Everybody Cares, Everybody Understands

“Em, it’s been 3 days…Do you think the longer it takes for her to wake up the worse it’ll be?” I asked as Em and I sat on the couch. Gabe and Ian went out with Levi for a walk.

“I don’t know…”She sighed. She had spent just about every night at the hospital. I think she was staying for the both of us because I couldn’t stay too long every day. She was exhausted. “There are those people that wake up fine after 10 years. They say her brain activity looks normal so far, so here’s to hoping!”

“Seriously. Em…go nap. I’ll wake you for dinner,” I told her and patted her leg that was on my lap.

“I am exhausted, but I don’t know if I can sleep…so much to think about,” She said and came and rested her head on my shoulder and rubbed my big belly.

“Can you believe there are two babies in there?” She said wistfully.

“I can. They suck me dry,” I laughed.

“I love you,” She said and got up to go to the guest room, which was now in Gabe’s “Office.”

I went to see what we could make for dinner and possibly text Gabe a few items to pick up. I took out some stuff and put it on the counter. I had some sharp pains in my stomach and I steadied myself on the counter. It felt like the gas I had a few weeks ago, but a tiny bit worse. I breathed in and out in a rhythm and just waited for the pain to pass. They were getting worse and then just subsided. I stood up slowly and went and got some water. I could feel the babies flipping and moving and it made me feel better. I sipped the water and I got another pain. I went to sit down on the couch and I noticed a little blood dripping on the floor. 


“Emily!” I screamed “Em!” I didn’t know what to do. Call 911 or have Emily take me to the hospital.

“Sadler, you okay?” She asked as she ran out of the guest room and down the hall back to me.

“I’m bleeding…I need you to take me to the hospital,” I said rather calmly. Maybe I really had learned to cope better.

“Okay, call your doctor,” She said getting her shoes and my keys to the car.

“Doctor Zink, I’m bleeding…I had some pains, really bad pains and i’m spotting a bit.” Emily lead me out of my apartment and down to our garage to the car.

“Okay, come to the ER and I’ll meet you and check you out. Just keep breathing and stay calm, okay?” Doctor Zink said calmly.

“Yes of course. We’re on our way.” I got in the car and Em closed the door for me.

“Will you call Gabe please?” I asked Em.

“Yes, I will, let me just get on the road…” She said and we left the garage. I just focused on my breathing.

“Gabe, hey…we’re going to St. Luke’s…Sadler had some bleeding and Doc Zink said to bring her in.” Emily said calmly.

“Gabe, please calm down. Everything is okay, okay.” Em hung up and just gave me a look to see how I was.

“He’s gonna be a mess, Em…he needs to stay out when we get there. I want him there, but I need to focus and he’s been very emotional about the babies lately…I know it sounds crazy…” I was comfortable again. The pains had subsided.

“I get it.” She laughed a bit. “We’ll keep him occupied until he really needs to be there.”

“Thank you.”

It took us about forty minutes to get to the hospital. It felt like forever and maybe an ambulance would’ve been better. They put me into a wheelchair and Doctor Zink was there waiting. He whisked me into and exam room and took a look. I had wanted to at least see Gabe’s face before I went in, but it may have been for the best that I hadn’t.

“How’s the pain? What are you feeling?” Doctor Zink asked as he helped me up onto the examination table.

“It feels like contractions…I guess, but super painful…like really bad…” I breathed.

“Okay…” He trailed and i was just being hooked up to every contraption I could be on my body by the nurses.

“We’re gonna have to deliver these babies. I’m gonna take out the stitches and we’re gonna wheel you in to do a c-section, okay? We will deliver some beautiful and healthy babies,” He sounded upbeat, but I could hear a sense of urgency.

Doctor Zink delegated tasks to each of the nurses and it was such a blur. I felt like I wanted to have a break down and cry and then i felt like I was in such shock I couldn’t react. They quickly wheeled me down to an operating room. 
“Gabe, I need Gabe…” I finally cried.

“Jody, will you find Gabe?” Doctor Zink asked my nurse. She nodded, gave me a smile and went her way toward the waiting area to find Gabe.

