Chapter 19
CHAPTER
NINETEEN
MIA
Lana and Mia followed but hung back as K.J., Kahiau, and Koa rushed into the room their Tutu rested in.
She was awake.
Thank goodness.
That in and of itself was a miracle. And after far too long, doctors had declared that it appeared as if there would be no lasting effects from the stroke Tutu had suffered as well as the resulting fall.
The doctors were pleased but wanted Tutu to stay in the hospital for the next few days for observation and to make sure that all really was well.
“You’re kind of my hero,” Lana whispered as they watched the men and boy gush over their Tutu.
Mia raised an eyebrow as she looked to Lana.
“The way you spoke to Aunty? It’s what I always wished I could do, but Kahiau has made me promise to treat her with respect. Respect she doesn’t deserve, might I add,” Lana said as she shifted Grace to her other hip, her tones still hushed.
“I was worried I took it too far. But I couldn’t just sit by and watch her bait Koa.”
“Bait, that’s the perfect term for what she does to those boys.
And she’d try it on my kids too, if I let her.
But that woman is never going to touch my babies.
Kahiau has my back on that one. The way she treats our men is vile.
Kahiau says it’s the drugs, but she’s been using so long, I swear that’s all that’s left of her.
” Lana shook her head. “I know this makes me sound like the most bitter kind of daughter-in-law, but I tried with her in the beginning. I mean, I really tried. But she started pitting Kahiau against me, twisting my words, we almost broke up because of that woman.”
Mia bit her lip and kept her mouth shut, not feeling the need to share what Koa’s mom had told her by the coffee machine.
Besides, what happened to Mia couldn’t compare to what Lana was sharing considering Mia and Koa weren’t even together.
Mia couldn’t imagine if she and Koa were actually dating and his mom tried to break them apart.
“After that, it became an understanding between us that Kahiau could have whatever relationship with his mom he wanted, but I was out. The kids and I don’t speak to her or acknowledge her.”
“That sucks,” Mia said the only words that felt appropriate.
“It really does.”
“Gracie,” Tutu said but didn’t open her arms to the baby girl the way she would have typically done, and Mia realized even if she hadn’t suffered any serious damage, there were some immediate changes in her physicality. Hopefully, they wouldn’t last.
Lana rushed forward to bring Grace closer to Tutu.
Grace babbled, probably telling Tutu everything she’d endured the night before. Mia was impressed to see the little girl wasn’t too worse for wear, considering the only sleep she’d gotten was in her mother’s arms.
“If you wanted to get the attention of the handsome doctor all you had to do was ask. I would have brought you down here in a way that wasn’t so dramatic,” Lana teased.
Tutu smiled, though her lips were uneven.
Koa stepped back, falling in beside Mia before gripping her hand. She knew he’d seen what she’d seen. And he still felt concerned for his grandmother.
“Mom was here,” Kahiau said.
Tutu’s smile dropped.
“She was worried about you. Wanted to know how you were doing, but she had to go.”
Tutu barely moved a muscle but it was easy to see her skepticism.
“More like her next fix was more important than sticking around to see how her mother was faring,” Koa muttered.
Everyone heard him but made no comment. Tutu looked in his direction, showing that she agreed with her younger grandson’s assessment.
“She was here. She’s trying, Koa,” Kahiau said as he sat on the couch next to Tutu’s bed.
“She’s going to need to try harder if she wants me to believe anything has or can change,” Koa replied.
Kahiau sighed long and hard, but nodded once to show he understood his brother’s point of view. The poor man was probably so tired of being the only one who stuck up for his mother. Mia hoped their mom appreciated Kahiau.
“So how long until we can break you out of this place?” Lana said, her overly joyful tone trying to offset the heaviness in the room.
Tutu replied, her words coming out a little slower than they normally would. “Hopefully, soon.”
K.J. crawled onto Tutu’s bed, telling her all about the game he’d been playing for the past few hours.
“She’s okay,” Koa whispered as if he couldn’t quite believe it.
“She’s okay,” Mia said as she squeezed his hand.
“I don’t think I’ve ever been so scared in my life.”
Mia nodded. She understood.
“And I don’t think I can tell you how grateful I am that you are here.”
“I think you just did,” Mia said with a smile, thankful this ordeal was behind them.
Koa returned her smile before walking over to the couch to sit beside his brother.
Mia leaned back on the wall behind her, taking in the familial scene, loving it but wishing that her own hospital story had ended up differently. To lose both of her parents on the same day….
And yet she knew that was how it had to be.
Her parents had been more in love than any other couple she knew.
They wouldn’t have survived the other’s passing.
Well, they would have, they just wouldn’t have wanted to.
She knew they would have been loath to leave her if given the choice.
But they hadn’t been, and she’d been left behind.
That was her cross to bear. And as much as she missed them both, she did feel some joy at knowing they were together. Hopefully, watching over her.
“Yes,” Tutu said, answering a question from K.J. before trying to nod, her frail voice pulling Mia out of her thoughts.
“Love you, Tutu,” Lana said as she leaned over to give Tutu a kiss on the head.
“Love you,” Grace tried to say, and it sounded more like “lob you.” But it was adorable.
K.J. gently laid his head on his Tutu’s shoulder before Kahiau embraced his son and his grandmother in a hug.
“My sweet babies,” Tutu said.
Tutu looked like she wanted to say more, but Mia could tell words weren’t coming easily. Mia knew strokes could be of varying degrees, and she hoped Tutu’s hadn’t resulted in anything permanent. That, in time, her voice would come back completely.
“Love you all,” Tutu managed before Kahiau and his family left the room. Surely to get some rest after their long night.
Koa leaned over to take Tutu’s hand in his, his elbows on the edge of her bed.
“What do you need, Tutu?” Koa asked.
“Such a good boy,” Tutu croaked.
It wasn’t quite her voice, but things appeared to be getting better. Or maybe it was just Mia hoping.
“I need my stuff,” Tutu spoke more, and Mia was going to take each word as a win.
Koa nodded. “I’ll grab it and come back.” He let go of Tutu’s hand to stand.
“I’m happy to go,” Mia offered.
Koa shook his head. “I know where everything is, and I need to do something.”
That made sense. Koa was a man of action, and yet he’d had to sit here and wait for hours. Finally having a task would be just what he needed.
Mia handed his keys to him before he leaned down to peck her on the cheek.
She felt her cheeks go rosy and decided she could get used to this. She watched as he left the room before taking the seat he vacated, putting her hands on the edge of the bed.
Tutu gently patted one of Mia’s hands. “Thank you.”
Mia nodded as poor exhausted Tutu closed her eyes.
Good. She was sure Tutu could use the rest.
She sat back on the couch and pulled out her phone.
She really seems to be okay. Her speech is a little slower, her movement rusty.
That makes sense…
was Nat’s immediate reply.
But it sounds like the stroke was fairly minor.
Mia nodded though Nat couldn’t see her. Grateful she had her very own nurse to turn to.
When’s your first shift here?
Tomorrow.
You can use my car for whatever you need.
I’ll take you up on that. I remembered a few things I didn’t buy yesterday.
Yesterday. Had it really been just a day before that she’d been with Nat before her date with Koa. In some ways, it felt like a lifetime.
If I don’t see you before your shift. Good luck! Not that you need it.
You’re right. That hospital is so lucky to have me.
Mia smiled.
Yeah they are.
She slipped her phone in her pocket and watched Tutu for a minute, so grateful for the gentle way her chest was rising and falling.
Life was so precious. Mia had been taught that again and again, yet she often forgot to hold the ones she loved close.
She’d do her best not to forget that again.