She didn’t know if the showing of affection would jeopardise her treatment.
Toni watched in awe at the black and white screen. The doctor showed the heart, body.
“Now for the sex, do you want to know?” looks at Lauren
Lauren looks at Toni “Toni..”
“I don’t know... yeh.... no wait... no I want it a surprise.”
“Lauren, it’s your baby” says the doctor
Lauren smiles “as long as it’s healthy, I’m happy for the surprise although I know it’s a boy cos it kicks like one.”
The doctor took her blood pressure “its a little low, have you been feeling sick”
“I’ve been feeling a little nauseous, light headed.”
“How long?”
“Few weeks”
Toni grabbed Lauren’s hand “why didn’t you tell me, I would have had you in here sooner.”
Lauren shrugged “you had your own problems, I didn’t want to add.”
“Oh Lauren.” Toni shook her head “please don’t keep things like this from me”
“Well you need to start taking it a little easier. When you feel light headed please sit and remember to eat and drink lots of fluids Fainting is not good for mother and baby.”
Lauren dropped Toni at work and she went home.
Lauren drove up and was waved down by Dot. Lauren rolled down the window “Hey Dot”
“Come inside and have some tea, I want to know everything.”
“I’ll just park the car”
“Nonsense... George” yells Dot “park Lauren’s car darling”
George grumbles “want me to wash it too”
“Don’t be so grumpy, it gives off bad vibes for the baby. They absorb everything that goes on around, good and bad.”
Lauren walks inside “I know, every time Toni and I fight, he acts up.”
“See... they know, so tell me everything the doctor said. Oh wait I bought something, it’s not much but”
Toni comes home from work, steps into their van to find Lauren sitting on bed reading. Toni looked at the clothes on the table. Lauren got up “look at this cute little top, and jumpsuit. I love these little bibs.”
“So now she’s buying stuff... fuck sake when does it end? I can’t even afford to spoil our kid. I’ve had enough of this, I’m telling her to stop this right now.”
Lauren grabbed Toni, but missed and fell. Toni caught her and lifted her “Lauren, I’ll get help”
“No I just need to sit.”
Lauren rested on the bed “please don’t be upset, Dot’s just trying to help. She’s lonely.... she lost her only son 10 years ago and the thought of having a baby around excited her that’s all.”
“Lauren”
“and...... she has offered me to work in reception. Take calls, make bookings, help with some minor cleaning of cabins.”
“So she can keep an eye on you, great”
“ohhhhhh you....” hits Toni with a pillow “Sometimes Antonia I could just beat you stupid. She’s sweet and George although he acts grumpy, he likes you.”
“me... he doesn’t know me”
“Dot says we remind her of them when they were our age. She got pregnant really young and he had to work 3 jobs. Unfortunately they lost their daughter during child birth and it was years before they could have another. They really are nice people.”
“Fine, ok”
“I kinda said you would help George out on Saturdays with maintenance”
“Terrific, yay for me” Toni says sarcastically, still sulking
“He needs all the help he can get, have you seen the state of this place.”
---
Toni was at work one day when her boss grabbed her. “Phone, make it quick”
Toni took the call and went into panic “When.... she’s going there now. I’ll be there”
Toni removed her overalls “Al I need to go to the hospital, my.... friend is sick”
“You can go after work, finish the job”
Toni was frantic “I can’t, I have to be at the hospital now.”
“You walk out that door Toni, don’t bother coming back”
.
Toni got in Al’s face “screw you” and ran out.
Toni ran down the corridor of the hospital until she sees George and Dot.
“What is it, what happened” Toni in fear, stumbling over her words
“Calm down dear” soothed Dot
“Just tell me what happened.”
“She had a little fall”
“What, how....... you were suppose to be watching her” spat Toni
“Don’t talk to Dorothy that way” berated George
“hey don’t come at me George, I have a right to be upset”
“I know dear” says Dot “the doctor is with her now so pull your self together. You don’t want her to see you upset, it will only stress her out more.
