November 1st, 2013 -- late afternoon
Text to Detective Husband: ben, are u on ur way to see mrs. williams for ur 4 oclock?
Text to Detective Husband: i need u to cancel with her and come home as soon as u can.
Text to Detective Husband: more importantly, i need u to not be mad at me.
Text to Jackie: Yeah, I'm on my way there.
Text to Jackie: Wait, what happened? Not be mad at you about what?
Text to Jackie: Is everything okay? I'm on my way home.
Text to Detective Husband: i don't know how to answer if i'm okay. i think so, but i'm not 100% sure.
Text to Detective Husband: i was comin in with groceries and when i was goin up the stairs my heel rolled under me.
Text to Detective Husband: i landed on my back, not my belly. but i'm worried and my ankle is swellin up. least of my worries though.
Text to Detective Husband: u can't be mad at me! just come home.
Text to Detective Husband: i'm in the foyer. adam is at his friend's.
Text to Jackie: Oh, Jesus, Jackie.
Text to Jackie: I'm not mad. I'm not.
Text to Jackie: I'm sure Lily is okay. I'm sure she is. And we'll get you to the doctor.
Text to Jackie: I'll be home in ten minutes. Maybe less.
It ends up being less, closer to five, really. Jackie'd be able to hear the squeal of the tires as Ben's car skids to a stop in the drizzle right outside the front door, and just a half a minute later he's opening up the door to come inside. "Jackie?"
Relief and dread mixed on her features when Ben walked in through the front door. She was sitting on the floor with her back to the wall, legs extended out in front of her with one black high heel shoe on and the other discarded across the foyer from her. The ankle of her bare foot was swollen, a fresh mix of red and purple sure to get angrier with time. Hands rubbed at her belly and she peered up at him with a frown. "I didn't know what to do. I wasn't sure if I could put weight on it and didn't want to fall again. I messed up, Ben." The words sounding absolutely pitiful as she spoke.
Ben just looks worried (he'd meant it when he'd said he wasn't mad), and the worry only increases when he notes the discoloration already there at her ankle. "No you didn't, sweetheart. Don't." Heading right for her, he takes a knee next to her, pulling her into a brief, careful hug and ghosting a kiss to her temple before letting go, his own hands joining hers over her stomach. "You..." His gaze drops for a couple of seconds; when it lifts, it's clear he's only as calm as he is because he's able to turn on the cop-mode, even if only partly. "You've still been able to feel her, right? --you're okay if I pick you up? We need to get you to the hospital."
Unfortunately for Ben, his assurance somehow only manages to make her feel worse and she's sniffling, the sound making it into her words when she peers down at her stomach between them. "I can feel her, yeah. But now I don't know if it feels normal, if she feels right, if she's moving like she was before or somethin' is wrong." Nodding quickly, the pieces she has been carefully holding together while waiting for him that short amount of time beginning to unravel. "I'm fine, it's fine. I just want to go and I want them to see if she's okay. I can't believe I wouldn't give up the stupid heels. I should have known something like this would happen. But I was fine one second and down the next."
"They'll check her out. It'll be okay." Still reassuring, he doesn't waste any time before scooping her up into his arms, one hand under her knees, the other behind her shoulders. "It's my fault about the heels." So far, he's been calm despite the worry, but now some guilt bleeds into his voice and expression too. Heading back to the door, to his waiting car (hadn't even killed the engine), he's carefully lowering her down to stand so he can get the car door open, staying close so she can lean on him as much as she needs to. "I kept encouraging it. It was stupid of me."
"I know she'll be okay, but..." The next words were going to undo the positive thoughts she just forced out and she couldn't do it. She groans when he picks her up, her back more sore than she had originally thought from it taking the brunt of her fall but other than that she doesn't complain about it or say a word. If a bruised ankle and a sore back is the worst to come out of this then she would be grateful. Besides, Ben's own guilt bubbles to the surface and focusing on anything negative was only going to make it worse. "That's wrong and you know it. You didn't make me wear 'em so just stop." When he's lowering her to the ground she at least has sense enough to kick off her remaining heel so she can put all her weight on her good foot while it's bare and much more stable. It's with a lot of care and even more help from Ben that she eventually lowers herself into his car and draws herself inside of it. Now she can focus on rubbing at her belly, mumbling assuring words to Lily.
"I didn't make you wear them, but I didn't tell you to stop, either." He lets it go at that, though, helping her into the passenger seat of the car. Once Jackie is safely inside, he shuts her door, trots around the car to climb into the driver's seat, and then he speeds off. After a moment, he reaches over to take one of her hands. "She will be okay. So will you." Absently, his thumb works along the back of her hand, and after another pause, "Guess you'll be off your feet for the party tomorrow, huh?"
