56. LUKE
Chapter 56
LUKE
As soon as I closed the major part of the deal, I delegated the rest to Kevin and Carlos to finish up and call me if anything changed. They were surprised when I mentioned I was heading to the airport, but the last five days away from Dele had been torture. We’d talked briefly about her work and school schedule.
I really wished she would come with me, but she had work and school, both of which were important to her. School, I understood, but she doesn’t need to work. I couldn’t tell her that, she’d bite my head off before the words left my lips.
Now, I’m realizing I needed to delegate so I can leave two days sooner and be with my wife. My plane touched down, and I raced to the car, eager to see Dele.
Hopefully, she gets home soon, and I have a surprise for her. Soon as I entered our home, I heard the loud, painful cry of my wife. I dropped my bag and rushed towards our bedroom. Before I could open the door, I heard my brother’s voice.
I paused at the door and listened as they talked. I held in my excitement when I heard about the baby. She can’t leave me if that’s what she's thinking.
Osei stepped out of the room, and I faced him with a frown.
“Before you go all supernova, protective-husband-beast mode, be quiet,” he chided as soon as he saw me.
“Fucking tell me what’s going on,” I sneered at him.
“She was attacked at the hospital today.”
“The fuck?!” I yelled as he shushed me. I let out a low growl. “Fuck,” I cursed under my breath.
“She looks bad, and you need to hold it together when you check on her.”
“Tell me how bad?” I made a low growl at him.
“Bad, but please don’t say anything.” He encouraged me to move gently, and we opened the door. She was asleep. I saw the bruises on her face and turned to my brother, who signaled that I should relax. We stepped outside.
“What the fuck happened?” I yelled as soon as Osei and I closed the door.
“Giant baby attacked her earlier today; she’s concussed and bruised. They had to do an x-ray on her—that’s how they found out she’s pregnant. Thankfully, no broken bones.”
“The baby?” I asked, looking confused. “I overheard you guys, plus you just said she’s pregnant without realizing.”
“My niece or nephew is fine.” I let out a breath of relief. “Now that you're here, we can each take turns checking on her during the night.”
“Okay.” We sat facing each other.
“She’s going to be okay,” Osei said quietly. I nodded, but something inside me didn’t feel right. I went to another bathroom to shower and quietly grabbed a change of clothes from our room. I kissed her forehead as she slept before going to join Osei in the living room. He played a movie, but I wasn’t watching it, just staring at the screen, trying to control my anger at the fact the hospital was negligent in protecting my wife. They were about to face my wrath.
Osei fell asleep, but I went back in to check on Dele. I kiss her forehead again. An hour later, I went in and lay next to her. I feel wetness on the sheet. I pulled the cover away. It’s right there in front of me—blood all over the bed. I lifted her up and noticed her breathing was shallow.
“Osei!” I shouted. I tried to wake Dele; she’s limp in my arms. I shouted again, “Osei!” He came rushing in and saw the blood. I held her close to me. She was barely breathing.
Osei took charge and called an ambulance. He checked her pulse as he talked to the 911 dispatcher, telling them her pulse was faint, and all I could do was hold her as I watched her slowly slipping away from me. The ambulance felt like it took hours. I watched them work on her as I rode in the ambulance with her. Osei followed the ambulance. One of the paramedics confirmed the faint pulse and massive blood loss.
It all felt like déjà vu—the same way I’d watched my mom, bleeding, and I helplessly stayed next to her until the ambulance arrived. I couldn’t think or function; I was gripped by fear of losing her.
As soon as we arrived at the hospital, they rushed her inside. As they worked on her, they came to ask me questions. Osei answered all the questions for me, down to her blood type being O negative. I couldn’t function. My mind was on replay with the phrase “I can’t lose her.”
“We need a next of kin or family to sign for her surgery.” It was like someone woke me up from my daze.
“I’m her husband. I’ll sign for her. And someone is going to answer for my wife’s pain and our loss.”
The lady looked frightened. They soon returned to tell us what we already knew—that she had lost a lot of blood and would need a blood transfusion. Only O negative blood would work for her, and, right now, there isn’t a supply of O negative, which was the only blood type she could receive.
