There Must Be A Mistake Ch. 23

"You are an amazing man William. Only four people know about that possibility, and I know two of them have never spoken of it. Thank you my friend, thank you very much."

"I've kept you from your public too long. Say hello Doctor, and get to work. They don't call me the slave driver for nothing."

"It will be my pleasure, I guarantee you."

I waded in to the throngs of people who waited to greet me, and began fearing for Holden's life. I picked him up onto my shoulders. I was quickly relieved of him by one of my agents. I turned and looked into Janice's eyes, and could see the disapproval in them.

She yelled, "One more time and you're going home."

I yelled back, "Over my dead body."

She smiled at me, put her hand in her pocket, and pulled out three syringes, each with a different colored tip.

I said to her, "You are fired."

She laughed. "I owned your ass for two more months and longer if you're not good. Please don't be good."

That shut me up in a hurry."

William got onto the microphone and told everyone it was time to get back to work, and that included the newly resurrected me, Doctor Even Luck.

There was a great cheer at the mention of my name, and everyone filed into the building. Gray waited for me by the door, and we hugged as we walked in together.

"Dad, I can't tell you how many times I've looked at that empty space next to me and wished you were working there. The things you could've solved for me in seconds took me days, or weeks to figure out. I cannot begin to explain how happy I am that you are back."

"That goes for me too dad," Gordon said.

Richard piped in, and said, "Me three dad."

I went to pick Richard up, but remembered my earlier warning from Janice. Therefore, I just ruffled his hair.

"Where do they have you working young man?"

"They have me right next to Gordon dad. At first I was annoying him with all my questions, but now I am working very well on my own."

"Yes he is dad. You should see some of the work he's putting out. You will be very proud of him."

"I am proud of each and every member of my family, because of how they have continued to work magnificently while I was away. Any father would be proud to have you as his sons. I hugged I Gray, Gordon, and Richard, with tears in my eyes.

Then there was this acidic voice behind me. "The four of you have been screwing off long enough, get to work."

No one had to look to see who it was. The edgy part of her voice was enough.

Gray said, "Yes dear."

Gordon said, "Hello preggo," and ran before her leg could reach his body

Richard was not old enough to scare easily. "Hello Delicious, how is your belly doing today?"

"Teddy is doing gymnastics this morning. She's getting ready to pop out anytime now."

"Can I watch when she does?"

"It's all messy and disgusting when she pops out. She's covered with blood and other goop. If you want to watch, it's okay with me, but you have to ask dad for permission."

He looked at me with those big brown eyes, and I punted. "We will have to get permission from your mother. If she says it's okay, it's fine with me."

"Gee dad thanks a lot."

Delicious frowned at me, because she knew what I just did.

"Yes Delicious, even though you are not a son, I'm very proud of you. You are very special to me and you understand why."

"You are so lucky I can't beat the hell out of you. That was the furthest left, of left-handed compliments I have ever received. Not even my husband has gone that far for fear of losing his family jewels, or his life."

"I would miss the first part the most dear."

"I would be very careful of what I ate for dinner tonight DEAR."

"You have to have four more children dear. You can't kill me yet."

"As always you are correct my love. I have to have four more children. No one said who the father had to be."

"I am not going to divorce you, but I will follow you into confession. I will get the names of the men who impregnate you, and make sure their genitals never work again."

"That would be a mortal sin on your soul."

"No, I don't think so. I would be making sure my wife would not be committing adultery with the same man ever again. I would be protecting what is mine according to our marriage contract."

"Gray you are a pain in my ass."

"What a wonderful thought."

"When you talking about now husband?"

"I was just referring to the sentence where you said, "I was a pain in your ass." I could do that, can you?"

I said, "Children cover your ears."

"Deviant."

"Whore."

"I've only been with one man."

"You just said you wanted to be with four more, while still married to me."

"You are a pigheaded bastard."

"I told you years ago to watch that mouth of yours."

"What are you going to do about it?"

"I'm going to wash your mouth out with lye soap, if you continue this behavior."

"I will take my children and leave you."

"I will go into space, and leave you here."

"That is not your decision to make."

I said, "You are absolutely correct Delicious, it's my decision."

