From Tracy - a.k.a. Bombwatcher

Ray sat at the table, elbows resting on the hard wood and head resting on his folded hands. He had never felt so helpless. Livy lay upstairs in his parent's bedroom, covered with blankets to try to ward away the chill that had taken over her body. The doctor was now with her.

Glancing to the window, Ray tried to take his mind away from his wife. The snow was falling slower now and the wind was far less fierce. He was thankful that he had been able to find the house and call for help. The rest had happened like a blur.

The hardest part now was waiting.

"Mr. Singleton?"

Ray immediately stood. "Yes, doctor?"

Doctor Williams placed his cloth bag on the kitchen table and looked to the anxious man. He had seen the look of fear mingled with hope before, and he always hated this part of the job the most; taking away the hope, and replacing it with sadness.

"Mr. Singleton ... you're wife is very lucky. Thank God you found her when you did."

Ray nodded slowly and cleared his throat before beginning with a whisper, "I've been doing plenty of that."

"Yes, I'm sure you have."

Taking a deep breath, the Doctor continued.

"Mr. Singleton, I'm afraid I have some very bad news."

Seeing the tears well in the young mans eyes, he motioned to the chair.

"You may want to sit down."

The two did so and the Doctor began relaying to Ray what he knew about Livy's condition.

"You're wife is very lucky to be alive. In fact, if you hadn't found her when you did, there is a very good chance that she would have died. The amount of poison that I found in her system was ... well, horrible."

Ray closed his eyes and placed his folded hands on the table again, his lips moving in silent prayer.

"I was able to remove the majority of the poison and give her several bouts of antiboiotics which will hopefully get rid of the rest on it's own."

Slowly, the young mans eyes opened and he looked to Doctor Williams.

"What about ... what about the baby." His voice was hoarse with emotion.

"I ... I'm afraid your wife ... lost the baby."

Ray gasped for a breath and looked away, unable to comprehend what was happening.

Why? How?

"I'm so very sorry for your loss, Mr. Singleton. But ... but at least your wife is alive."

Ray couldn't speak. He simply nodded and looked at his clasped hands, trying desperately to find a lie to the Doctor's words.

It couldn't be ... "I ... I want to see her."

Doctor Williams nodded.

"You may. Just ... try not to wake her. She is fighting the poison and she'll need all the rest she can get."

Ray stood slowly, unsure of the strength in his legs.

"Thank you, Doctor."

"Mr. Singleton, if anything happens - anything at all, I want you to call me. Immediately."

"Yes, Sir, I will."

Shaking the man's hand, Ray nodded and watched as the Doctor tipped his hat, grabbed his bag from the table and walked to the door.

After hearing it close, Ray turned and walked to the stairs, feeling as though nothing could penetrate the shock that stood around him like the air he breathed.

He wondered what Livy would do when he told her.