Chapter Five- The Move
April 30th
Lake Forest, IL
Since the closing, Michael, Arianna, and David spent every evening and weekend at the house at 148 Festive Lane. Cleaning, tearing down wallpaper, ripping up carpeting and tile floors, rodding out plumbing, and doing whatever else they could that did not cost hard cash, only hard labor.
Michael inspected the furnace thoroughly and found it was not as bad of shape as he had originally thought. He replaced the flue and the filters after giving it a good cleaning. It seemed to make the difference, and Michael was pleased to have saved thousands of dollars that would have been spent on a new furnace. Unfortunately, with the electrical wiring, he was not as lucky. When he inspected outlets and light switches, he found frayed and bare wires that were a serious fire hazard.
As he pulled the old wiring out and replaced it with new, he ran into light fixtures and fuses problems. The old wiring was BX, long since outlawed by today's building code standards would have to be replaced with a conduit that was now the industry standard. The wiring replacement would cost them thousands of dollars he saved by breathing extended life into the old furnace. Every time he saved money on one problem, he had to spend those savings plus more on another.
The house was still a disaster area with walls ripped open and floorboards removed, leaving gaping holes that looked directly into the basement from the first floor. Michael barricaded the opening to alert anyone who walked in the area but promised Arianna that he would have the floors repaired by the baby's birth. Martha had left behind several pieces of furniture, including all of the guestroom furnishings and the ominous grandfather clock that still chimed every hour on the hour as it stood in the corner of the dining room.
Arianna was still pregnant, and she was not very happy about it. She was overdue for 21 days and felt like an overgrown watermelon. She managed to keep her depression and frustration a secret from Michael, for she already knew his plate was full. Michael worked double shifts at his construction job and worked side jobs on weekends. Michael was utterly exhausted every night between his work schedule and trying to fix up the house and fell fast asleep on the couch with the remote to the television still in hand.
But this day, Michael was full of energy because they were moving all of their belongings from their apartment to their new home. The lease for the apartment was up, and they had to vacate the premises.
Michael drove the car to the moving truck rental facility at about 11:00 a.m. that morning. He left the car parked there and would pick it up when he returned the truck later that evening. He was already upset with himself due to oversleeping and was running behind the rigorous schedule planned for the day. He wanted to start packing the truck by 9:00 a.m. It was already 11:30 a.m., and he was just now driving the empty truck back to the apartment.
As Michael pulled into the driveway in front of the apartment, he saw David coming out of the apartment door struggling with another box.
“David, just hang on a minute, and I will help you with that,” he yelled out from the truck cab.
“It’s okay, Dad. I got it,” David replied.
Michael parked the truck and jumped down from the cab. He ran over and grabbed the box from David just as he was about to lose his grip.
“I got it, buddy,” Michael said.
“I thought I had it,” David reluctantly admitted.
“It’s okay, David. You are doing an excellent job,” Michael said.
Michael started to arrange the boxes in the garage. He had spent all night carrying the heavier boxes and some furniture down from the apartment to the garage to prepare for the move this morning.
“I have to get the larger pieces inside the truck first to fill in the empty spots with the smaller boxes, so the load doesn’t shift,” Michael said aloud, talking to himself.
David ran down the stairs and bolted into the garage.
“Whoa, David; if you keep up that kind of pace, you’ll be sleeping in the truck before getting the first load packed,” Michael said.
“Okay, Dad. I’ll go slower.”
Michael needed to load the dressers, the love seat, the couch, the dining room table and chairs, the washing machine, the dryer, and the refrigerator into the truck first. These were all heavy and oversized pieces. He knew that David didn’t have the strength to help much but hoped that he could steady and help balance the items' weight as they were moved. Michael would use a two-wheel cart to load the washing machine and other appliances by himself. Arianna came out to the garage.
“Are you going to be able to move all of this yourself?”
“Yes, I can handle it. I have done it before,” Michael replied.
“But I was helping you then, and you were much younger,” she smiled.
“I will be fine if you just stay out of the way and rest, okay?”
“Yes, dear,” she replied in a snotty little voice.
It was a cold, overcast day for April and the temperature was a mild 58 degrees. There was no rain, which was a blessing, and Michael felt pretty good physically. Maybe oversleeping had done him some good after all.
After several hours of loading the truck with David’s help, Michael turned to David and asked, “Okay, what’s next?”