Did he really think telling her to stop was going to help? That probably would have gone over like a lead balloon. He seems set on dropping the line of conversation and rather than carrying on she lets it go as well. Jackie stares straight ahead, focused is seemed with her hands rubbing along her belly. It's only when he takes her that her attention shatters and turns to him. "I know she will be. I just want them to tell us we're right." Distracted by her swirling thoughts yet his question brings her back sharply. "What? No. I'm going to the hospital so they can check on Lily. If- When they say she's okay then everything will be alright. I'm sure the ankle just needs to be iced." Even though when she looks at it the purple swelling was becoming more pronounced. "I'll probably take it easy."
He glances aside at her when she protests them checking her out as well; his brows are lifted a little, the look he gives her skeptical. His focus is back on the road when he answers her. "Looks like a pretty bad sprain to me. And you should be taking it easy anyway." Giving her hand a little tug, though, maybe to soften the admonishment -- and besides, maybe trying to pull at least some of her attention away from worry about Lily would help. "We're gonna be a sight," darkly amused -- he was still sporting the black eye and the split lip, though it all looked better than it had a few days ago.
It doesn't take them long to get to Rhydin General, and he doesn't think twice about pulling up right in front, parking there. This time he does kill the engine and take the keys with, and after he's done that, he's getting out of the car and opening up Jackie's door to help her out. "Just cross your fingers it's a calm Friday night and there's not much of a wait."
"They can look it over but I doubt it's a sprain. It's my foot tellin' me I'm an idiot for a while and little more than that, but we'll see." Smirking. "I wasn't planning on goin' into the kitchen and telling them how to prepare the food or servin' it myself. I considered that taking it easy." She hadn't even thought of the looks of them until he mentioned in and she tipped her head back into her seat, an exhale replacing a laugh she couldn't manage right now. "I didn't even think of it. The rumor mill will be hard at work comin' up with what happened."
He parks where he clearly shouldn't but Jackie doesn't say a word otherwise. The idea of walking, despite her saying her foot wasn't as bad as he made it out to be, wasn't a tempting prospect. With his help she hefts herself out of the car still trying to put as much weight on her good foot and him. "A calm night... at the hospital... in RhyDin. I didn't know you were so interested in fairytales, Ben."
"We'll see." Leaving it at that. He knows it's more than that, but he'll let the doctor tell her. He knows she won't believe him anyway. Once she's out of the car and leaning on him, he takes a few steps toward the doors with her. "The happily ever after kind, yeah. I'm with you, aren't I?" Nonchalant about that little hint at his romantic-at-heart nature, and to distract her from saying anything about it, he scoops her up into his arms again to head inside.
Text to Detective Husband: ben, are u on ur way to see mrs. williams for ur 4 oclock?
Text to Detective Husband: i need u to cancel with her and come home as soon as u can.
Text to Detective Husband: more importantly, i need u to not be mad at me.
Text to Jackie: Yeah, I'm on my way there.
Text to Jackie: Wait, what happened? Not be mad at you about what?
Text to Jackie: Is everything okay? I'm on my way home.
Text to Detective Husband: i don't know how to answer if i'm okay. i think so, but i'm not 100% sure.
Text to Detective Husband: i was comin in with groceries and when i was goin up the stairs my heel rolled under me.
Text to Detective Husband: i landed on my back, not my belly. but i'm worried and my ankle is swellin up. least of my worries though.
Text to Detective Husband: u can't be mad at me! just come home.
Text to Detective Husband: i'm in the foyer. adam is at his friend's.
Text to Jackie: Oh, Jesus, Jackie.
Text to Jackie: I'm not mad. I'm not.
Text to Jackie: I'm sure Lily is okay. I'm sure she is. And we'll get you to the doctor.
Text to Jackie: I'll be home in ten minutes. Maybe less.
It ends up being less, closer to five, really. Jackie'd be able to hear the squeal of the tires as Ben's car skids to a stop in the drizzle right outside the front door, and just a half a minute later he's opening up the door to come inside. "Jackie?"
Relief and dread mixed on her features when Ben walked in through the front door. She was sitting on the floor with her back to the wall, legs extended out in front of her with one black high heel shoe on and the other discarded across the foyer from her. The ankle of her bare foot was swollen, a fresh mix of red and purple sure to get angrier with time. Hands rubbed at her belly and she peered up at him with a frown. "I didn't know what to do. I wasn't sure if I could put weight on it and didn't want to fall again. I messed up, Ben." The words sounding absolutely pitiful as she spoke.
Ben just looks worried (he'd meant it when he'd said he wasn't mad), and the worry only increases when he notes the discoloration already there at her ankle. "No you didn't, sweetheart. Don't." Heading right for her, he takes a knee next to her, pulling her into a brief, careful hug and ghosting a kiss to her temple before letting go, his own hands joining hers over her stomach. "You..." His gaze drops for a couple of seconds; when it lifts, it's clear he's only as calm as he is because he's able to turn on the cop-mode, even if only partly. "You've still been able to feel her, right? --you're okay if I pick you up? We need to get you to the hospital."