"Daddy, you wouldn't dare."

"Watch me."

"Teddy is supposed to go with you. If I keep her with me, the trip will be a disaster."

"You are right again Delicious. Seventy people will die in space, because you are an obstinate bitch. Give me your security passes, I don't want you in this building anymore. You are a disruptive influence."

She handed me her passes with tears in her eyes. I said, with no emotion in my voice, "You can leave now. Your expertise is no longer necessary to this operation."

I lied. I knew she was integral to the success of this operation, but I couldn't let her know it, until she changed her ways.

Her eyes fluttered. "Dad."

"Don't forget to take Newton with you."

My grandson said, "Can I stay with Richard?"

"It's fine with me, but that's a decision for your mother and father to make."

Gray knelt down by his son, and explained, "Mommy doesn't want me in her life anymore. She is going to take you and Teddy away from me. I can't fight with her now, but our lawyers will fight over you later. I will fight very hard to get both of you back into my life. Right now, the best thing for you to do is to go with her. I will try to see you on the weekends. I will have a lawyer by then."

"Don't you love mommy anymore?"

"I think I love her very much, but the way she has been treating me lately, I'm beginning to wonder why I love her."

Delicious turned and ran crying out the building, leaving Newton with Gray. I called security and told them not to leave her alone.

My next call was to Jennifer. I told her storm clouds were forming over the house across the street.

"What did you do to my daughter this time?"

"Honest dear, it wasn't me. It wasn't Gray. She has a bug up her bum, and I don't know what it is. Talk to her for us please. Find out what's bothering her. I am going to need her here soon, but not the way she is. I took away her security cards to show her I was serious."

"You have no idea what's going on with her?"

"You've been in the house with me every time she's come over. Did you notice anything wrong with her?"

"No, she seemed fine to me."

"The same here. I think it's time for some soul-searching. She left without taking Newton, and we told her to take him with her."

"I'm going to walk across the street and sit on her steps until she arrives. I'll see how she reacts when she sees me."

"Good luck dear; don't let her get the first punch in. We have plans for tonight."

"Is sex all you men ever think about?"

"No, we think about food too."

"You are in such trouble when you get home."

"You have work to do, get to it."

************

As they pulled to a stop in front of her house, and Delicious saw her mom sitting on the steps of her home, she was furious. She got out of the SUV, slammed the door, and said, "Go home, I don't want to talk to you."

Jennifer responded, "Great I don't want you to talk either. If you do I will stuffed my fist down your throat for acting like a child. Get in the fucking house, before I have your escorts tie you up like a pig and throw you in it."

"You haven't..."

Jennifer nodded her head, and before Delicious knew what was happening she was on the floor with her legs and arms being tied together behind her back. When she started to scream, a cloth was put into her mouth, and sealed with a piece of tape.

"Gentlemen, would you please deposit my daughter on the kitchen table. I want to insult her, face to face, while I'm sitting down."

In a very unladylike position, they picked up Delicious, and carried her, just inches above the ground, into the house and deposited her on the table.

"Thank you gentlemen, that will be all for now."

"Now Queen Bitch, I am going to talk, and you are going to listen. I'm not sure exactly when it started to happen, but everyone has noticed it. Over the past year and a half, you have regressed to being a 16-year old child, acting on every impulse your heart desires. There are certain times you come back to us as a sweet adult, but most of the time, you are a raving lunatic.

Newton comes to us and asks, "What's wrong with my mommy?"

How many times can we tell him that you are under a great deal of stress? How many times can we tell him it's because of the hormone changes in your body, because you are pregnant? We are tired of lying to him about you. Today you did each of us a favor and blew up in front of him. Gray finally had enough and told your son the truth. 'Mommy doesn't want me in her life anymore.'

When Newton asked him if he didn't love you anymore his answer was true, and perfect for the situation. "I think I love her very much, but the way she's been treating me lately, I'm beginning to wonder why I love her."

Everyone here has been so focused on your father you wouldn't believe anything else would get through. Your relationship with Gray got through loud and clear. Everything Newton would say to Richard, or Holden would come to Even and me. Both of us would speak to Grayson. He was so upset about the situation in his home, he cried. He had no idea what to do, or how to change the dynamics between the two of you.

