Constantine: Britain’s Story Part 2 (Spearhead Lake)

Chapter 21

Britain

I wake up on a stretcher in the back of an ambulance with a stricken, white-faced Liam sitting beside me, practically shaking.

“Hi, ma’am. Looks like you’ve had a fainting spell, okay? We’re on our way to the hospital.You’re gonna be just fine, but your blood pressure is a little low, okay?” I have no way to answer with the oxygen mask covering my face. I motion towards it, and the middle-aged paramedic removes it.

“What’s that, dear?” I can barely form the words, motioning for something, anything.

“I-I’m going to be–” Like a light bulb, the paramedic figures it out, and just in the nick of time. A plastic bag with a clampable rim appears in front of my face when I start retching…again. Liam immediately moves closer to me, pushing hair out of my face so it doesn’t fall into the vomit. Not that much makes its way up. Just more foul, yellow bile.

“This happen often, dear? The fainting?” I look at Liam, then back to the paramedic.

“Just once before.” I drop my gaze, feeling ashamed that somehow this only happens when this man stomps all over my heart. It’s not helping that I’m sick, haven’t eaten, or taken my antibiotics today. Which makes me feel even more shame. I’m not taking care of my body how I should. Silas was right to scold me yesterday. I need to do better.

“Do you remember what happened last time? What caused it?” Liam moves in closer, placing a supportive hand on my thigh and slipping the other into my free hand. I don’t care enough to try and free myself from it right now.

“I passed out, and fell and hit my head. Did I hit my head this time?” I panic, looking from Liam to the paramedic.

Liam finally breaks his silence. “No, you didn’t. I was there to catch you.” At least there’s that small bit of relief. I don’t need to destroy what little semblance of calm that’s been restored by telling him another head injury could aggravate the existing one, causing miscarriage or other problems.

“Oh, okay, good. Well, um, it was brought on by a combination of things last time. I’m anemic,” Liam looks surprised. Yeah bud, you’ve missed a lot. “And I’m pregnant, and under a lot of stress lately…” I trail off, not needing to rehash it.

“I have strep throat. I haven’t eaten since Saturday night. I didn’t take my antibiotic this morning and It’s been a rough start to the day. I’m sure I’m just dehydrated. Do we really think the hospital is necessary?”

“Yes,” Liam and the paramedic both say at the same time. I tilt my head back and close my eyes as the nausea starts again. The only perk of being so distraught last time is I was too distracted for motion sickness. No such luck now, though.

The hour-long drive down the mountain is relatively uneventful. As long as you consider me dry-heaving every ten minutes uneventful. Liam seemed to improve with each mile as I deteriorated, so by the time we get to hospital, I’m begging for a bag of fluids and some pain meds for my throat that has already started hurting again.

After triage, I get hooked up to an IV as Liam paces back and forth at the foot of the bed in the small, curtained room. The nurse looks at me, then him, and asks, “Sir, what’s your relation to the patient?”

“He’s just my–” I don’t get to finish saying “father of my baby” because Liam cuts me off.

“I’m her husband.” My eyes widen in shock and horror, but he gives me a stern look in return, telling me to shut it. Luckily the nurse misses it because they’re focused on getting the fluids hooked up.

“Alright, you’re all set. The attending physician will be in in a bit to check on you, but just a heads up, we’re a bit backed up with all the heat-related illnesses, you know?” I just nod. Sure, whatever. Liam softly thanks the nurse, then comes to sit on the bed facing me. I look over at the chair in the corner that he could’ve taken, but he doesn’t catch the hint, so I lean back and close my eyes.

His hand slips into mine, his fingers threading with my cold ones.

“Jesus, Britain, you’re freezing.”

I shiver slightly. “Yeah, it’s cold in here, but also…” I motion up to the bag.

He just nods, then moves to sit in the bed beside me, covering me with blankets and pulling me into his warm body. Just like the other night. “Sure you want to get this close? I might get you sick.” I don’t say it in jest. There’s part of me that wants him to move, but also that desperate little girl in the back of my mind that wants him to stay. He threads our fingers together again, cementing his position.

