by Lacey Black
“You ready for this?” she asks with a knowing smile.
“As I’ll ever be.” Together we walk through the sliding glass doors.
It feels almost nostalgic to be here. I haven’t been here since I was fired more than a month ago. I miss the small, cozy hospital and the friends that I made while working here, but having Carmen at home every night is more fulfilling than anything else in the world. So, I happily closed this chapter in my book and moved on from the only hospital I’ve called home since becoming a paramedic. It’s a decision I will never regret and a situation I will never forget.
We make our way to the elevator and press the button with the big number three. The door closes with that familiar swoosh, but only for a moment. Within ten seconds, we’re being deposited in the middle of the third floor. While this floor is less familiar to me – since Carmen’s office was on the second floor – it doesn’t take us but a second to locate the waiting room. When we step inside, my mom is sitting on the small loveseat. Alone.
“Will,” she says with a smile as she stands up to greet Carmen and me.
“Hi, Mom. Anything yet?” I ask as I place a kiss on her cheek.
“No, no word yet,” she says as she twists her hands together in front of her. I can tell she’s nervous, and rightfully so. “So, how did the house hunting go yesterday?” she asks, trying to get her mind off of the wait.
“Really good,” Carmen says with a big smile. “I think we found the one,” she adds as she sits next to Mom on the loveseat.
I settle in the chair closest to Carmen as Travis and Josselyn come in.
“Anything?” he asks with concern filled eyes.
“Not yet,” Mom answers with the gentle shake of her head, her eyes filling with unshed tears.
Josselyn rushes over and gives her a huge hug before settling in the chair on the opposite side. Travis comes over and gives me a handshake before placing a kiss on Mom’s cheek as he settles into the plastic chair next to his wife.
Travis holds her hand gently while whispering into her ear. The occasional smile that crosses her face lets me know that whatever they’re discussing probably isn’t something they should say out loud. It’s probably a good thing Mom is too preoccupied to notice their hungry looks and their stolen kisses.
Conversations are strained as we all stare at the clock. You can’t help the uneasiness you feel when you’re trapped in a ten by ten room with empty chairs and stale coffee. Especially when your loved one is on the other side of the wall and at the mercy of the medical staff on duty. There’s nothing worse than feeling vulnerable and helpless. Especially when all you have is time. And time isn’t always on your side.
“Anything?” Avery says as she bursts into the waiting room, Maddox hot on her heels.
We all stand up and collectively shake our heads from side to side. The look on her face is torturous. Avery has always worn her emotions on her sleeve, and as a big brother, there’s nothing worse than seeing duress or sadness in your little sister’s face. This is one of the things that has bonded Jake, Nate, Travis, and I together as brothers. We’ll all do anything to protect her.
Maddox drops into the seat next to Avery and rubs her back. I watch as she lays her head down on his shoulder. It comforts me to know that she has him by her side. She’s been through so much in her short twenty-some years, but knowing that Maddox is there with her, makes it all worth it. I couldn’t be happier for my baby sister. For the woman she grew up to be, and the mother and wife she has become. She amazes me daily with her strength and inner beauty.
Nate and Lia arrive next. We all stand and exchange more hugs with the latest arrivals. Lia sits down in my chair next to Carmen and begins talking about something girly. I’m not sure what exactly because as soon as I heard the words ‘uncontrollable bladder’, I took off to join Nate against the far wall.
Lia has come out of her shell lately in leaps and bounds. After all that drama at the creek last fall, I thought she’d never be whole again. But when she’s with my brother, I don’t know, she finally smiles. And she smiles all the time. Lia is quick with her laughter and always seems to have a twinkle in her steely blue eyes. And my brother? Talk about a pansy. I’ve never seen a guy turn from badass to googly-eyed lovesick sap faster than Nate. In the words of my brother, Jake, he’s a whipped pussy. I love it.
The clock on the wall doesn’t seem to change. Ever. We’re stuck in some shitty time warp where every time I start to feel like we might be making progress and time is passing, you look up and see that it’s only been mere minutes since the last time you looked. Longest. Day. Ever.
Everyone chair hops like some messed up game of musical chairs. But here in the waiting room, the only music is the ticking of the clock or the occasional local news program when someone turns on the television. Otherwise, we fill the time with mindless chatter and cold coffee.
Finally, the door opens again. The entire room turns and looks, waiting. There stands Dad. He looks pale and slightly sweaty like he ran. “Did I miss anything?” he asks with concern-filled eyes.
Before anyone can respond, a shadow falls behind him. We all turn to see Jake. And he’s smiling. Not just any smile, but the biggest smile I’ve ever seen.
“They’re here,” he says and you can’t miss the unshed tears in his eyes. “They’re perfect and so beautiful,” he adds as he walks over and plops down in the first chair he sees. Jake’s normal unshakeable demeanor has definitely been rattled today. He’s wearing light blue scrubs on top of his clothes, matching blue paper booties, and a hairnet. But what really catches my eye is the tiny black footprints stamped on the chest of his blue scrubs.
“I have new granddaughters?” Mom asks, walking over to him and dropping to her knees in front of him. She throws her arms around his neck and hangs on for dear life as she sheds a few tears of her own.