“That’s it, Dad. There’s nothing left to load,” David said.
A smile came to Michael’s face as he realized that he had accomplished at least half of the process, and it was only 6:00 p.m. He sighed and leaned up against the truck, and took a breather.
He heard Arianna from a distance. “You guys forgot this box of dishes.”
As Michael turned, he saw his very pregnant wife carrying a large and cumbersome box out of the garage and toward the truck.
Before he could say anything, Arianna stopped in her tracks and dropped the box to the ground with a crash. She grabbed her stomach and doubled over in pain.
“Michael!”
Michael rushed from the truck to the garage apron, where Arianna fell. “Are you okay?”
“I think my water broke,” she replied.
As Michael looked down at her legs, he saw that she was covered in blood.
“Water? My God! You’re hemorrhaging!”
Michael picked her up in his arms and told David to run into the house and call 911.
“The phones are already shut off, Michael. Just drive me yourself,” Arianna said.
Michael was frantic and desperately tried to find his car.
“Where the hell is the car?”
“You left it at the truck place, Dad!” David shouted.
“Oh, right. Okay, everyone in the truck,” Michael said.
Michael lifted Arianna into the truck's cab on the passenger's side as David jumped in as well. Then Michael ran back to the apartment to lock the doors when he realized, “there’s nothing left to steal! What am I doing?”
Back in the truck, Michael started it up and floored it. Unfortunately, he forgot to close the pull-down door on the truck's back, and several boxes flew out and crashed into the street.
“Dad, boxes are falling out of the truck!” David said.
“Son of a bitch!” said Michael as he slammed on the brakes and brought the truck to a screeching halt. He heard the load shift toward the front of the trailer. “CRACK!”
“Well, there goes the frame to the couch as the washing machine slams into it,” Michael said as he opened the cab door. He jumped out to reload the boxes that fell twenty feet behind the truck.
“Hurry, Michael!” shouted Arianna. Michael heard her plea and literally threw the boxes into the trailer and shut the overhead door.
Back in the truck, Michael shifted into drive and stepped on the gas. He turned to Arianna and asked, “How are you doing, honey?”
“Not so good, but it would help if you would calm down,” she responded.
“Calm? I’m calm. Just rela... OH MY GOD!”
Michael took his eyes off the road for only a moment to look at Arianna as a car pulled out of nowhere, stopping directly in the truck's path.
“MICHAEL, LOOK OUT!”
“DAD, THERE’S A CAR...”
Michael couldn’t stop in time due to all of the weight in the truck's back, so he swerved to avoid the car. The truck jumped a curb and piled through a row of bushes. The jump over the curb opened the rolling door on the trailer, and boxes were falling out of the truck once again.
Arianna was now screaming in pain.
“OH MY GOD! MICHAEL, PLEASE DON’T HIT ANY MORE BUMPS!”
Michael regained control of the truck and was only a few blocks away from the hospital. He looked over at Arianna and noticed that her legs were completely covered with blood. He started to panic and drove a bit faster.
Michael said in an anxious voice as he pulled into the hospital parking area, “Emergency Room, Emergency Room. Where in God’s name is the Emergency Room entrance!”
“There it is, Dad. Behind that white van,” said David.
Michael pulled the truck over to the right and narrowly missed a parked car. He pulled around the white van and up to the Emergency Room entrance. He jumped out of the truck at a fast-motioned pace and ran around to the passengers’ side. As he opened the door, Arianna fell into his arms.
As she put her arms around Michael’s neck, she said, “Oh, Michael, it hurts so much.”
“Hang on, honey, I gotcha,” replied Michael.
As Michael hoisted Arianna out of the cab, an orderly with a gurney came out of the hospital entrance.
“What’s the problem here, sir?” he asked.
“My wife is hemorrhaging, and she is nine and a 1/2 months pregnant,” responded Michael.
“Who is her doctor?” asked the orderly.
“Doctor Westfield,” replied Michael.
As Michael laid Arianna on the gurney, the orderly said, “We will contact the doctor, but we have to stop this bleeding for right now. I am taking her to the Emergency Room.”
As the orderly wheeled Arianna into the emergency entrance, she started to moan. Michael walked alongside the gurney as David followed closely behind.
Michael took hold of her hand and said, “It will be alright, Arianna. Just hang in there, okay?”
