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He hadn’t even known he was pregnant. He’d gone to the bathroom because his shorts had felt damp, he’d only had his IUD removed three months ago, so he had no idea when he’d have his first real period; the doctor had said it could take up to six months for his period to regulate again. The cramps and bleeding had been minor and inconsistent. But he’d pulled his boxer briefs down only to see a large clot of blood in the crotch, it was thick, dark and it didn’t take a doctor to know what he was looking at.
He sat there, unsure what to do, he could breathe, couldn’t think, all he could do was sit there, his body felt unfamiliar, it had been decided without consulting him. There’s a hollow ache in his low abdomen, he wrapped an arm around it, curling forward, pressing his hand against his flat belly there. He didn’t know what he was expecting, the life was gone, and he certainly hadn’t even felt it when it was still in there. He hadn’t even known.
His eyes burned with unshed tears and he clenched them tight, slapping a hand over his mouth to silence the sob attempting to break free. What had he done, was it his fault? His lack of awareness the cause of losing the baby. Rationally, as a doctor, he knew it didn’t work that way. Lots of women had miscarriages, and almost all of them occurred in the first trimester.
All the same, guilt settled heavy in his chest, it wasn’t logical, he knew that he couldn’t have prevented this, he knew that, but that didn’t seem to matter against the guilt. What was he going to tell Jack and Robby? He didn’t even know which one was the father. He didn’t even know if they wanted children. They were both in their fifties now, hell, his body had probably done them all a favor. The suffocating weight of the guilt and knowing he was probably the only one who’d mourn the unborn fetus left him feeling weighed down.
“Yo! Whitaker, you done powdering your damn nose, let’s go!” Abbot’s voice echoed through the bathroom door. He’d need to change his boxers, but he always brought a full change of clothes now after his first day in the Pitt. The door squeaked on it’s hinges, “Den, you good, man?” Jack stepped in further, clearly concerned enough now to really check on him.
“Uh, could you go in my locker and grab me my spare boxers and…and maybe a pad.”
“Yeah, no problem, you, okay?” Jack asked concerned, just outside Dennis’ stall door.
“Huh, fine, yeah just spotting.” Dennis lied, instantly feeling guilty for the falsehood, but he couldn’t tell anyone, he wasn’t ready to talk about this. Wasn’t ready to see pity, or worse, judgement for his failure. Would they blame him for not realizing he was pregnant? He’d throw the boxers away, they weren’t anything special, hide the evidence. Go on with his life, no one ever had to know.
“Here kid,” Dennis glanced up, not realizing how long he’d been sitting there, but one arm was dangled over the top of the stall. Dennis reached up and quickly accepted the boxers and pad. “Don’t take too long, bud we’ve got a car wreck coming in.”
“I’ll be right out,” Dennis promised, before he heard the door creak once more as Jack left him alone. Dennis made quick work of removing his shoes, pants and pulling off his damp boxers. He wiped away as much of the blood as he could, he was still bleeding somewhat heavily. As a doctor he knew that anything more than two pads per hour was serious, but he doubted it was that bad, so he quickly switched the boxers, put the pad in it and pulled them and his pants back up. He balled up the boxers, hiding the clot and buried it in the bathroom trash, before flushing the toilet and heading to the sink to wash his hands.
Dennis dries his hands, wipes the tears off his face, straightens his shoulders and steps out of the bathroom and back into the chaos of the ER, a patient is coming through the ambulance pay so he quickly jumps into the action. There’s no room for blood or grief in a place like the Pitt, Dennis had learned that two years ago when he’d first arrived. He just needs to function. Just has to push through it.
The cramps felt constant, a deep ache in his lower center, sometimes it was dull and frustrating, other times it was a sharp stabbing pain. He did his best to suffer and push through them. Occasionally, he’d pause, bent over one of the counters, hand pressed to his belly to try and ride out the worst of the cramps.
By the time the day ended, he was exhausted, feeling worn thin and ready to collapse in bed for a century. The drive started quietly, the way Jack liked it after a long shift. The radio on low, playing rock quietly in the background. Dennis sat with his forehead pressed against the passenger window, arms folded loosely over his abdomen. “You hungry?”
Dennis glanced over at him, seeing the familiar half-cocked smile of his beautiful partner. He loved these two men so much, and you failed to protect their baby. The thought was like a slap. “Uh, no,” he whispered before turning back to the window miserably, trying desperately to quell the tears threatening to fall.
