Believe in Me

"GET HER INTO A ROOM FOR AN EMERGENCY C-SECTION"

"COOPERATE. C'MON SWEETHEART WE NEED YOU TO
COOPERATE."

"WAIT UNTIL SHE'S STABLE."

"GET HER INTO A ROOM! GET HER IN! WE NEED THAT BABY OUT!"

"SHE'S NOT STABLE YET!"

"GET HER IN OR WE LOSE THE BOTH OF THEM. NOW."
______________________________________________________

"She's going to be fine, Patrick. She's going to be fine."

"They won't even let me in the room. This is fucking ridiculous." Patrick fired back. He walked around the hallway of the hospital, hands gripping his head and his face tense. He'd gotten the call about the accident on his way back home from the mall. There had been traffic along the city streets due to a car accident; but he didn't know it was one involving his family.

His sisters were sitting down on a bench, their faces pale and hands shivering. Their mom would be okay, she was in another room being treated, but it was Lily and the baby that they were worried about. Donna Kane had, sadly, caused the accident. Her phone dropped and she reached down for it, not realizing she was heading straight onto a diesel truck pulling out on their left.

Everything was a blur for the five girls. One minute they were on their way to breakfast, the next they were flipped upside down in a $50,000 car, screaming for help. Lily had been laying on the floor, halfway out of the windshield. The ambulance got there in time to find her barely breathing but still conscious.

Now they had to wait. Lily went in for an Emergency C-Section while they helped her become stable again. The Kane sisters had never seen their brother so scared. This was his child and the love of his life on the line.

Minutes felt like hours. They had been waiting for twenty minutes already, and there was still no word from any doctors. Patrick leaned his head against the wall, not talking to anyone. He silently prayed. He'd give up everything he had just to make sure the two would be okay. At that moment, he didn't care about money. He didn't care about hockey, he didn't even care about himself, he just wanted Lily and his son to be okay.

He didn't know if he should be angry at his mother or not. That was the last thing on his mind. No matter how everything turns out, should he be angry at her? Was this whole accident her fault? A million things were running through his mind until he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Hang in there, bud." His father told him. "Everything will be okay in the end."
_____________________________________________________

"Patrick?"

His head shot up and a lump formed in his throat. His hands began to sweat, but he nodded at the doctor standing in front of him.

"Would you like to meet your son?"

The hour passed and Baby Patrick was out and well. Patrick walked into the room where his son was lying peacefully, swaddled in a blanket with a beanie on head.

It took him a moment to process everything, and then he broke down. He took some deep breaths, unable to fathom the fact that his son was right in front of him. He wiped his eyes with tissues from the Nurse, and slowly reached toward the baby. The baby woke once he was in his father's arms, and for a few moments, the two made eye contact.

At that moment, nothing else mattered. He had his child in his arms. His child. Something that he helped create. At that moment, everything was perfect. For Patrick, it was instantaneous love. Sure, he was smaller than normal because he was a month early, but the little boy wrapped in his arms was the most beautiful thing Patrick had ever seen.

After a few private minutes with his son, Patrick's sisters and parents entered the room. His mother was in a wheelchair holding his father's hands, and the three girls walked in quietly to see the baby. Immediately, they all broke down sobbing.

"My Grandson." Patrick's father whispered to himself.

"He's beautiful." Erica cried.

Patrick grinned, the happiest he had ever been. The doctor walked in and pulled Patrick out of the room, and that's when his heart sunk.

"How's Lily?" He asked nervously.

The doctor took a deep breath, putting his hand on Patrick's arm. He looked nervous, which made Patrick feel uneasy. He didn't want to believe anything bad could've happened to Lily. He refused to believe it.

"She'll be fine. She's out for now but she should be waking within the next hour or two. Everything is fine. She has a few scratches and bruses, she'll probably get headaches, and she has to recover from the C-Section, but she's going to be okay." He smiled.
Patrick closed his eyes, breathing heavily.

"I can't thank you enough."

"My pleasure. I'm happy with the outcome. Now, go enjoy your son!"
_______________________________________________

"Where is he?" I asked, rubbing my eyes, confused about what was going on. I woke up to the sight of a hospital room. I didn't know what had happened. I couldn't remember a thing. I wasn't sure how I got here, or what I was doing here.

"Hello, sweetheart!" A nurse smiled at me. "Your baby is doing just fine. He's with his Daddy. Would you like to go meet him?"

"What happened to me?" I asked her, reaching for the cup of water beside my bed. I needed a moment to process everything. My child was out of my stomach and with Patrick, that was surprising.

"There was an accident and you got hurt. We gave you an emergency C-Section, your son is doing just fine. He came out early, but everything will be okay. Careful now, Sweetheart. You can't get up just yet. Lay down, we'll wheel you to the room." She smiled.

I sighed, "Can you take me now?"

I messed with my hands on the way to the room. I had 3 nurses pushing my bed down the halls, on my way to meet my baby. I was nervous, unsure of how to act. How do you act when you're about to meet your child for the first time? Is there a handbook?

The room opened and I immediately was shocked to find my brother standing there, flowers in hand.

"Congratulations, Lil. I love you." He smiled, handing me the flowers. Everyone else after that was a blur. At the back of the room sat Patrick, holding my son. The nurses pushed my bed into the spot and Patrick stood, walking over to me with our son.

He gently laid him on my chest and I was breathless. He was so beautiful. A peaceful, long, blue-eyed bundle of joy. I looked up at Patrick as a tear fell down my cheek.

"He's...he's ours."

Patrick nodded, chuckling. "That he is. He's perfect. You were a trooper. Today has been hectic but you made it. The both of you did." He smiled, leaning down and planting a kiss on my forehead.

"I love you, Lily."

"Can you guys give us a minute?" Pat asked, his family and my brother got up right away, heading out of the room but not before hugging and kissing me goodbye.

"I still can't believe he's ours." I smiled, looking down at my son. It didn't seem real. It didn't feel like he wasn't in my stomach anymore.

Patrick sighed, holding one of my hands and bending down on the grown.

"Lily," He smiled, getting on one knee. Oh my God.

"Lily, it's been rocky with us, but no matter what, you are the one person I can always count on. You are my best friend. I love you, and our son, more than anything or anyone in the world. I can't...I can't even imagine life without you two. You guys are my world."

"So I'm asking you here and now, Lily, let's spend the rest of our lives together." He grinned, pulling out a Tiffany Blue box from his pocket, and opening it to reveal the shiny, giant, silver ring inside.

"Will you marry me?"

I was in shock. Words couldn't come out of my mouth. There was Patrick, kneeling in front of me, asking me the most important question in the world. I thought back to the beginning of it all. It started as some joke, some typical athlete trying to get into my pants. I thought back to how much Patrick has grown. He went from making "funny" bets with his friends to caring and loving me. Now, here we were, in a hospital room with our son. Everything we went through, every struggle, every moment was for now. Everything happened for a reason. Our son was the reason.

I smiled, placing my hand on his.

"Yes."