Owen
Blurry. It was all blurry. My vision and my memories.
I’d fallen. Then there was a helicopter. And then doctors.
I opened my eyes a second time, only to immediately close them again. The harsh fluorescent lights felt like they were burning my corneas.
Everything hurt. Even my eye sockets.
Voices sounded close by. I cracked one eyelid just a sliver and caught sight of an older woman dressed in scrubs hovering over me. She pressed two fingers to my wrist and checked her watch, then ran a thermometer across my forehead.
“Can I get some water?” I rasped.
The nurse smiled down at me. “Sure can.” She raised the head of my bed slightly, then picked up a pitcher and a small cup from a rolling table nearby. “Your family is in the waiting room. Would you like me to get them? Or would you prefer to rest?”
I took a sip from the straw she held to my lips and let the cool water soothe my throat. “You can get them,” I said, leaning back against the pillow. I’m sure my mother was losing her mind.
It only took a moment for what sounded like a herd of elephants to stampede down the hall. Yup, that was probably my family.
“My baby,” my mother cried as she hurried into the room, her hands clutched to her chest. She pressed herself against the edge of my bed and peppered kisses all over my head.
“Mom, that hurts.” I winced. My entire left side was wrapped, and my arm had been splinted to my chest. No one had been in to tell me what was actually broken, but it felt like everything.
“Shh.” She kissed my forehead. “I was so worried. We were all so worried.”
When she stood up again, the rest of the crew came into view. Gus, Jude, and Cole were clustered in the doorway.
And then she walked in.
Lila.
Her face was blotchy and her eyes were red. The sight of her made my heart ache.
“Come here,” I said, gingerly lifting my right arm.
With a hiccup, she darted for me, and when she was at my side, she cupped my cheek and pressed her lips together, as if holding back tears. “I don’t want to hurt you.”
“I don’t care.” I grasped her arm, snagging the IV in the process, and tugged, urging her closer.
“We were so worried,” Mom said, pulling up a chair on my other side.
“Finn was here,” Gus explained. “But then Adele’s water broke.”
“What?” I asked, immediately wincing at the pain in my head. “The baby’s here?”
“Not yet. They’re upstairs right now. Finn’s sending nonstop texts and photos. I think Adele may kill him if he doesn’t stop.”
I laughed, but the sound was cut off by a stabbing sensation in my chest. Shit, that hurt.
“Take it easy.” Mom patted my leg. “There’s no rush. The baby won’t be here for hours. She’s only four centimeters.”
“Mom. Gross.” Jude hissed.
“It’s the miracle of life,” she quipped. “Get over it.”
I closed my eyes and soaked in the chatter of my family. It was strange to be surrounded like this. I’d been on my own for so long that I’d forgotten what this felt like, having everyone together, talking over each other while my mom tried to keep order.
“He needs rest.” A nurse had appeared in the doorway and was scanning each person in the room with narrowed eyes. She was probably right. I’d been hit with a wave of excitement when I saw my family, but I was already drained.
Mom bent down and kissed me again. “We’ll be out waiting, and we’ll update you about the baby.”
“Lila,” I croaked. “Can you stay?”
With a sweet smile, she nodded.
My mom was beaming as she herded my brothers out of the room.
“So I guess my mom knows,” I said, patting the side of my bed.
“I don’t want to hurt you.” She wrung her hands and frowned.
“There’s room. I just want you close.”
With a soft sigh, she scooted next to me on my good side and squeezed my hand. “She knows because I told her.”
My eyes widened in surprise, making my head pound.
“When I heard you’d been hurt, the hiding seemed so silly. So I burst into the hospital, demanding to see you. The nurse wouldn’t let me in because I wasn’t family, so I just ignored her and ran around the ICU looking for you.”
My head was already so foggy. Rule-following good-girl Lila had a nurse chasing her through the ICU?
“Someone called security, but then I burst into the waiting room by accident and your whole family was there. So I freaked out and started shouting about how much I love you.”
Those words had my lungs seizing. I couldn’t get enough air, but it didn’t matter. She loved me? The elation that came with that admission was short lived as I coughed and gasped, trying to fill my lungs, then was hit with a searing pain along my left side.