“You’re awfully quiet tonight,” Jack commented rolling to a stop at a red light.
“Long day,” Dennis replied automatically, it wasn’t even a lie, he just didn’t tell all the truth either. He saw Jack nod in the corner of his eye, as Jack accepted the excuse and left him alone for the remainder of the dry.
The house was dark when they entered, only the porch light lighting their way inside. Jack unlocked and pushed the door open, his shoes joining Robby’s kicked off ones by the door. Dennis followed suit a few seconds later, stripping off his jacket and hanging it up in the coat closet. Jack quickly locked up and padded into the kitchen, leaving Dennis lingering in the doorway.
Another sharp pain tore through his lower abdomen, and he braced his hand against the wall, one hand gripping his belly as he tried to breathe through it. In through his nose, out through his nose, eventually it passed into a dull throb, and he slowly made his way towards the bedroom he shared with the two men. He wanted a hot shower. Pushing the door open he saw Robby curled around his pillow in their king bed. Fast asleep.
“He asleep?” Jack questioned.
Dennis nodded, “Completely out, I’m going to grab a quick shower.”
Jack gave him a lecherous grin, gripping his hips and rubbing his thumbs over Dennis’ hips. “Want me to join you?”
Dennis placed a hand on his chest, “Bleeding, I really don’t, but thanks.” He hoped it didn’t sound unkind, but honestly, he didn’t want anyone close to him.
Jack nodded, “Fair enough, well, I’m going to wipe down and climb into bed, love you.”
“Love you, too.” He slipped into the bathroom, closing the door most of the way, and turning the water on as hot as it would go. He made quick work of stripping, frowning at the amount of blood on his pad. He hadn’t exactly been able to check it hourly, but that seemed like a lot of blood. He rolled it up, wrapping it in toilet paper and putting it in the trash, before he stepped into the stream of hot water.
o0o0o
Dennis woke sometime after midnight, the sheets twisted around his legs, with a deep intense cramping in his abdomen that had him curling up and trying not to clench all his muscles. Jack’s arm was slung low and loose over Dennis’ waist, heavy and warm against his back, with Robby on his other side, softly snoring in his face. The pain didn’t ease. Dennis was struggling to breathe through it, lifting Jack’s arm up carefully, Dennis slid out of bed, moving slow enough not to wake them, but fast enough to get to the bathroom. Feet on the floor, hand bracing on the mattress, a sharp cramp crested and broke and he had to bite down on his lip to keep from crying out.
Flipping the bathroom light on, he grimaced at how bright it felt, he shut the door and leaned over the sink, gasping through another sharp cramp, his fingers clutching the edge of the porcelain as he curled forward, the pain mirrored in his back now. When he finally managed to straighten, he stared back at his blue eyes, his hair was damp with sweat, eyes a little sunken and the beginnings of panic in them. You’re fine, you’re just fine. He stubbornly told himself, as he pushed down his boxers and saw more blood, more than he’d have liked to see. It wasn’t soaking through, but it was a near thing. He shouldn’t be bleeding this much, rationally he knew that he’d tell anyone with these symptoms to go straight to the ER. He just couldn’t bear to admit he’d failed so badly.
Dennis changed his pad, cleaned up some, before he washed his hands again and headed back to the bedroom. Robby stirred, rolling onto his back, eyes still heavy with sleep. “Den, you okay?” his voice was deep and if Dennis weren’t so miserable, he’d be turned on.
Instead, Dennis froze, before sliding back under the covers and curled up on his side, bringing his legs up in effort to release some of the pain in his abdomen and back. “Yeah, just can’t sleep.” He lied.
“C’mere,” Robby reached out blinding and pulled him against Robby’s chest. Dennis pressed his knees to Robby’s thighs, pressing his face into the man’s shoulder. Robby smelled like sleep and soap, and Dennis let his eyes slide shut, trying to fall asleep.
“You feel warm,” Robby murmured against his hair.
Dennis hummed noncommittally, not trusting his voice right now.
Jack shifted behind him, arm coming back around his middle, palm resting over Dennis’ abdomen. That contact sent a jolt of pain and tension through him and Dennis couldn’t help but still, praying Jack wouldn’t notice the tensing muscles under his touch.
“You okay?” Jack sounded half asleep too and Dennis silently cursed himself for waking them both up.
