I can't even explain how sorry I am for not updating for six whole months. Really, I am.

I just couldn't find the time and I had a huge writer's block for a long while so I couldn't get myself to write anything.

I hope you understand 😞 I promise to try and finish this story ASAP so I could get started on posting the sequel.

Don't forget to vote & comment so I could know what you think ☺️

Love you all so much ❤️

~ShoamEmily

~

29th of October, 2007
Michael is 49, Angela is 43

Angela: "Shh... Relax. Mr. Jackson is in good hands. I promise." Javon cooed as he held me.

I took in a shaky breath, but all I could felt was my heart beating so fast and I was sure it would burst out of my chest.

But then the nausea came, and I quickly glanced around the room. When I saw a trash can I ran to it.

"Nurse, I need a nurse in here!" Javon called frantically before coming to help me.

"She's been through an abortion," he explained to the nurse who hurried into the room. "I need you to make sure she's okay, and I want you to check her into a room so she will heal properly."

I shook my head, "But Michael, I need to be there when-"

"You won't do anyone any good if you're not functioning, Mrs. Jackson. Especially Michael."

Sighing, I let the nurse take me to a different room. She asked me to get into a hospital robe and lay in bed while she gets a doctor.

She left, and all I could do was think about Michael and how stupid I was for doing what I did.

~

Javon: "Where's my sister?" Luciano, Mrs. Jackson's brother, demanded to know as I entered the room to tell the Jackson family what has happened.

"She's being checked right now." I answered, wanting to tell them the real important thing here, which was Mr. Jackson.

"What for?"

"Is she well?"

"Why is no one telling us anything?"

The Brown family started firing questions at me that I knew I couldn't answer.

"Are mommy and daddy okay?" Blanket suddenly asked with his small voice.

I smiled at him, "Yeah, they'll be fine."

"Can you tell us what's going on, Javon?" Janet folded her arms.

I sighed, sitting down. "We should really wait for a professional to explain, but Mr. Jackson had another seizure and was taken into emergency surgery..."

Everyone gasped, and Katherine looked like she would almost faint.

"And where's my daughter?" Maria demanded to know.

"I can't say right now, and I'll know more later about her condition. But she's being treated."

I saw a few of the family members shed tears and wondered if I was doing the right thing. But this was Mrs. Jackson's little secret, and I couldn't tell anyone.

~

Angela: I leaned back in the hospital bed after another nurse connected an IV to my veins.

"A doctor will be with you shortly, Mrs. Jackson. If you need anything, press the green button." she smiled sweetly before leaving.

I knew I should have been concerned with what's happening to me, but only Michael was on my mind. I couldn't shake that awful feeling off. This was like Jake all over again and I didn't think I could take it anymore.

A knock on the door interrupted my thoughts. A young doctor came in, with a wide smile plastered on his face.

"Mrs. Jackson," he said, shaking my hand. "I'm Dr. Holden. I understand you've been through an abortion? When did this happen?"

I nodded, "Um, around two or three hours ago..."

"And the doctor who performed the operation, did he tell you to get some rest?"

"Of course... He's been my doctor for a few years now. He wouldn't want to harm me. I just didn't listen. I came here to be with my husband straight away."

"And in the time since you've had the operation up until now, did you experience any bleeding or pain?" Dr. Holden asked and wrote something in my chart.

When thinking about it, I haven't noticed any bleeding.

"Um, I had some pain right after... But no bleeding."

"That's weird," he stated. "I'm going to have your blood checked, and if you don't mind, I need to check your cervix."

I hurried to take off my underwear and he positioned himself in front of me.

Dr. Holden raised his eyebrows once he examined me.

"That's odd."

"What is?" I questioned.

"I'm going to need to do an ultrasound. I'll be right back."

As he went out of the room, Javon peeked in.

"How's Michael?" I closed my legs quickly, sitting up.

"I don't know, Mrs. Jackson. They haven't told us anything... I came to check on you. The family's worried." he said.

"I'm fine." I stated flatly.

Dr. Holden came back with an ultrasound machine. "Okay, let's see if my suspicions are correct."

Javon cleared his throat, "I'm gonna go. I'll come back as soon as I have news."

"Thanks, Javon." I smiled slightly.

I cringed when the cold gel was squirted on my belly. Dr. Holden pressed the scanner, harder than I was used to.

The world seemed to stop for a second as I heard a small but steady heartbeat.

"Just as I suspected," the doctor sighed. "You're still pregnant, Mrs. Jackson."

"What- But how?"

"It seems like you had multiples. Look, you can see two fetuses. I'm guessing the doctor who performed the so-called abortion had done a selective deduction instead- which means he simply stopped one of the fetus' hearts from beating. And when you told me you didn't bleed, that's when I suspected something wasn't right. Then I checked your cervix and the mucus plug was still very much there. I knew there was something I was missing."

For a second I was relieved and happy. But then reality struck and I remembered what got me here in the first place.

"I- I can't be pregnant. You have to abort the other baby, too... Please Dr. Holden." I begged.

"I'm not sure I can do that. Physically, your body went through a lot today. Aborting the other fetus would weaken you too much. I suggest you rest for a week, and maybe think this over."

"I'm not sure-"

"Whatever you choose- it can happen in a week."

I nodded. Anger built up inside me, and I made a mental note to call Dr. Haring. But I was too tired and too powerless to call him at the moment.

"Get some sleep, Mrs. Jackson. I'll come and check on you in a few hours."

With that, Dr. Holden left the room, leaving me with my thoughts.

The tears threatened to spill again. And they did, and never stopped.

~

Javon: After my visit to Mrs. Jackson's room, I went to the nurses' desk and asked if they knew something about my boss's condition.

"And who are you to Mr. Jackson?" an elderly nurse asked.

"His head of security. I need to inform his family that he's okay." I told her.

"Is there anyone else we can talk to? His wife, a sibling...? I rather not give information to someone who isn't family."

"His wife is in room 3048, being treated herself. Angela Brown-Jackson."

The nurse looked through her chart, "Ah, yes. She's been transferred to the maternity ward."

"What? Why?" I asked.

"Can't tell you, sir."

I sighed in frustration. "Thanks for your help."

I went back to the closed waiting room where the Jackson family was.

"Well?" Janet asked, making everyone stand up.

Shrugging, I sat down. I would've told them they wanted to give information to a family member, but Mrs. Jackson should be the first one to know.

But that didn't go as planned since the doctor that treated Mr. Jackson walked in, still wearing his bloody scrubs.

"I'm very sorry," he cleared his throat. "But Michael didn't make it. There was too much pressure caused by the aneurysm, which resulted in too much nerve damage. I did everything I could- but as of now, Michael's brain is non-functional. We've put him in a coma so no further damage would be caused."

I rubbed my face as the rest of the family wept.

"Wait," Jermaine said. "Is there any chance he would wake up?"

"If there is any, it's very small. We couldn't detect almost any brain activity. A few waves here and there, but nothing that was certain."

I looked at the Jackson kids who fell asleep. The older kids were on the floor, while the smaller ones lay in the arms of their aunts, uncles, and grandparents.

They would be crushed.

Then it all came down to one person who would take these news in the worst way possible. Mrs. Jackson.

"We should go tell Mrs. Jackson." I told Dr. Moore.

He nodded, following me to the nurses' desk. He simply asked where Mrs. Jackson was and the elderly nurse from before told him.

We walked quietly through the halls of the maternity ward until we reached the room where Angela was.

Nothing could have prepared me for the scene I was about to witness.

And when the doctor gave her the news, all I could do was watch her break down.