“You have two beautiful, little granddaughters, Mom,” he whispers as he hugs her tightly.
“How did everything go?” Avery asks as she wipes tears streaming down her face.
“Good once she had the epidural. She screamed at everyone but the mailman for the first few hours. As soon as the doctor checked her and said she was four centimeters, she ordered the epidural. God, am I glad, too, because I’m not sure how much more of that I could have taken. Seeing her in pain is the worst thing ever,” Jake adds, shaking his head.
Jake called Carmen last night while I was at work and said they were on their way to the hospital. Her contractions were still seven minutes apart, but with carrying twins, they didn’t want to chance her having complications at home. So, as soon as her water broke, they were off to the hospital. Mom has been here overnight. You couldn’t pry her away with a putty knife, but the rest of us weren’t summoned to the hospital until around noon. I had only been home a handful of hours, but even with only going on about four hours of sleep, I feel nothing but excitement and have more energy than I expected to have.
“They’re getting Erin cleaned up and will get her back to her room soon. The twins seem fine and healthy, but since they were four weeks early, they’re taking extra precautions and they’re in the NICU right now. If all goes okay in the next hour or so, they’ll bring them down to Erin’s room,” Jake says. “Oh, wanna see pictures?” he asks, pulling two Polaroid’s out of the pocket of his scrubs.
“Yes!” the woman scream in unison.
“Twin A was born first at three sixteen. She is five pounds, two ounces and seventeen inches long. She came out screaming and I don’t think she’s stopped since,” he says with a weary smile. “Meet Tessa,” he says as he hands the photo to Mom first. After she stares and touches the photo as if reaching for her grandchild, she passes it along to the other eager women in the room.
“Twin B gave us a little bit of a scare. She is four pounds, six ounces and sixteen inches long. She was silent when she came out, and I’ve never been so scared in my life. When they finally got her to cry, it was still only a whimper. She�
��s the sweetest little thing ever,” he says, staring and smiling down at the picture of his second daughter. “Meet Annie,” he adds and passes the picture to my mom.
I have to admit, when the photos finally make their way around to Carmen and me, I fall instantly in love with my two new nieces. I latch onto Carmen’s waist and pull her tightly against me.
“I want that,” I whisper against the top of her head.
“Me too,” she says, gripping my side fiercely tight.
“Wanna go home and practice?” I ask, not able to hide my smile.
“Why wait? I’m sure they have an available office or a closet here we can use for a bit,” she says with an ornery smile. I instantly recall our hot and heavy tryst in her office a few short months ago.
“Don’t tempt me, woman. I could have you bent over an empty exam table in less than a minute,” I whisper.
Heat floods her eyes as she looks up. “There’s a supply room at the end of the hall. I’ll go to the bathroom first. You follow me out in a few minutes,” she says with a wink before politely excusing herself to go use the bathroom.
I stand there – staring at the woman I love – as she exits the small waiting room. Just as she gets ready to turn the corner, she gives me a saucy smile, which promises dirty things to come. My pants are suddenly two sizes too small as I check the clock. Great, more clock watching.
Two minutes. I can surely make it two minutes.
So much in my life has changed in the past four months. I fell in love with my boss. A beautiful woman – inside and out - who I’ll ask to marry me when the time is right. Soon. I’m not sure how long I can wait, though. I’m itching to make it official.
I’m selling the condo I purchased right out of college and am now living for the first time with the love of my life and her son. A son that I’ve bonded with and love as if he were my own. Even if I have to share him with Nick, I wouldn’t want it any other way. Blood be damned, Zach is my son and always will be.
I’m about to make an offer on a new home that we’ll share as a family, and hopefully, someday, add another child or two. The thought of Carmen pregnant with my child sends my blood pumping and my heart soaring. I missed the first twelve years of Zach’s life, and I’m eager to share with her the joys of parenting from the very beginning.
This is what life is all about. This is what I’ve waited my whole life for. These precious moments. I’m happy. Content.
I’m finally complete.
And it’s only just the beginning…
~ The End ~
Dear Reader,
I’m not ready for this to end, are you?
Enjoy a glimpse of the Stevens family through Elizabeth’s point of view…
Lacey
A Rivers Edge Short Story
Elizabeth
Five Years Later
Today is my favorite day of the week. Sunday. Today, my entire family will descend upon my normally quiet, tidy house and wreak havoc on my sanity. But staring at the faces of those I love most in this world brings me more joy and peace than anything in this world; messy house forgotten. I wouldn’t want it any other way.
Today is also our anniversary. Michael and I have been married forty blissful years. Those years have been the hardest, yet most fulfilling years of my entire life. We opted not to have a formal party to celebrate as the kids were suggesting, but instead, chose to celebrate today with those near and dear to our hearts. Just a small gathering of our immediate family, which, I guess, really isn’t that small anymore.
Michael is outside, getting his ‘65 Corvette out from winter storage and ready to run. I’ve heard him out there tinkering throughout the morning, starting and revving it up a few times, then taking off for a quick spin down the road. Some might criticize him for not being inside, spending time with me on the one date we celebrate our marriage, but this is who we are. We click.
