Stronger Than Ever (My Best Friend)

by Ancelli

  She handed the baby to him. The baby started gasping for air. Kay hit the call button for the nurse, who was there in an instant.

  She saw the looks on their faces. She took the baby from Jason’s arms, put him in an incubator, and called for the doctor, who rushed him out of the room.

  Jason followed the nurse to the NICU. He stayed while they hooked Jeremy up to the machines that would help him breathe. He sent a prayer up to heaven and left the room to be with Kay.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Jason pulled Kay into his arms and hugged her. “He’ll be okay. They said he was healthy.”

  Kay broke down crying. “God, please watch out for my baby. Please.” They held each other.

  “Baby, he’ll be okay.” He pulled away from her to cup her face with his hands.

  “What happened? He was fine.” Kay said, putting her hands over his. “Why did my body betray me? It’s because he was premature.”

  “Your body didn’t betray you, baby. I watched you every day. You did everything right. Don’t you dare blame yourself,” he said, staring at her.

  His parents walked in with a bouquet of flowers and a balloon that said It’s A Boy. As soon as Jason’s father saw his face, he knew something was wrong.

  “What’s happened?” he asked, walking toward them.

  His mom set the flowers on the table. “Tell us. What’s wrong?”

  “Where’s Angel?” Jason asked.

  “We left her with Sophia. What’s wrong, Jason?” his mother asked again.

  Jason told them what happened, and that they were waiting for the doctor to come back and let them know what was going on. His father hugged him and offered comforting words.

  Mrs. Anderson walked over to Kay. “Mom, Jeremy is beautiful. He looks like Jason, which means he looks like Mr. Anderson.” She smiled between her cries.

  “Did you say Jeremy?” Mrs. Anderson asked Yes, Mom, his name is Jeremy.” Jason massaged Kay’s neck.

  “Thank you. You don’t know how much that means to me.”

  “I think I do, Mom. It’s the way I felt when she told me.”

  The doctor came in with a nurse by his side and by the looks on their faces Jason knew it wasn’t good news. He stepped away from Kay and walked over to the doctor. Mrs. Anderson leaned over to console Kay.

  “Mr. and Mrs. Anderson, I’m sorry but….” The doctor paused. “We made a mistake. When we did the tests on the baby we overlooked testing him for meconium aspiration. We have stabilized him. He is hooked up to a ventilator to help him breathe. I want to deeply apologize for our mist—”

  Before the doctor could finish apologizing, Jason had him up against the wall by his collar. “You told me he was healthy. If anything happens to my son….”

  Kay tried to get out of the bed to stop him, but Mrs. Anderson stopped her. “Jason, let him go. It’s not his fault!” Kay yelled.

  He turned his head to the side and looked at her. What she saw scared her. She had never seen his eyes that dark, filled with fear, hurt, and anger. He turned back to the doctor. “I’ll make you pay.”

  Mr. Anderson pulled him off the doctor. “Jason, calm down. I know you’re upset, but this isn’t the way to handle this.”

  Jason looked at his dad, released the doctor, and stormed out the door.

  “Jason, come back,” Kay screamed. She got out of bed. “Ouch!” Overcome, she bent down in pain. Mr. Anderson rushed to her side, picked her up, and gently placed her back on the bed. “He needs me,” she said through her tears. The doctor walked over to her side and started examining her.

  “Kay, I’ll go get him. You need to take care of yourself. Your kids need you.” Mr. Anderson walked out the door.

  “I’m sorry about my son lashing out like that, but he is hurting right now,” Mrs. Anderson told the doctor.

  “That’s okay, ma’am, I understand. He is not the first father that has reacted that way,” he said, looking at Kay. “You have a strong baby.”

  “Can he die?” Kay asked, with tears in her eyes.

  “No, ma’am, the worst has passed, but he’s still weak. I have to go back and check on him. Once again, I apologize.” He turned and walked out.

  Mrs. Anderson hugged Kay. “You heard him. My grandson is a fighter. After all, he is an Anderson and we are very strong people.”