Arianna’s face displayed her pain but managed to reply, “I will, Michael, I will.”
The gurney's foot end pushed open the hinged doors to the treatment room and rolled to a stop as several nurses and doctors flocked to the scene. As Michael and David stood back and watched, a nurse turned to them.
“I’m sorry, but you are going to have to leave this area. Go to the waiting area down the hall, and we will come to get you when we have more information.”
Michael started to say, “But that’s my wife and I...”
The nurse responded, “I am sorry, SIR, you must leave this area now!”
She physically pushed Michael and David with her arms as they walked backward out of the treatment room. The stainless steel swinging doors closed in front of them. Michael looked through the window of one of the doors feeling inadequate and helpless as his bleeding wife was moved from the gurney to the treatment table.
“Dad?” asked David.
“Yes, David?” replied Michael
“Is Mom gonna die?” he posed in a soft, solemn voice.
“No, David. Mom will be okay,” answered Michael.
“Promise, Dad?” asked David.
Michael did not answer right away. He thought to himself how he could make a promise that he may not be able to keep. As he watched the doctors work on his wife, David asked again.
“Dad, do you promise Mom won’t die?”
As Michael’s eyes welled up with tears, he forced the words from his lips.
“Yes, David... I promise.”
Michael took David by the hand and down the hallway to the waiting area. As they walked, Michael was scared and worried about what was happening to Arianna. He was praying, “Oh please God, let Arianna live. I’m begging you.”
Suddenly, the emergency treatment room door bolted open, and a gurney carrying Arianna on it was being rushed down the hall directly toward Michael and David.
“What’s happening?” asked Michael.
A doctor running alongside the gurney asked, “Are you the husband?”
“Yes, what’s wrong?” Michael asked back anxiously.
The doctor motioned to the attendee and the nurse to continue without him as he grabbed Michael by the arm and led him away from the commotion.
“Your wife is hemorrhaging, and we are taking her to surgery,” the doctor told Michael.
“Can I come as well? I went through the Lamaze classes,” Michael asked.
“Sir, we are way beyond Lamaze class here. I am afraid you have a choice to make. The baby is in distress, and so is your wife. The hemorrhaging has caused massive blood loss for both her and the baby. We need to solve one problem at a time, but there is a chance the problem that is neglected will intensify,” stated the doctor.
“What are you saying?” asked Michael.
“We cannot induce labor. It is too late for that. We have to perform a C-section to save the baby,” said the doctor.
“So go ahead and perform the C-section. Is there something I need to sign or what?” asked Michael.
“Sir, you don’t understand. If we perform the C-section to save the baby, there is a good chance your wife will not survive the operation. If we attend to your wife's bleeding, there is a better than 90% chance she will lose the baby,” said the Doctor. He continued, “Who would you like us to try to save?”
Michael was faced with the decision of his life. Arianna was the love of his life, but the baby was full-term and deserved every chance to live. Michael’s heart was beating so fast that his chest was shaking. He didn’t know what to do.
Michael put his hands behind his head and started to pace erratically. He couldn’t sort out all of the options quickly enough for the doctor.
“Sir, we need a decision now, or we will lose them both,” said the doctor.
Michael turned to the doctor and caught a glimpse of David out of the corner of his eye. He remembered the promise that he had made. He turned to the doctor and said, “Save my wife.”
The doctor responded, “We will do our best, but this situation is critical. Please have a seat in the waiting area. The procedure may take several hours.”
The doctor walked into the elevator, and as the doors closed, Michael looked into the doctor’s eyes and saw no feeling whatsoever. The eyes of the doctor were emotionless as the doors closed together with a thud.
May 1st
2:30 a.m.
Good Samaritan Hospital
Michael stared off into space as David slept soundly on the black leather couch in the hospital waiting room. It had been over 4 hours since Arianna was taken into surgery. Michael heard not a word as to her condition.
Michael got up from the couch and walked over to a nearby window. A maintenance man waxed the stark white floors with one of those silver-polishing machines that spun a buffer pad on the tile. Michael thought to himself how there were two things that he always remembered about hospitals; that distinctive odor that every hospital seems to have and the janitor that was ever-present polishing the floors.
