“Sadie!”
I sat straight up in bed at the sound of my mother yelling my name. I slung my feet onto the hard wood floor and before I could even get to the door she began yelling again.
“Sadie!”
I ran across the hall and into her room. She was sitting up on the edge of the bed, holding her stomach, with sweat on her face.
“Something’s wrong,” she panted. “It hurts like hell!”
I grabbed her housecoat and slipped her arms in.
“Come on, we’re going to the hospital.”
She grunted and stood.
We made it half way down the hall before she let out another bloodcurdling scream and bent over holding her stomach.
“Help me, Sadie, this hurts so bad!” she said through tears.
It was hard to mask my panic. Seeing my mother screaming in pain terrified me. I got her into the car and remembered her purse and ran back inside to grab it. On my way in the door, she screamed again, and I hoped someone would hear her and offer to come help. Right now, I didn’t feel competent enough, and I really wanted help. I ran back out to the car, slung open the door, and jumped inside. I turned onto the road and headed for the local hospital. Luckily, we were only a few miles away. I glanced over at Jessica as she rested her head back on the seat.
“You okay?” I asked, praying for a yes.
“For now,” she said quietly.
I didn’t ask her anything else. I didn’t want to cause her any pain. We made it to the emergency room fast, since the roads were empty at four in the morning. I pulled up to the entrance and ran around to open her door. She hadn’t experienced any more pain since we left the house, and I was grateful. Focusing on the road was hard enough with your heart beating out of your chest and your palms sweating. “Wait here. I'm going to go get help. Don’t walk.”
She gave me a tight nod, and I ran inside.
The smell of sanitized hospital hit my nose and, for once, the smell comforted me. A lady stood at the door behind a desk watching me.
“My mom is in the car. She is pregnant and in a lot of pain.”
The lady went quickly into another room and came out with a wheelchair.
“The car is parked right out front,” I said as she came around the desk.
We walked out to the car quickly. The lady and I helped Jessica into the wheelchair. The lady immediately started asking her questions, and I bit my tongue to keep from asking her to stop for fear it would make the pain come back. Once inside, they got her information, and then instructed me to stay in the waiting area while they checked her out. Which sounded good to me. I didn’t want to go with them. Sitting down alone for a few minutes in order to calm my racing heart was greatly needed at that point. There were a lot of empty seats at that hour, so I found a chair facing a television hanging on the wall, and I watched the soundless news.
“Hello.” A hand lightly shook my shoulder and a woman’s voice woke me up.
I sat up in my chair. “Um, yes, sorry. Is my mom okay?”
The nurse smiled. “Yes, she is fine. She had a bad case of Braxton Hicks brought on by not drinking enough liquids, but she is fine and so is the baby.”
I sighed with relief.
“She is asleep, and we have moved her to a room. Once we have her hydrated and are sure her contractions have stopped, we will release her. You can come up to her room if you like.”
I nodded and stood. The soundless television said 7:30 in the right hand corner, and I froze and realized I should have been at work an hour ago. “I need to make a phone call before I go up. Do I need to go outside to use a cell phone?”
She smiled. “Yes, you do. I will be at the desk when you’re ready, and I'll take you up.”
I thanked her and headed for the door I’d brought Jessica through a few hours before.
I reached into my mother’s purse and pulled out her phone. I knew she’d stored Ms. Mary’s number in there somewhere. I scrolled down until I found it.
“Hello, Sadie,” Ms. Mary’s anxious voice answered on the first ring.
“Hey, Ms. Mary. I am so sorry! I had to bring my mother to the hospital at four this morning, and I fell asleep in the waiting room. They just came and got me. I am so sorry I didn’t call.”
“Oh, my lordy, is she okay?”
“Yes, yes, she’s fine. It was Braxton Hicks brought on by dehydration, and they are keeping her today until she is hydrated and stable. I have to stay and take her home when she is ready. I am so sorry.”
“Girl, you better stop apologizing to me. I’m just glad you’re all right. Now, here is Master Jax’s number. You need to call him. He has gone to your house looking for you. I ain’t never seen that boy all worked up and worried as he was when you didn’t show up. Don’t you worry about a thing, and call him, please, before he gets the police searching for you.”
I thanked her and said goodbye, and then quickly called Jax’s number.
“Hello?”
“Jax, it’s Sadie.”
“Are you all right? Where are you?”
“I’m fine. I brought my mother to the hospital around four this morning. She was in pain. But she’s fine now, and they are pumping fluids into her. She should be able to leave soon.”
“I’m on my way.”
“No, Jax, wait. You can’t come here.”
He paused. “Why?”
I laughed. “Because you will get mauled by adoring fans.”
He sighed. “I can make a few calls and get in privately.”
I laughed again. “No, there is no reason. We will be leaving soon, and I haven’t explained you to my mom yet, and today isn’t really a good day for that.”
“I guess you’re right.”
“I am.”
“I miss you.”
I got all warm and tingly at his words. “I miss you too.”
“You know, I could get you a few posters for your walls....”
I laughed. “I’ll pass. I happen to be interested in someone I don’t really see as the guy in those posters.”
He hesitated a moment, and then said, “Thank you.”
“See you later,” I said and hung up.
I squinted up at the morning sun and smiled before turning and heading back into the hospital to check on Jessica. She wouldn’t get dehydrated again if I could help it. The whole experience was not something I wanted to repeat.
