Times change...people shouldn't, chapter 26
"Oh shit." Billie muttered jogging over to Brooke as he wrapped one arm around her back and the other under her stomach while he helped her out of the puddle her baby had caused.
"No but we still have like a m-month!" Joey stuttered still in shock as to what was all going on around him at once.
"Well tell your daughter that!" Brooke shouted gripping onto Billie's hand tightly as her first contraction ripped throughout her body.
"Ow! Easy Brooke, im not the one who did this to ya'." Billie said referring to his hand that was now turning purple.
"Sorry."
Billie, being the only "experienced" one in this situation then took over. "Ok Joey grab the keys and come with me to the car. Jimmy, um, oh fuck it all just come with us and I don't want to hear a goddamn word outta your mouth got it?" he said pointing a stern finger at him.
Jimmy nodded helplessly as he got up and followed the group outside, into the car and to the hospital.
***
About an hour later the needed phone calls had been made and Brooke had been set up in her room while the rest of Green Day and Adrienne waited anxiously outside.
Joey sat quietly next to Brooke looking for the right words to explain himself to her. Just as he was about to open his mouth, Brooke opened hers.
"Joey, I know about what happened between you and Ramona." she said as breathed heavily through the pain.
"Brooke I didn't mean it. I didn't mean it!" Joey said lunging out of his chair and holding her hand tight as he hid his face in her neck.
"I know, baby, I know. I don't really have a right to be mad at you because I did the same thing to you with Jimmy. I forgive you for cheating on me." Brooke paused as she blinked tears out of her eyes before she continued with sadness in her voice and she gave up on trying not to cry. "But I don't forgive you for lying to me. You sat here and looked me in the eye and promised me nothing happened. How could you Joey? I-I can't forgive you for that." she admitted with her heart breaking inside of her as she pulled her hand out of Joey's.
"No!" he shouted getting up "That's not fair!"
"Life isn't fair Joe! I still love you, I love you so much but it's going to be a while before I can..ah...trust you again." she struggled to say as the time for the baby to arrive neared.
"So your not breaking up with me?" Joey said hopefully.
Brooke shook her head slowly.
"Brooke I love you, I'm so sorry I really am. I'll do anything for you." he said overwhelmed as he hugged onto her body tight through all the chords from iv's and monitors.
"You can start by coming down here and having this baby for me." She tried to joke through her pain.
"Anything but that." Joey smiled as he kissed her temple and sat down right next to her while they waited for the doctor to come back in.
"You know it's not fair, you guys have all the fun. You moan, thrust, and repeat and we're the ones that carry around a fucking kid for 9 months and then go through this to get it here." she said while she played with Joey's hands within her's.
"I know babe but I'll make it up to you after all this is done. I promise." he said with a cheeky grin.
"How?" Brooke asked curiously as she tried to sit up when they both saw the door swing open and the doctor enter.
Joey smiled yet another devilish smile and tucked some stray hair behind her ear before he lowered his lips to her ear to whisper "by moaning, thrusting, and repeating."
She giggled and playfully shoved him just before her doctor began to speak, setting her chart at the foot of the bed.
"Well Brooke things are looking ok, but you have to realize the baby is still considered premature and we could run into problems at any given time. I'm going to have you start to push now so Mr. Armstrong if you would like to go tell your family and friends outside the details, you should go now." The short, middle aged, cheery doctor said as the surrounding 2 nurses helped her put the brightly colored blue smock and hair net, gloves, and set up the table for the newborn to be cleaned and wrapped.
"No, I'm going to stay with Brooke. I'll tell them everything later." Joey insisted as he too was forced to put on the mandatory blue smock. He looked down at Brooke who's expression was nervous and fearful of what was to come.
"You'll be ok." he comforted as he held her hand tight.
Brooke only nodded as she gripped Joey's hand with all her might and pushed.
***
"Once more Brooke." The doctor encouraged to a worn out and now very pissed off Brooke.
"Shut up!!" she snapped as she reluctantly pushed one more time, but this time heard the doctor's voice filled with happiness. "It's a girl!"
"You did it, babe," Joey said happily as he reached down and kissed her lips quickly.
But Brooke's expression was still filled with worry "Joey...the baby. Why didn't I hear her cry?" she said frantically as a nurse rushed over and tried to put an oxygen mask over her mouth. "Get away from me!" she demanded as she tossed her head back and forth and gripped onto the bottom of Joey's shirt. "Joey! I want to know what's wrong with my baby! Why didn't she cry?" she begged looking up at him hopelessly.