Michael and I have had an amazing forty years. We’ve celebrated each and every anniversary the same way. I wake to freshly brewed coffee and a cinnamon roll - that I had to make the night before for him - and a note. Not a card, but a note. Each note details his feelings and love for me over the years. I’ve kept every single one of those love notes, dating back to the first one I received when we were just dating, and keep them stored in the safe in the den.
There were years in there - early years - where I wondered if we would ever make it to ten years, let alone forty. Marriage is the hardest thing I’ve ever done. When you date someone, you are blinded by your desires, your love, and your happiness. Weddings are magical. The vows, those little kisses you steal throughout the evening promising more later in the night, the dancing. It’s all part of the fairy tale.
Then reality sets in. Every decision you make is questioned - by yourself or your new spouse. Dinners are burnt, tempers are short, and a “new normal” is established as you learn to cope with living with another person. Their habits, your habits, their needs, your needs…it’s all part of the learning process, and if there’s one thing I’ve learned, that’s the most difficult part of any marriage.
Some things never change and Will and Carmen are the first to arrive. As I’m placing the second tray of lasagna in the double oven, my middle child and his little family join me in the kitchen. The girls all tried talking me out of cooking today, but I wouldn’t hear it. Heck, who do you think Jake really gets his stubbornness from?
“Hi, Mom. Happy anniversary,” Will says moments before he places a kiss on my check.
“Good afternoon, William, and thank you. It’s a beautiful day.”
“It sure is,” Carmen adds as she gives me a warm hug.
“Hi, Grandma,” Zach says as he joins us in the kitchen.
“Hello, Zach. Great game Friday night,” I comment as I start to butter the loaves of Italian bread.
“Thanks. It was a close one, but we got the W,” he says with a big smile.
Will and Carmen celebrated their fourth anniversary this past summer. It was a busy summer that year with Nate and Lia and then Will and Carmen getting married within a month of each other.
I watch as Will tweaks the end of her nose as they share a private moment. Carmen brings so much to their marriage. First, there’s her son, Zach. He’s seventeen now and a senior in high school. Zach plays varsity basketball and has started the past two seasons. He spends every ounce of his free time studying for college or out on the courts. Or at least he did until a few weeks ago. Carmen tells me he has a girlfriend who’s drawing his attention away from the game he loves so much. It reminds me of his stepfather.
Carmen and Will have been trying unsuccessfully to add to their family since they married four years ago. It’s been difficult to watch their struggles to conceive. As a parent, you want your children to have it all, including the family that they both desperately want. As her age approaches forty, they’re still hoping for a child of their own, but understand that their window of opportunity might be getting smaller and smaller with each passing day. They are both amazing parents to Zach, and I know if they were given the chance, they would share their love with more children. I pray for them every day and know that God has a plan for them. Even if we can’t see it or understand it, I know that this is in his hands. And when the time is right, they will be blessed with a child together.
In fact, I’ve kept it to myself for two very long days, but if the way Carmen was glowing this past Friday night at the basketball game is any indication, I image we’ll be hearing an announcement from them soon. They’ll tell everyone in their own time, so for now, I’ll just sit back and wait.
“I smell Italian,” Jake exclaims from the doorway.
“You just ate,” Erin chastises as she brings a large bowl of fruit salad into the kitchen. After a little grumbling, my daughters-in-law all agreed to let me cook today, but it was with the stipulation that they would each help by bringing something.
Jake, our oldest, celebrated his fifth anniversary to his wife, Erin, this
past August. Their love story is one I will always cherish. I’ve watched them fight for their love, fight for their family, and fight just for the sake of making up afterward. Jake made Lieutenant a few years back and has proven to be the man and the police officer I always knew he was. Erin continues to improve the library, making it a favorite place amongst young and old in Rivers Edge.
Jake and Erin blessed us with four-year-old twins, Tessa and Annie. While the girls may look alike, they are night and day different: one like Jake and the other like Erin. Where Tessa is stubborn and bullheaded, Annie is sweet and quiet. Both girls have Erin’s auburn hair with those famous Stevens blue eyes. And my favorite part? Both girls have their father wrapped so tightly around their little fingers that Jake never sees it coming until it’s too late. You might as well tattoo “sucker” across his forehead.
Early last year, they blessed us with a grandson, Clay. The little guy looks and acts just like his father. Lord help Erin when he’s older because in his short little year of life, you can already tell that the charismatic little toddler has more charm than anyone should have. We’ve been celebrating several of his firsts lately, and it won’t be long until we’re celebrating his first birthday.
“Girls, run and get the toys out of the toy box for Clay, please?” Erin asks just before the two little girls both start to argue with each other as they walk away.
“Little man, promise Daddy that you’ll be a good boy. Just like your dad,” Jake says with a huge wolfish grin.
“Oh, for crying out loud,” Erin says under her breath with a decisive shake of her head.
As hard as I try not to laugh out loud, I fail. Fortunately, I’m saved from having to explain to Jake why his comment toward Clay is so funny by the sounds of our next guests arriving.
