Best Thing In Town

Mike sat on the floor of the living room at 6:30 in the morning; sleep in his eyes and a five year old crawling over him to get at her Christmas presents while his grandmother-in-law sat behind him on the couch holding Lorelei. The moment Katarina spotted her bicycle was a bittersweet one. Mike was happy that she was happy, but he was sad that Audrey couldn't be there to see it.

That's why he was video recording the whole thing. He had the video camera set up on the tripod in the corner, catching everything that was going on.

"You gonna show me how to ride my bike, daddy?"

"I sure am. Maybe we can take it outside after breakfast."

Katarina's face lit up as she went on to her next gifts. It didn't take long for him to be sitting in a pile of shredded wrapping paper and bows. He'd even let Kat stick the colorful bows all over him. On his forehead, in his hair, on his chest and arms. It made her smile. So, it made him smile, too.

As soon as gifts were opened, Gloria handed Lorelei off to her father while she went and made pancakes for everyone. Mike laid down on his back on the floor with Lorelei sitting on his chest while Katarina laid beside him, on her stomach, touching her little sister's bare foot with one hand and holding her new Barbie doll with the other. Mike would let go of his hands from Lorelei's small waist and she would sit up on her own for a bit before getting wobbly. He tipped his head backward, looking upside down at the video camera.

"See, she's starting to sit up now," he said to the camera.

Katarina jumped up and ran over to the camera, shaking her Barbie in front of it. "And I got this new Barbie, mommy. See?"

Mike smiled, turning his attention back to Lorelei when the phone rang. "Want me to get it?" he called out.

"No, I got it," Gloria replied. Moments later, he heard, "Oh my God! Mike!"

Mike sat up, taking Lorelei with him as he clamored to get up to his feet. Taking long strides, he scurried into the kitchen where Gloria was holding the phone and was crying.

"What is it? Is it--"

Gloria nodded.

Oh God, Audrey's dead. They're calling me on fucking Christmas to tell me Audrey died. No, I can't deal with that kind of news.

Taking the phone from her, he placed it to his ear while balancing Lorelei on his hip like a woman would. "H-hello?" he spoke hesitantly.

* * *

Audrey was sitting up in her bed with Nurse DiLiberto standing beside her, pushing hair out of her face. She was still groggy and a little achy. Despite it all, Audrey trudged on with a smile as she sipped some grape juice through a straw.

"I think it's safe to say you should be able to handle solid foods before the day is out," the nurse said. "You've certainly surprised us all by coming out at all."

Audrey nodded. "Yeah...it's...it's hard to believe," she said, furrowing her brow. "I can't believe I was in a coma..."

After a few moments, Nurse DiLiberto stepped over to the window and opened the blinds, letting the morning sun shine in. "Looks like a beautiful Christmas. And of all the days to wake up, you chose the best."

"I don't think I had much say in when I woke up," she squinted, lifting her hand to block out the light that felt harsh on her eyes. "It's more like...something woke me up."

"Well, whatever it was, just thank the Lord you're here."

"I am," Audrey nodded with a faint smile.

There was a knock on the door and then it began to open and a little person with dirty blonde hair scampered into the room.

"Mommy!"

It was Katarina. Audrey grinned so wide that she thought her face would crack in half. Her daughter climbed up in the chair beside the bed and leaned over to give her mommy a hug and a kiss.

"Hey, honey."

"I missed you so much, mommy. Did you have any fun dreams while you were sleeping?"

Audrey nodded. "Yeah," she replied as her voice got a bit groggy again. "Lots and lots."

The door opened a little wider as Audrey's grandma walked in with her purse flung over her shoulder, followed by Mike carrying Lorelei in his arms. The couples' eyes locked almost immediately. His heart grew about three times its normal size at the sight of her awake and, more importantly, alive. They said so much between each other with their eyes that they didn't even need to break the silence. But Mike had to hear her voice.

Stepping up to her, he ran a hand through her hair with his free hand and leaned in to kiss her. "I missed you like crazy," he whispered. They pressed their foreheads together as Lorelei made a bitching noise. They laughed and Mike stood up straight as Audrey held out her arms.

"Lemme see my baby."

Mike obliged his wife and set Lorelei in her arms as Gloria walked up beside Mike and also gave Audrey a hug and kiss.

"I love you, puzzle piece," she said. "Glad you're back with us."

"Me too, Gram." Audrey smiled. "I feel like I've been hit by a truck or something," he joked lightly.

Mike struggled with a smile but between him and Audrey, their smiles were fronts. The topic was clearly a sore one for his wife as well. How could it not? It stole two weeks from her life.

The nurse slipped from the room to give the family their privacy. Gloria began to tell Audrey about all the things Katarina had been doing in school, how Lorelei's been doing, about Christmas morning, while Mike just stood there, admiring how his wife was beautiful no matter what condition she was in. He just thanked every deity for bringing the love of his life back to them.

To him.

After what seemed like forever, Gloria took Lorelei and Katarina to give the lovebirds their time alone to talk. She said they'd be in the cafeteria grabbing a snack if they needed them.

As soon as they were gone, Audrey grabbed the collar of Mike's shirt and pulled him close for a kiss. He rested his hands on her shoulders and returned the gesture most happily. Anything for his wife.

She began to smile, but only through developing tears. "I lost the baby," she said, her chin quivering a little.

"No. You didn't lose it. That jerk who was driving lost it for you."

"Whatever...it just...I guess it wasn't meant to be."

"Doesn't mean we can't always try again. We have our whole lives to try for little Ryan Michael." He brushed some hair behind her ears and gave her an encouraging smile. "Or, at the rate we're going...another Baby Girl Pritchard."

Audrey laughed. "Yeah."

They fell silent, just looking at each other. Mike licked his lips, everything just seeming to wash over him in tsunami-like waves. As he linked his fingers with hers, he found himself crying in front of her.

"I thought I'd lost you," he admitted. "I-I was so...so damn scared I wasn't gonna have you in my life anymore. I was so scared."

Sighing a deep sigh, Audrey let her own tears begin to fall. "You didn't though. I couldn't leave. It's not my time."

"But I didn't know that. God, when they called to tell us you'd woken up, I was sure they were gonna tell me that...that you'd died. I've been a wreck without you, Audrey. You've become the balance in my life and with you out of the picture I've been so...so out of it. I spent most of these two weeks right here. I even spent the night a few times in that extra bed over there."

"What about the girls? Kat, Lorelei...Estelle?"

He dipped his head in guilt. "I haven't really been there as much these past two weeks. Which I'm sorry for. I just didn't know what to do. Without you...there wasn't much of a me."

"Well, I'm here now."

He smiled. "Yeah. You are." Mike leaned in and kissed his wife again, enjoying the simple pleasure of it.