~Birdy

 

They’d sent me home that night. Of course I’d protested and threatened he hospital with my wealthy power, but they wouldn’t budge, and I’d been forced to return to my overly large house without Areila by my side. After all these months, I’d come to realized that she brightened the place, she made it a home for the both of us. With her beautiful scent in every room, her small touches of furniture and décor about the place. Thanks to her, the kitchen always smells like home cooked food. But over these last couple of days without Ari here, it’d somehow returned to its original, shadowy, spacious, and masculine bachelor pad. Even the babies’ nursery didn’t seem the same any more.

 

I climbed the stairs slowly, entered our bedroom quietly, climbed into bed emotionlessly. I was afraid that I wouldn’t be able to sleep, just like all the other previous nights, but only moments after I set my head on my pillow and brought Areila’s to my nose to breath in her scent, I was consumed by the darkness of sleep.

 

__________________

 

I was startled awake by the insistent ringing of my cell phone still tucked in my pocket. I answered it, suddenly alert.

 

“Hello?”

 

“Yes, is there a Rafaello Geovani at this number?” The voice on the other end asked.

 

“Speaking.” I replied as I threw my covers off my jean clad legs.

 

“Hi, I’m calling to tell you that your wife, Areila Geovani, is currently being moved to the O.R. to deliver her infants via C-section–”

 

“What?!” My heart ceased thudding in my chest and my blood ran cold. Ari. Surgery. The babies. Premature birth.

 

This was all because of him.

 

“Sir, I need you to come down the hospital as soon as you can. Mrs. Geovani is fine, the babies are the main concern at the moment considering they’ll be more than a month premature.”

 

I barely heard the woman’s words as I shoved my feet into my shoes and grabbed my jacket. I’d message Owen and Val to meet me at the hospital.

 

______________

 

“Where’s my wife?” I demanded to know as soon as I walked up to the front desk. Owen hopped up from the chair he’d been sitting in, obviously getting her before me, and grabbed my arm.

 

“Rafe–”

 

“Sir, you need to calm down and sign in before I can tell you anything,” The overly plump woman said.

 

I tried to jerk from Owen’s grasp, but he wouldn’t budge.

 

“Rafe, calm down. I already gave her your information, you just need to sign your name.” Owen told me sternly. The receptionist handed me a pen and I snatched it from her hand, scribbling my signature on the paper on the counter quickly, and before I could even slam it back down on the granite, a nurse dressed in scrubs holding a clip-board came out of the heavy looking double doors.

 

“Rafaello Geovani?” She called out aimlessly. Owen and I quickly stepped towards her. “Come we me,” She ordered, leading us down the hall that lay beyond the doors.

 

The woman took us to a row of chairs that were pushed against the wall of the wide hallway and told us to sit. And that’s where we’ve been for the last two hours.

 

Sitting.

 

With absolutely no in tell on my wife and children.

 

Val had joined us over an hour ago, but now both she and Owen were falling asleep in their chairs.

 

I, on the other hand, was still hard-wired and wide awake, despite the hour. My mind had stopped reeling long ago, running wild with thoughts of everything going wrong, death stealing away my wife, kids, or both—death stealing my life away. Now, my brain felt numb with only a few thoughts passing through, but I could hold onto any which one. Each and every thought was fleeting, and unsurprisingly, I didn’t really care anymore. I just wanted to Areila to come out of those doors down the hall completely safe, perfectly healthy, with a little boy and a little girl cuddled in each arm.

 

I held my head in my hands, my eyes drifting closed in need of rest, but my body wouldn’t allow me to slip away that easily. I pulled in a long breath and let it out in a drawn out sigh. I was completely and utterly exhausted, I couldn’t wait anymore. I suddenly felt restless, unfortunately reenergized, and I picked up my head from my hands, leaning back in the now uncomfortable chair with my palms dragging up and down my thighs in  almost agitated motions. I couldn’t take the waiting game anymore. I needed to make sure Areila was alright. I stood from the chair, the numbness in my rear hardly phasing me as I walked to the end of the hall, and turned back, walking the entire length again. And repeated the process.