“I don’t care.” It’s quiet for a couple minutes before he starts again, “We need to talk, baby.”

I nod, knowing it’s true. I can’t keep having these explosive events every time I see him. “It hurts to talk right now.” Physically and emotionally.

“Then just listen. I’ll talk,” he says. “First, I just want to say I’m sorry. For what I said back at my mom’s. I, uh, implied some really shitty stuff, and I didn’t mean it. I don’t mean it. Just hearing you were with him was hard for me. I did not handle it well.” Same. Yeah, me almost wrecking my car and ending up in a hospital after I saw him with Gina isn’t me handling it well either. I just nod to see if he’ll keep going. And he does.

“I will never lie to you, Britain. I promised you. I know I haven’t been the best, or what you deserve, but I will never lie to you.” I don’t think I can believe him, but I stay quiet to see where this goes. He tells me about the phone conversation and overhearing Matt yell at me. About how he punched Matt and tells him about me screaming his name. I cringe. He tells me about getting the stitches fixed and then drinking half a bottle of scotch on the drive home.

“And I was really wasted, but I am telling you the truth that nothing was going to happen. I had literally just told her to get her shit and get out of my house when you walked in. She was picking up her clothes.”

“I’m not as dumb as I look, Liam.” I rasp out when he pauses.

He takes my face in his hands. “You are not dumb, you don’t look dumb. I’m telling you the truth. I was wasted and acting slow because I was sad and all I could think about was you and Matt having sex.” He searches my face, and then his expression changes with realization. “I’m not him, baby. I promise.” Yeah, the whole fucking your assistant thing hits a little close to home.

I whisper out, “You keep making these promises…”

He nods. “Yep, every single one I intend to follow through on. You want me to fire Gina? Done. You want to go through my phone? No problem. You want access to the Nest cams? Too easy.”

“That’s not how you build trust.” I look up into his eyes — my favorite eyes — and say, “I don't trust you…but I also can’t stop loving you.” He looks like he might cry. I know I am crying.

“How do I regain your trust?”

“Consistent actions over a long period of time.” He pulls me in tighter to him and I close my eyes, relaxing into the embrace.

“Okay. Try and get some sleep, okay?” I nod and drift in and out of sleep for what feels like either hours or three minutes. I wake up to Liam stroking my hair and whispering to me. I keep my eyes closed and try to hear him.

“…and I just wish you had read that letter that night…and I wish I would have never written it, because I wish I would have never left…”

“I read the letter, Liam,” my voice comes out hoarse and faint, his hand freezing in my hair. “Why do you think I showed up at your house today?” He starts moving his hand, stroking my hair, and I drift off again.

I wake up alone, disoriented, and thirsty. So very thirsty. Sitting up in the hospital bed, I look around for my purse, but it’s nowhere. Probably laying on the ground somewhere at Sandy’s house. Jess and the girls are probably worried sick. Fuck, and Damian. He’s probably freaking out. I send him a cryptic text and then go MIA. He’s going to be losing his mind. Where is…someone? Anyone? As I’m about to press the call button, the nurse walks in.

“Well, if it isn’t the queen of darkness! Back so soon!” The joke seems in poor taste.

“Yes, I just love the vibes and the food so much,” I deadpan.

She laughs. “I hope they admit you, you’re fun. Your husband just popped out for some coffee. He told me if you wake up to let you know he’ll be back in five and that he’s already called the girls.” He’s completely shameless telling these people he’s my husband.

“Oh, okay,” I say. Liam called the girls? I try to imagine the conversation. Jen — at least I think it’s Jen; I don’t have a whiteboard in the makeshift curtain room — takes my vitals while someone else comes in to draw blood. A second after they both leave, the attending physician comes in.

“Alright, so let’s see here. You fainted.” It’s not a question, he’s just reading my chart. He mumbles over a few lines, then looks up at me and smiles. “I’m Dr. Lopez, we’re gonna take a quick look at you, alright?” I just nod. He proceeds to look at my throat, “Oh yeah, we’re red back there, aren’t we?”