Unfortunately for Ben, his assurance somehow only manages to make her feel worse and she's sniffling, the sound making it into her words when she peers down at her stomach between them. "I can feel her, yeah. But now I don't know if it feels normal, if she feels right, if she's moving like she was before or somethin' is wrong." Nodding quickly, the pieces she has been carefully holding together while waiting for him that short amount of time beginning to unravel. "I'm fine, it's fine. I just want to go and I want them to see if she's okay. I can't believe I wouldn't give up the stupid heels. I should have known something like this would happen. But I was fine one second and down the next."
"They'll check her out. It'll be okay." Still reassuring, he doesn't waste any time before scooping her up into his arms, one hand under her knees, the other behind her shoulders. "It's my fault about the heels." So far, he's been calm despite the worry, but now some guilt bleeds into his voice and expression too. Heading back to the door, to his waiting car (hadn't even killed the engine), he's carefully lowering her down to stand so he can get the car door open, staying close so she can lean on him as much as she needs to. "I kept encouraging it. It was stupid of me."
"I know she'll be okay, but..." The next words were going to undo the positive thoughts she just forced out and she couldn't do it. She groans when he picks her up, her back more sore than she had originally thought from it taking the brunt of her fall but other than that she doesn't complain about it or say a word. If a bruised ankle and a sore back is the worst to come out of this then she would be grateful. Besides, Ben's own guilt bubbles to the surface and focusing on anything negative was only going to make it worse. "That's wrong and you know it. You didn't make me wear 'em so just stop." When he's lowering her to the ground she at least has sense enough to kick off her remaining heel so she can put all her weight on her good foot while it's bare and much more stable. It's with a lot of care and even more help from Ben that she eventually lowers herself into his car and draws herself inside of it. Now she can focus on rubbing at her belly, mumbling assuring words to Lily.
"I didn't make you wear them, but I didn't tell you to stop, either." He lets it go at that, though, helping her into the passenger seat of the car. Once Jackie is safely inside, he shuts her door, trots around the car to climb into the driver's seat, and then he speeds off. After a moment, he reaches over to take one of her hands. "She will be okay. So will you." Absently, his thumb works along the back of her hand, and after another pause, "Guess you'll be off your feet for the party tomorrow, huh?"
Did he really think telling her to stop was going to help? That probably would have gone over like a lead balloon. He seems set on dropping the line of conversation and rather than carrying on she lets it go as well. Jackie stares straight ahead, focused is seemed with her hands rubbing along her belly. It's only when he takes her that her attention shatters and turns to him. "I know she will be. I just want them to tell us we're right." Distracted by her swirling thoughts yet his question brings her back sharply. "What? No. I'm going to the hospital so they can check on Lily. If- When they say she's okay then everything will be alright. I'm sure the ankle just needs to be iced." Even though when she looks at it the purple swelling was becoming more pronounced. "I'll probably take it easy."
He glances aside at her when she protests them checking her out as well; his brows are lifted a little, the look he gives her skeptical. His focus is back on the road when he answers her. "Looks like a pretty bad sprain to me. And you should be taking it easy anyway." Giving her hand a little tug, though, maybe to soften the admonishment -- and besides, maybe trying to pull at least some of her attention away from worry about Lily would help. "We're gonna be a sight," darkly amused -- he was still sporting the black eye and the split lip, though it all looked better than it had a few days ago.
It doesn't take them long to get to Rhydin General, and he doesn't think twice about pulling up right in front, parking there. This time he does kill the engine and take the keys with, and after he's done that, he's getting out of the car and opening up Jackie's door to help her out. "Just cross your fingers it's a calm Friday night and there's not much of a wait."
"They can look it over but I doubt it's a sprain. It's my foot tellin' me I'm an idiot for a while and little more than that, but we'll see." Smirking. "I wasn't planning on goin' into the kitchen and telling them how to prepare the food or servin' it myself. I considered that taking it easy." She hadn't even thought of the looks of them until he mentioned in and she tipped her head back into her seat, an exhale replacing a laugh she couldn't manage right now. "I didn't even think of it. The rumor mill will be hard at work comin' up with what happened."
He parks where he clearly shouldn't but Jackie doesn't say a word otherwise. The idea of walking, despite her saying her foot wasn't as bad as he made it out to be, wasn't a tempting prospect. With his help she hefts herself out of the car still trying to put as much weight on her good foot and him. "A calm night... at the hospital... in RhyDin. I didn't know you were so interested in fairytales, Ben."
"We'll see." Leaving it at that. He knows it's more than that, but he'll let the doctor tell her. He knows she won't believe him anyway. Once she's out of the car and leaning on him, he takes a few steps toward the doors with her. "The happily ever after kind, yeah. I'm with you, aren't I?" Nonchalant about that little hint at his romantic-at-heart nature, and to distract her from saying anything about it, he scoops her up into his arms again to head inside.