Jessica grabbed a towel so she could stop the blood from dripping and placed it between her legs. She then made her way to her bedroom where she grabbed the phone.

She sat on her bed not caring if her sheets got dirty. She just needed to sit down.

She quickly dialed Dr. Porters office and waited anxiously for someone to answer.

"Hello, Dr. Neil Porter's office." Amber said. "How may I help you today?"
"Amber! Is Neil available?" Jessica said as she tried to stop crying.
"Yes, I'll connect you to his office. One moment." Amber said.

Amber connected Jessica to Dr. Porter's office and he answered.

"Hello, this Dr. Porter speaking." Dr. Porter said.
"Neil! Neil it's Jessica!" Jessica sobbed. "There's blood! I think...I think I'm losing my baby! Please come! Hurry."
"I'll be right there Jessica." Dr. Porter said hurriedly. "I'm going grab some things then I'll be there as soon as I can. For now, I want you to lie down and put your feet up. I'm on my way Jessica."

Jessica hung up and cried; she pulled the covers over herself and held her belly, praying that everything was okay with her baby.

Jessica could hear Karen crying for help from downstairs. Karen was still wet and no one was there to help her change. Jessica felt bad but she was afraid she was losing her baby.

"Phillip! You need to come home now!" Karen yelled. She called Phillip who was at Rick's shop helping out his son. "That girl was screaming at me and I wet myself."
"Mother, what did you say to Jessica?" Phillip asked knowing his mother all to well.
"All I said was that she should have gotten rid of it. I also told her that she was being selfish by keeping it. I was only telling her the truth! She didn't have to get mad over the truth!" Karen said to her son.
Phillip sighed then said. "I'm on my way."

A few minutes later, Dr. Porter arrived and so did Phillip. Also, Shannon arrived as well. Phillip had called her so she could take care of Karen because it was a "woman's job" to clean up his mother.

While Shannon helped Karen, Phillip went to see Jessica and wanted to know why Dr. Porter was making a house call.

"I think the bleeding stopped." Jessica said in a small voice. She was already thinking the worst.
"I'm going to check you over first then I will check on the baby's heartbeat." Dr. Porter said calmly.

Jessica nodded and Dr. Porter got to work.

Phillip stayed back in the doorway and just watched the doctor take care of his wife.

"Well, your blood pressure is a little high but everything else looks fine." Dr. Porter said. "Now, let's check on the baby."

Dr. Porter took out a small portable fetal monitor from his bag. Jessica lifted her shirt to reveal her bump, her lower half being covered by her blanket. Dr. Porter then placed the doppler onto Jessica's belly and the baby's heartbeat filled the room.

Dr. Porter monitored it for a moment then a smile spread across his face.

"Jessica...your baby is doing great." Dr. Porter said. "The heart rate is good and sounds strong."
Jessica relaxed and asked. "But...why was there blood?"
"Well, I think your age played a part in this and I believe this was your body's way of telling you to rest more." Dr. Porter said as he gave Jessica some wipes to wipe her belly of gel left behind from the doppler. "Have you been stressed or overworking yourself?"

Jessica nods her head as she looks down.

"Jessica my dear...I'm afraid that if you want to hold onto this baby, then you are going to have to be on bed rest." Dr. Porter continued.
"For how long?" Phillip asked as he finally stepped into the room.
Dr. Porter turned to Phillip and said. "I'm afraid for the rest of her pregnancy. She is only to get up to use the bathroom and to take baths. No showers. I don't want to risk her falling."
Phillip sighed annoyed. "Great...just great. Who's going take care of the house work? Who's going to take care of my mother?!"

Jessica shook her head at Phillip in disappointment. Here she was at risk of losing their baby, and all he cared about who was going to take care of the house work and his mother.

"Well, Phillip, if you and Jessica want to save this baby, then you will find a way to get through this." Dr. Porter said. "That means your children have to step up and help around here. Maybe Shannon could come by more often and help."
Phillip shook his head and said. "Neil...this was all Jessica's doing. I wanted no part in this. Would it be better if...if she lost it?"

Jessica gasped and cried into her hands. Phillip hated to see anyone show any emotion, especially if there were tears involved.

Phillip sighed then said. "Well, I will call the kids and tell them that they need to come help. Well Jessica, I hope you are happy for turning our lives upside down over this...this..."

Dr. Porter looked at Phillip and his anger rose. Dr. Porter turns his attention to Jessica who had tears rolling down her face. Her hands on her belly as if trying to protect her child within.

"Phillip, please. Jessica must remain calm. You're upsetting her." Dr. Porter said as he turned back to Phillip. "This is the hand that god has dealt to you both. Phillip, you should be counting your blessings for all you have. I'm sorry to be so blunt, but man up! Jessica needs you. She has been by your side since the day you got married and has never let you down. Jessica didn't get pregnant on her own Phillip."

Dr. Porter looked back at Jessica and said. "I'm sorry for my outburst, Jessica. Now, dry your tears. Everything is going to be fine. So, don't forget, bedrest for the remainder of your pregnancy and I will be making house calls regularly to check on you and the baby."

Jessica smiled a little and thanked Dr. Porter for coming. Dr. Porter then gathered his belongings and left the bedroom.

Before leaving the Anderson household, he pulled Shannon aside who had just finished getting Karen settled in her room, and spoke to her about the importance of helping Jessica around the house. He told her it was crucial that Jessica remain on bedrest or risk losing the baby.

"Shannon...I know what you are going through is heartbreaking. But, you can't hold that against Jessica." Dr. Porter said soothingly. "Try, please try to be there for her. For now, just help her bathe then change the sheets of her bed. Then help her get back into bed."

