After Tonight

The blinds in my room had been opened earlier that morning, exposing the early winter cityscape. Sun bounced off the sleek metal machines programmed to monitor my every breath. At one point, I’d had so many wires and tubes sticking out of me that I looked like a science experiment. But I didn’t care about that, or the light snow dusting the window, or the bright—and thoughtful—flower arrangement that the kids from the bakery had brought over.
I hadn’t seen my daughter yet. I hadn’t seen Rob. It had been a week, over a week. I wanted to see them. I needed to see them.
That morning something clicked. The doctors came into my room with good news. I was okay. Whatever happened to me had been taken care of; I could go home in a day or two. I’d been a nervous wreck since then.
When I first saw him, he was standing outside the door talking with the doctor. His head bobbed up and down as he nodded anxiously at every word. After he shook the doctor’s hand, he was left alone and he turned to the window. We locked eyes and for the first time since it all happened, I began to cry.
He stared at me for the longest time before finally bursting through the door.
“Abbey!” His voice was strained and he looked more disheveled than usual.
That mop of hair stuck up at every angle imaginable and his flannel shirt was quite rumpled. When he reached my bedside, he fumbled with his hands before cupping my face. I noticed how red his eyes were, complimenting the rest of his haggard appearance.
“How long have you been awake?” His blue eyes searched mine before scanning over the rest of my face.
“Rob.” I could barely hear my own voice over my ragged breathing.
Before anything else had a chance to take place, his lips crashed against mine. He held me in his arms, kissing me tenderly until neither of us could breathe. The salt from the tears we both cried stung my cracked lips.

Rob’s P.O.V.
After the initial frenzy of tears, Abbey and I kept quiet. I’d crawled into her bed and held on to her as if she was going to float away. She cried silent tears.
“What does she look like?” I jumped as Abbey began to speak. “Is she pretty?”
“Abbey,” I sighed and kissed her forehead. “She’s absolutely breathtaking.” At this Abbey smiled through her tears.
“Really?”
“Oh god, yes. She looks just like you did, but she has blue eyes.” I watched as excitement lit up her face.
“I wanted her to have your eyes.”
I tried to grin, because we both needed to feel okay, but I couldn’t. The thought of losing her still hadn’t left me.
“I was so scared, Abbey.” I looked away out of fear I would fall apart. She looked down at her hands. “I couldn’t make it without you.”
“Rob.” She took my hands in hers and squeezed them gently.
“They wouldn’t tell me anything for the longest time.” I blinked away tears. “Just that Ella was healthy. Nothing about what was happening with you, they wouldn’t even let me see you until three in the morning.”
“The doctor told me you sat in here for hours. Whenever I woke up you weren’t there.” I felt her fingers against my cheek. “I was getting worried.”
“Have we ever had good timing?” We both chuckled and she kissed me once more, knotting her fingers in my hair.
“So who’s with Ella?” Abbey adjusted herself against my chest and looked eagerly at the door.
“Allie and Grace have been staying with us since we got home. They’re fantastic. Everyday they’ve been cooking and taking care of us so well. I swear, they’re going to be great mums someday.”
“Allie’s pregnant, did you know that?” Abbey spoke thoughtfully, smiling softly like she’d just let me in on the Secret of Life.
“What?” This rattled me a bit. “Since when?”
“She took some tests last week, a day or two before we got here actually. She didn’t want anyone to know until she was absolutely sure…” Her eyes wandered toward the window, her voice was far away. “I guess she put that on the back burner, huh?”
“She really cares about you.” I smiled. “Speaking of which, I heard about Betty Davis’ gym class.” Abbey groaned and covered her eyes with her hand. “And you’re spot-on basketball launch. Very impressive.” Abbey just rolled her eyes and chuckled.
“I should call her.”
“Give her an hour or so. She’s rounding everybody up and they should be here in…” I looked at the clock on the wall. “Ten minutes actually.’
“Are they bringing Ella?”
“Nah, they were just going to leave her with Jude.”

Abbey’s P.O.V.
Rob told me a little more about Ella, about how the second he laid eyes on her he fell in love. He told me it was like magic or “instantaneous” as he fondly put it. Tears helplessly rolled down my cheeks, but I was just happy.
“I love you Abbey.” He paused for a second, stroking my face. I wrapped my arms around him and pulled him closer to me.
“I love you,” I whispered in his ear.
“Abbey!” The next voice I heard without a doubt belonged to Grace. The next was Keith, then Joplin, then my dad. Jeff, Josh and Tom followed.
They hovered over me happily showering me with kisses—even the boys—and hugs. I looked up at Rob, who was sitting on the windowsill watching me. He knew exactly what I wanted, and he nodded at the door.
Allie stood in the doorway holding Ella in her arms. Tears streamed down her freckled cheeks as she rocked my daughter back and forth.