"I d-don't know baby." Joey said slowly as he was now realizing he didn't hear a cry either. He slowly slipped his hand out of her's and walked over to see what was going on but only saw their small infant's body being placed in an incubator and wheeled out of the room in a mad dash.
"Where are they taking her?!" Joey demanded to know from a nearby nurse who finally got Brooke to calm down.
"Mr. Armstrong you daughter is a month premature, it's not much but still. She isn't breathing and her heart beat is irregular. There is a possible risk of an infection spreading throughout her body and her being too small to fight it off. But I promise we are going to do all we can. Now, if you would please excuse me." she said before she quickly excused herself from the room.
Brooke laid there motionless and expressionless.
"Brooke." Joey said slowly walking over to her.
"Do you know what it's like to carry a baby inside of you for 9 months, make preparations, and wait for her to come. And when she is finally here, someone tells you that you might go home without a baby?" She asked as tears flowed down her face and her green eyes went gray.
"It will be ok Brooke I promise. Kali is coming home..don't worry." Joey said as more of a comfort to himself rather than Brooke as he hugged her tightly.
Just then Adrienne and Billie Joe came bursting into the room.
"We saw them wheel her out of here and to the NICU. What the hell is going on?" Adrienne asked as she took Joey's place of hugging Brooke.
"She-She might not make it. She's so small and she wasn't breathing." Joey choked out as he slouched into a chair and buried his head in his hands.
Billie looked over to his wife to see what to say at his loss for words but she only gave him the same expression back.
There was nothing more they could do but sit, wait, and pray that she would be ok.
***
2 days had passed and Brooke was kept for observations and Kali was clinging to life by monitors and respirators.
If none of this had been going on they would be out right now enjoy the perfect day. The warm mid-day sun shined through the window of Brooke's private room and heated up Brooke's cold feet.
All she did was sit alone in her room holding a small cloth toy that they had brought for the baby and look out the window. When she wasn't alone in her room, her and Joey would go down to the infant's intensive care unit and spend time with Kali. They weren't allowed to take her out of her incubator and were forced to reach their arms into the small holes it had in it for just this purpose.
And today, that was where they could both be found. Looking over the small, helpless baby they created.
"She's so beautiful." Brooke muttered to Joey as she grazed her daughter's soft thin hair.
"I know. She's perfect." He said joining Brooke in stroking her small frame.
Kali really was beautiful too. She had a decent amount of straight redish/brown hair on top of her lightly colored scalp from Billie's original hair color and intoxicating, deep blue eyes. It must be a recessive gene because both Brooke and Joey's eyes glowed green.
"Brooke why don't you go sit down for a while, you haven't slept in days." Joey said gently as he tried to lead her away.
"No. I'm fine." she said quietly, staying firmly planted in her spot.
"I'm going to grab something to eat down at the cafeteria ok? I'll be right back." Joey said as he kissed her cheek cautiously and left.
He quietly padded to the elevator and made his way to the caff. The food wasn't great but it was eatable, and he wasn't about to leave the hospital all together and leave Brooke and Kali alone, it was out of the question to him. So he had been living off this for the time being.
He got on the line and stood there patently until he felt a gentle tap on his shoulder and turned around.
"Hey Joey." Ramona said meekly.
"Oh hey Ray." he sighed running his hand through his hair that need to be re-dyed as his brown hair roots were starting to come through his black dyed head.
"Listen we need to talk." she said pulling him off the line and to empty table.
"Yeah I know about that night.." he said trailing off and sitting in his chair.
"It's ok Joe. It was kinda my fault, you didn't really know what you were doing, I did. That's why when I found out I was pregnant I got an abortion." she said bluntly playing with a small ring that was on her finger.
"...what?" Joey said awe struck as he picked his jaw back up off the floor.
"I found out a few days ago and had it done A.S.A.P, you love Brooke you don't love me. We can't have a baby together that wasn't meant to be to begin with. I made the decision to sleep with you and I take responsibility for it. I didn't even think about a condom at the time and you were so high it would have been pointless to ask. I'm really sorry Joey. I just wanted you to know. I have to go now, I'll see you later ok?" Ramona said standing up easily and giving him a friendly kiss on the cheek goodbye.
Joey sat there processing the information that was given to him and put his head down on the table and sighed. There was nothing he could do at this point, Ramona was right, she said it all.