 

I paced for nearly ten minutes before my fried yet hyper-aware senses made me aware of a lone nurse walking down the florescent-lit hallway, coming my way. She stopped halfway and turned to walk into another room, but I called for her and quickly ran up to catch up with her.

 

When she saw me, an anticipating smile rose on her lips, holding her clipboard to her chest, a telltale sign the nurse was willing to help. “Can I help you?” Her voice was soft, not wanting to bother anyone in the halls or the hospital rooms, respectively sleeping at three forty in the morning.

 

“Yes,” I said, straightening my shirt as I came to a stop near the woman. “I was wondering if you knew how long it would take for my wife to get out of surgery?” I pointed toward the doors down the hall behind me and the nurse followed my thumb to gaze at the number over the door.

 

“Um, no, sorry, but I can certainly check up on it, if you want?” She smiled at me kindly and I sighed, relieved. This whole time I’d asked countless nurses and doctors this same question but they ignored me or claimed they didn’t know.

 

“Yes, that would be perfect thank you.” I responded.

 

“No problem, let me just check on a patient and then I’ll ask if anyone knows. What’s her name?” She inquired, grabbing the pen that was stuck in her ponytail and poised it over the clipboard.

 

“Areila Geovani.” I told her while running my hand over my tired eyes. I’m sure they were bloodshot.

 

The woman in scrubs entered the room I’d kept her from moments before and I returned to me seat with Owen and Val down the hall and around the corner.

 

Sitting back in the chair, I rested my head on the wall behind me and closed my eyes, listening to the Owen’s light snores next to me, but I only wished it were Areila next to me. I breathed in the unsettling sterile air in through my nose and settled back awkwardly, my palms on my thighs again before I crossed them loosely over my chest.

 

I’m not sure when I fell asleep, but I awoke to the nurse from earlier gently shaking my shoulder. I looked at my wristwatch and sat straight up. How was it five already? Had I really been asleep for over an hour? I looked up at the nurse, hoping Areila was out of that godforsaken room already. Seeing the question in my eyes, she spoke quickly, hoping to answer them.

 

“She’s been out for a while, and should be waking up soon. I thought you’d like to be there when she awoke.” I nodded and stretched my legs.

 

“Yes, thank you for getting me.” She pointed me in the direction of Ari’s room and I quickly made my way over there, my aching muscles protesting the whole time.

 

I opened the door quietly to see Areila asleep in her hospital bed. Unlike the other times I’d seen her in a hospital bed, she wasn’t battered, beaten, bleeding or otherwise, and I found that quite assuring. Her arm was hooked up to an IV, her finger clamped with the heat monitor, a tube in her nose, amongst other things I wish I could just see her without. I came to her side and sat in the chair, taking her limp hand in mine after gently pulling the blanket higher over her body.

 

“Non ti preoccupare, amore, ore sono qui.” I whispered softly, telling her I was here now. “Risvegliare, mi ilo amore, risveglaire.” I squeezed her hand tighter and settled back in my chair. Groggy sleep still fogged my mind and I allowed it to pull me back under.

-Areila-

 

I was pulled from my dreams with a pinprick in my arm and I instantly panicked, knowing that Keith had gotten me again, and Rafe’s whispering words really had only been in my dream. I opened my eyes but didn’t let them focus, didn’t allow them to zone into my surroundings, before trying to reach one hand to my opposite arm, wanting to rip out the offending needle, but once again I was restrained. My panic grew until I realized that then grip on my hand was just that—someone else gripping my hand, and the darkness clouding my vision, the hallucination of being back in Keith’s hotel room, was cleared away and I realized I was in a dimmed hospital room instead. I turned my head carefully to see a sleeping Rafe holding my hand from his seat next to my bed and, with the initial fear gone, I let myself chuckle softly.

 

How many more times will I wake up in a hospital bed with Rafe clinging onto my hand as it were a lifeline of some sort? I wondered to myself before readjusting my head back to look straight ahead at the blank wall where I found my neck was the most comfortable.

 

The door directly under my vision opened and I tilted my chin down to see. A doctor walked into the room quietly with a clipboard clutched in his hand, just like every other doctor, nurse, and receptionist in this godforsaken building. He saw me and forced a quick smile.

