Broken Together

by K. S. Ruff

  “They dispatched an ambulance and a police escort, but I beat them to the hospital. I hate the beltway,” Brady grumbled.

  I reached for his hand.

  He gave me a hug instead. “I’m glad you’re okay.”

  Jase sank onto the padded bench beneath the window. “Kadyn and Shae are on their way.”

  I bit back a smile. “I hope she brings her Scrabble game.”

  Jase chuckled. The tension eased from his face.

  “Rest,” Mom whispered.

  My eyes closed, gratefully. “I wish Rafael was here.”

  “Me too,” she admitted softly.

  Chapter 12 – Love Will Set You Free

  I frowned before my eyes flew open. “I think my water broke.”

  Mom rushed to my side. She lifted the blanket and stumbled back. “Get the nurse.”

  Jase bolted from the room. “Emergency! Room six-twenty-nine!” Footsteps pounded down the hall.

  “Oh, God,” I cried. Blood soaked the sheet beneath me.

  Kadyn hit the call button just as the machines began to alarm. He too ran from the room. “We need a nurse!”

  Mom grasped my hand. She placed her other hand on my stomach. “Please, Lord, lay your healing hands on my child. Protect my daughter and her baby. Keep them safe from harm. Guide their doctors and nurses…”

  A cramp tore through me. I doubled over in pain. “The priest, Mom. Please, I want the baby baptized right away.”

  “I’ll find the priest.” Shae hurried from the room.

  Four nurses rushed in with Kadyn. One grabbed the fetal monitor strip while another peered beneath the blanket. “We have to deliver the baby. Now.”

  My heart ground to a complete stop. “Where’s Dr. Meinig?”

  “Page the anesthesiologist and the OR. We need B positive blood sent STAT,” the nurse ordered.

  The nurse next to her plowed into Jase before fleeing the room.

  My parents kissed me. “We’ll be praying the whole time, honey. We’ll be right here waiting for you and the baby.”

  One nurse grabbed the IV and piled the monitors on the bed while the other two pulled the rails up, released the brakes, and wheeled me toward the door. “Mrs. Garcia, we need to perform an emergency C-section. You’ll have to go under general anesthesia. I need your consent for a blood transfusion. There are risks…”

  My ears began to ring. “Yes. I’ll accept the risks. Where’s Dr. Meinig? Someone needs to call Dr. Meinig and my husband.” My entire body began to shake.

  Jase appeared. “Rafael is here. He just texted me from downstairs.”

  “I want to see him,” I pleaded. “Please, I need to apologize. I need to say goodbye.”

  “Your husband can’t be inside the operating room, not when you’re going under general anesthesia.” Everyone squeezed inside the elevator.

  “What floor are we heading to?” Jase demanded.

  “Two,” the nurse answered. “Sir, this is a staff only elevator.”

  Jase shot off a quick text. “I’m Kristine’s bodyguard. I go where she goes.”

  “You won’t be allowed inside the operating room,” she warned.

  The alarms grew louder.

  “She’s tachycardic. She’s going into shock.”

  The elevator dinged. The doors slid open.

  My stomach cramped again.

  “Mrs. Garcia? I’m Father McHugh. I’m here to baptize your baby. May I administer the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick?”

  “Yes.” My chin quivered.

  He pulled a small vial from his pocket. “Do you wish to make a confession?”

  Everything blurred as the bed picked up speed. “It has been three weeks since my last confession.” I tried to list my sins. My thoughts were so muddied, I couldn’t identify a single one. “I’ve been on bed rest. I don’t believe I have any sins to confess.”

  He spread oil on my forehead with his thumb while making the sign of the cross. “Through this holy anointing, may our Lord Jesus Christ in love and mercy help you with the grace of the Holy Spirit.” He did the same with my hands. “May the Lord Jesus Christ who frees you from sin save you and raise you up.”

  Frankincense and Myrrh tickled my nose. With a deep, shuddering breath, my eyes slid closed.

  Jase squeezed my hand. We swerved around the corner at a nauseating rate of speed.

  My eyes flew open.

  “Room three!” someone shouted.