“Right now, we are calling other hospitals to get a supply of O negative.”
“I’m O negative,” Osei said. “I will donate to her.” I looked at him. “Thank you,” I whispered, so relieved.
“It’s part of our friendship code. We are both O negative, and we’ll donate for each other in times of need.”
I hug him, so grateful we are brothers and that we both love Dele. Osei leaves with the nurses. I lose track of time until Osei returns with shorts and a shirt for me to change out of my bloodied clothing. After changing, I call my brothers. It’s late, but they each answer.
“What’s wrong?” Bruce asks the moment we are all on the call.
“Dele is in surgery; she lost our baby. She was barely breathing when they rushed her here,” I rattle out in a shaky voice.
“Fuck,” I hear Adam curse.
“What happened?” Declan asks.
“Someone attacked her earlier today at the hospital. I call it negligence on the hospital’s part because it has happened before between her and this patient. They didn’t protect her.”
“Do you need your brothers?” Daniel asked.
“Yes, I fucking need my brothers. I’m taking a fight to this hospital for our loss and her pain.”
“I’ll get on the next flight and be there in a few hours,” Daniel says. He’s our legal guy.
“Send the hospital info. I’m on my way,” Declan says.
“On my way too,” Adam says.
“I’m only a phone call away. I will be back in Chicago tomorrow,” Bruce says.
“Thank you,” I say before we hang up.
Osei comes closer to me and sits quietly. We both know we can’t lose her. An hour later, Declan and Adam arrived. They each hugged me and take a seat with Osei and me. Another hour goes by before a doctor comes out to speak with us.
“She’s on her way to the recovery room. We were able to stop the bleeding. It will take a few hours before she wakes up, but she’s going to be okay. I’m sorry she lost the baby, but there’s no permanent damage.”
“Thank you,” I say to the doctor. She nods.
“A nurse will come and get you soon to see her.” I nod, and Osei pulls me into a hug, and I finally hear him whimper. He has been holding it in.
“She’s going to be okay,” I whisper to him. He nods.
My brothers each tap and comfort me. I let out a breath of relief. She’s alive. Then I inhale the anger I feel and exhale my fight. I’m ready to fight.
The nurses return to tell me Dele is in the room. Adam and Declan tell me they’ll head home and see me later in the day at the corner when Daniel arrives. I go in with Osei to check on my wife. I lean in and kiss her forehead. I hear her soft breath and feel her pulse, which is stronger. The machines and devices connected to her are the only sound, reminding me she’s alive. Now, I wait until she opens her eyes and talks to me.
Osei holds her other hand, and we sit across from each other, waiting for her to wake up. I won’t leave her side. The tension in me relaxes, knowing her sedation is going to wear off soon and she’ll be awake. I fall asleep holding her hand.
I wake up to her hand in my hair. I raise my head to meet her eyes.
“Hi,” she murmurs.
“Hi.” I smile, holding back the tears that well up in my eyes.
“I’m sorry,” she says quietly. I jump out of my seat and lean onto her.
“I’m just happy you are alive, and that’s all that matters,” I say to her and notice Osei raise his head.
“Look who’s back and smiling,” he says. She manages to chuckle as I pull away from her.
“Hi, Osei,” she says to him.
“That’s my favorite girl,” he answers, pushing me away and hugging her, making me laugh. “You just had to put our O negative deal to the test.”
“Thank you, Osei,” she croaks with a smile.
I sit and hold her hand, signaling to Osei to get out. He kisses her hand. “I’m going home and will be back later, now that you are in safe hands,” he teases before leaving.
“Did I lose the baby?” her soft voice inquires, and I can see the hurt in her eyes.
“Yes, but what’s important is that you are alive and well. I thought I lost you when I saw all that blood.”
“I still have work to do on earth, not going anywhere soon.” I wipe the tears trickling down her face.
“Good. Rest now and I’ll be right here.”
“You can go home, and I’m certain that I’ll be right where you left me.”
“Very funny. Go to sleep. I’m not leaving.” A side smile graces her face as she closes her eyes, holding my hand. I know she doesn’t want me to leave, despite what she may say.
I don’t want to leave either. It’s like I can’t blink for fear I might lose her.