Chapter 22
Johnny's daddy was taking him fishing
when he was eight years old.
a little girl came through the front gate
holding a fishing pole
his dad looked down and smiled
said we can't leave her behind
son I know you don't want her to go
but someday you'll change your mind
and Johnny said...
take Jimmy Johnson
take Tommy Thompson
take my best friend Bo-
take anybody that you want as
long as she don't go
take any boy in the world
daddy please- don't take the girl
Justin sat at the top of the ledge. He could see the door way, and the living room. He watched around the corner so Jordan wouldn't see him. He didn't know why he was hiding. He guessed he wanted to see how Jordan acted when he wasn't around, and how Ashley reacted.
He watched as Jordan gave Ashley a hug and patted her stomach. She laughed, but it was uneasy.
"So, what's wrong? Why did you call?" Jordan had thanked the Lord when she asked him to come over. He had been praying for her to see how good he was for her.
"I...ah, I needed to ask you a question." She played with her fingers and used most of her self control not to look at Justin.
"Sure..." He followed her into the living room, and Justin shifted into a more comfortable possition.
"Jordan. Do you know anything about these pictures of us?" She pointed to the photos spread out over the coffee table. Jordan went pale and he cleared his throat.
"I...I um...Where did you get these?"
"It doesn't matter where I got them Jordan. Who took them and why?" Ashley was no longer nervous, she wanted answers now just as much as Justin.
"You see it was suposed to be a surprise...I wanted to make a scrap book for you." He lied.
"Well, if I had any kind of scrap book, why would I want them of you and me? No offense, but Jordan, we have nothing together."
"Ashley, don't say that. Don't you see it? I could be so much better for you than Justin. I'm here all the time, I don't have to hide you because of the press." He rattled on but Ashley shook her head, she didn't want to hear it.
"Jordan, I don't know where you got these notions, that I wanted the same thing. I don't love you Jordan, I love Justin. I don't care that he can't be here 24/7. I Love him, and there's nothing you could do, or say to make me think anything different." She ended quietly. Jordan looked stunned. She just didn't know how good it could be, he dicided. So he was going to show her.
Jordan took the few steps to Ashley and grabbed her tight in his arms before she could realize what he was doing. Then he placed his lips over hers and kissed her. Justin's stomach cunvulsed and he flew off of the stairs and roughly grabbed Jordans shoulders flinging him across the room.
"NO!! Justin Don't!" Ashley screamed. She watched as Jordan smacked into a back wall. She watched him slide to the floor snd she thought he was dead, but he wasn't.
He came back up and flew at Justin, the two men crashing into the floor. Ashley chased after them and when she went to pull them apart, she got pushed backwards. She landed on the stairs with a thump, and when she went to get up again, a searing pain shot through her abdomen. She cried out in agony, but her wail was lost in the shuffle.
Same old boy
same sweet girl
ten years down the road
he held her tight and kissed her lips
in front of the picture show
Stranger came and pulled a gun
grabbed her by the arm
said if you do what I tell you to do
there won't be any harm
and Johnny said...
take my money
take my wallet
take my credit cards
here's the watch that my grandpa gave me
here's the keys to my car
mister give it a whirl
but please-don't take the girl
Justin and Jordan continued to battle it out on the floor. There was blood coming from Jordan's nose, and Justin had the makings of a nasty black eye, and a split lip. He was about to wail Jordan in the stomach when he heard a cry from Ashley. Both men stopped, Justin on top of Jordan on the floor, his shirt collar in hand. Ashley sat on the stairs, holding her belly.
Justin dropped Jordan harshly and raced to Ashley's side, taking her hand.
"What's going on?"
"Justin, I think I'm going to have the baby." She said, her voice hoarse.
"You...you what? You can't, you're only 7 months pregnant!" He stuttered in shock.
"Justin...something's seriously wrong...I..." Her words were cut off by another searing bolt of fire shooting through her lower body. Justin was frantic as he tried to collect his thoughts.
He left Ashley's side long enough to grab his cell phone and he quickly dialed Mike's number, telling him to meet him at the hospital. Then, he picked Ashley up and carried her out to the car.
"Ashley, talk to me. What's wrong?" Justin asked as he sped down the road.
"I don't know what happened. I just started getting these really sharp pains when I yelled, but I didn't think anything of it, then when I fell down..." He sentence was cut off by another shot of pain and Justin reached over and grabbed her hand. He took his eyes off the road just long enough to make sure she was still breathing.
"It's ok Jules. We're almost there, just hold on Baby, please hold on."
Ther reached the hospital a few minutes later. Justin carried her into the Emergency Room and yelled out for a doctor. A few nurses came rushing over, asking questions.
"Whst's wrong with her ser? Calm down, please." One nurse asked Justin as she brought over a wheel chair.