“I had a strep test yesterday, it was positive. I just forgot to take my antibiotics this morning.”

“Mmkay, that explains the throat, but what about this fainting? You know, it can be common for hormones to cause you to faint when you’re pregnant.” Liam walks in with a cup of coffee in-hand and an armful of snacks from the vending machine. He sets everything down at the end of the bed and then turns to the doctor to introduce himself. As my husband. I roll my eyes.

“So, I was just explaining to your wife that fainting can be common during pregnancy due to hormones that affect blood pressure. This is the second time in a couple months.” He hems and haws for a moment. “Do you have family or anyone that can be with you during the day? We don’t want what happened last time to happen again. I’d say you got lucky this time.” Sure, lucky.

“My daughters live with me…” I trail off. Well, for the next month they will.

Liam interjects, “And obviously me. I’ll be there.” He looks at me sincerely, like he really means it and isn’t just playing the fake husband role to a T.

“I’m gonna put in a call to Dr. Scala, but I’m not too worried about today. I’m going to hit you with some intravenous antibiotics to really kick this infection’s ass, and then you’re good to go. I’ll send the blood results to Silas, alright?” I nod and Liam shakes his hand and says thank you as he leaves.

“We’ve been laying in this bed for six hours, but I knew as soon as I went to get coffee they’d come see you.” He shakes his head, looking disappointed.

He says, “I’m sorry,” at the same time I say, “Well then, thank you,” and he gives me a warm smile.

“You seem a little better after some rest?”

I just nod. “You called the girls?”

“Oh, yeah. I did. Everything’s fine. I told them I’d bring you home tonight, probably.” He looks at the clock that just hit 7:00 P.M. “You hungry? I tried to just grab a little of everything.” I look at the granola bars and bags of chips, none of it very appetizing.

“Hey girl, hey!” Jen pokes her head in through the curtains. “Look what I have for you…” Jen pulls the curtain aside, revealing a tray of assorted ice creams. “I may have stolen these from the break room for you,” she says with a wink.

“Wow, thank you so much.” This time I actually mean it. I look over to Liam’s pile of snacks and Jen does, too.

“Sorry, bud, but ice cream always wins,” she says, patting him on the back, then moves over to add a syringe of antibiotics to my drip.

“That’s alright, as long as she’s happy,” he says with a smile. Once Jen slips back out, Liam sits on the edge of the bed to drink his coffee while I spoon through my assortment of ice creams and Italian ices. He sets the coffee aside a moment later, then starts typing furiously on his phone. When he’s done, he looks up at me.

“So, Sandy and Jim are driving my car here right now. I had them just throw together an overnight bag for me, but I’ll need to go home at some point to get a few more things. Oh, and Sandy made sure to grab your purse for you, too.” Wait, huh?

“I’m not tracking.” I stop eating to stare at him.

“You heard what the doctor said, Britain. I’m not leaving you just to have you faint and get a concussion.”

I shake my head. “That’s super, super unnecessary, Liam. Jess is there, the girls are there. I can always call Alex. Damian’s probably already on his way back. He’s been staying with us, and…and there’s not even enough beds.” Who knew I’d ever be in a scenario to need three guest bedrooms. Unbelievable.

“Well, then everyone could move to Spearhead. With the garage apartment, and the basement, I have enough rooms.” He says it so nonchalantly.

“No, you don’t. You have the garage apartment, and three guest bedrooms. Do you know how to count? Caroline, Elodie, Jess, me, Damian,” I use my fingers to demonstrate, “You’re one short.” He gets a smile on his face.

“No,” I say, shaking my head vehemently.

“How am I going to keep an eye on you at night if we’re not staying in the same room?”

“Liam, be realistic.” He just chuckles, then takes a sip of his coffee.

“I am being serious.” He sets down the coffee, scooting closer to me and taking my hand in his. “Last time this happened, I wasn’t here to take care of you. Just let me do this. I need the both of you to be healthy, okay?” I stare at him a little while longer.

“What about Matthias?” I ask him, gauging his reaction. He flinches. It’s barely perceptible, but I see it. He leans back a little.