They released Jessica to leave around lunchtime. She seemed tired and whiny. I couldn’t wait to get her home and go to work. As soon as I deposited her in bed with a large pitcher of ice water and a glass beside her, I headed outside.
* * *
Chapter Nine
When I opened the door, a familiar silver Hummer sat in the drive. Jax stepped out and walked over to meet me.
He smiled sheepishly. “I had the hospital call as soon as they released your mom.”
I smiled and stared into his eyes, which were hidden behind black sunglasses. He wore a New York Giants baseball cap pulled down low on his forehead.
“I see you’re in disguise?”
He grinned and nodded.
I nodded toward the Hummer and laughed. “You should drive a vehicle that doesn’t draw attention if you’re trying to go around undetected.”
He frowned. “What? This is the cheapest thing in the garage.”
I laughed. “So, you’re taking me to work?”
He shook his head. “Nope, we’re going to the movies. You’re off for the rest of the day.”
“You can’t go to the movies.”
He raised his eyebrows. “Wanna bet.”
He opened my car door, took me by the waist, and lifted me into the tank he called cheap. He slid into the driver's side and headed toward the largest movie theater in town.
“Jax, you do realize people are going to recognize you in your disguise if they pay close attention.”
He smiled at me. “I know, but they won’t get a chance.”
I waited for an explanation.
“I’ve been doing this for awhile now, so I know how to hide from fans, trust me.”
I hoped he was right. I would hate for us to get bombarded with crazy teenage fans. He may be used to it, but it wasn’t something I wanted to experience. We pulled around to the back of the theater, and a door swung open. An older man dressed in a black suit stepped outside.
Jax grinned. “I’ll get your door.”
I started to say I could get it, but he put his finger over my mouth and winked.
“I want to get you out.”
I melted in my seat. My door opened, and he picked me up by the waist and set me on the ground.
“Mr. Stone, if you will come this way, we have a theatre closed off just as you requested.”
Jax took my hand. I realized we were walking into the emergency exit of a theatre, and no one but this man knew we were here. I hadn’t thought of this. We walked inside, and Jax waved his hands out toward the stadium seating.
“Take your pick.” He grinned.
I pointed to the middle, and he sighed with relief.
“Perfect! My favorite spot.”
He turned to the man at the door. “All the doors have been secured?” Jax asked.
The man nodded. “Yes, sir, no one can enter.”
Jax handed the man what I assumed must be money. Jax turned, took my hand, and we went to our seats.
“What are we watching?” I asked as the man who let us in wheeled in a cart with two popcorns, two drinks, two nachos and cheese, and one of every candy available in the concessions stand.
I frowned at Jax. “Did you invite an army?”
He laughed and took the drinks and put them in our cup holders. “No, but movies make me hungry, and I didn’t know what you wanted.”
“Popcorn.”
He reached for a box, handed it to me, and grabbed the other one. “You asked what we were seeing.”
I nodded and put a handful of popcorn in my mouth.
“Night Horse,” he replied.
I’d wanted to see this after seeing the previews on television the other night. And then it hit me. “But Night Horse isn’t playing yet. It won’t be in theaters until next Friday.”
He grinned at me and winked. “For everyone else, but for you and me, it is about to play right now.”
As if on cue, the lights faded, the big screen widened, and the movie began. When I realized we were not going to have to sit through credits, I started to say something and thought against it. Today was the first day I really felt like I was dating someone from another world. Before, Jax had been a guy, a regular guy, whom I could talk to. Today, he became the rock star. It bothered me. I glanced over at his face and saw the boy who sang ‘Wanted Dead or Alive’ on a guitar he had begged for and worn out. A small smile touched his lips.
I blushed, and he leaned down to whisper in my ear. “If you keep looking at me like that, I’m going to have a harder time staying focused on this movie than I am already.”
I frowned. “Why are you having a hard time?”
He grinned wickedly and set his popcorn down before taking my hands. “Because I’m with a beautiful girl who completely fascinates me, and we are in a dark room all alone, and all I want to do is sit and stare at her, but I know if I do, I won’t be able to keep myself from kissing her very perfect, very tempting, lips.”
I swallowed hard, and my heart pounded in my chest. Suddenly, the dark around us seemed to close in, and a force neither of us seemed to be able to control kept our eyes locked. Jax’s hand slipped out of mine, slid behind my neck, and he leaned in. The lips of the only boy I would ever love touched mine, and I forgot where we were and everything else around us. His other hand slipped behind my head, and he cradled it as he softly kissed me. His tongue touched my bottom lip, and I opened cautiously, knowing it was what he wanted. The moment his tongue slid into my mouth, a low moan escape my throat, and his hands pulled my head closer. Soon, my hands wound their way behind his neck and tangled in his hair. It seemed like I was falling, but I didn’t care. I held onto him and let my tongue explore. The moment my tongue touched his, he groaned, released me, and sat back, putting distance between us. I worried I had done something wrong, and I froze, watching him, not sure what to say.
He rubbed his face with a hand and gave me with the crooked grin I loved. “I’m sorry, but, wow, I, uh, wasn’t...I mean I knew it would be good, but, wow, Sadie, you taste amazing.”
I kept my eyes cast downward, still not sure what happened. I could have kissed him all day. The “wow” led me to believe he liked it as much as I did, but I wanted to know why he stopped. However, I wasn’t about to ask. I studied my hands a moment. His finger slid under my chin, and I let him tilt my face up to meet his eyes.