  “Will you pray with me?” Kay whispered.

  “Yes.”

  They closed their eyes and prayed, asking God to watch over baby Jeremy.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Mr. Anderson finally caught up to Jason, who was outside the hospital, pacing back and forth. He grabbed his son and hugged him.

  “Jay, everything is going to be okay. You’ve been here before. When your wife’s life was in danger, you had faith. Where is that faith now?”

  He pulled away. “Dad, he’s so tiny.”

  “Why did you storm out like that? You didn’t even let the doctor finish talking.”

  “I needed to breathe.” He leaned against the wall.

  “You didn’t even know what the doctor was going to say. You left your wife alone to hear it. Do you think she deserves that?”

  Jason just stared at his dad. “She wasn’t alone. You and mom were there.”

  “She needed you there. Do you know what she said and did when you stormed out of the room? She jumped out of the bed and said. He needs me. She hurt herself Jay, trying to get to you to comfort you. She didn’t think of herself.”

  “She never does.”

  “You need to be with her and share your pain. Your love for each other has survived so much, son. Don’t shut her out now. That’s her son, too.”

  “I didn’t mean to hurt her. I would never intentionally hurt Kay. Dad, if I didn’t leave that room when I did, the police would’ve taken me out in handcuffs,” he said, putting his hands in his front pockets.

  “Do you really think it was the doctor’s fault that they skipped the test? He just did the admirable thing and took the blame for someone else’s incompetence. He’s trying to save your son.”

  “I’m going to sue this fu—” He realized he was talking to his father. “This hospital.”

  “Go ahead and sue. I know you’ll win, but tell me what will you gain.” His dad stared straight at him.

  “Nothing, Dad. Nothing.” He walked away toward the parking lot.

  “Where are you going?”

  “I’m done talking. I need to clear my head.” He turned and kept on walking.

  ***

  Mr. Anderson returned to the hospital room. Kay looked up and stared toward the door. “Where is Jason?”

  “He needs some more time. He’ll be back.” Her father-in-law walked closer.

  “Honey,” Mrs. Anderson said, talking to her husband. “Where is he? Is he in the hospital? I can talk to him.”

  “He left the hospital.” He said as he took a seat.

  “Can you please hand me the phone?” Kay asked. Mrs. Anderson leaned over and gave her the phone. She dialed his number and it went straight to voice mail. “Baby, he’s going to be okay,” she said, hanging up. “He’s not answering. I hope he’s okay. He’s out there thinking the worst. He’s always been my rock.”

  Mrs. Anderson wiped her tears away. “You’re his rock, too.”

  “Kay, my son loves you. He just needs to clear his head before he hurts someone. You know how hard headed he is,” Mr. Anderson said.

  “I know he loves me, but you guys didn’t see his face light up when he was holding his son, the pride and joy that he held in his eyes. If something happens to our baby, he will never be the same.”

  “What about you, sweetie? He is your son too.” Mr. Anderson stared at her.

  “I have faith. His has been broken. I saw it in his eyes.”

  ***

  Jason opened his car door and sat down. He grabbed the steering wheel and finally broke down crying. “Why does this keep happening to us? Why us? When will we ever get a break?”

 
; He took out his cell phone and browsed the web to look up the baby’s condition, and read for a while. What he read made him realize that Jeremy would be okay. He calmed down and thinking about Kay. She needs me. If I’m feeling this way, she must be…. He wiped his tears and got out of the car and ran back into the hospital.

  When he opened the door, Kay was staring at him, as though hoping all along that he would come back.

  “Jason.”

  He ran over to her and hugged her. “I’m sorry, so sorry.” He pulled her closer and ran his hands through her hair.

  “Why did you leave?” she asked, leaning away and wiping her tears with the palm of her hand.

  His parents got up and left the room.

  “When I heard what the doctor began to say, I lost it. I thought he was saying our baby was going to….” He paused, clearing his throat.

  “You assumed, Jason. You didn’t bother hearing the doctor out. If you had, you would know he’s not dying.” She looked away from him.