They wheeled me into the room and set up the curtain so i couldn’t see them as they would eventually cut me open to deliver my babies.

“Sadler, I need you to breathe please…”Doctor Zink smiled at me. I had stopped in the whirr of it all.

“Baby, I’m here,” I heard Gabe as he approached me dressed in all the gear. He looked cute in the scrubs and his hair in a cap.

“Hi love,” I sighed. I was relaxed now and he seemed way more together than I had imagined.

“We’re about to have babies. I don’t know if I’m ready,” He laughed.

“You and me both,” I smiled and I couldn’t feel the lower half of my body.

“Okay, Sadler, Gabe…we’re gonna do this.” Doctor Zink said enthusiastically.

“So, maybe we should like think about names?” Gabe held my hand and tried to keep me occupied. I had tears just rolling down my face as I laid on the table. Gabe wiped them away and I just smiled at him and reached for his hand.

“I was thinking about names I know you like…What about Atticus?”

“To Kill A Mockingbird,” I trailed. “I don’t feel good…” I announced and felt a bucket being brought up to my mouth and I just threw up.

“My love…” Gabe said softly and just wanted to comfort me.

It felt forever before I heard Doctor Zink say anything to me and then suddenly there was crying. There was a baby with some little lungs almost mewing.

“We got your girl,” He said and I saw the nurse rush her over to an area to clean her off and I assume get her into NICU, she was so little.

“Where’s my boy?” I asked through waves of nausea.

“He’s here,” And I saw the nurse take him to another area next to my little girl.

“Why isn’t he making any noise?” I was panicked.

“We just have to suction and see from there Sadler,” Doctor Zink said patiently. I wanted to jump off the table.

“We’re sewing you up now and the babies are being taken to NICU, okay?”

“Go with them Gabe…go…” I shouted at him.

“Love, I will, but I’m gonna let them do their thing and I’m gonna be with you…” I squeezed his hand, though I really wanted to just scream at him to go with the babies. He chuckled a little and I knew it was because he could tell I was biting my tongue.

“Doctor Zink will let me know. I need them to do their thing…”

An hour later I was being wheeled into a recovery room and I was still coming down from all the drugs. I was a sick mess and I just kept throwing up into the bucket. I had all these monitors hooked up to me and oxygen. I was exhausted as well.

Gabe had gone to check on the babies, I wanted them and him to come see me. I wanted my friends to be with me at the very least, but they couldn’t come see me just yet. I was anxious and nervous.

“She needs her rest…”I could hear faintly.

“We’ll just sit and keep her company,” I could hear my mom’s voice now.

“Hi…”I said groggily and without even opening my eyes. “I’m itchy…”I babbled.

“Nora, go get the nurse. They said she may need an antihistamine.” I heard my father instruct.

“Hi, my angel…It’s dad,” My dad said and I could feel him sweeping hair off my forehead. “Mom went to get the nurse, they said you may be itchy and you just need an antihistamine and you’ll be okay,” He assured me.

“Babies…”I was so groggy and half asleep.

“Babies are doing well. They’re in NICU and are good. Baby boy is hooked up to a ventilator, he just needs some help breathing, but they say he’s got strong longs and it’ll most likely just be for the night. Baby girl is strong and kicking like her mama,” I could hear my dad choking up a bit. “Gabe is with the babies.”

“When can I see them?” I asked waking up fully. The nurse was in and giving me an antihistamine shot. “Thank you,” I said to her and she just gave me a smile.

“Soon. You just need to wake up a little more and they’ll take you down.” My mother said and came to sit on the edge of my bed.

“Any news on Meg?” I asked hesitantly.

“She’s still in the coma…” My mother trailed. “We talked to her parents and Rob today. They think she’s close to waking though. She’s had good brain activity.”

“Good…I need her to wake up soon.”

“How’s my girl?” Gabe asked coming into the room. He was beaming and I couldn’t help but smile back at him.

“We got some good looking kids, Sadie. They got your looks, so they lucked out,” He teased.

“I want to see them.”

“Soon. They said in a few hours. You need your rest too. You just had major surgery…” Gabe rubbed my legs under the blanket.

“This fucking sucks.” I pouted. “What the fuck!”