  “I’m here!” Dr. Meinig yelled. He was breathing hard by the time he reached us. “Kristine, we can do this. I promise, we’ll take good care of you and your baby.”

  Tears dampened my cheeks. “Is the baby okay?”

  He glanced at the monitors. “His heartbeat is erratic, as is yours. I’m afraid you’ve both lost a great deal of blood. He may have lost oxygen as a result. We need to deliver him now.”

  I shivered. “I’m so cold. Why am I so cold?”

  Jase kissed my forehead. “I’ll be standing right outside the door.”

  “Kristine!”

  The bed slowed.

  The doors to the operating room pressed inward.

  Rafael lunged for me. “I love you. I will always love you. No matter what.”

  “I love you too,” I sobbed. “I’m so sorry. I never meant to hurt the baby.”

  He reached for Jase as the doors slid closed.

  “Knock her out!” Dr. Meinig yelled. Now!”

  “I’m working as fast as I can,” a disembodied voice answered.

  They transferred me to the operating table. Paper crinkled all around me.

  My teeth chattered. The table shook right along with me.

  Something cold splashed against my stomach.

  I flinched. My stomach cramped again.

  Someone held my shoulders and legs in place.

  Alarms sounded again.

  Dr. Meinig’s eyes appeared between a cap and a mask. He held a scalpel in his hand. “Hurry,” he snarled.

  “Please, just take the baby. I don’t care how much it hurts!” I prayed for the scalpel to pierce my skin.

  Someone smoothed a hand over my head. “We’re praying for you,” she whispered.

  “Okay, brave girl, count back from one-hundred.”

  I forced the numbers through clenched teeth. “One-hundred, ninety-nine…”

  Darkness welcomed me once again.

  * * * * *

  “Mon coeur.”

  My eyes flew open. I shook my head, then shook it again. White whispered all around me. “Am I in Greece?”

  Michael laughed.

  Tears pooled along my lashes. I never thought I’d hear that sound again. I sat up, expecting pain. There was none. “Michael?” I whispered.

  He smiled when our eyes finally met.

  My heart skipped a couple of beats.

  He stepped a little closer. “Tu m'as manqué.”

  “I’ve missed you too.” I stared at the little girl in his arms. I knew with every fiber of my being this was the child I’d lost. Relief and an overwhelming sense of joy washed over me. I always pictured them together, but now I knew. Michael and Genevieve were truly together.

  “Are you happy?” He sounded more curious than anything.

  I tore my eyes from Genevieve. “Sometimes. Mostly, I’m scared.”

  “Don’t be.” He touched my hand. Peace settled over me like a warm blanket on a chilly night. “I want you to be happy.”

  “Are we dead?” The thought wasn’t as alarming as I thought it would be.

  He shook his head. “Love never dies.”

  “I poured your ashes in the ocean,” I whispered.

  “An act of love,” Michael replied.

  A tear slid silently down my cheek. “You died trying to save me.”

  “Also an act of love.” His thumb traced the cross on my hand before he stole the tear from my cheek. “How many lives have you saved?”

  “I’m not sure.” Jean and Kadyn were the only two people w
ho came to mind.

  He smiled. “There are more than you could possibly count, although most are unaware of that fact.”

  I eyed him curiously. Michael didn’t have the same effect he used to have on me. There was no passion… no physical attraction… only love. Although, I was hesitant to say “only,” because that love felt all-encompassing.

  He tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. “You need to go back. He’s not finished with you yet.”

  I nodded. While there was a part of me that longed to remain with Michael and Genevieve, I was okay with that. I caressed my daughter’s cheek. Her smile was truly glorious.

  Michael kissed my forehead. “Take care of my brother… and our girl.”

  I stared at him, thoroughly confused. “Our girl?” How could I care for Genevieve when she was here with him?

  Michael laughed. “God has a wonderful sense of humor.”

  * * * * *

  A cool hand pressed against my cheek. “Mrs. Garcia, can you open your eyes?”

  Lead weights held them firmly in place. I shook my head, then groaned. Pain ricocheted through my entire body.

  A light pierced my eyes. “Ow! What is it with you people and those obnoxious lights?”

  A woman chuckled. “She’s awake all right.”

