Andy: I don’t think I’ve ever been so scared in my life. When I saw Jessie hit the floor like that, my heart stopped. I tried to rush her to the hospital, but she came to when I got her in the car, and she swore up and down that she didn’t need to go. She said all she wanted to do was rest so I’m just waiting for her to wake up. I called Sebastian to tell him what happened, and he said that they would come from China right away. Just when I was thinking of trying to sneak her into the car, Jessie began to stir. “How long have I been asleep?” “A few hours.” “I’m sorry. I know you must have been worried.” “I was just worried about you and the baby.” “Me too…” “Then let me take you to the hospital.” She shook her head, “I’m afraid. What if they say something is wrong with the baby or me? What if they tell me I can’t do this? I want a family.” “You have a family. We can always adopt.” “Sure we can do that too, but I want to do it this way first.” I sighed, “Let’s just go and see what they say.” “Fine.”
To say our visit to the hospital didn’t go well would be a serious understatement. By the time my parents and Sebastian arrived, Jessie wouldn’t even talk to me. The only person she spoke to was my mother. Apparently my mother had lost a child before having me, so she could understand Jessie’s situation better than anyone right now. This was yet another thing that no one had told me, but I could understand them not wanting to talk about it. While my dad got situated, Sebastian took this opportunity to pull me aside. I didn’t know what he wanted to talk about, but from the look on his face I knew I wouldn’t like it. “Andrew…”
(I knew I was in trouble then, no one had called me that in years) “I know what this child means to you, but I’m going to have to ask that you not go through with this.” “I know things may sound bad - -" “Andrew,”
(That name again.) “They don’t just sound bad, they are. There is a reason the doctors have no idea why she blacked out, not the faintest clue as to why she grows weaker with each passing second that baby grows stronger, and that’s because they are in no way equipped to deal with magic. Jessie is a magical being. The only reason she is here is because of magic, magic that you performed back then, and it’s my fault, I should have foreseen it. But all I can tell you now is that the magic is claiming its price by taking from her life force.”
“You can’t be serious…But she’ll pull through. I know it.” “What about the baby? What if something goes wrong? We are talking about breathing problems, hypotension, or even hydrocephalus. “Hydro what?” “It means fluid accumulation in the brain, but that’s just to name a few issues.”
“What am I supposed to do?! She wants this, really wants this, and she’s strong. Doesn’t that mean anything? Can’t she pull through, and in doing so help the baby pull through? Can’t you help?” “Maybe Andy. I promise to do what I can, but magic is risky and unstable. You never know what can happen.”
“I’m having this baby. It’s my body, and it’s my decision.”
I could tell that Jessie was either too angry or too afraid to look at me. I hadn’t decided which yet. “There are other ways for us to have a family.” She finally turned to me, her eyes pleading, “I know I can do this. Somehow I know that everything will be ok, even if it doesn’t turn out exactly the way we wanted or planned. I need you to believe that too. I need you to believe in me. When you gave me that potion you gave me life. All I want is a chance to give life to you... Let me.” I took her in my arms, “I can’t lose you.” “Well then, we’ll just have to make it through this together, like everything us.”
I hoped it would be that easy.