 

“Ah, Ms. Geovani, you’re awake.” He said, his voice unnaturally loud. I gave him a hard look before correcting him.

 

“It’s Misses, and please, my husband is sleeping.” The doctor looked somewhat agitated but kept him fake smile in place and nodded once.

 

“Of course, my apologies,” He responded only a little softer this time, although not sounding apologetic at all.

 

“Is there something you need?” I questioned the doctor, my patience running thin with all the drugs pumping through my veins making me sleepy, and his smile faltered, becoming a more natural, slightly annoyed, straight line.

 

“No, simply coming in to check on you before returning to the NICU.” He told me, stepping up to touch a view dials and screws. I grab his arm.

 

“How are they?” I asked. “My babies. Are they okay?” the man looked into my eyes and I knew that he did not see me as a snippy woman in a hospital bed, all he was seeing now was a distressed mother, worried about her children’s survival. He shook his head.

 

“I won’t lie to you. They are still in crucial condition, although they did make it passed the most important hurdle. Now we need to see if they’ll help us out a little longer and fight to stay alive.” He answered me, his face twisting into a slight distressed frown.

 

I let my head fall back on my pillow and sighed before muttering, more myself than the doctor, “I just want to take them home and be over and done with all the fear and uncertainty.” The scrubs-clad man stepped away from my bed but still spoke to me,

 

“Unfortunately, your little ones have different ideas than you.”

 

________________

 

They could be there for an entire month. Two to three and the most and in worse case scenario. In which, I could not spend as much time in the sterile and now claustrophobic building as them. Rafe had woken up long after the doctor had come and gone, but we both learned this news as more medics came in to talk to and check up on me throughout the day. The only good news I had over the last two weeks was that each baby was born and seemed to almost be reacting as any normal premature infant.

 

Living for every hour.

 

Fighting to survive every minute.

 

My children were strong, this I knew already after three long, emotional weeks. I’d been released from the hospital couple days ago, and now I all could do was hope for the twins to have the same clearance soon.

 

I sat in the cushioned rocking chair in the nursery, my cell phone clutched in both my hands as I waited endless hours for a call. The call.

 

I hadn’t noticed Rafe standing in the doorway, leaning against the painted frame, and watching me as I stared at the floor until he forced himself off the wood and made his way towards me. He took my hands in his and caught my gaze, not allowing me to look away. “They’re going to be fine, Tesoro. you know they will be. Let the doctors do the worrying, you still need to let your body piece itself back together.”

 

I pulled my hands away and sat back in the rocking chair. “I’m fine, Rafaello.” I insisted. “If I wasn’t okay, they wouldn’t have let me leave the hospital last week. I can’t help but worry. I need them to be okay.”

 

Rafe sighed and bowed his head, “I know, baby. I know.”

 

“I want to see them,” I said softly, looking into his dark eyes. He nodded once and pulled me up to my feet.

 

“Then let’s go, mi ilo amore.”

_______________________

 

I stepped into the room to see each baby in their own tiny bed. The moment I saw each of their sleeping faces, tears welled in my eyes.

 

Approaching the first baby, I reached in and gentle took his hand. His tiny fingers flexed over mine and he scrunched up his small face as he slept.

 

“Look at that,” Rafe said softly, coming up behind me and wrapping his arms around my waist. “We got a little baseball player on our hands.” His lips whispered kisses over my ear and I smiled, a tear falling over my cheek silently. Leaning down, I kissed the infant’s head and ran my thumb over his soft cheek.

 

“Mommy loves you, Luca.” I whispered, placing another kiss on his forehead as he shifted himself in his sleep again. I stood and smiled down at him. A light blue covered what I knew was thick black hair like his father’s. After a long moment, I turned to the other small crib, identical to Luca’s, though this one was covered with a pale pink blanket and the baby wore a matching hat, just like her brother.

 

I held her hand, just like I had with Luca, and smiled down at her sleeping form. “She’s beautiful, just like you,” Rafe told me. My gentle smile grew at his words, but I didn’t take my eyes from my little girl.