“Jesus, Owen. Do you need me to get the nurse?”
I shook my head and wiped at my eyes with my good hand. Despite the excruciating pain, this was the greatest moment of my life.
“I’m sorry I told your family I was in love with you first.” She cupped my face. “I’m such a mess.”
I kissed her palm. “It’s okay. As long as you love me.”
Her eyes filled with tears. “You scared the shit out of me. You promised me you’d be safe.”
“I know.” My heart ached at the fear in her tone. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t apologize.” She sniffled. “I’m just feeling a lot at the moment, and seeing you in a hospital bed isn’t helping.”
“Then I’ll get out.” I braced my elbow against the mattress and pushed up.
With a huff, she put her hand on my chest. “Don’t you dare.”
Obliging, I pulled her down toward me instead, guiding her head until it was resting on my chest. It hurt like hell, but I didn’t care. I needed this moment with my girl.
As much as my ribs ached, I couldn’t help but chuckle.
“You know,” I said, kissing the side of her head, “all I wanted was to casually tell our friends and families we were together. I certainly didn’t expect you to break into a hospital ward and nearly get tackled by security trying to declare your love for me. ”
“I’m a mess,” she murmured. “But I do love you. I’ve got a lot of stuff to work on. A mature, adult relationship is new for me.”
“Me too. We can take it slow and figure it out together. Because that’s all I need, to enjoy every day with my girl.”
“I love you,” she said into my chest.
“I love you too,” I said back, closing my eyes and letting the euphoria of saying those words wash over us. Despite my aches and pains, this was a major achievement. One I’d never take for granted. Because whether she liked it or not, I was going to love this woman forever.
Our beautiful moment was interrupted when Jude burst through the door.
“Guys,” he said, more excited than I’d seen him since he was a kid. “The baby is here. It’s a boy!”
Lila sat up and smiled. “Look out world, the next generation of Hebert boys is upon us.”
“We can go up to see him in thirty minutes. Do you want me to steal a wheelchair and smuggle you out of here?”
“Why don’t we call the nurses and just ask them?” Lila, apparently back to being a rule-follower, suggested.
Knowing it wasn’t worth arguing with her, I nodded once.
Then, after another vitals check, a visit from the doctor to review my injuries and treatment plan, and the arrival of two nurses who had to move all my lines and wires so I could be transported in a wheelchair even though I could walk just fine, we made our way to the maternity ward.
When Lila pushed me into the room, Adele was propped up in a bed, holding a tiny baby wrapped in a plaid blanket.
Finn was hovering nearby, snapping photo after photo.
My mom sat in a rocking chair, beaming at all of us.
“Ready to meet him?” Finn asked, almost bouncing as he took the baby from Adele’s arms. “This,” he said, bringing his son over, “is Theodore Francois Hebert.”
The baby was tiny but had chubby cheeks and tufts of golden-blond hair.
“Ten and a half pounds,” his father bragged. “He’s a big boy.” He rounded his shoulders, pulling the infant closer to his chest, and kissed his head. “You’re such a big, strong boy. Daddy’s gonna get you such a cool plane. What’s that? You like trucks too? It’s fine, mommy’s got you covered there.”
Adele snorted. Her eyes were tired, but her smile was blinding. “The kid’s only three hours old, and he’s already promising him his own baby ATV.”
Gus snorted. “In fairness, that’s the Maine equivalent of promising your kid a pony.”
“Touché,” Adele admitted, shaking her head at our ridiculous family.
“You’ve only got a couple of minutes before my crazy family descends,” she said. “And when Merry gets here, she gets her baby time, okay?”
The room was filled with grunts of affirmation. Finn stood in the middle of us all, chest puffed, looking so happy and confident, holding his son. A year ago, he’d been a mess, angry and unemployed and searching for his purpose. And he’d found it in the most unlikely of places. Lovewell.
He had the most impressive capacity to grow and evolve. And maybe I could follow his lead. Maybe I, too, could make peace with my past and my father and grow into the man I wanted to be.
Lila patted my shoulder, pulling me from my musings.
I smiled up at her as she wiped happy tears from her eyes. With her by my side, anything was possible.