He remembered just ten years ago when his parents and younger brother were killed in a car accident. He maintained a silent vigil for over 20 hours. Although his father died instantly in the crash, Michael prayed to God to spare their lives during those 20 hours of surgery for his mother and brother. In the 20th hour, the doctors came down from surgery and informed Michael that his mother and brother had died. Michael hadn't prayed to God since that terrible evening. That was until today.
Michael and God's relationship was unique. Michael always said, “If he leaves me alone, I’ll leave him alone.” He couldn’t help but think God decided a 10-year hiatus from pain and suffering was enough for Michael. It was time to destroy his life again by taking away yet two more souls that he desperately needed and loved.
Michael felt he still had a chance to ask for God’s help before it was too late and began to walk. As he passed the nurse’s station, he informed a nurse that he would visit the chapel and asked if she could keep an eye on David for a few minutes. As Michael stepped inside the empty chapel, he felt overwhelmed with guilt. It had been years since he last visited a church, and here he was, asking God for a favor.
He sat in one of the pews near the back of the chapel and started to pray. He was alone and scared. As he began to cry, he suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder. He quickly looked up to see the smiling face of Martha Kennedy.
“Michael have faith in God and Arianna’s strength to survive. She loves you so and will fight with every last breath to remain by your side.”
“Martha, what are you doing here?”
“I was in the neighborhood and heard that Arianna needed surgery. I just wanted to reassure you that everything will be okay, but only if you believe in your heart, Michael.”
“I guess I have no other choice but to have faith. I can’t bear to lose Arianna. I have lost everyone in my life that ever meant anything to me. Losing her would be the last straw. But I will keep the faith. I will believe that a miracle will happen. Will that save Arianna’s life?”
There was no response from Martha.
“Martha, I asked you if…”
Michael turned and looked around the chapel, but Martha was gone. He called out her name several times, but she had disappeared. Michael started to question his sanity. It was late, and the stress of the situation had taken its toll on Michael. He shook his head and realized he must have imagined the entire sequence.
Michael returned to the waiting room area, and as he stared out the window, he could see the shimmering lights from the nearby buildings as their reflection bounced off the massive body of water called Lake Michigan. As he refocused his eyes' aperture, he could now look at the glass pane instead of through it. He saw the reflection of David lying on the couch in the glass, and he smiled.
As Michael continued to stare at David’s reflection, he recalled the good memories that he and Arianna had shared over the years. Like a slide show on a screen, the memories flashed before Michael’s eyes one by one. As he stared blindly at the windowpane, he recalled their wedding, first kiss, David’s birth, etc. He realized his faith in life itself was once again restored.
Suddenly Michael’s daydreams were intruded by the doctors’ reflection entering the glass frame.
“Mr. Carter?”
Michael turned quickly and, without saying a word, gazed into the doctor’s eyes.
“If you would like to see your wife now, she is resting in recovery on the third floor. Room 324.”
Michael bowed his head as tears of joy ran down his face. He walked over to where David was sleeping and nudged him.
“David? Hey, buddy? Wake up. Mom wants to see you,” he said.
In a state of grogginess, David opened his eyes and said to Michael, “Mom didn’t die?”
“No, David, Mom will be just fine,” Michael said as he picked him up in his arms and hugged him tightly.
“What about the baby, Dad?” asked David.
Michael turned to ask the doctor whether or not the baby survived, but it was too late. The doctor had already left the area.
“I don’t know, David, but the doctor warned us that they couldn’t save both. I felt your mother was more important to save. Are you upset with me for making that decision?” Michael asked.
“No, Dad. Mom can always have another baby, right?” he asked.
“I don’t know if she can, David, but even if she can’t, we still have you, right?” he said, putting his son down, and they walked to the elevator hand in hand.
“You will always have me, Dad. I promise you that. Just like you promised me that Mom wouldn’t die,” said David.
“I’m going to hold you to that,” Michael said as they entered the elevator.
As the elevator reached the third floor, a “ding” sounded, and the doors opened. Michael asked one of the nurses at the nursing station how to get to room 324. She pointed him in the right direction as he took David’s hand and walked toward the room.
They walked about 25 feet, stopped in front of the door to room 324, and noticed the sign, “No Smoking -Oxygen In Use.” Michael slowly opened the door.
They saw Arianna lying in bed with tubes inserted in her nose as they entered the room.
“Those tubes are so mom can breathe easier. It’s not a bad thing, okay?” Michael said to David.