“Yeah,” Dennis lied quickly, then forced himself to relax bit by bit. “Just tired.” He felt a lazy kiss pressed against his neck. He felt tears flood his eyes and had to fight them back as he lay there, accurately aware of every breath they took, each rise and fall of their chests. He loved them so fiercely it hurt. He’d do anything to protect them, he realized, more than anything that was why he couldn’t say it. He’d failed them, he couldn’t break their hearts too.
o0o0o
By the next morning, Dennis woke to an empty bed, Jack no doubt ready to go play with the SWAT team, while he and Robby had a shift. Dennis wondered if they’d left him alone in the bed because he seemed tired yesterday. Rolling out of the bed, he frowned when he noticed some blood beneath where he’d been laying. “Fuck,” he murmured, before quickly stripping the fitted sheet and regular sheet and making his way to the laundry room, he quickly turned on the cold water and threw the sheets in, along with the shorts he’d bled through. He’d toss the underwear in shortly, once he’d changed.
“Mouse, you good?” Robby asked, brows furrowed as he stuck his head into the laundry closet, Dennis quickly shifted so that Robby wouldn’t see the blood.
“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine.” He lied quickly, the guilt came swift and hard, sitting on his chest and making him feel like the shittiest partner alive.
“So you’re just doing our laundry for fun at 6:00 in the morning?” He asked with a playful chuckle. “Seriously, we can do it later.”
But Dennis waved him off, “I started my period, it’s a bit heavier than I expected and I got it on the sheets, it’s fine.”
Robby looked unsure how to respond, so he just nodded, “Alright, if you’re sure. We’ll keep your breakfast warm. You good, you look kinda tired.”
Dennis scoffed, “Gee thanks, I’m fine.” He lied, in truth he could feel he was running warmer than he had yesterday, he felt nauseous and dizzy now that he was upright as well. He knew without a shadow of a doubt, if this were a patient, he’d insist on having them seen in the ER. But, despite that knowledge, he couldn’t admit it, the words caught in his throat all the same.
Robby just gave him an unsure glance, before leaving him alone. Dennis made quick work of heading back into the bedroom and bathroom, he looked down to see his pad was almost soaked. “Shit, this is bad.” Incomplete miscarriage. Septic miscarriage. Infection of the uterine lining his brain supplied, and he quickly clenched his eyes shut. This was potentially life threatening if he didn’t see someone.
He changed, washed up, and quickly headed into the kitchen. “Where’s my usual mug, the Navy one you gave me for Christmas?” He asked looking around.
“It’s in the cupboard,” Jack answered without looking up from his laptop.
“No it isn’t,” Dennis insisted, his attitude short. Jack glanced up, looking over at Robby. Dennis bristled at it, “What?” He demanded.
“Kid, I saw it in there five minutes ago,” Jack replied.
“Well it’s not fucking there now is it!” Dennis growled. This time when Jack and Robby shared a look, all Dennis saw was dread and concern. In an instant, the boy who’d constantly made himself smaller felt shame for his lashing out. “Sorry. I’m—just tired.” He mumbled, except now it felt truer than it had yesterday. “Fuck,” he sighed.
“Why don’t you sit down, and I’ve got it,” Jack said gently steering the younger man towards the table.
The kindness just made Dennis feel like a bigger asshole as he sank into the chair. His stomach hurt, it felt like the cramps were always just right there, waiting to ramp up to a twelve and make him want to curl up in a ball and die.
“Eggs and toast?” Robby asked.
Dennis winced, “Uh, honestly I’m not feeling well, I’ll just have coffee.”
Jack turned this time, the navy cup in hand, filled with Dennis’ usual coffee mixture. “You didn’t have dinner last night either, what’s going on Den, and don’t say you’re just tired.”
Dennis shook his head, but before he could rebuke Jack further he felt a cool hand pressed to his forehead, “You’re running a temperature, why don’t you stay home today, get some rest,” Robby suggested.
“Guys, I’m fine, it’s probably just because of my period.” He reasoned, and it would be a perfectly reasonable assumption, if it weren’t for the fountain of blood he was currently experiencing.
Jack sat down across from him, gently pushing the coffee towards him, “Mouse, you’d tell us if something else was going on, right?”
Dennis felt the stab of guilt and forced a fake laugh, “Of course. I’m fine, just not that hungry.”
Jack and Robby thankfully let it go, though he was certain they didn’t actually believe him. All the same, Robby and Dennis bid bye to Jack who was headed in a slightly different direction, and then climbed into Robby’s car and headed to PTMC.