He told us when he arrived home the first thing he would do is hold you, kiss you, and tell you how lovely you looked. He never said an unkind word. When he was home, he took care of Newton, and let you do whatever you felt like doing. He would rub your feet and your back, while you were in bed and anything else you liked him to do to ease the stress on your body. He tried to be the best husband he could be, but nothing seemed to work. You were always a bitch, and he couldn't change it no matter how hard he tried.

When you showed up at the main building, you always had an edge on your voice. Everyone has treated you with deference not wanting to set you off. It was as if they were walking on eggshells, when you were there.

You were lucky you never walked into William, or Stephano. They would have spoken with your father first, but if he could not rectify the situation, they would have fired you.

You are very important to the success of this project, but you are not irreplaceable. It may take two, three, or possibly four people to do your job, but they would hire them in order to keep a harmonious workplace, and get rid of you."

"You are rich, why don't you go back to Maine and start your life over again. You can show all those poor people up there that you've made it in the big leagues. You can hang your patent on the wall, and show all the high school students that made fun of you how smart you are.

You can tell them you went your marriage bed a virgin, and they all missed out on it because they bought your act as being a diseased slut. You can show them pictures of your wedding, and tell them you own half a railroad. You are in the big time, while they are all piddly little people, working in insignificant jobs. It's what you're doing now to all the people here working on our spacecraft, and we don't want you anymore.

Let me change that. We want the woman we used to have; the great scientist, the loving woman, the great wife, and the wonderful mother. If you can give us that back, you can stay. If you can't, get your divorce, and leave. I will tell you one thing; you better get one hell of an attorney. William will get Gray the best divorce attorney living. There will be no one testifying in your behalf. They will be telling the truth about your behavior, and your actions. When your trial is over, Gray will have permanent custody of the children, and you may be living in a mental institution for a very long time."

"Would you like to say something now?"

Delicious nodded her head rapidly.

Jennifer pulled the tape off her mouth, and the handkerchief out of it.

Delicious screamed, "Teddy, there's something wrong with Teddy."

"This doesn't change anything."

"Get help, something is wrong with Teddy."

Two agents rushed into the house, and cut her bonds.

They picked up Delicious up, rushed her to the waiting vehicle, and sped off towards the hospital.

In seconds everyone at the main building new what was happening.

Even saw Janice coming at him with a needle.

"Janice, so help me God, I will kill you if you try to stick me with that thing."

"I will take your readings when we get to the hospital. If they are out of whack, you are going to sleep just as you kill me."

"Agreed."

****************

The ER was ready for her, when she was pushed through the doors. A baby monitor was put on her stomach, while intravenous lines were introduced into Delicious wrists.

Doctor Finch listened, and looked at the readouts from the baby monitor.

"I need a sonogram now. Get an OR ready for an emergency C-section."

I walked into the ER holding Newton by one hand and Richard in the other.

Newton said, "Grandpa, Teddy has a rope caught around her neck."

I went over to Doctor Finch. "Don't wait for the sonogram. Teddy has her cord wrapped around her neck. She's choking on it."

"How do you know sir?"

"Doc, Teddy has the cord wrapped around her neck. Take care of it now."

Doctor Finch didn't wait. "Let's go people, OR 2 now."

Delicious looked forlorn as they pulled her out of the cubicle, and moved her past us. As she was passing Gray, and he didn't make a move to touch her, or wish her well, she yelled his name.

He stood there like a stone, until every man and woman within reach was beating the shit out of him. He finally got the message.

He was by her side as they were turning through the double doors.

Janice said, "Your arm Doctor, or your neck? Please fight with me."

I sat in a chair and stuck my arm out.

Jennifer sat next to me, and grinned. "Janice, you've done a wonderful job of training him."

"I don't think it's me so much as it is Hannah. The Doc is no fun anymore."

She put the little thingy on my finger to check my blood oxygen absorption rate, took my blood pressure, and checked my pulse. She put her weapons back into their cases, checked my carotid arteries, and my eyes. When she was finished, she looked at my beloved wife and said, "Shit, he's fine."

I sprung out of my chair, grabbed her, and began dancing around the emergency room.

