A time passed, Jake’s worry about the wreck that could possibly take his wife and child from him didn’t necessarily fade, but moved to the back of his mind. His two pretty green eyed girls taken from him in one fell swoop. The thought pained him, so he tried not to think about what he was in his dreams.
On the morning of his mother’s birthday, Jake just couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that something bad was going to happen. He hated having those feelings because they were usually right. Still, he went about his morning routine. When his alarm went off that morning he got up, got a shower, grabbed a set of scrubs from the closet as well as his tennis shoes, and got dressed before waking his wife so that they could go in for breakfast with his family. His father was taking over cooking duties for the day because it was his mother’s birthday. Lord only knew what he father would make for breakfast, but he was sure it would be good.
When they walked in, Jake went to his mother and gave her a hug and kiss on the cheek. “Happy birthday, Mom”, he said with a smile.
Brie smiled. “Thank you, Jacob.”
“How old are you today?”
“I’m fifty- eight years young today, my son. I’m not old by any stretch of the imagination.” She took a sip of tea, giving her son a scrutinizing eye. “Going Goth today son?” she asked with a smile.
Jake examined his clothing. His scrubs were black, as were his hoes. He chuckled. “I guess so, Mom. Can’t seem to help it. I just grabbed what I was drawn to.”
David chuckled. “Do you realize just how much like your mother you just sounded?”
Jake shrugged. “Is that such a bad thing, Dad? I mean, there are times when Jordan opens her mouth and sounds just like you. Is it so bad that we live in bizarro world where I sound like Mom and Jordan sounds like you?”
David eyeballed his son. “I guess not, but did you have to make me seem like an asshole?”
Jake shook his head. “That honestly wasn’t my intent, Dad.” He sighed. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me today. I’ve got this bad feeling that I can’t seem to shake.”
“What about?” Brie asked.
He shook his head then cut his eyes toward his wife.
Brie nodded slightly. “Do you want to step out of the room for a moment?”
He nodded. “Dad, can you join us please?” he asked as he stood from the table.
His parents followed him from the room. When they were in a place where he felt they could talk he stopped. “Ok, what’s going on, son?” he asked as he folded his arms across his chest.
“Remember that dream I told you about a couple of months ago?” Jacob asked. Both of his parents nodded. “Well, I woke up this morning with a bad feeling in my gut that I just can’t shake. I’m afraid something bad is going to happen today and that dream is going to come to pass.”
“Do you want us to keep an eye on her today?” Brie asked.
He nodded. “Please. I know today is your birthday, Mom, but I would ask unless it were important and you both know that.”
They nodded. “No problem, And we’ll be sure not to make it obvious, either”, was his mothers response.
He sighed in relief. “Thank you both. You’re the greatest. Have I told you that recently?”
They both chuckled. “Don’t worry about it, Jacob. You don’t have to”, David told his son. “You make it rather obvious.”
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After eating a little breakfast and telling his wife he loved her and to be careful, Jake headed to work for the day. He love his schedule; 6am- 3pm, a nine hour day. It didn’t get any better than that. But, as he made his rounds that morning, he still couldn’t shake the bad feeling in his gut. He’s even gone so far as to trade his wife vehicles that morning. He wanted her to be in the safest vehicle possible.
He even stuck close to the hospital on his lunch break, calling his parents in his wife to see if everything was ok. “Jacob, you’re such a worry wart”, his mother laughed when he called her later that morning. “She asleep on the couch right now. Later she plans on going to get my birthday present from the two of you. I told her not to worry about it, but she just plain isn’t going to listen.”
“Did you suggest Dad going with her?”
“Yes, and she flat out said no. ‘Our gift is for both of you, so Dad isn’t allowed to come along’, she said.”
Jake felt his heart rate accelerate as he fought of sheer panic. “I wish should wouldn’t do that. We already gave Dad a birthday gift.”
“It’s your wife, Jacob. What am I supposed to do?”
“Tell her to wait until I get off work. Just please, find a way to keep her at the house. If she goes out alone she’s going to get hurt. I just fucking know it.”
“I’ll see what I can do, Jacob. No promises other than that. If she doesn’t listen, then I can’t do anything.”
“I know, Mom. Thanks for trying and please keep trying.”
