Must Wait (27 page)

At the hospital, we walk into the waiting area. Olivia
texts Henry to let him know that we are there. I sit down,
looking through a magazine trying to conceal my fright.

A few minutes later Rosalie enters the room. “Pedro, I
am going to take you now to see Katie.”
I follow her out to the hallway as Rosalie grabs my
arm. “There has been a change of plans. Remember,
Pedro, that you need to stay strong and breathe.
Everything is going to be just fine.”
I nervously nod. “Olivia gave me medication this
morning to keep me calm.”
Rosalie smiles. “Good.”

We get to the surgical suite and I am instructed by
Rosalie to put on scrubs over my clothes. Once I am
done a nurse leads me into a room where I see Katie
prepped and ready to go. The nurse leaves as I walk
closer to Katie. She sees me and reaches out for my hand.

I sit down behind her near her head. There is a sheet
screen over her stomach.
She smiles over to me. “Pedro, I am drugged as hell
and I do not feel a damn thing. I am not going under.
You are going to stay for the show, okay?”
My eyes open really wide. “Katie, I am not sure I can
get through this.”
She taps my hand. “My mother gave you the pill,
right?”
“Yes, she did.”
She laughs. “Good, then all is going how I planned it.
Do you really think I wanted you to miss the birth of
your sons?”
I shake my head. “You planned this Katie?”
She laughs. “Yes, I needed to have you calm for these
last few weeks. I wanted you to feel secure with this
procedure.”
I lean over and kiss her cheek. “You are crazy, Katie.”
She is laughing as the doctor walk in with his team. He
glances over at Katie. “Let’s get those babies out.”
Katie laughs. “Yes, please.”
I lean my head into the side of Katie’s head staying
there, never moving throughout the entire procedure.
With one hand I am gripping her hand tightly and my
other hand was near her neck with my fingers on her
throat. I need to make sure that she is still breathing. At
some point I hear the babies cry, but they were taken
away rapidly. The nurse taps my shoulder a few minutes
later.
Katie speaks out to her, “No, he stays with me.”
About another twenty minutes later, the doctor stands
up leaving.
The nurse comes back over, “Time to go to recovery.”
They wheel Katie out with me following her. I sit in
the chair next to her, just rubbing her hand.
After a few minutes, she smiles over at me. “Pedro,
you see that I am fine. That nurse over there will take you
to see the boys. Please apply the names we have chosen
before my father can stake claim.”
I laugh. “Which baby gets which name?”
She raises her eyebrows. “I do not know. I will let you
figure that out since I have not seen them either.”
I kiss her several times before leaving to go see my
sons.

The nurse leads me to a room with two wrapped up
babies lying in their own bassinettes. I watch the one
baby squirm and the other lay still. I instantly knew which
is which. She handed me the name placement cards which
were already made up. She points to where each one
needs to be placed. I do so as I watch her place small
bracelets on them.

She touches my shoulder. “You can hold them if you
like. They are very healthy. Depending on how well your
wife does with her pain. They will all be placed together
in this same room.”

I smile up at her. “Katie is very strong. She has
survived worse.”
“Do you want me to show you how to hold them?”
“Oh no, I completely know what I am doing. I was a
single father instantly when my first wife died during child
birth.”
The nurse’s eyes fill
with
sadness. “Oh, what
happened in the OR makes complete sense to me now.”
The nurse walks away leaving me with my sons.

I pick each one up separately. I keep holding them for
what feels like for hours. Katie is rolled into the room in
her hospital bed.

She looks over at me all wide-eyed. “Pedro, give me
one of my sons now. Please share.”
I laugh at her and hand her the calm quiet baby that is
in my arms. She stares down at him lovingly. I pick up the
fussy baby trying to console him.
I look over at her. “Maybe we should trade. I think
this one wants his mommy. He is very needy and
demanding.”
She laughs and reaches for him. “I think it is time you
go and talk to the family. You can bring them back with
you in thirty minutes. I am going to try to feed them. I
nod as I leave her with the babies. A nurse immediately
enters the room after I leave.

I go back to the waiting room only to find a stressed
out Ryan, Olivia, Chris and Nick.
I look around. “Where are Henry and Rosalie?”
Olivia jumps, up hugging me. “They were hungry after

Ryan stands up. “It has been hours. What was
happening?”
“I was holding them and now Katie is with them.
Thirty minutes, then I will bring you to the room.”
Olivia nods her head. “All good, right? You were
bonding with them?”
I laugh. “Yes, one boy is fussy, squirming around
crying loudly. The other boy is quiet and content.”
Ryan steps forward. “And, Katie, how is she doing?”
“Just fine. I think the pain medication has not worn
off yet.”

We enter down the hallway into Katie’s room. Olivia
runs to the bassinettes and looks down at both babies.
She watches them in awe. I sit in the chair next to Katie
and stroke her hand as her family fuss over the babies.

Nick leans down reading the name cards. He stands up
laughing. “Really, Katie, with those names?”
Ryan’s head jerks as he looks down to see the names.
He closes his eyes and swallows hard. He touches Olivia
shoulder, rubbing it.
I smile over. “Yup, and that one is just like you too. A
feisty screamer.”
Katie chuckles. “We chose Bryan Christopher for the
“B” in my brother Briar’s name and the Ryan is for you,
Daddy. Christopher was for Grandpa Nora, Uncle Chris
and Nick, who was supposed to be Christopher but
instead that is his middle name, like you too, Daddy.
Bryson means son of a nobleman which is Pedro’s
personality and Pierce is the same as Pedro, but in
English means rock.”
Olivia smiles. “I think those are perfect names for the
boys.”
Ryan and Olivia each pick up a grandchild and hold
them closely to them. After they all leave, I get to spend
another few minutes kissing Katie before the nurses push
me out as visiting hours are over for the day. I am excited
to come back tomorrow to help her with them during my
visiting hours.

Four years later, Katie and I are sitting on a blanket on
the beach in San Bart. We are watching Ramón, Bryan,
Bryson and Oliver play in the water. Katie shifts her
weight to get comfortable since her belly is in her way.

Katie smiles over at me. “You know this is the last
one. No more babies, Pedro. Oliver is too much for me
to handle. He is only sixteen months old and he is too
fast for me to watch.”

I laugh. “No, Katie. I have to prove to Ryan that San
Bart is cursed and he made me promise not to get a
vasectomy.”

“Since when have you started listening to him?”
“I always listened to him. He knew that he could trust
you with me. To protect you and to love you properly. I
was sincere when I told him that I would wait for you.
We got a little screwed along the way, but we did wait for
each other. We knew what we had during your spring
break, that it was special. I promised that you must wait
for me, for all it to be true. Katie, you are so suited for
me. Waiting for you was the perfect choice for me. I love
you, Katie.”
She gazes at me. “I love you too, Pedro.” She kisses
my lips so softly.

Lost Her (Lost #1)
Lost Years (Lost #2)
Lost No More (Lost #3)