Swan Song

Swan Song - 02

Chapter Two

Lizzy

As we sat and watched an episode of CSI, my phone lit up and vibrated in my pocket. My boyfriend, Andrew had just texted. I smiled and a surge of adrenaline shot through me. After three years of dating, he still made me feel like a little girl with a crush. I loved him very much and often I'd tell him that. He asked if I wanted to go out today and I told him sure. He was going to pick me up later around 8. 

"Is that Andrew?" Destiny asked. I looked up. 

"Yeah it is." 

"Cool. You know you don't have to stay and hang out. I'm probably not going to do much more than sleep. If you guys want to go out you can." 

"Funny. I know but I like hanging out watching movies and drinking tea with you." I said, trying my best to give a warm smile. 

"Thanks Liz. But seriously. I'm just going to go to bed anyway so if you want to leave you can!" She said, leaning back in her chair and pulling the wool blanket up around her chin. 

"I might. Um...have a good night Des okay?" I got up and started to put on my shoes. 

"I will. I love you Lizzy! Have a good date and tell Andrew hi!" She managed a smile but I knew she was already starting to fall asleep. That was good, that way her body could heal faster from whatever germ it has this time. I gave her a hug from behind then slipped on my jacket. I walked through the kitchen and entryway and through the door. I sat down on the porch and texted Andrew. He replied saying he'd be there in a minute. 

As a man of his word, literally a minute and a half later, he pulls into the drive. Grinning, I stand up and skip over to his pickup truck. Being a country man, he drives a beat up Ford F-150 rusty red pickup. In the back, he keeps his fishing and camping gear. Often, he'll spontaneously take me on a camping or fishing trip (with my mom's approval, of course). Recently, we've been talking about possibly moving in together. 

Climbing into the passenger seat, I drop my purse at my feet and pull the door shut. Leaning over, I give Andrew a quick kiss. He puts the truck in gear and backs out of the drive, the tires creaking and crunching the hard gravel underneath. 

"How has your day been hon?" I asked as he slowly drove down Grove street. 

"Pretty good. I had to clean the nursery today." Andrew worked as a janitor for the local hospital. I smiled at his comment; I had always loved babies and lately, found myself having a serious case of "baby fever", or really wanting a baby of my own. 

"Were the babies cute?" I asked. 

"Of course! Um..while I was cleaning, you know, emptying the trash, mopping the floor, a baby went into cardiac arrest and had to be taken to NICU." I gasped. NICU was the Intensive Care Unit for infants, or the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. 

"Do you know if it was ok?" 

"I don't know. Apparently, from what I heard, the mother was a drug user and the baby had actually become addicted to the drug the mother was taking and after birth immediately went into withdrawal." 

"I can't believe women will knowingly take things like drugs that will harm their own baby. I mean, don't they care?!" I growled. Andrew reached over and took my hand, trying to calm me down. I took a deep breath and changed the topic. 

"So where are we going for our date?" I asked. Andrew smiled mischievously and I laughed. 

"Right now I'm taking you home so you can get all dolled up and look sexy. Then I'm going to go get dressed and come pick you up." I smiled.