“I will, Jake. Get some lunch and go back to work. Save lives, and help people like you’re supposed to.”
He chuckled. “Yes, Ma’am.”
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She didn’t know what was going on, but her husband and his parents were acting oddly. Something wasn’t setting right. She couldn’t see what everyone was so worried about. I wish I knew what everyone was so up in arms about. I mean, I’m pregnant, but I’m not a walking disaster, Delilah thought as she pulled up to a red light. She looked at the envelope in the passenger seat. Mom and Dad will like the time away. And Mom could use a massage. She spends so much time giving them that she doesn’t take enough time to get one every now and then. She’s going top end up hurting herself at some point. And Dad could just stand to relax a little. I know he gets a massage every week, but he needs to take his mind off of everything for a while. The envelope contained gift cards for a spa that was on the other side of town that she thought her mother and father in law would enjoy. They’d be able to just hang out and not worry about anything.
When the light turned green, she slowly pulled away from the light when she saw a green truck barreling toward her, going faster than he should have. And that’s when everything slowed down. She slammed on her brakes and tried to throw the car in reverse to get out of the way, but she was boxed in. She closed her eyes as the truck t- boned her, pushing her husband’s car into the median that separated the turning lane for the other lanes of traffic.
The force of the impact caused something within her to break and she felt a gush of water between her legs and she screamed in pain. There was a man at the passenger side window. She’d had the windows down to enjoy the warm air and not run out the gas. It was a trick she’d learned as a child. The man reached out and took her hand. “Miss, you’re going to be ok. There’s an ambulance on the way. Is there anyone you need me to call for you?”
She carefully motioned toward her purse. “My husband”, she said. “His work and cell phone numbers are in my cell in my purse. Dr. Draiman is his name.”
The man grabbed her phone from her purse and found the number, using his phone to call the good doctor to tell him about his wife’s accident.
---------------
Jake was looking at some progress in his research when his phone started going off. He pulled it from his pocket and checked the number. He didn’t recognize it, but answered anyway. “Hello?” he said.
“Dr. Draiman?” said a man’s voice.
“Speaking.”
“My name is Reggie. I’m currently sitting with your wife. She was just in a car accident and it seems that she’s gone into labor.”
Jake’s knees gave from underneath him and he had to steady himself against the counter. “Are you sure it’s my wife? Did you get her name?”
“She says her name is Delilah.”
Jake’s heart stopped and he couldn’t breathe. This was the same feeling he had the first time he had the dream. “I’m on my way. I’ll meet the ambulance at the hospital. Thank you for calling, Reggie. If there’s anything I can do for you…”
“Don’t worry about it, Doctor. Just get up here to be with your wife”, and the line went dead.
Jake told his interns to head home for the day and called the Chief of Medicine as he ran out to his vehicle.
“Dr. Francis, I need someone to cover the floor. I have to leave. It’s an emergency.”
“What’s the problem, Dr. Draiman?”
“My wife was just in a car accident and it put her in labor. She’s not quite 8 months pregnant. I need to get home to be with my wife.”
“I’ll be down there as soon as I can. You go be with your wife. If you need a leave of absence, let me know and I’ll find someone to cover for you, even if I have to do it myself.”
Jake was already in the car and had it started as he finished the conversation. “Thank you, Dr. Francis. I’ll be sure to let you know as soon as I know something.” He hung up and dialed his mother’s number as he peeled out of the parking lot and sped toward home to be with his wife. He didn’t even wait for his mother to say anything. He just started speaking as soon as he heard the phone pick up. “Mom, I need you and Dad to meet me at the ER ASAP. Delilah was just in an accident.”
“OH, MY GOD!” she shouted. “I’ll grab your father and we’ll be there as soon as we can. Here in the Springs, right?”
“Yeah. I just left the hospital and I’m, already a quarter of the way there. I have a cop in my ass, but I really don’t care. Light or no lights he can give me the ticket when I get to the hospital.”
“Is he flashing lights at you?”
“No, thankfully, but I need both hands on the wheel, Mom. I’ll see you and Dad there.” He didn’t bother to say good bye. He just hung up, threw his phone in the passenger seat and kept speeding toward the hospital where his wife was having his baby a month and a half early and he could be losing them both.
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