 

“She is beautiful.” I agreed. Her wispy black hairy peeked out from under her pink hat and I gently ran my fingers over the top of her forehead, brushing the strands back. Pressing a kiss to her head, I rubbed my thumb down her face as well. “Mommy loves you too, sweetie.” Rafe grabbed his daughter’s tiny hand in his large own and looked at her with love in his eyes.

 

“Daddy loves you too, Gabriella.” He spoke softly before turning to look at me.

 

“I love each one. I love you, Gabriella, and Luca.” He pressed his lips to mine and my heart melted instantly. We were a family now. A family held together with unconditional love.

 

Moments later, just after Rafe and I had pulled apart, a nurse walked in to see Rafe holding my back to his chest as we both gazed lovingly at our children. “Oh, Mr. and Mrs. Geovani, right?” She asked and I nodded.

 

“Is something wrong?” Rafe asked the woman. She smiled and shook her head, reaching for a clipboard that sat on a counter at the back of the room. As she walked towards us, she flipped through the pages, glancing at each one quickly.

 

“Actually, it’s quite the opposite,” She said. “Once your twins gain a little bit more weight, they’ll be clear to take home.” My heart skittered in my chest and my knees almost gave out from under me.

 

“Really?” Both Rafe and I asked. The nurse grinned and nodded.

 

“They went through a really rough start in life,” She said, looking down at each baby once she reached our side, “But they were definitely fighters.” I nodded happily, looking down at my babies with love while Rafe looked down at them with pride.

 

They were fighters. Our fighters.

 

~Epilogue~

 

I spread a glop of peanut butter onto three slices of wheat bread and nearly knocked over the jar of strawberry jelly when Luca ran passed me in the already tight space between the island and the refrigerator. “Luca Raphael Geovani, you better not be running in the kitchen while I’ve got knives out!” I hollered as I gripped the counter as I rubbed a soothing hand over my expanded stomach. 

 

“Sorry, Mom.” His eight-year-old face didn’t look apologetic in the least, but I couldn’t help the smile that grew on my lips. I shook my head as I grinned to myself as I spread the jelly to each sandwich.

 

“Mom!” I didn’t need to look up to know that Gabriella was stomping into the kitchen with a scowl on her beautiful features.

 

“Yes, sweetie?” I answered easily, still putting the sandwiches together.

 

“Luca took my dance slippers again! Make him give them back!”

 

“Why don’t you just get them back yourself?” Luca’s voice retorted, no doubt holding the pink slippers in front of her face.

 

“Give them to me!” She yelled angrily. I cut each sandwich in triangles before looking up at the two squirming for a ballet shoe. 

 

“Luca stop teasing your sister. Lia! Lunch time sweetie!” I intervened before calling out to the youngest child. Lia came skipping into the kitchen with a purple tutu around her waist, her small hand pulling her father in as well. Rafe caught sight of the twins fighting and he scooped up Gabriella in his arms, flying her around the room like she always loved. But this time she crossed her arms and glared at Rafe.

 

“Me too, Daddy, me too!” Lia hollered at his feet, pulling on his pant legs. I chuckled at the pair as Rafe plucked Gabby’s sister from the floor.

 

“Come on Sport,” He said to Luca as he carried both girls to where I’d placed three plates for each child, “We have to get you to baseball practice before these little principesse to their dance recital tonight.”

 

Luca hopped up on the stool with a grin on his face, the slipper long forgotten, as his father set both his little sisters on their own chairs. I leaned my hip against the counter, watching my kids eat, and handed Rafe a sandwich as well. “Mommy, Mommy, Mommy,” Lia bounced in her seat, trying to get my attention as she held half of her peanut butter and jelly sandwich in her hand.

 

“Yes, Lia?” I answered her as Rafe began rubbing circles in my aching back.

 

“Is the baby in your tummy gonna come out soon?” She questioned with  I chuckled and smiled and Rafe ruffled her hair.

 

“Yes, Lia, the baby‘s gonna come out of my tummy soon.” Lia grinned, obviously content with my answer and sat back in her chair again, biting into her sandwich. I couldn’t help but think that I was married to a man I met in a bar and had three beautiful children with him, with one more on the way. Life had definitely turned out good for me.