  “My name is Mary. I’m a nurse at Fairfax Hospital. Do you remember why you’re here?”

  I bolted upright. Pain ripped through my lower abdomen. I sucked in air.

  Strong hands captured my shoulders and eased me down again. “Easy. You don’t want to pull your stitches.”

  My hand flew to my stomach. “My baby. Oh, God! The baby.” I began to sob.

  The monitor alarmed.

  “Mrs. Garcia, you need to calm down. Breathe with me. In… Out… Good. Deeper this time. In… Out… That’s better.” Mary smoothed my hair back so it no longer covered my eyes. “Your baby is in the NICU. She’s a fighter just like you.”

  “She?” I managed through strangled tears.

  “Your husband had the same reaction.” Mary chuckled.

  I grasped her hand. “Rafael. Is he with her?”

  “Yes. He asked me to call the NICU as soon as you came to. He’ll meet you back in your room.”

  I shook my head. “I don’t want him to leave the baby.”

  She eyed the monitor again. “Your husband needs to know his wife is okay. I’m going to call down to the NICU, then we’ll wheel you to your room.”

  My eyes slid closed while I breathed through the pain. A million unanswered questions remained.

  Mary hesitated. “On a scale of one to ten, how would you rate your pain?”

  I forced my eyes open again. “Nine. Ten when I move.”

  “The Fentanyl must have worn off. Dr. Meinig ordered Morphine. I’ll get that started for you.” She tugged the curtain aside, then walked away.

  I tried to organize my thoughts.

  Mary breezed back in. “I’m going to add the Morphine to your IV. You’re going to feel some pressure on your neck that will creep over your head and settle over you like a heavy blanket. Don’t worry. That’s perfectly normal.”

  My wrist hit the railing on the bed. “I don’t want Morphine. I want to see the baby, and I can’t think straight when I’m on pain medication.”

  The pity that flashed in her eyes was quickly hidden away. “You’ll be on magnesium sulfate for the next two days. You won’t be allowed out of bed as long as you’re on that medication. I’m sorry, but you won’t be able to see your daughter until you’re off that medication.”

  My heart beat frantically. “I won’t see my baby for two days? What… what if she doesn’t make it?” I hadn’t a clue what kind of shape she was in. The monitor alarmed when I started crying again.

  “I’m sorry, Mrs. Garcia. The magnesium sulfate is not optional. Your blood pressure is too high. You’re still at risk for seizures. Pain drives your blood pressure even higher. So, I’m going to add the Morphine.” She pushed the syringe into the IV. “There. Let’s see if that doesn’t help.”

  I shook my head. I couldn’t risk pain medication. I needed a clear head. I needed to see my baby before… before… “Ugh.” The pressure on my neck was unbelievable. I shivered when the Morphine crept over my head. My body filled with cement. “That feels awful.”

  “Just give it a minute.” Mary smiled when my shoulders relaxed. She watched the monitor while the cuff on my arm puffed up again. “That should do the trick. Are you ready to see your husband?”

  “No.” I didn’t want him to leave the baby. How could they keep me from my baby? I closed my eyes so I wouldn’t have to deal with Mary.

  My eyes flew open when a man wearing green scrubs began moving the bed. I squeezed them shut again. I was already dizzy enough.

  Two metal doors popped open.

  “Krissy!” Mom cried. She walked hurriedly alongside the bed. “How are you feeling?”

  “Tired… dizzy… and sore. How long have I been out?”

  My father jogged up beside her. “A little over two hours. Rafael’s with the baby now.”

  I shook my head. “My nurse called the NICU. He’s meeting us in my room.” I closed my eyes against all of the moving objects. “Will you sit with her while he’s with me? She shouldn’t be alone.”

  “Her parents are the only ones allowed inside the NICU right now,” Mom answered regretfully.

  The bed rolled to a stop. My escort pushed the button for the elevator. He glanced at my parents. “You can join us.” He backed the bed onto the elevator.

  I tried wrangling my thoughts while focusing on my mom. “Was she baptized?”

  “Yes. Father McHugh baptized her shortly after she was taken to the NICU. The NICU nurses allowed Kadyn and Shae to join Rafael and the priest for the baptism.”