"I have to start thinking with my head and not my dick." he muttered to himself as he got up, grabbed an apple and went to go see his baby.
"No but we still have like a m-month!" Joey stuttered still in shock as to what was all going on around him at once.
"Well tell your daughter that!" Brooke shouted gripping onto Billie's hand tightly as her first contraction ripped throughout her body.
"Ow! Easy Brooke, im not the one who did this to ya'." Billie said referring to his hand that was now turning purple.
"Sorry."
Billie, being the only "experienced" one in this situation then took over. "Ok Joey grab the keys and come with me to the car. Jimmy, um, oh fuck it all just come with us and I don't want to hear a goddamn word outta your mouth got it?" he said pointing a stern finger at him.
Jimmy nodded helplessly as he got up and followed the group outside, into the car and to the hospital.
***
About an hour later the needed phone calls had been made and Brooke had been set up in her room while the rest of Green Day and Adrienne waited anxiously outside.
Joey sat quietly next to Brooke looking for the right words to explain himself to her. Just as he was about to open his mouth, Brooke opened hers.
"Joey, I know about what happened between you and Ramona." she said as breathed heavily through the pain.
"Brooke I didn't mean it. I didn't mean it!" Joey said lunging out of his chair and holding her hand tight as he hid his face in her neck.
"I know, baby, I know. I don't really have a right to be mad at you because I did the same thing to you with Jimmy. I forgive you for cheating on me." Brooke paused as she blinked tears out of her eyes before she continued with sadness in her voice and she gave up on trying not to cry. "But I don't forgive you for lying to me. You sat here and looked me in the eye and promised me nothing happened. How could you Joey? I-I can't forgive you for that." she admitted with her heart breaking inside of her as she pulled her hand out of Joey's.
"No!" he shouted getting up "That's not fair!"
"Life isn't fair Joe! I still love you, I love you so much but it's going to be a while before I can..ah...trust you again." she struggled to say as the time for the baby to arrive neared.
"So your not breaking up with me?" Joey said hopefully.
Brooke shook her head slowly.
"Brooke I love you, I'm so sorry I really am. I'll do anything for you." he said overwhelmed as he hugged onto her body tight through all the chords from iv's and monitors.
"You can start by coming down here and having this baby for me." She tried to joke through her pain.
"Anything but that." Joey smiled as he kissed her temple and sat down right next to her while they waited for the doctor to come back in.
"You know it's not fair, you guys have all the fun. You moan, thrust, and repeat and we're the ones that carry around a fucking kid for 9 months and then go through this to get it here." she said while she played with Joey's hands within her's.
"I know babe but I'll make it up to you after all this is done. I promise." he said with a cheeky grin.
"How?" Brooke asked curiously as she tried to sit up when they both saw the door swing open and the doctor enter.
Joey smiled yet another devilish smile and tucked some stray hair behind her ear before he lowered his lips to her ear to whisper "by moaning, thrusting, and repeating."
She giggled and playfully shoved him just before her doctor began to speak, setting her chart at the foot of the bed.
"Well Brooke things are looking ok, but you have to realize the baby is still considered premature and we could run into problems at any given time. I'm going to have you start to push now so Mr. Armstrong if you would like to go tell your family and friends outside the details, you should go now." The short, middle aged, cheery doctor said as the surrounding 2 nurses helped her put the brightly colored blue smock and hair net, gloves, and set up the table for the newborn to be cleaned and wrapped.
"No, I'm going to stay with Brooke. I'll tell them everything later." Joey insisted as he too was forced to put on the mandatory blue smock. He looked down at Brooke who's expression was nervous and fearful of what was to come.
"You'll be ok." he comforted as he held her hand tight.
Brooke only nodded as she gripped Joey's hand with all her might and pushed.
***
"Once more Brooke." The doctor encouraged to a worn out and now very pissed off Brooke.
"Shut up!!" she snapped as she reluctantly pushed one more time, but this time heard the doctor's voice filled with happiness. "It's a girl!"
"You did it, babe," Joey said happily as he reached down and kissed her lips quickly.
But Brooke's expression was still filled with worry "Joey...the baby. Why didn't I hear her cry?" she said frantically as a nurse rushed over and tried to put an oxygen mask over her mouth. "Get away from me!" she demanded as she tossed her head back and forth and gripped onto the bottom of Joey's shirt. "Joey! I want to know what's wrong with my baby! Why didn't she cry?" she begged looking up at him hopelessly.
