Republisher’s Note: This is another rescued story from CountryKays which we very much appreciate. Again, there aren’t any chapters in the way she copies them so the chapter breaks are where I think they make sense and likely differ from those the author used if you find it somewhere else. I also broke up the paragraphs to make them easier to read. I don’t know who the author is. Ray is going to marry Michelle and Danny tomorrow morning after his first mass, but Ray has a secret that could devastate Danny. (OK, not really seriously, why doesn’t Ray just tell him way before this?)
Revelation Chapter 12
Ray laid in his bed, still not at himself enough to speak. The medication he was on made him weak and groggy, but his mind was crystal clear, and he was aware of what had just happened. “You don’t know how right you are, Danny,” he thought to himself. “You’ve got to know the truth.”
Danny sat at Michelle’s bedside, tears freely falling from his eyes. He wasn’t sure how much she would remember. The medications she’d been given had pretty well knocked her out. His heart ached when he thought that he might have to tell her what had happened. He folded his hands together on her bed, and laid his head on them, sobbing softly.
Michelle opened her eyes, and saw her husband crying. She was immediately aware of the reason for his tears. The medications may have put her to sleep, but they didn’t dull her senses or cloud her memory. She remembered what had happened. At he sight of Danny crying next to her, she knew that she would have to be the strong one. He had been strong for her so many times, protected her, put her needs first.
Now it was her turn, and she wouldn’t fail him.
She reached out her hand and touched his hand. “Danny,” she said softly.
Danny looked up at Michelle, tears streaking his cheeks. Michelle wiped his tears with her hand, and his voice broke as he said her name. “Michelle,” and then he choked.
“Our baby’s gone,” she said. It was not a question, but a statement. She wanted him to know that he didn’t have to go through the agony of telling her that they’d lost their baby.
Danny just nodded and let his head fall onto the bed again.
Michelle sat up, as much as she could, and ran her fingers through his hair.
“It’s going to be OK, Danny,” she said through her own tears.
“How?” he asked, never lifting his head.
“I don’t know exactly, but I know we have each other, and that will get us through.”
Danny looked at his wife, his crying still heavy, and said, “I’m so sorry.”
Michelle lifted his face in her hands, and as tears fell down her face she said, “There’s no need for you to apologize.”
“But my mother…..,” Danny said, and then he choked again.
Still looking in his eyes, she whispered, “We don’t need to talk about why or how, Danny. Let’s just lean on each other.”
All he could do was nod, and hold her hands tightly.
When he’d regained some measure of composure, he sat up on the bed with her and asked, “Where do we go from here, Michelle? How do we go on?”
Michelle gave him the only honest answer she could, “I don’t know, Danny. Yesterday morning we didn’t even know I was pregnant, and now we’ve lost our baby.”
“I think we have to do something to remember our baby,” he said quietly.
“I think that’s a good idea,” Michelle said, as he wiped her tears.
“I don’t really know how, but I think we need to do something.”
They talked for a long while, neither one of them ashamed of the tears that came, each of them a comfort and strength for the other. They decided that a funeral or memorial service would be more of a production than either of them cared to deal with. Instead, they decided to make a large donation to the maternity department of the hospital, in honor of their baby. They would have their own, private memorial once Michelle was feeling better.
When Ray woke up, he saw him standing there – the person to whom he’d given his journal for safe keeping. He wanted so badly to talk, but he was still having trouble.
“It’s OK, Ray. You don’t have to talk. I will. Do you know what’s happened to Danny and Michelle?”
Ray indicated that he did with a slight nod.
“I know that you want to tell Danny yourself, but I think he has to know the truth, immediately.”
Ray nodded again.
“I’m going to go down to Michelle’s room and give the journal to him. Then, when you’re stronger, the two of you can talk about it.”
Ray squeezed his hand, as if to say thank you, and he turned and walked out the door.
“Thank You, God,” Ray silently prayed. “And please help them.”
Dr. Sedwick came in to see Michelle after she woke up. She said that, barring any complications, Michelle would be able to go home the next1 day. She explained that losing this baby should not cause them any difficulties conceiving in the future, something that made them both feel a tiny bit better.
“Thank you, Dr. Sedwick,” Danny said as she started to leave the room.
“Danny, I know this must be terrible for the two of you. There is a support group for couples who’ve experienced miscarriages, here at the hospital. It might be beneficial for you to look into it.”
“I’ll talk with Michelle about it, when she’s feeling better.”
Dr. Sedwick smiled and said, “Take care of each other. I know you will.”
Danny sat back down next to Michelle, and held her hand while she rested. Although his heart still hurt badly, he was encouraged by the strength and wisdom that Michelle had shown. He knew she was right. They had each other, and they would weather this storm together.
He managed to doze of slightly, with his head laying on Michelle’s bed. He was awakened by the sound of the door opening.
He looked up and recognized the man, but could not remember his name.
“Danny, I’m so sorry. Rick told me what happened,” the man said as he extended his hand.
Danny shook his hand, and said, “You’ll have to forgive me, but I can’t remember your name.”
“I’m sorry,” he said. “Phillip Spaulding.”
Michelle slowly became aware that someone was in the room.
“Phillip,” she whispered. “Thank you for coming.”
Phillip looked down at the girl who he’d always thought of as Rick’s baby sister, and was amazed at the woman he now realized she was. Her expression was strong and brave, in the face of such insurmountable tragedy. Having just become a father again himself, he could not imagine their pain.
“Michelle, Rick told me what happened. I want you to know how sorry I am. Is there anything I can do for the two of you?”
Michelle smiled back at him and said, “Just love your little Brad with all your heart.”
Phillip’s heart sank. He turned his attention to Danny. “I have something for you, Danny.”
He reached into his briefcase and pulled out Ray’s journal.
He explained how he’d met Ray once, and how Ray had asked him to keep the journal safe. He told them that Ray had been afraid something terrible would happen, and that’s why he needed to be sure the journal was safe. Danny could not believe what Phillip was saying.
“Ray wanted to tell you everything himself, but he’s not fully recovered yet, and you need to know what’s in this journal now.”
“I don’t understand,” Danny said, completely dumbfounded.
“I’m not saying it will be easy, especially considering what you’ve just been through, but I do think it will help you make some sense out of your life.”
Phillip stood up to leave, but first he kissed Michelle’s forehead. “You’ve grown up so much, Michelle. You really are a fine young woman.”
With that, he left Michelle’s room, the hospital, and this whole, terrible episode behind.
Danny kissed Michelle, and together they opened Ray’s journal and began to read.
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