“Would you rather Matt move in with you?” No. Not even a little bit. I just shake my head, unable to verbally say it aloud. He nods in response. “Then it’s all worked out. I’ll stay with you at your house tonight, and then we’ll all move up to Spearhead tomorrow.” Uh, no.

“No, I thought you were going to come stay at my house.”

“Well, doesn’t it make more sense for you to come up, what with the girls working for Sandy and everything? And it’s summer, it’s the best time to be at the lake. And Damian can have his own apartment. Or Jess can. Plus, I can have Carly come cook all your favorites, and the girls can go over to Sandy and Jim’s whenever they want.” He’s making some very valid points. The most compelling one being Carly.

“And is Alex welcome over to your house?” I ask warily.

“Yep, he is my brother-in-law after all.” Liam shoots me a wink and I roll my eyes. I feel like somehow, Liam has just tricked me back into his arms…and his bed. But I meant what I said about trust: Consistent actions over a prolonged period. We’ll see how he does.

“Fine, on one condition…” He nods, pushing me on. “You have to convince all of them to move to your house.” I shoot him a smirk. Fat fucking chance that’s going to happen.

All he says is, “Done.” And flashes me back a smile. I get the feeling I’ve just been played. As in “it’s done,” the decision has already been made — before he even asked me, he asked them.

It’s 8:30 P.M. when Liam pulls his Range Rover into the roundabout in front of the hospital while I wait in a wheelchair on the sidewalk. It feels weird. Definitely like déjà vu. I try to push the uneasy feeling away, though, as Liam walks around to the passenger side of his car. He opens the door for me then waits with an outstretched arm like a valet.

When the nurse who wheeled me down passes me off to him, she says, “She’s all yours, now.”

Liam smiles and says, “Yep, she’s all mine.” I roll my eyes. We still have so much to talk about and figure out. As soon as he gets in and buckles up, I plan to make things crystal clear for him.

“None of this means we’re getting back together. We are not together, you know that, right?” He looks at me, just giving a sort of sad smile.

“I know.”

“Okay, good. And we still have a lot of stuff to talk about and figure out, least of which is our relationship.” He just nods. “I don’t even want it to be a discussion, Liam. I have so much going on right now.” I start to feel the stress. Jesus, how weirded out are the girls going to be if we move to Spearhead…with Liam. I know logistically it makes sense, and makes some things easier in regards to doctors appointments and having Liam around to help. But there’s no way they’re going to want to do that. I’m pretty sure they hate him. Jess, too.

Liam slides a hand over to my leg while he drives and…damn him. I hate how good it feels. I hate that I don’t make him move it. I just settle back in the seat and watch the hills flash by as we drive to my house.

When we pull up, it’s dark out, but I can see a couple figures outside, like they’re waiting for us. Elodie is practically bouncing up and down with excitement and I turn to look at Liam, who just gives me a sly smile.

“What’d you have to do?” I ask seriously. I swear, if he bought them cars, I’m going to lose my mind. Liam puts the car in park and I move to open my door, but he stops me.

“Bambi, really?” He gives me the side eye and I concede, sitting back while I wait for him to come open my door.

“Hi, girls!” I call out to them, and Elodie immediately rushes over to me.

“Mom! Are you okay? How are you feeling?” I laugh lightly at her over-eager questions.

“I’m alright, feeling so much better.” Just deathly exhausted, but I can barely finish because she’s talking again.

“Liam got us Taylor Swift tickets!!!” she squeals with barely contained delight. Caroline joins her sister. She’s smiling, but not quite as ecstatically.

Once Liam has his bag, he comes to stand next to me, putting his hand at the small of my back, rubbing the area gently. I try to hide how much the gesture makes me want to melt into a puddle, right here. I’m surprised when Caroline speaks next, directing it towards Liam.

“I just want to say thank you, Liam, for being there for my mom. And also for the tickets, and the hotel…and the Disneyland passes.” Ohh, he went all out. I look at him, looking bashful.

He leans down to whisper in my ear, “I’m not above bribery.” I laugh, and then he guides me into the house with the girls leading the way.