Don't Forget
Now we wait...
Eric’s hand slipped from the hospital bed waking him up. Eric groaned. He didn't want to return to this reality without her. It hurt to look at her in this state. Mia’s head was wrapped in heavy gauze and her lip was cut. Eric had never seen her so pale. Mia had a fracture in her skull, three broken ribs one bruised and one fractured. She had been in surgery for hours to stop the bleeding. So long that Eric began to fear that the baby would be the only thing he had left of her. She had twelve stitches in her head and six down the side not even including the stitches required after the emergency C-section.
Even with how hard it was to look at her, Eric couldn't leave her. When they kicked him out he always found a way to sneak back in. It felt like if he was at least here to witness everything she couldn't die. At least if there was anything he could do he'd know it best from never leaving her side.
His back ached from his sleeping position. He stood and stretched cuing a series of cracks in his back. Maybe tonight he could surrender his watch for tonight and get a room at the near by Motel 6. He looked at Mia’s face. Or maybe he’d just sit here until she woke up. He sat back in his seat.
John and Beatrice entered the room making it bustle. John’s hands were full of bags with white carry out boxes in them. Beatrice’s arms were full of a bouquet of flowers.
“Good you’re already awake,” John said. Eric didn't want to look at John. He was too bright. Beatrice didn't speak. She proceeded to change out the flowers on Mia's bedside. They had been left there since the last patient used the room so Beatrice threw out the brown carcasses and replaced them with a bouquet of bright lilies and roses, “I brought breakfast. I thought it would be good to have something outside of the hospitals continental breakfast."
“What’s Connor's news?” Eric said, “What’s the baby’s condition?”
“Since Connor is standing in as the father, they prompted him to name her.” Beatrice said in a low voice, “He named her Messiah Mia Butler-Price-Santiago.”
“I don’t want to talk about the name of something that might not even last the night.”
“How could you say something like that about your daughter?” Beatrice said.
“Connor's the father.” Eric said looking at Mia’s sleeping body, “Did he say anything else?” Beatrice snatched up the remaining flowers and stormed out of the room. Beatrice never stayed in the room long enough to actually talk to Eric, probably because she couldn't stand it, couldn't stand him and his choice.
John was the one to answer his question, “She started having trouble breathing.” John pulled out boxes and opened them on the rolling table. “They forced Connor out of the room. Connor thinks she might have to go through more surgery.”
“If I was asked to choose between Mia and the baby I’d choose Mia.” Eric said hoarsely. Eric had started confessing things to John when they were alone like this. He chalked it up to his extreme exhaustion, “Every time I’d choose Mia even after everything we put each other through. Doesn't that make me a bad person?”
“It makes you human,” John said rolling the food in front of Eric, “You don’t know or love Messiah yet. Some people just aren't the type.”
“But if Mia doesn't wake up…” Eric said, “If she get’s worse...the baby will be all I have left of her.”
“Eat something.” John commanded, “When Mia wakes up you don’t want her to see you all broken like this.”
“If she doesn't wake up…”
“I know, eat Eric.” John said putting his hand on Eric’s shoulder.
Eric looked at Mia’s sleeping body. The baby was still in crisis as much as she was. Eric hoped that meant they’d come out of it around the same time as well.
Even with how hard it was to look at her, Eric couldn't leave her. When they kicked him out he always found a way to sneak back in. It felt like if he was at least here to witness everything she couldn't die. At least if there was anything he could do he'd know it best from never leaving her side.
His back ached from his sleeping position. He stood and stretched cuing a series of cracks in his back. Maybe tonight he could surrender his watch for tonight and get a room at the near by Motel 6. He looked at Mia’s face. Or maybe he’d just sit here until she woke up. He sat back in his seat.
John and Beatrice entered the room making it bustle. John’s hands were full of bags with white carry out boxes in them. Beatrice’s arms were full of a bouquet of flowers.
“Good you’re already awake,” John said. Eric didn't want to look at John. He was too bright. Beatrice didn't speak. She proceeded to change out the flowers on Mia's bedside. They had been left there since the last patient used the room so Beatrice threw out the brown carcasses and replaced them with a bouquet of bright lilies and roses, “I brought breakfast. I thought it would be good to have something outside of the hospitals continental breakfast."
“What’s Connor's news?” Eric said, “What’s the baby’s condition?”
“Since Connor is standing in as the father, they prompted him to name her.” Beatrice said in a low voice, “He named her Messiah Mia Butler-Price-Santiago.”
“I don’t want to talk about the name of something that might not even last the night.”
“How could you say something like that about your daughter?” Beatrice said.
“Connor's the father.” Eric said looking at Mia’s sleeping body, “Did he say anything else?” Beatrice snatched up the remaining flowers and stormed out of the room. Beatrice never stayed in the room long enough to actually talk to Eric, probably because she couldn't stand it, couldn't stand him and his choice.
John was the one to answer his question, “She started having trouble breathing.” John pulled out boxes and opened them on the rolling table. “They forced Connor out of the room. Connor thinks she might have to go through more surgery.”
“If I was asked to choose between Mia and the baby I’d choose Mia.” Eric said hoarsely. Eric had started confessing things to John when they were alone like this. He chalked it up to his extreme exhaustion, “Every time I’d choose Mia even after everything we put each other through. Doesn't that make me a bad person?”
“It makes you human,” John said rolling the food in front of Eric, “You don’t know or love Messiah yet. Some people just aren't the type.”
“But if Mia doesn't wake up…” Eric said, “If she get’s worse...the baby will be all I have left of her.”
“Eat something.” John commanded, “When Mia wakes up you don’t want her to see you all broken like this.”
“If she doesn't wake up…”
“I know, eat Eric.” John said putting his hand on Eric’s shoulder.
Eric looked at Mia’s sleeping body. The baby was still in crisis as much as she was. Eric hoped that meant they’d come out of it around the same time as well.