Toni fixes herself, wipes her eyes and walks in. Lauren sitting up, her eye bruised and hand bandage.
“Toni” she cries
Toni holds her “shhhh it’s ok, I’m here. Are you ok? Is the baby ok?”
The doctor talked to them both “Her blood pressure is really low and she will need bed rest for most of the remaining 8 weeks of pregnancy. The baby is fine, no stress, but I would like to keep you in for a few days to monitor that.”
Toni cringed, but she didn’t want to risk Lauren or the baby
The doctor left the room and Toni went after him.. “umm we don’t have insurance, can I set up some type of payment arrangement.”
“I’m sorry but account must be paid in full.”
“But... but... I can’t....” Toni looks back at the room “isn’t there some other way.” She pleads
“You can bring her back every day for a few days to have a check up in our outpatient’s clinic.”
“She’s staying put, and that’ll be the end of it” growls a voice behind her
Toni faced George, she could feel it all closing in on her again. She’d lost her job, now hospital bills. Tears started to well in her eyes again. Toni sat and put head in her hands feeling defeated
“I will see to this, you go and check in on Lauren.”
Toni didn’t fight George, she obeyed him.
Toni returned to the room to see Lauren and Dot laughing, with Lauren was holding Dot’s hand. Then it suddenly hit her, Lauren was bonding with Dot like mother and daughter. Toni realised she had been feeling threaten and insecure for no reason. Lauren called out for her.
“C’mon look what Dot gave the baby”
Toni left the hospital late once Lauren had fallen asleep. She pulled up next to her van and found a note on it. She trudged slowly and knocked on the door. Dot let her in.
Toni sat at their big dining table while Dot reheated her dinner for her. “Get this into you.”
Toni picked at it, she wasn’t hungry and dropped her fork, then dropped her head into her hands crying
“Oh dear child, everything is going to be alright”
George came out to see what was going on
“Antonia, she’s going to be fine. You don’t have to worry.” Reassures Dot
Toni just shook her head “There is always something else that goes wrong. I got fired today because I had a family emergency. I have no job, nothing... every time I think I’m getting on top of things, something else hits us. It’s like it’s not meant to be.”
Dot pulled Toni to her and cuddled her “My dear child, you need to stop all this worrying, it’s not healthy. You just concentrate on Lauren and the baby. Now go get some sleep.”
“Yes Dot”
Toni heads to the door and looks George. He pats her shoulder, then nods her out.
After few days Lauren was released with strict instructions to rest up. They drove into the park and rather than drive towards their van, Toni turns the car not far from main reception next to a little cabin, right next to Dot’s and George’s place.
“Where are you going?”
“A surprise, not my idea... but a more practical one.”
George opens the door and Toni helps a very pregnant Lauren out. They head inside the quaint little cabin and Lauren is amazed.
Dot standing in the kitchen making tea “welcome home, to your new home”
“What”
Toni nodded “uh huh... a queen must have her palace”
George nods Toni outside while Lauren looks around. The cabin had its own toilet, bathroom with a bath and shower. It had 2 bedrooms, kitchen, dinning and TV room in one big open area. They also had a paved carport for their car.
Dot shows her their new phone “and all you need to do is pick up your phone and call if you get into any strife.”
Toni stood outside next to George not sure what to say
He sniffed which was always an indication that he was about to say something
“Well... this place could do with a second pair of hands. Lots to be done, and Dot doesn’t think I can do it all by myself. The pays not much, but then you’re not paying for accommodation and stuff so I think it’s a good deal, right, good... see you tomorrow morning at 7.30am.”
George walks off to his house
“yeh... thanks George” Toni said to him happily, but he had already gone inside his place
That night Toni relaxed in bed. She looked over and gently stroked Lauren’s face, she was fast asleep. Toni for the first time felt in control, and the darkness she used to feel, no longer an issue.