  “I just needed some time to clear my head, so I sat in the car, looked up and read about the baby’s condition.” He turned around.

  “What did you find out?”

  “There’s different types of levels, and where he is, he’ll be fine.”

  “He’s in NICU. I’ve been waiting for you to go see him. Help me up,” she said, leaning off the bed.

  He helped her up. “Why didn’t you go see him without me?”

  “I want him to know his parents are here for him. I want him to feel our love.”

  He leaned down and kissed her cheek. “I love you.”

  They walked to the NICU. The primary nurse handed caps and gowns to put on over their clothes, they washed their hands with antibacterial soap.

  Jason and Kay went into the room, following the nurse as she guided them to the baby’s incubator. They both gasped when they saw their son.

  “Oh my God.” Kay turned into Jason’s chest and cried. His arms tightened around her. He bent his head down and whispered in her ear. “We have to be strong for him, he needs us, baby.”

  Jeremy was hooked up to monitors and a ventilator. He had a tube in his nose and mouth to help him breathe and there was an IV in his right arm. He looked so fragile.

  “Your right.” She pulled away from him, placing her hands on his chest. She turned to the nurse. “Will I be able to hold or touch him?” Jason never once looked away from the baby.

  “Yes, ma’am, you will be able to touch him. When he’s stronger you’ll be able to hold him.”

  She didn’t have to say it twice. Jason pulled away from Kay and put his hands through the hole and caressed the baby’s head and hands.

  “Jeremy, Daddy’s here,” he whispered.

  “Will I be able to breast feed him?”

  “Not right now, ma’am, but soon you will. If you have any other question, I’ll be at the desk.” She turned away quietly and passed by Kay with a touch to her shoulder.

  Kay grabbed and squeezed Jason’s left hand while he caressed the baby. “He is strong. Look, baby, he’s moving his little fingers. He’s letting us know everything is going to be okay.”

  After a while, the doctor entered the NICU room and walked over to them. “Sir—”

  “Doctor Rivera,” Jason said, “I want to apologize for the way I acted today.”

  “No worries, I understand. You’ll be able to hold him tomorrow.”

  “Can my daughter see him?”

  “No, sir, children have a greater risk of introducing infection. I will be checking on him later.” He nodded and walked to the nurses’ station.

  Jason helped Kay back to her room.

  “He’s going be okay.” Kay smiled, hugging Jason’s parents. His dad stepped away and hugged Jason.

  “Thank you, Dad.”

  “You’re my son. I will always be there for you,” his dad said, holding him tighter. His mom went over to him.

  “When can we see him? I want to meet my grandson,” she said, smiling.

  “You can see him now. The nurse is waiting for you guys. I already told her you were coming.”

  Mrs. Anderson rushed out the door. “Come on, honey.”

  “Before I forget, Amy and John came to see you. They said they’d be back.” He hurried to follow Mrs. Anderson.

  “Let’s call—”

  “Angel.” Kay picked up her cell phone and dialed Sophia’s number.

  “Hello,” Sophia answered. “How’s the baby? I’ve been praying for him.”

  “Thank you. Our prayers worked because he is doing a lot better. The worst has passed. How’s my girl?” Kay asked.

  “She has been driving me crazy asking about her little brother, but right now she’s playing with Cara.”

  “Can you put her on?” She placed the phone on speaker.

  “Mommy,” Angel yelled. “When can I see baby brother?”

  “Hi sweetie, you’ll see him soon.”

  “Are you behaving?” Jason asked.

  “Yes, Daddy. I’m a very good girl. Bye…Cara is calling me.”

  “Damn, I guess we were boring her.” Jason laughed.

  “I guess,” Kay said, giggling. “Sophia, thank you for taking care of her. Her grandparents will be there to pick her up later.”

  “Okay, let me know if you two need anything. Bye.”

  Jason helped Kay to the bed and tucked her in. “Baby, I love you. I needed your strength to get through this. I didn’t mean to shut you out. I didn’t want you to be burdened with my pain.”