Shannon wiped her tears away and nodded her head in understanding.
She knew that the doctor was right. It wasn't Jessica's fault that she was childless.

Once Dr. Porter left, Shannon made her way up to Jessica's bedroom.

Phillip had left again, not having listened to Dr. Porter's words. He already set in his ways and he still didn't want anything to do with the baby. He drove to his usual spot at the local bar where he decided to drink his problems away.

Shannon knocked on the bedroom door and Jessica's faint voice came from the other side.
"Come in."

Shannon took a deep breath; she had yet to see Jessica's pregnant belly, so she was preparing herself.

She then opened the door and walked in.
"Hi..." she said quietly. "I, uh, I'm going to help you bathe and, get you back into bed."
"Shannon! Hi. It's so good to you" Jessica said with a small smile.

Shannon walked into the room and didn't say anything. She walked to the bathroom to turn on the water and fill the tub up with warm water.

Shannon then helped Jessica out of bed. Shannon looked everywhere else but Jessica's belly.

Shannon then helped Jessica take off her shirt she was wearing then her bra. It was strange to see her mother in law naked, but she got through it because this needed to be done. There was no time to dwell on her feelings.

After getting Jessica settled in the tub, Shannon went back out to the bedroom where she stripped the bed of the soiled sheets then put clean ones onto the bed.

She then put the soiled sheets in the wash. Shannon then called Rick and told him what was going on. She then told him to come over after he got out of work for dinner. Shannon decided to cook dinner for everyone since she was already there.

After some time, Shannon went back into Jessica's bathroom and helped Jessica out of the tub. Then she helped Jessica dry off then into pajamas.

At the time, Shannon had no choice but to see Jessica's growing belly. She tried to keep her tears at bay but it was no use. Her tears rolled down her cheeks.

Once Jessica got settled under the covers she looked up and gently grabbed Shannon's hand. "Shannon, sweetie what's wrong?" She asked worriedly.
"Nothing." Shannon said as she pulled her hand away.
"Shannon, please talk to me." Jessica said. "We used to be so close. We used to tell each other everything. I miss that. I miss you."

Shannon wiped her eyes but in the end, it was no use. Shannon sat down by Jessica and looked down. She missed having a close relationship with Jessica, so she decided to tell Jessica how she was feeling.

"I miss you too." Shannon began. "Jessica...I'm sorry for being so distant. I just...I just can't handle seeing you with your pregnant belly, while mine remains the same and will forever remain the same."
"What do you mean?" Jessica asked.
"Two weeks before Thanksgiving, Rick and I had seen Dr. Porter so he could run some tests on us. We wanted to get to the bottom of why we still had no children." Shannon said as her tears continued. "At first, I blamed Rick. I thought it was him who couldn't have children. We fought constantly. But the day before thanksgiving, Dr. Porter called us into his office. He had the results of our tests."

Jessica listened intently; she reached over again to take Shannon's hand. This time, Shannon didn't pull away.

"I was wrong. Rick wasn't the one to blame. It's...it's me who can't have a baby!" Shannon said as she sobbed loudly. "I can't give my husband children. Dr. Porter gave us options but...I just can't bring myself to even think about those options."

Jessica thought back to Thanksgiving and now knew why Shannon had been so quiet that night.

"Oh sweetie." Jessica said as her tears rolled down her cheeks. "I'm so so sorry."
"I tried to be as normal as I could on that day but, I was and still am heartbroken. Your news...your news didn't help." Shannon said sadly. "It hurts too much to see other women with their babies and their pregnant belly's. Jessica, I do love you. You're a second mother to me. But it hurts my heart to see your belly grow."

Shannon gently squeezed Jessica's hand as Jessica gasped.

"Jess, please don't miss understand me." Shannon began, her voice becoming soft. "When Dr. Porter told me that you were at risk of losing the baby, something in me snapped me out of my negative thoughts. Well, some of them. Yes, I'm still heartbroken and probably will forever be, but I don't want you to lose your baby. That is the last thing in the world I want for you. When you stood up to everyone at thanksgiving, I could tell just then that you love this baby very much. So...from here on out, Rick and I will be coming over much more often now. I'll work around my schedule and come over to check in on Karen and you. I'm not sure if I'll be able to all the time but, we'll figure it out."
Jessica smiled through her tears and nodded. "Thank you Shannon. Again, I'm sorry for what you're going through. I can't even imagine. But, I'm here for you Shannon. I will always be."

Shannon hugged Jessica and sobbed. It felt good to tell Jessica what had been going on and it felt great to finally be repairing her relationship with her mother in law.

Shannon pulled away and wiped her tears away. She smiled at Jessica then she looked down at her belly.

"May I?" Shannon asked nervously. She needed to do this. She needed to get past this so she could help Jessica out in these upcoming months.

Shannon loved Jessica like a second mother and she knew she needed to be there for Jessica because she didn't have too many people in her corner right now.

Jessica nodded and gently took Shannon's hand in hers then placed them on her belly.

Shannon smiled through her tears which were a mix of sadness and joy.

The baby was giving gentle kicks and Shannon smiled more as she felt them.

"You know...I may be sad but at the same time I am actually excited to meet my new brother or sister in law." Shannon said with a giggle.
Jessica laughed and said. "Who would have thought this would be happening in my life right now. I'm nervous, scared but so so happy."

Shannon again smiled sadly, but she was glad to have confronted her own feelings. At first when Dr. Porter told Shannon and Rick the news of Shannon not being able to have a child, Shannon didn't want to even consider the options she was given.

But now, Shannon was thinking of those options. She thought to herself that may be not now but some time in the future she and Rick will finally have the family they have been dreaming of all these years.

For now, Shannon was determined to be there for Jessica.