“Sadler, really?” My dad laughed.

“Babe, I didn’t even get to see them close up. I just saw them from the hall. We’ll see them together soon. You’re just starting to feel your legs and such…you’ll be in much more pain.”

“I understand, I do…but don’t they know what we’ve been through to get here? And my best friend is in a coma. I need just a little bit of happiness here…” I cried. I was hormonal like no ones business.

“If anyone knows it’s me,” Gabe said as he crept up and kissed me on the lips. “But, we want them healthy, we want them safe and they’ll tell us when we’re good to go. We won’t be able to hold them for a little bit. They need to be protected a little longer.”

“Can I get some anxiety meds then?” I laughed and Gabe kissed my forehead.

‘Congratulations!!” I heard someone scream into my room. It was Rob, Ian and Emily.

“Hey dudes,” Gabe said and got up to greet them. “We got two healthy babies and one out of control mother already,” Gabe winked at me.

“Welcome to the club, guys!” Ian smiled and gave Gabe a hug.

“We’ll leave you guys to catch up. We’ll grab some food and be back,” My parents said and headed out. I waved at them and my mom smiled at me before disappearing.

“How’s my fantasy?” Rob asked as he sat on my bed. Ian, Emily and Gabe talked together towards the door.

“Drugged, but okay. I just want to see my babies and I can’t just yet. How are you? How’s my Meg?”

“I don’t know how I am actually,” Rob laughed. “My wife is basically lifeless in a bed and hasn’t moved in 3 days…Just trying to keep it together.”

“I know my situation was completely different when I went off the deep-end, but I know how you’re feeling…just know you do not want to do what I did,” I laughed and held his hand. “It’s not the best route.”

“I definitely and not going around thinking WWSD in this situation.” He teased.

“If I wasn’t so drugged up and stuff I’d hit you. You’re lucky this time. I’ll just have you two babysit as payment.”

“Well, we’ll see…”

“I need you to stop that shit. You BOTH, will be on diaper duty,” I smacked his hand and he gave me a weak smile.

“Gabe, why don’t you take everyone to see the babies.” I offered. I needed a moment.

“We can look at them through the glass, if you want.”

Emily stayed behind and Ian and Rob walked out with Gabe. She came and sat in the chair next to my bed.

“She’s gonna be fine and pull through. We all think so,” She finally said, as if reading my mind.

“I think so too. She’s got a god child to take care of,” I smiled, trying to shake the fog and the anxiety.

“Her mom wanted to come see you too. She’s gonna stop by tomorrow I think. She was very excited for you and wanted you to know that,” Emily looked completely exhausted.

“You know you don’t have to be there everyday…” I trailed. “You need to take care of yourself and your family too,” I was in a little pain now as the meds were wearing off.

“I know…it’s just hard…I don’t want to leave and you know…” She was teary eyed. She had been so strong throughout all of this. I wish I had her strength at times. This was this first time I had seen her cry.

“You and Meg are my closest, oldest and dearest friends. I do not know what I’d do if anything happened to either of you. You both seem to like to scare the shit out of my in the last few years.”

“Hey, we just want to make sure you’re in it for the long haul,” I laughed deliriously.

“Oh girl, you know I am.” She wiped the tears from her eyes.

“Where’s Levi?” I asked.

“Ian’s mom came to get him for the weekend. It’ll be nice. Ian and I will spend tomorrow alone at home and sleep probably and then come back down on Saturday.”

“That’ll be good. I’m glad you’ll get that.”

“Em, we gotta go…” Ian said as he ran into the room.

“What’s wrong?” Em asked quickly getting up from the chair. “We gotta run Rob back to the hospital…Meg’s mom called and she said to get to the hospital as soon as possible.”

“Sadler, I love you…I’ll call you with whatever it is, I promise.” Emily and Ian ran out and Rob must have already run to the car. Gabe came in shortly after.

“Please relax,” He said immediately. “You just had surgery and you don’t want to rip your stitches or bleed more..”

“You telling me to relax is worse.” I sighed.

I was so nervous and I hated that there was nothing I could do. I hated feeling so helpless. I wanted my babies and to be with my best friend.