  “Why not? I love you and your pain is also mine. You let me burden you all the time. It goes both ways.”

  “I was afraid of losing him, and I didn’t want you to see that. I wanted to be strong for you.” He took her hands in his. “I would never shut you out.” He bent down and kissed her gently on her lips. He leaned back.

  She moaned. “Don’t pull away.”

  He kissed her again. She pulled him closer and their kisses soon become passionate.

  “Lie with me.” She said extending her hand to him.

  He took her hand and gently lay beside her until she fell asleep. “Thank you God, sorry I doubted you. Thank you.”

  After he made sure she was safely sleeping he walked out the room and went down to the NICU.

  Chapter Seventeen

  “Oh.” The nurse gasped when Jason took his shirt off. “Your wife is a very lucky woman.”

  He smiled. “Next time you see her make sure you mention that.” He sat in the rocking chair in the NICU. The nurse gently placed the baby on Jason’s muscular chest. “My little man, I need you to be strong.” He said caressing his back and head. “I love you.” He loved having his baby in his arms again.

  The baby opened his mouth, looking for food. “Hey, little man, I’m not mommy.” Jason turned to the nurse. “Can someone go get my wife? I think he’s hungry.”

  “Sir, it’s three in the morning. Your wife needs her rest. We can give him a bottle.”

  “Can she breast feed him now?” The doctor had removed the tube from the baby’s mouth.

  “Yes.”

  “Then my wife will not mind. She’ll be happy she can finally feed him.” He rubbed Jeremy’s toes.

  “Of course, sir.”

  He turned when Kay entered the room. She looked tired, with her hair wrapped in her doo rag, but she had a smile on her face. “Good morning, beautiful.”

  “They let you hold him! He looks so much better.”

  “He might be out of here very soon. Look at his tight grip on my finger.” He opened his palm to show her.

  The nurse took the baby from Jason and waited until Kay was seated, then she handed her the baby. Jeremy latched on with gusto.

  Jason got his shirt and put it back on, to the accompaniment of the nurse’s giggles behind him. “Go ahead, tell her what you told me earlier. She won’t bite you.”

  “What is it?” Kay asked, with curiosity in her voice.

  “If you don’t
tell her, I will.” Jason smiled and winked at the nurse.

  “Ma’am, don’t get mad. I meant no harm.”

  “Jason, stop messing with her.” She looked at the nurse. “He’s just messing with you.”

  Jason laughed. “She’s not jealous.”

  Kay just looked at him with a suspicious stare.

  “I told him you’re a lucky woman,” the nurse said, blushing.

  Kay giggled. “That’s it? I know I’m lucky, look at him and look at me.” She pointed at her face and hair.

  “And you’re still the most beautiful woman to me.” He bent down and kissed her on the lips.

  “Awww,” the nurse whispered.

  “Thank you, even though it’s not true.” Kay played with Jeremy’s hands.

  “Baby, its true.”

  “He’s perfect. Angel is going to be so happy when he finally gets to go home.”

  “I know. When I saw her yesterday all she kept saying is ‘I want to see my baby’. I guess the picture wasn’t enough for her.”

  “Who’s Angel?” the nurse asked.

  “It’s our beautiful daughter,” Jason said proudly.

  “You guys are such a breath of fresh air, you make me believe in love. It’s in the way you treat each other, just by the way you look at each other.”

  “Thank you for your kind words,” Kay said stroking his hair.

  “I’m going to check on the other babies. If you need me, just squeeze that button over there.” She pointed at the wall.

  “He’s getting stronger.” He kneeled down beside Kay, and reached to kiss Jeremy’s little foot. “I’m the lucky one.”

  “Yeah, right. Look at me.”

  “You just had my baby. I love you even with that awful pink rag on your head,” he said, laughing.

  “That’s what you get for marrying a black woman.”

  “This white boy loves his chocolate.” He leaned up and kissed her nose.

  The baby released her breast. He was knocked out and she gently picked him up, placed him over her shoulder and burping him. “I’m so overwhelmed with joy. I can’t wait for him to come home with us.