Our Crazy Little Thing Called Family

"Why aren't you inside?" Molly asked as she came closer to where Cristiano stood outside Junior's hospital room. Cristiano had left Molly eating in the waiting room and his mother and sister had gone to see her while he stayed with Junior. Molly hadn't meant to stay away for so long but she knew the others were trying to get her to stay and rest.

"They are running some tests" he said. "More tests. Hasn't he had enough of them already?" she asked looking through the glass window in the door. "The nurse just asked me to leave. She said it shouldn't take long" he said. "They always say that" Molly grumbled as she tried to see what the nurses were doing through the window.

"I'll stay here. You go back to the waiting room. I'm sure Nuno will run out and get you something to eat" he said. "I'm stopping here" she said and he sighed. "He said he would make some pasta later. Don't want to spoil my appetite now would I" she said glancing at him.

"I....I wouldn't have...you know" he stuttered. "Wouldn't have what?" she asked still looking through the window. "What I said earlier. I wouldn't have....stopped....I wouldn't have not....he's sick and....I just wanted you to eat" he stammered out eventually. "I know" she said. "You do?" he asked. "I only ate to shut everyone up. Plus you were right. I'm no use if I make myself ill" she said.

"So I was right" he smirked. "Yes you were. And you were right about not stopping me from seeing Junior. Because I wouldn't just kick you in the balls I would chop them off if you even tried" she said sternly at him before turning her attention back to what was happening through the tiny window.

Neither spoke for a few minutes and Cristiano walked to the opposite wall and slid down to the floor. "I hate hospitals" he said to break the silence. "No one likes them" she said. "I can't believe it's six months since I was sitting like this. Looking at a closed brown door waiting for good news" he sighed closing his eyes as he rested his head against the wall. "He shouldn't being going through this" she mumbled wrapping her arms around her waist. "It's not fair" he said.

"Every time I close my eyes I see the medics placing the tube down his throat. He's too little" she said with her back turned to him. "I thought watching the doctor intubate you was tough, but watching them do that to Junior was even worst. And I never thought I would see anything as bad as that day when you needed it" he said.

"I didn't have it in for that long" Molly said slowly turning around. "Long enough. I only saw them put in. By the time they had you stabilised, they had it taken out" he said. "That's not as bad as Junior" she said. "You weren't there" he said sharply. She hadn't been the one to hear all the machines beeping. Having to hear the doctor shout for an IV. Or listen to Dr. Alex say that intubation was unlikely to occur again but that Molly was still in danger he thought.

"I didn't realise how...." she paused. "Sick you were?" he asked and she nodded. "Well then you were the lucky one" he sighed. "I feel like I have done nothing else but sit outside hospital rooms just hoping for the door to open. Not knowing what will happen" he mumbled. "But I'm standing right here so he can't have being all that bad" she said and he looked straight at her.

"I was counting Junior's toes with a huge grin on my face when Elma screamed my name. I turned and saw your eyes shut and there was pure chaos. They had to give you oxygen. They ushered us out of the room and wouldn't tell us anything. You didn't wake up until the following day. So even though you might be standing right here right now, it was that bad ok" he snapped.

"How did you stay waiting?" she asked. "Prayed to my papí for you to wake up. There wasn't much else to do but hold Junior and just hope that you would wake up" he said with his eyes closed. He jumped slightly when he felt someone take a seat beside him.

He opened one eye and saw Molly next to him with her knees pulled up to her chin. "It feels a lot longer than six months since he was born" she said staring at the doors ahead of them. "Ya it does. He's gotten so much bigger since then. He was so tiny when he was born" he said. "He was anything but tiny. You weren't the one who had to push him out of your body mister" she said.

"At least he didn't get my big head or your labour would have being tougher" he joked and she glanced back at him for a second before turning back to the door. They lapped into silence for another ten minutes before Molly broke the silence.

"I was so scared" she said. "Huh?" he asked opening his closed eyes. "When I was having him. I was so scared that something would happen to him. That I wouldn't be able to do it" she said. "I know" he said and she flicked her head back at him. "I could tell. Anyone would have being in your position. I hated seeing you in so much pain. But you did it. I'll never forget the sound of his cry when he arrived" he smiled. "He had a good pair of lungs" Molly said. "He certainly filled the room with his cries that day" he laughed remembering.

"I don't remember" she said leaning back against the wall. "You don't remember giving birth?" he asked. "No I remember that. I remember feeling scared and nervous. And wishing he would come out. I remember wanting to kill you" she said. "You always do so of course you remember that" he shrugged.

"I remember him being put on my chest and staring into his beautiful brown eyes but nothing after that" she said. "What about after?" he asked. She pulled her knees close to her and thought for a few seconds. Should she tell him that she remembered feeling relief that it was over but then dread that she was going to be handing him over forever? "Molly" Cristiano said waiting for her to answer.

"It's a bit hazy. I remember a little about waking up but nothing really concrete until Dr. Alex came in to talk about Junior's feeding" she eventually said. "Well you were passed out of most of the time in between. And you didn't miss anything after you handed him to me only all your health drama and it's probably best that you don't ever remember that. Trust me" he said.

"I'm sorry for scaring you back then" she mumbled resting her chin on her knees. "Just try not to do it again. I can't play football if you're giving me a heart attack" he joked and she gave his shoulder a nudged with her left hand. "Well I can't" he smiled at her and she gave him a slight smile. Well he thought he saw it appear on her face and he was going with the opinion that she did.

"Tell me he will be ok. Even if you don't believe it. I need to hear you say the words" she said looking at him with tears in her eyes. "He will be ok Molly. And I do truly believe that" he said and she nodded as she turned to stare at the doors once more. "He's strong and a fighter. Just like you" he said. Molly wiped her eyes and shifted back against the wall.

"He's got to be alright" she said and reached her hand out to his hand that had been resting on the floor between them and squeezed it tightly. "He will be" Cristiano said turning her hand so it was in his and stroked it with his thumb. "He will be" he whispered as they both sat looking at the brown doors with their hands linked tightly together.