"I d-don't know baby." Joey said slowly as he was now realizing he didn't hear a cry either. He slowly slipped his hand out of her's and walked over to see what was going on but only saw their small infant's body being placed in an incubator and wheeled out of the room in a mad dash.
"Where are they taking her?!" Joey demanded to know from a nearby nurse who finally got Brooke to calm down.
"Mr. Armstrong you daughter is a month premature, it's not much but still. She isn't breathing and her heart beat is irregular. There is a possible risk of an infection spreading throughout her body and her being too small to fight it off. But I promise we are going to do all we can. Now, if you would please excuse me." she said before she quickly excused herself from the room.
Brooke laid there motionless and expressionless.
"Brooke." Joey said slowly walking over to her.
"Do you know what it's like to carry a baby inside of you for 9 months, make preparations, and wait for her to come. And when she is finally here, someone tells you that you might go home without a baby?" She asked as tears flowed down her face and her green eyes went gray.
"It will be ok Brooke I promise. Kali is coming home..don't worry." Joey said as more of a comfort to himself rather than Brooke as he hugged her tightly.
Just then Adrienne and Billie Joe came bursting into the room.
"We saw them wheel her out of here and to the NICU. What the hell is going on?" Adrienne asked as she took Joey's place of hugging Brooke.
"She-She might not make it. She's so small and she wasn't breathing." Joey choked out as he slouched into a chair and buried his head in his hands.
Billie looked over to his wife to see what to say at his loss for words but she only gave him the same expression back.
There was nothing more they could do but sit, wait, and pray that she would be ok.
***
2 days had passed and Brooke was kept for observations and Kali was clinging to life by monitors and respirators.
If none of this had been going on they would be out right now enjoy the perfect day. The warm mid-day sun shined through the window of Brooke's private room and heated up Brooke's cold feet.
All she did was sit alone in her room holding a small cloth toy that they had brought for the baby and look out the window. When she wasn't alone in her room, her and Joey would go down to the infant's intensive care unit and spend time with Kali. They weren't allowed to take her out of her incubator and were forced to reach their arms into the small holes it had in it for just this purpose.
And today, that was where they could both be found. Looking over the small, helpless baby they created.
"She's so beautiful." Brooke muttered to Joey as she grazed her daughter's soft thin hair.
"I know. She's perfect." He said joining Brooke in stroking her small frame.
Kali really was beautiful too. She had a decent amount of straight redish/brown hair on top of her lightly colored scalp from Billie's original hair color and intoxicating, deep blue eyes. It must be a recessive gene because both Brooke and Joey's eyes glowed green.
"Brooke why don't you go sit down for a while, you haven't slept in days." Joey said gently as he tried to lead her away.
"No. I'm fine." she said quietly, staying firmly planted in her spot.
"I'm going to grab something to eat down at the cafeteria ok? I'll be right back." Joey said as he kissed her cheek cautiously and left.
He quietly padded to the elevator and made his way to the caff. The food wasn't great but it was eatable, and he wasn't about to leave the hospital all together and leave Brooke and Kali alone, it was out of the question to him. So he had been living off this for the time being.
He got on the line and stood there patently until he felt a gentle tap on his shoulder and turned around.
"Hey Joey." Ramona said meekly.
"Oh hey Ray." he sighed running his hand through his hair that need to be re-dyed as his brown hair roots were starting to come through his black dyed head.
"Listen we need to talk." she said pulling him off the line and to empty table.
"Yeah I know about that night.." he said trailing off and sitting in his chair.
"It's ok Joe. It was kinda my fault, you didn't really know what you were doing, I did. That's why when I found out I was pregnant I got an abortion." she said bluntly playing with a small ring that was on her finger.
"...what?" Joey said awe struck as he picked his jaw back up off the floor.
"I found out a few days ago and had it done A.S.A.P, you love Brooke you don't love me. We can't have a baby together that wasn't meant to be to begin with. I made the decision to sleep with you and I take responsibility for it. I didn't even think about a condom at the time and you were so high it would have been pointless to ask. I'm really sorry Joey. I just wanted you to know. I have to go now, I'll see you later ok?" Ramona said standing up easily and giving him a friendly kiss on the cheek goodbye.
Joey sat there processing the information that was given to him and put his head down on the table and sighed. There was nothing he could do at this point, Ramona was right, she said it all.
"I have to start thinking with my head and not my dick." he muttered to himself as he got up, grabbed an apple and went to go see his baby.