"She's 7 months pregnant, and she started complaining of sharp pains in her stomach. She thinks she going to have the baby." He tried his best to explain.
"Is she allergic to anything?"
"No, not that I know of." He watched as the wheeled her away and he tried to follow, but nurses and doctors stopped him.
"Sir you can't go back there. We're going to do everything we can to save her, OK? So please. Is there someone you can call?" As if on cue, Mike walked in the ER.
"Justin!" He bellowed and jogged over to him. He noticed the tears starting in his eyes, so he guided him over to a chair and sat him down." It's alright man, they have some of the best doctors here." Mike didn't know if it was ture, but he thought that anything would help at this moment.
"I didn't know what to do Mike, I haven't been here for two months, and I didn't know what to do. She was on the floor in pain, and I couldn't help her." He cried, his face stained with tears.
"Don't even talk like that boy. You did everything in your power to save her. She's here now, with people that know exactly what they're doing. She's in good hands, trust me."
Same old boy
same sweet girl
five years down the road
there's gonna be a little one
and she says it's time to go
docter says the baby's fine
but you'll have to leave
cause his momma's fading fast
and Johnny hit his knees
and there he prayed...
take the very breath you gave me
take the heart from my chest
I'll gladly take her place
if you'll let me
make this my last request
take me out of this world
God please-don't take the girl
In the emergency room the doctors knew Ashley was going into labor, and she was already 6 centemeters dialated. Everything seemed to be going fine, so one doctor said that they could bring in this Justin character Ashley kept calling for.
A nurse walked out and found Justin and Mike sitting in the lobby.
"Sir? Are you Justin?" She asked.
"Yes." He looked up at her. "How is she, is she going to be OK?" He stood, frantic to see her.
"Yes, she's alright. She is in labor, and she keeps asking for you, no screaming actually. Would you come with me please?" She asked, starting down the hall. "You'll have to wash up first," He quickly washed, then he followed her into the room.
He ran to Ashley's side and took her hand. He eyes were closed, but when he touched her they opened.
"Justin..." She said breathlessly. He kissed the side of her head and squeezed her hand.
"I love you Jules." He whispered and she smiled.
"Ok Ashley, we need you to start pushing." A doctor called out. "Push and Justin, you count to ten, ready?"
"1...2...3...4..." Justin counted to ten and Ashley ghasped for breath.
"OK OK, good, now...again." He called out. This went on for a while until finally...
"Alright Ashley, just one more BIG push, ready?" Ashley pushed and grunted in pain. She was ready to say a fe choice words to Justin, for putting her in the possition, but before she could speak a loud wail entered the room. This time it wasn't Ashley.
"You did it Ash." She said into her ear. He kissed her again, and she nodded her head. A doctor came over to them.
"You have a boy, but he's very small right now. Not as small as he could be, which is a good thing. We're cleaning him off now, and then we're sending him to be checked out, we want to make sure he's healthy." He smiled at the couple but his smile faded when Ashley groaned and a Nurse yelled.
"She's Hemorrhaging!" The doctor rushed to the table and Justin went to follow.
"What's going on? What's happening to her?" Justin yelled.
"Someone Please, Get him OUT of here." A few nurses came and dragged Justin out into the hallway.
"Tell me what's going on? Is she ok?" He pleaded.
"She started bleeding, we're doing everything we can to stop it, but you must wait out here." They walked away from him and he turned and leaned against the wall and slid down to the floor.
He knew he was losing her. He could feel it. As if their sould were one, he would feel the panic, the fear, the desperation as she struggled to hold on. Like a whisper he could her her voice in his head. I don't want to go, I love you Justin. A tear fell down his face as he realized she was letting go.
"You can't leave me Jules, I need you." He realized he had called out loud when a few people threw him strange glances. All the memories flooded his mind. From the day he hit her car with his, to the conversation the had on the way home from the mall. Her laugh, her beautiful blue eyes, the first time they made love, the day she told him he was going to be a father. All of that raced through his tired head, and he prayed for her to hold on. "Don't leave me now Jules, you have to be strong." He whispered. As if she could hear him, the chaotic noise from the room behind him stopped and one of the doctors walked out. Justin jumped to his feet.
"She's stable. She lost a lot of blood, but she's pulling through. She's not out of the woods yet, but only time will tell." Before Justin could ask if he could see her the doctor walked back in through the doors and Justin was left alone. He shoved his hands into his pocket and felt something there. He slowly pulled it out and smiled as he saw the diamond ring he had bought.
He prayed it wasn't too late to ask. He stood there in thought when Mike came to get him. His mother had come, and Mike knew Justin would want to talk to her, so he led him to the lobby.
When he was eight years old...
[[Tim McGraw]]
Chapter 23
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