At work, Dennis functioned mostly on muscle memory and massive. He washed his hands constantly, and lingered far too long in the supply closet, swapping out pads like they were fucking contraband. His jaw was constantly clenched tight enough to ache, and his uterus was determined to remind him that he was not okay. If anything, the bleeding felt heavier, thick and persistent, a reminder that he was a failure and he’d lost their child.
It was midafternoon, Dennis stripped off his jacket, every room feeling too warm despite the early winter chill that had most people sporting sweaters or jackets. He knew he was running a fever now, he could feel the sweat soaking around his neck and under his arms. It was only a matter of time before someone spotted it and told Robby, to Robby himself spotted it. Sweat prickled and slid down the back of his neck and his spine. His head seemed to throb with every beat of his heart, a staccato rhythm behind his eyes, a pressure mounting that made the fluorescent lights seem brighter and harsher.
He disappeared into the bathroom for what felt like the third time in the last two hours and looked at his complexion, he was pale, the sweat was clear, but two bright red spots on his cheeks told anyone who looked close enough the true story. He looked sick.
Panic coursed through him as he headed back out onto the floor. He snapped at a nurse who’d questioned him about an order. Which was unheard of from Dennis. The irritation had waned immediately after, replaced by vibrant guilt and shame that left him hanging his head and shoulders slumped, at least until the next wave of cramps.
“Have you had lunch, yet?” Robby asked.
It was a causal tone, almost as if he was planning to order something, but between his worry, guilt and shame, Dennis snapped. “I said I’m fucking fine. I’m not hungry, just leave me alone!” He snarled. Then his eyes widened while his partner stood there looking like a deer in the headlights. Suddenly, all eyes were on him, and the pressure of it all was overwhelming, he felt his heart ratcheting up faster, his breathing was quickening too. The dizziness began to edge its way in, he turned on his heel, a bit too fast and slammed into the counter, right at his waist level, stars exploded in his vision, and he heard his name shouted, as he dropped to his knees, gripping his abdomen. He couldn’t breathe, why couldn’t he fucking catch his breath? Everything sounded underwater, he was looking around, and he heard people yelling, but he didn’t know what anyone was saying. And then, he gave into the darkness pulling at his consciousness, sliding under.
o0o0o
Jack had warned Robby first thing that morning that Dennis had seemed a little quiet and tense during their shift the prior day. When Dennis had snapped at Jack over a mug of all things, it was certainly unusual, but Robby didn’t mark it down as a cause for concern. He’d decided to humor Dennis’ claim about his period, not quite believing him, but not willing to make a big scene out of it.
Then Dennis disappeared into the supply closet off and on throughout the morning, and the bathroom. Robby would’ve worried it was drugs, but Dennis was nowhere near the medication closet, so it clearly had nothing to do with that. If it was due to Dennis’ period, then him bleeding this much was not a good thing.
Robby kept his eye on Dennis, as he snapped at the nurses and interns, as he went to the bathroom multiple times despite being busy, he watched his partner grow increasingly pale and sweaty.
Robby
Something’s wrong with Dennis
Jack
Need me to come to the hospital?
Robby
Yeah, I’m going to try and get him to lie down, eating
but be prepared for a collapse, it looks inevitable.
Jack
Theories on what it is?
Robby
Too many and none are good
Robby approached Dennis, trying not to look too much like a bird approaching a tiger’s cage. He’d decided he’d buy the team lunch, if it meant Dennis ate, he’d call it a win. “Have you had lunch yet?”
He hadn’t expected the explosion, “I said I’m fucking fine. I’m not hungry, just leave me alone!” Dennis’ eyes widened in horror, Robby realized whatever was going on had the kid spiraling enough to not even realize his own actions. Still, Robby was as shocked as Dennis seemed to be by his outburst.
Robby watched Dennis’ chest start heaving—fuck is he having a panic attack, what the actual fuck is going on—This was so unlike Dennis. Dennis began to turn, stumbling slightly towards the counter and Robby felt like he was watching it in some horrific slow motion, as Dennis turned to run, slamming into the corner of the counter, the pale face went ashen white and gray, before he waved, clutching his lower abdomen and fell to his knees.
“Dennis?!” Robby raced the short distance to his partner, dropping to his own knees as Dennis collapsed backwards, right into his arms. “Get me a gurney!” Robby screamed.
“Jesus, what happened?” Jack hurried in, clearly having just arrived, still in his SWAT gear, he, and Langdon who’d rushed over bent down to lift the younger man’s unconscious form onto the waiting gurney that McKay and Perlah had brought over.
