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〃No； she didn't；〃 Micki replied。 〃She was on the phone for a while； trying to reach her husband； and then she had to use the can。 We were both pretty starved。〃
〃Uh…huh；〃 Melissa said； nodding to herself。 〃Her blood sugar's way down。〃
Micki looked at her worriedly。 〃Is she going to be okay？〃
Melissa smiled。 〃Yeah； she'll be fine。 This kind of thing happens a lot。 I have to check with her physician； but offhand I'd say we give her some ginger ale to get her blood sugar back up； let her rest； get an hour of good readout； and we can send her home。 He might want to have her in tomorrow； though。 Do a full sonogram； just to be safe。〃
〃You mean her doctor won't e in today？〃 Micki asked； a little shocked。
〃Are you kidding？〃 Smiling。 〃This is NFL playoff day； Eagles against the Giants。 Like I care； right？〃 Rolling her eyes。 〃Half the doctors on this staff are at home with their pagers turned off。 You could cure cancer and they wouldn't want to know about it until after six。〃
Micki smiled。
〃Oh； well；〃 Melissa said； politely excusing herself。 〃Make yourself fortable。 I have a call to make。〃
Micki nodded； and thanked her。 She set off down the hall； heading for a phone。 She had a couple of calls to make herself。
A local one to Gary。
And the other； a very long…distance one indeed。
Gwen laid back and listened to the syncopated white noise that marked the life of her child。 The paper tongue grew longer by the minute。 The little LED heart flashed reassuringly with every beat： hypnotic； lulling。
She stared at it for a long time； afraid to take her eyes away； as if the eternal vigilance were any defense at all。 The room was warm and dark； womblike in effect。 The leaky sink in the bathroom kept up a steady drip 。。。 drip 。。。 drip。
Gwen lay there； unable to sleep； unable to stay awake。
Until eventually simple exhaustion carried her to a state somewhere in between 。。。
A solitary droplet of water； sailing down： a shining； innocent orb。 Atoms held together by ironclad molecular bonds； spinning through space like a jewel； a perfect crystal ball。
The drop fell through a hollowed cathedral of flesh； passed ribs rising up like buttresses； falling toward a still black pool below。
It struck the surface； sending up a spray like a tiny crown； a spray that stayed up； became something not solid and not liquid but other； like a puncture on the surface on the pool。
And from within： the beating of wings。
The hand came next： baby fingers； curled into a fist。 It rose from the wound in the water as if holding a prize。
Slowly the fingers uncurled； revealing a wasp。
It unfurled its wings and took of； flying up into shadows。
Then came a torrent of tiny buzzing bodies。 Spilling through the hole； swarming around the arm。 Filling the empty spaces with an angry insect chorus； rising like stinging angels into the vaulted darkness above 。。。
Heading for the beating heart 。。。
〃Oh God！！〃 Gwen cried； lurching awake。 〃No！〃
She sat up with a start。 Beside her； the fetal monitor was thudding arrhythmically； its numerical LED display jumping and falling； the little heart flashing on and off。 On and off。
On 。。。
。。。 and off。
Melissa had just gotten off the phone with Gwen's doctor。 He agreed with her prognosis entirely； enough so that he felt no major need to see her before Monday。 It was a consideration that clearly owed more to gameside than bedside manner。
She was just ing back with the ginger ale when she heard the first scream。
Melissa burst through the door and beelined straight for Gwen； who lay fetally clutching herself like a woman hugging a medicine ball。 The monitor's warning light fired up； flashing BASELINE PRESSURE OFF SCALE。 The alarm was going off； a nerve…wrenching metallic buzz as the digital readout flashed 158 。。。 140 。。。
Then nothing。
〃Shit；〃 Melissa muttered。 She grabbed the tongue of paper； traced the point where the peaks dropped off。
〃Where's Spike？〃 Gwen cried。
〃Don't worry；〃 Melissa said。 〃It just slipped。〃 She moved the disk； diligently searching。 The sensor plate on the sonogram scraped across the surface of her skin； filling the air with a rumbling white noise； finding nothing。
〃Where IS he？〃 Gwen wrenched； and the disk popped off pletely。
The graph flat…lined。
And the two women began a war of wills。
For Gwen； it was the breaking straw。 A distant；
reasonable part of her brain insisted that the nurse was right； there was a perfectly good explanation for all of it。 It was steamrollered into oblivion by the howling inchoate part that knew beyond all shadow of doubt that something was wrong； her baby was dead and her dreams had died with it； a little sleeping corpse floating inside her； sleeping forever 。。。
〃Hold still； dammit！〃 Melissa said sharply。
〃He's dead！〃 Gwen's hysteria came rolling back。 〃Oh god； he's dead！〃
〃No； he isn't！〃
Melissa's mind was much simpler on the matter。 She pletely refused to accept it。 Babies didn't slip away like that； just drop off the meter like an unchained anchor。 There was almost always a downward slide； and the lack of it on the graph told her it had simply moved； that there was still life in there somewhere。
She just couldn't find it； somehow。
The Taylor woman was losing it fast。 They'd have to sedate her if she didn't level out。 〃Please； you've got to be still！〃 Melissa said； searching with a methodical desperation。
She glanced at her watch。 One minute and counting。 One more and she'd worry； but not until then。 She knew what kind of prenatal gymnastics a fetus could perform； flipping head over heels； changing sides pletely in an eyeblink； damn near anything。
The sensor scratched。 She pressed down hard。
And something pressed back。
Harder。
〃Whoa；〃 Melissa said； watching the surface of Gwen Taylor's ballooning belly distend。 For an instant she could practically see the outline of the child pushing outward in stark； fleshy relief。
Then it receded； and Melissa found her mark。
〃Gotcha！〃 she said； pressing the disk down。
The alarm at last shut off； a loud； steady thudding taking its place。 On the display； the little heart lit up like a prize。
〃You see？ I told you！〃 She steadied Gwen with her one hand and pressed the disk down with her other； making sure that the message got through。 〃Look！ Look！〃
Gwen stopped bawling and looked： sure enough； the heartbeat was there。 She held her breath and listened as the rhythm stayed； rock…steady。
〃He's there；〃 Gwen whispered； the storm clouds abating inside her。 〃He's really there。〃 She smiled a little； laughing through the tears。
While Melissa； relieved； wiped a tear from her smiling eyes。
〃I told you；〃 she said。
Twenty…Five
Gary and Laura sat before the monitor； two different sides of the very same coin。
Gary was in his chair at the console； keeping calm by keeping his attention focused on the technical aspects of the matter at hand。 Laura chain…smoked beside him； a dreadful exhilaration making her features flush and her body tight as an overwound sprin