Jennifer was laughing like crazy.

I looked at her and said, "What's your problem lady?"

"Doctor Luck, I guess you forgot you can't dance. No one here will ever forget what you just did."

I looked around the room, and everyone, healthy, sick, or visiting, were looking at the crazy person that made an ass out of himself in a display of euphoric happiness. Oh well, SHIT HAPPENS!

****************

"Grandpa, I can't hear Teddy anymore. Is she going be all right?"

"Do you remember how you told Holden that the asteroid was going to miss the earth and why."

"Yes, it was going to miss us, because we are leaving in December, and it is going to get here in July."

"Newton, who is going to take over from me?"

My grandson smiled. "Teddy is; she's going to be fine. Thank you grandpa."

"The reason you can't hear Teddy now, is because her mommy has been given an anesthetic, which puts her to sleep. It may have put Teddy to sleep also. She will be waking up soon. I hope she doesn't start talking as soon as she comes out."

"Teddy can only talk to me, at least only for a little time longer."

"It will be fun to see what she says when she can speak to everyone."

*****************

"It is definitely a girl Mrs. and Mister Thyme. You didn't get here a second too soon. She had the cord wrapped around her neck twice, and that is very unusual. I am not an obstetrician, but I've read up on these, and most do not come out with a happy ending. I'm very glad this one did. How early is she?"

"She wasn't due for five more weeks Doctor."

"Isabel, what does she weigh?"

"Do you want to know about her mouth or her body?"

"Be nice Isabel her parents are here."

"She is 4 lbs. 4 oz. and 16 inches long. Her mouth registers 96 dbs."

Gray said, "Close, but not as big as her mother's."

He wondered why he did not get hit, and when he looked at Delicious, he saw she was looking away from him, and crying.

He leaned down and whispered into her ear, "Why?

"Mom told me what I've turned into, and I don't like me. I won't inflict that person on anyone I love. They will start hating me, as much as I hate being me. I will be leaving Temple, and I will be moving back home to Maine.

You can have both kids. You are great father, and a wonderful husband. You deserve someone so much better than I turned out to be. I will have a lawyer contact you so we can divorce easily.

When Teddy is ready to go home you pick her up, I will be gone.

If you would tell everyone downstairs that I am fine, but I don't want any company I would appreciate it. Goodbye Gray."

"I have no say in your plans at all? You are throwing my marriage out the window, because you are feeling sorry for yourself?"

"Excuse me, I know this is a bad time, but we have to take Mrs. Thyme to her room."

Gray asked, "Have you put all the knives away?"

"Not yet, we have several we haven't put in the sterilizer yet."

"Are you in a hurry to put them in the sterilizer?"

"Not really, we still have to clean up OR 3. That will take us 20 minutes or so. Just make sure the knife is in the same place when you bring it back."

"I'll be sure to do that thank you."

***************

As they finished setting her up in room 369, Gray walked back into the room.

"I told everyone that you were fine but didn't want any company. I said they could go see the baby, but to please honor your wishes and leave you alone.

Your father looked at me for a long time. Then he said, "She's running away isn't she?"

When I said, "Yes," his body slumped, and his color visibly changed. Janice had a needle in his neck an instant later. They have him in a room downstairs under observation. The people that were here to care for you are with him now.

I was going to fight for you. I was going to fight like hell to keep the four of us together. If you needed help, I was going to get you the best. If you needed to get away from us for a while, I was going to send you anywhere you wanted to go. Whatever you needed, I was willing to try it to save our marriage, because I love you so.

I remember the day I first saw you and I knew you were the one. I just knew it. I knew it was going to be a brutal beginning, and it was. After we got married everything was wonderful, I couldn't have asked God for anything more than you. You weren't perfect, but neither was I. However, we made one hell of the team. You are the only person I knew who could burn water, and then go into the lab and make use of it.

I've never known anyone, man or woman, smarter than you are. If you ask anyone to explain how your gravity engines work they still shake their heads when they walk away. When you start talking about your Ion/H2 engines, the best physicists in the world don't understand how a 17-year-old girl came up with that concept, without having access to a computer the size of a football field and the power to run it.