“He ran into the corner of the counter and collapsed. Let’s get him into trauma two. “Get me vitals and a Glucose level, let’s start two large bore IVs, CBC, CMP—”
“Blood sugar stick is a little low,” Javadi called out.
“Heart is one-thirty, BP eighty-eight over fifty,” Perlah spoke up.
“He’s hypotensive, any history we don’t know about?” McKay asked look at Jack and Robby.
“He hasn’t eaten much, no dinner last night, no breakfast this morning. Mood swings, he said it was because of—” Jack explained only to be cut off.
“I’ve got blood,” Princess called out as they’d been cutting off Dennis’ clothes. Jack and Robby’s eyes widened. Everyone else froze, Robby felt his breath catch in his throat, that wasn’t the normal amount of period blood.
“No distended abdomen, no other visible external injuries or bleeding,” McKay reported, continuing with her exam. “Jack, Robby, out now,” McKay quickly ordered, “You can’t work on him.”
“But—” Robby’s brain had caught up, either something had ruptured inside their partner or…or he was having a miscarriage. He felt nauseous.
“Either get out of the way or get out,” McKay ordered, “Someone get me an ultrasound.”
Jack swallowed thickly, “He…he had his IUD removed a few months ago, he’d been—” he shook his head, “He’d been spotting. He told us he’d started his period yesterday.” He sounded as wrecked as Robby felt, and Robby reached down to grab his partner’s hand as they stepped back into the corner.
“Enlarged uterus, retained tissue—he’s having an incomplete miscarriage,” confirmed McKay as she moved the ultrasound wand over Dennis’ lower belly.
“Pressure’s dropping, seventy-eight systolic,” Perlah announced.
“Start blood transfusion, call OB I want someone down here stat,” McKay ordered.
Dennis stirred, head moving back and forth, “I’m—” he swallowed a few times, before he rolled to his side and promptly vomited on the floor, or rather attempted, all that came up was bile and spittle. Robby flew to his side, holding him along with McKay and Javadi.
“Baby, you’re in trauma two, you collapsed.”
Dennis collapsed back onto the gurney and watery eyes met Robby’s. “I didn’t know, I swear, I’m sorry,” he whimpered.
Robby shook his head as Jack joined them, “It’s okay, it’s okay, this isn’t your fault, baby,” Robby promised, leaning down to press a kiss to his forehead.
Thankfully, the OB arrived surprisingly quick after that, Dr. Nords stepped into the room, taking command of it quickly as everyone kept Dennis stable, “Incomplete abortion confirmed, he’s nearly septic, lets get him to the OR, someone make sure they’re ready for us.”
“I didn’t know, I swear, I didn’t know,” Dennis just kept crying quietly as they headed upstairs, Jack and Robby following up to the 4th floor.
They were stopped at the OR doors by Dr. Nords, she gave them a kind look. “You have my word; I’ll do whatever I can to save him and his ability to have children.”
They just nodded, still gripping onto one another. Robby had stripped off his gloves in the ER as soon as he started touching Dennis. Both men were silent as they turned and headed into the OR waiting room. “We got him in time,” Robby whispered, hoping it was as true as he’d made it sound.
Jack dragged his hands over his face, “He told me he was tired, Mike. That’s all, and I fucking believed him.”
“Jack—”
“He told me it was just his regular period, mentioned cramping, like it was nothing—is this—”
“Hey,” Robby stood, placing both hands on his shoulders. “You heard him, he didn’t know he was pregnant.”
“Yeah, but he sure as shit knew he was having a miscarriage!” growled Jack. He stopped, his chest heaving. “Fuck, he’s…” he leaned into Robby, pressing his face to the man’s shoulder.
Robby didn’t hesitate, he pulled Jack flush to his body, wrapping his arms around the man’s waist. Letting his own burning eyes flood with tears. “It’s Dennis, you know he’s afraid of failure, of feeling like he let someone down. He doesn’t want to be someone’s problem.” Robby leaned his head against Jack’s head. “What if I’d sent him home. We could’ve come home tonight and found him dead.”
A squeeze to his hip, “But you didn’t.”
Robby shook his head, “No, I felt it, something was wrong. I needed him in my line of sight.”
Trinity arrived a few minutes later, the two men separating, “Any news?”
“No, just that he was having a partial abortion. Tell everyone we’re sorry for scaring them,” Robby offered quietly.