  The elevator doors slid open. The bed bounced when the wheels hit the gap between the elevator and the floor. My pilot made a sharp right. He pushed a button for another set of doors before pushing me down a long hallway.

  My teeth started chattering.

  My parents walked alongside me.

  “Did you get to see her?” I couldn’t recall if I’d asked that question. I felt thoroughly disoriented between the Morphine, the cold hallway, and the jostling.

  “Just briefly, when they wheeled her Isolette out of the operating room.” Mom reached for my hand. “Honey, she’s so tiny.”

  Tears welled in my eyes. “Did Rafael name her?” Surely, a name was required for baptism.

  She released my hand when the bed swung around another corner. “Rafael should be the one to tell you.”

  “Kristine!” Rafael shouted hoarsely. The bed stopped abruptly when he flung his body over the railing. He scooped me up into a gentle hug. “Kristine, I was so afraid I’d lost you. I thought… I thought…” He scattered tear stained kisses all over my face before shuddering. “I’m so glad you’re okay.”

  “How’s the baby?” My heart beat anxiously.

  “She was having some difficulty breathing, so they put her on a ventilator. Her heartbeat is strong. Her kidneys and liver were impacted by the blood loss, so the gastroenterologist and the nephrologist will be monitoring her labs over the next few days.”

  The bed started rolling again. “How much does she weigh?”

  “One and a half pounds. She’s no bigger than my hand.” Rafael pulled out his phone and showed me a picture. You could barely see the baby beneath all the patches, wires, and the ventilator. The tiniest diaper imaginable was folded around her bottom. A thin layer of hair darkened her head.

  I started crying again.

  My pilot slowed before backing into a room. A young nurse with chestnut hair followed us. “Mrs. Garcia, my name is Jenny. I’ll be taking care of you this evening. How are you feeling?”

  “Sluggish,” I replied accusingly.

  She eyed the monitor. “That’s the Morphine. Are you in any pain?”

  “No.” I shivered. “I’m just… cold.
”

  She ran a temporal thermometer across my forehead, strapped a cuff around my arm, and checked the swelling in my legs. “I’ll grab a couple of blankets from the warmer. I’d like you to get some rest. Visiting hours are over, but I’ll give you a half hour with your family. I understand you were just wheeled out of recovery. Your husband can remain throughout the night. Everyone else is welcome to return at eight o’clock tomorrow morning.”

  Rafael warmed my hands between his. “I have to divide my time between Kristine and the NICU. There are some security concerns, which I can explain. My wife has bodyguards. They’re on their way back from the cafeteria now.”

  “Her bodyguards can stay.” She paused just inside the doorway. “I’ll be right back. I’m going to get the blankets.”

  Rafael lowered the railing on the bed.

  My heart clenched. “You shouldn’t leave the baby for too long. I don’t want her to feel alone.”

  He sat, carefully. “They kick everyone out during the nurse shift change. I can’t return for another thirty minutes.” He grabbed a couple of tissues and gently dabbed my cheeks.

  Mom chewed her bottom lip. “Have you eaten?”

  Brady and Jase strode into the room. Kadyn, Shae, Cenia, and Roger walked in behind them. The nurse returned with the blankets.

  Jase handed Rafael a brown paper bag. “I brought sandwiches… ham, turkey, and roast beef.” He leaned over and kissed my forehead. “How’s our little mama?”

  “Tired.” The blankets were so warm. Everything grew hazy. “Does our baby have a name?”

  “Gabriella Michaela Garcia,” Rafael answered.

  I smiled. Rafael had chosen the feminine versions of Gabriel and Michael, two of the four names we’d been considering for our son. “So that’s why Michael referred to her as our girl.”

  * * * * *

  The bed dipped. A well-muscled arm slid cautiously between my abdomen and chest. Rafael tucked my back against his chest. “Another nurse shift change,” he explained tiredly.

  “How’s Gabriella?” I whispered. Jase was sleeping on the fold out chair next to us.

  “She’s still on the ventilator. They drew blood a few minutes ago, so we’ll know more about how her liver and kidneys are faring when those lab results are in.” He pulled me a little closer.