Page 60 of Shameless

My father stood and nodded.

As we made it out to the waiting car, she clutched me and said, “I don’t want anything to happen to the baby.”

I helped her slip inside as I said, “Let’s get you to the hospital, then.”

She cried and held my hand. As we rushed into the emergency room, she cried again, “Michael…”

“Just hold on.” I kissed her forehead.

At the station, I told the nurses, “My wife is pregnant and in pain.”

They took her in but told me, “You’re going to have to wait here.”

Not being with her was like a pain in my chest. I paced the waiting area as our friends piled in.

Charlie asked me, “Michael, what’s going on? Is Britney okay?”

I nodded. I’d brought her to the surprise meeting, which caused her to stress. Whatever happened next was on me. I’d hurt the only woman that mattered to me.

“They aren’t letting me in,” I said.

Hope added, “She’s not answering her texts.”

Hours passed as we sat in chairs.

Then the nurse who’d stopped me earlier waved for me and said, “Family only.”

“I will let her know you’re here,” I promised all our friends.

As I walked the halls, my mind raced with all the possibilities.

Finally, we entered Britney’s room. She was sitting on the bed, and her face was blotchy from crying, clearly. I took the seat next to her.

She curled her legs to her face and asked, “Michael?” She continued crying.

I whispered, “Britney, what’s happened?”

She sniffled but then shook her head. “We were so wrong. We need to stop now.”

I was so lost. “What are you saying?”

She stopped crying and stared at me. “I’m saying I’m heading back to New York, and we can annul the marriage.”

I should have told her my plan for the day, but I inched closer to the bed and asked, “Why? What happened in here?”

She took a deep breath and pressed a hand to her heart. “I’m checking out. It’s time to end this, Michael.”

My own body was trembling. “Did something happen to the baby?”

“It’s me. I can’t deal with any of this anymore,” she said and turned away in tears.

I had no idea what had happened other than her shutting me out. If I asked a nurse of a doctor and found out we were no longer with child, then I would be lost. I wasn’t ready to hear whether this was the end or not. Nurses directed me out of the room, but I needed to tell Britney when I knew she was okay that the pregnancy didn’t matter as much as she did. I loved her.

Chapter Twenty-One

Britney

New York, a week later