“Okay, Dad,” David replied.
As they approached the bed, Arianna opened her eyes and smiled. Michael leaned over the metal railing on the bed and lightly kissed her on the cheek. David reached his hand between the railing, and Arianna squeezed it tightly.
“I thought I lost you there for a while,” said Michael.
“Now would I let you off the hook that easy,” Arianna responded with a twinkle in her eye. She continued, “Michael, I am so sorry I didn’t listen to you. I should have never picked up that box.”
“Honey, it’s okay. You were only trying to help. Don’t blame yourself,” he responded.
At that moment, the door to Arianna's room opened, and a nurse entered the room.
“Sorry to interrupt you folks, but it's time to eat,” she said.
“Are you up for eating already, hon?” Michael asked Arianna.
“Not me, silly; it’s time to nurse the baby,” she responded.
Michael turned toward the nurse and saw that she was holding a baby wrapped in white linen.
“The baby!”
“Would you like to hold your daughter Mr. Carter?” asked the nurse.
“My daughter; we thought that the baby....” he tried to say the words.
“She is a fighter, that’s for sure, Mr. Carter. It was touch and go there for a few hours, but she pulled through just fine. Didn’t you, you little princess you,” said the nurse as she cuddled the infant.
The nurse placed the baby in Michael’s arms. Michael looked into her eyes and saw a myriad of emotions. He saw life itself.
“Hi there, little one,” he said as he held the child.
His daughter was beautiful beyond words; 8 pounds, 4 ounces, with a multitude of thick wavy brown hair and big blue eyes.
“Is she okay?” asked Michael.
“She is just fine, Michael. Ten toes and ten fingers,” Arianna replied.
“Arianna, look what you did. I am the proudest man on the face of the earth,” Michael said.
David moved closer to Michael.
“Can I see her, Dad?”
Michael looked down and said, “Well, sure thing David. You can do that and more.”
Michael took his daughter and placed her in David’s arms as he looked for approval from the nurse. She acknowledged with a nod that it was okay, and David took the baby to his chest.
As David stared at his sister, he smiled and asked, “What’s her name, mom?”
“Well, we haven’t decided that yet, David. What do you think it should be?” Arianna asked.
“Hmm, I don’t know. How about Nick because she made it here in just a nick of time.”
“David, Nick is a boy’s name, but Nicky is short for Nicole, a beautiful girl’s name. What do you think about that, Michael? Is Nicole a worthy name for your daughter?”
“I think it’s a beautiful name, Nicole Lucky Carter; how about that?” Michael asked.
“Lucky?” said Arianna. “That’s a name for a dog! How about Miracle, Mira for short?”
“Nicole Miracle Carter it is. Welcome home, my lovely daughter,” Michael said.
As Arianna started to nurse little Nicole, Michael and David stood off to the side in silence. Michael looked at the ceiling and said under his breath, “Thanks for listening. I owe you one- no, make that two.”
Michael looked at his watch and realized the time. He still had to move their furnishings into their new home.
“Honey, are you okay now?”
“Michael, I will be fine, and so will your daughter. Go finish moving our things into our new home and then try to get some sleep, okay? We will be here when you get back. I promise,” Arianna said.
“Another promise that must be kept; I can deal with that.”
“David, are you ready to move some furniture and boxes into your new house?” Michael asked.
“Do we have to?” David asked.
“Yes, I am afraid so,” Michael replied.
Michael kissed Arianna and his daughter, as did David. They waved goodbye and proceeded toward the elevator to go down to the parking lot to retrieve the moving truck. Arianna looked down at her baby at her breast, who stopped feeding and smiled.
“All done?” asked the nurse as she re-entered the room.
“Yes, she’s already nodding off,” Arianna replied.
“Well, you will have to get used to these 3 a.m. feedings again. I used to hate those the most,” the nurse said.
“Is it 3 a.m.?” Arianna asked.
“A little after,” replied the nurse as she took Nicole from Arianna’s arms.
As the nurse left the room to return the baby to the nursery, Arianna started to think about Michael and David and how they must be utterly exhausted. Now they were going to move the furniture into the new house for the next 5 hours. She worried if Michael would be able to move all of the heavy pieces himself after a day like today. She knew Michael, though; he would never quit. She just hoped he would be careful in the process.