Trinity waved it off, “Have Dennis say it. Scared the hell out of us. Dana has taken you off schedule for today, and Dennis. We called Shen and Ellis; they were happy to come in early and cover. Can you get us an update when you have one?”
“Absolutely,” Jack answered giving her a small smile. “Thanks for watching out for him.”
She nodded before heading back downstairs. Robby wasn’t sure how long they waited, when finally, Dr. Nords stepped out. “D&C went smoothly, bleeding has been controlled, we’ve got him on an antibiotic for the sepsis. He’s in recovery,” she reported.
“Can we see him?” Jack asked.
“We’re going to keep him overnight, so let us get him settled in a room, and then we’ll bring you back.”
“Were…does he still have his uterus?” The fear that they’d have to remove his tubes or uterus was terrifying, because both men knew Dennis wanted at least one kid.
She nodded, “He does, he’s going to be very sore for a while, and you should probably wait a month or two before trying again. I will warn you, he was already waking up and he’s struggling emotionally with this.”
We’ll talk to him.” Robby promised.
“How—how far along was he?” Jack questioned.
“Probably only three or four weeks from the looks of it. You should all consider a therapist. This isn’t just him who lost a baby, you both did too. Just because it hasn’t registered yet, doesn’t mean it won’t.” She offered gently, before she gave them both a sad smile and left them alone.
Robby sat stock still, she was right, it hadn’t registered until now. Dennis had been pregnant, with their baby. The removal of the IUD had been expressly for that purpose. They’d discussed it, and Dennis had said he’d wanted to do it.
“He was pregnant, Mike.” Jack whispered sounding as wrecked as Robby was starting to feel.
“Yeah, fuck. I—I don’t even know how to feel,” Robby admitted, half laughing, half wanting to cry. He knows they would’ve been excited about it. He mourned for what they’d lost, not just the child, but the future, because now the next pregnancy wouldn’t be a happy announcement, it’d be one of anxiety and caution. It’d be waiting and dreading through the first trimester. Dennis wouldn’t get to enjoy the start of his next pregnancy when it came, instead he’d be reliving this nightmare.
It was another thirty minutes, before a nurse came into the waiting room, “You guys can follow me, he’s up on maternity, room 507. He’s awake, be gentle, he’s struggling.”
The two men stopped outside the room a few minutes later, Jack looked at Robby, both their eyes red-rimmed with emotions. Robby took a deep breath, before he pushed the door open and they stepped inside. Dennis was half propped up in his bed, staring numbly at the wall across from him, laying there, hooked up to an IV.
His head turned at the sound of footsteps, and he looked at the two men, his eyes dim and dull. Robby’s heart broke for the young man who was usually full of spark. “Hey, mouse,” Robby whispered.
Jack stepped forward first, always the cuddler of the three of them and wrapped his arms around Dennis’ shoulders. Dennis was stiff for a second, before he all but collapsed in Jack’s arms. Clinging to the larger man, then Robby heard the sobbing. He moved over and gently jointed the hug, wrapping his arms around his two men. He leaned his head on Dennis’.
It took a few minutes for the younger man to settle down, by the time he did, he was mostly leaning against Jack, his head resting on Jack’s shoulder. “What happened, kiddo?” Jack asked softly.
Dennis shook his head, and Robby stepped back, sitting on the other side of the bed, holding Dennis’ hand in his. “I don’t know, I didn’t even know I was pregnant, I wasn’t feeling any morning sickness—I mean I was more nauseous in the mornings, but I just assumed it was the norovirus or some shit.”
“Kid, it’s okay, we’re not upset,” Robby told him gently. “We didn’t notice it either, you were paler, and quieter. But we didn’t think this was something you’d have done on purpose.”
“I saw the blood yesterday, really heavy and thick—that’s when I knew,” Dennis admitted quietly. “I know I should’ve said something, but every time I opened my mouth…it felt like—” he shook his head. “I felt like a failure.”
“Baby,” Jack whispered, horrified by the very thought.
Dennis shook his head, tears sliding down his pale cheeks. “I know, I know rationally this happens to so many people, but I—”
Jack supped Dennis’ face, “Denny, this stuff does happen, unfortunately to so many people, and sadly there was nothing you could’ve done differently.”
“I lost your baby,” Dennis wept and collapsed forward into their arms once more.
The three men sat there, curled around one another, quietly grieving something they’d barely known had existed. But it mattered all the same.
End