Chapter 40：Running

"Well, well..it lives." Jones muttered from behind his newspaper. He was sitting alone at the breakfast table when Jordan trudged in.

"Shut up Jones." Jordan grumbled as he opened the fridge and poured himself a glass of water.

"Rough night? Or should I say morning..actually it's afternoon now." Jones frowned and stared at his Apple watch.

"How did we even get home?" Jordan slipped onto the high stool and groaned, clutching his head.

"How much do you remember?" He closed the paper, carefully folding it before placing on the island.

"I- I'm blank.."

"Ok let me bring you up to speed about your careless behavior-"

"No! I'm not in the mood for lectures-"

"You put your life in danger! You and Lana!" Jones burst out.

"Don't you think you're being overly dramatic?" Jordan drained his second glass of water in seconds and burped without apology.

"I found you and Lana huddled together on the floor in the restrooms of a public venue. Thankfully you were both fully clothed. Otherwise I can only imagine what would have happened if someone had walked in and -"

"Yeah, yeah. I've heard it all before so you can spare me the pep talk okay?"

Jones's nagging was beginning to work on his nerves so he decided to extract himself from this conversation before he cracked.

"Anyone could have walked in there and it would have been a total disaster. They could have done anything to you-"

"But that's why you get a heft paycheck every other freakin' month! So stop whining and just do your job!" He slammed his glass on the black granite and stormed out of the room.

"Your jet leaves in an hour!" Jones called out to Jordan's retreating back.

Jordan made his way back up the stairs and was about to rant to Lana when he noticed she wasn't in their king-size bed. He went to the bathroom to check on her and found her passed out on the bathroom floor.

"Lana!" He rushed over and knelt beside her, cradling her head on his chest. "Lana! Can you hear me?"

"Hmmm.." she groaned. He lifted her off the floor and carried her back into the bedroom, laying her on the bed. She was slowly coming around and kept groaning softly.

"What happened?" Jordan asked, his handsome face etched with concern.

"I blacked out..I guess.."

"We're going to get dressed and then I'm taking you to the ER. Okay?"

"No. I'm okay. Really.." She tried to reassure him but he wasn't convinced.

"Sorry, Bambi but I'm not taking any chances." He said as he slipped on a t-shirt and sweatpants. "Do you need help getting dressed?"

"No, I think I can manage." She sat at the edge of the bed and recollected herself.

Jones insisted on driving them to the hospital and was equally concerned about Lana. He lectured them on the way about over-indulgence and Jordan, unable to contain himself any longer, snapped at him again.

The doctor told them to go to the Waiting Room or cafeteria while he examined Lana. They opted for the latter.

"I hope it's nothing serious doctor," Lana was apprehensive when he came back with the test results.

"Well, actually it could be some good news..or bad.." He gave her a friendly smile. "Congratulations Mrs Carter-you're pregnant."

"What?!" Any color that was left in Lana's face was immediately drained. "It can't be-I'm on the pill.."

"Your blood test showed high contents of alcohol so sometimes it can affect the process. Plus I'm afraid the test confirmed it. You are a little over 12 weeks. We can arrange for an ultrasound if you like?" He informed her. "I can refer you to a good OB and you can call her to set up an appointment. The sooner the better."

"Okay..thanks, doctor." Lana didn't know whether to cry or laugh.

"I can see you are a bit overwhelmed so I'll go and get your husband." The doctor patted her hand and left her alone to drown in her thoughts.

"Doctor-is my wife okay?"

"Yes, Mr Carter-I guess congratulations are in order-you're going to be a father." The doctor shook his hand with a smile.

"What?!" Jordan's arctic eyes were as wide as saucers.

"You can go through to see her, she seems a bit disoriented by the news." The doctor patted him on the shoulder, "I have other patients I need to see. Have a good day."

"Nooo!" Jordan punched the wall and screamed out.

"I take it this is bad news?" Jones frowned.

"Of cos it is!!"

"Why?" He asked calmly.

"I don't children! She knows that! I will never want them! Ever!" Jordan bellowed.

"Okay. So did you take the necessary precautions?" Jones asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Did you take measures to make sure that you don't have children-like ever?" Jones smirked.

"Jones, I'm not in the mood-"

"I'm sure Lana's body doesn't automatically neutralize sperm so you should have been more careful." He reprimanded.

"She said she was on the pill okay?!"

"So it's her fault?" Jones pressed.

"It's-look I don't know okay?!" The father-to-be threw up his hands helplessly. "I grew up with a lousy father and I don't want to put another child through that-"

"You're not your father Jordan!"

"I'm probably going to be a lot worse-this kid has a better chance of growing up without me," he blinked back tears and went to lean his head against the wall.

"Jordan-dont.." Jones put a hand on his shoulder.

"I've got to go-I c-can't do this-" He turned to leave and Jones grabbed his arm.

"What about Lana?!" Jordan was perplexed.

"I-she-you take care of it. "

"I'm not the one that fertilized her ovaries Jordan!" He gritted his teeth.

"Then-it's out my hands-" Jordan shrugged and ran out of the ER, leaving behind a dazed Jones.

"No, no, no!" Lana repeated over and over again as she grabbed her hair.

Hoping and wishing that this was all a bad dream. Hot tears slid slowly down her chicks and she made no effort to wipe them off. There had to be some kind of mistake-but then the doctor was certain. She wasn't ready for this and her darling husband was definitely not ready to be a father.

She heard someone come into the room and she looked up hoping to see Jordan but her eyes met with Jones instead. He went over to her and put his arms around her as she began to cry.

"I'm sorry kiddo." Jones smoothed back her hair. "But it's going to be okay."

"Where's Jordan?" She wiped her nose with a tissue and looked at Jones.

"I-Lana I'm sorry..He took off-says he can't handle this right now." Jones looked at her with pity, "Give him time-he will come around sweetheart."

"So he's gone back home?"

"No..he has gone back to Europe." Jones wished the ground could swallow him up right now. Jordan was a coward and he had told him just as much before he ran away from his responsibilities. He was really disappointed in Jordan. Beyond disappointed actually.

"Can you just take me home?" Lana said despondent, as she hopped off the bed and slipped on her shoes.

"Lana..I'm sorry sweetheart.."

"Why are you apologizing Jones? You didn't just ditch your pregnant wife and fly off to another continent. "

Lana tried not to cry again but she couldn't stop the tears from falling. She ran out of the ER and into the parking lot. Jones ran ahead and opened the door for her to get in.

How could she have been so stupid?? Out of all the-gosh she was so dumb, she berated herself.

Jordan had already shown where they stood as far as their baby was concerned-he simply didn't want to be a part of it. His actions shouted louder than any words he could have said and she got the message loud and clear. He didn't want the baby-he didn't want to be a father.

The worst part was that a small part of her thought that he would actually be happy about this-that it would be a turning point in their relationship. That the baby would cement the bond that they had. But she was wrong-oh how could she be so wrong?

She hated to admit this but..her mother was right.