Chapter 33
THE MORNING AFTER
NATALIE
Iwoke to the faint hum of hospital light, the steady beeping of machines, the shuffle of footsteps in the hallway, and the faint murmur of voices.
My body ached from the unforgiving sofa, but the sight of Bebe sleeping peacefully in her hospital bed made it all worth it.
She looked so small, her tiny frame swallowed by the blankets, but her color was better, and her breathing was soft and steady.
The nurse was at her bedside, checking the monitors. She smiled at me as I sat up.
“Good morning. Bebe is doing great. Her vitals are strong, and she’s recovering beautifully. The doctor will be in soon, but if all goes well, she should be able to go home this afternoon.”
I exhaled, relief washing over me. “Thank you,” I said softly, my voice catching.
Jason stirred in the recliner by Bebe’s bed, his hair disheveled and his movements sluggish. He rubbed his face, waking up slowly, then looked at me.
“Everything okay?”
“She’s doing great,” I said, my tone warm. “The nurse said she can probably go home today.”
Jason nodded, his shoulders relaxing as he leaned back in the chair. “Good. That’s a relief to hear.”
Meredith swept into the room about twenty minutes later, juggling balloons, a bright stuffed yellow duck, and two steaming cups of coffee.
“Okay, who’s ready for some sunshine?” she announced, setting the balloons down and the duck on the chair beside Bebe’s bed.
She handed me one of the coffees, then offered the other to Jason.
“Figured you could use this, too,” she said, winking at him.
Jason took it gratefully. “Thanks, Meredith. I appreciate this.”
Meredith beamed, then turned her attention to Bebe. “How’s my little warrior doing?”
“She’s still sleeping, but she’s doing really well,” I said. “The nurse thinks she’ll be able to go home later today.”
“Good,” Meredith said, settling into the chair. “She’s a tough cookie.”
Jason’s phone buzzed, and he stepped to the corner of the room to answer it. When he hung up, he turned back to me.
“That was my mom,” he said. “James is doing great. She said he had pancakes for breakfast and has been happily playing with his cars all morning.”
I smiled, relieved to hear James was being well cared for.
“She asked if they should stop by the house today or wait until tomorrow,” Jason said. “What do you think? Would it be too much for Bebe today?”
I glanced at Bebe, her little hand curled around the blanket Meredith had brought. “Let’s give her a little space. They can come by tomorrow.”
Jason nodded. “Makes sense. I’ll stop by with them tomorrow morning before I drive my parents to the airport. My mom said she’d keep James at their hotel for another night if you’re okay with that.”
“That’s fine,” I said. “I think Bebe will need some quiet once we’re home.”
Jason’s phone buzzed again. He stepped toward the door to answer it, his voice low. When he came back, he tucked his phone into his pocket.
“That was Brooke,” he said, glancing at me. “She’s bringing me a change of clothes. Is it okay if she stops by for a minute?”
I hesitated, but only for a second. “Of course. That’s fine.”
About a half-hour later, there was a soft knock at the door. Jason stood and opened it, stepping aside to let Brooke in. She entered cautiously, holding a small duffel bag and wearing a polite smile.
“Good morning,” she said, her gaze flicking between me, Meredith, and Jason before landing briefly on Bebe. She handed the bag to Jason. “How’s she doing?” Brooke asked quietly.
“She’s doing well,” I said evenly, keeping my tone polite. “The nurse said she’ll probably be able to go home this afternoon.”
“That’s great news,” Brooke said, offering a warm smile.
Jason gestured toward the recliner. “Do you want to sit for a second?”
Brooke shook her head quickly. “No, I don’t want to intrude. I’ll check in later.”
Jason nodded, “Thanks for bringing this.”
“Of course,” Brooke said, her gaze flickering briefly toward me before she stepped back toward the door.
The door clicked softly shut behind Jason and Brooke, leaving the room noticeably quieter. Meredith stretched out in the chair, sipping her coffee.
“Well, that was… efficient,” she said lightly, shooting me a knowing look.
I didn’t respond, busying myself with smoothing the blanket over Bebe’s legs. But as the quiet settled over the room, I instinctively reached for my phone on the side table.
Will: How’s everything going?
Tapping a quick reply, I kept it short but honest.
Natalie: She’s doing great. They’re letting us go home this afternoon.
The message sent, and I set the phone back down, exhaling deeply. Will didn’t overstep or press, and that steadiness was something I didn’t know I needed until now.
Jason came back a few minutes later, carrying the duffel bag and looking a little more awake. He set it on the chair, then leaned down to check on Bebe.
“She’s still out,” he said quietly.
“She’s been through a lot,” I replied, glancing at the small rise and fall of her chest.
Jason nodded, running a hand through his hair before settling back into the recliner.
Not long after, Bebe’s eyes began to flutter open.
“Mommy, I am sore.”
“Hi baby, I know it hurts. You are doing great.”
Jason stood up and walked over to Bebe and placed his hand on hers. “You were so brave, my little princess. We are going to get you home soon, okay.”
There was a knock at the door, this time to the doctor entering with a clipboard and a warm smile.
“Good morning,” she said, her tone cheerful as she crossed to Bebe’s side, “How are you feeling today?”
Bebe nodded sleepily. “Okay. Just sore.”
The doctor listened to her abdomen with a stethoscope, then gently pressed down on the bandages. Bebe winced but didn’t pull away.
“That’s totally normal,” she assured Bebe, jotting down a quick note on the chart.
“You are doing wonderfully. Vitals look strong, and your recovery’s right on track.” She turned to me. “We’ll plan to discharge her this afternoon. I’ll have the nurse bring in your instructions for home care.”
“Thank you,” I said, my voice steady but thick with emotion.
“You’re very welcome,” the doctor replied, then glanced at Bebe. “She’s a tough little one. Let me know if you have any questions, but otherwise, we’ll get her ready to go soon.”
As the doctor left, I leaned back in the chair, relief washing over me.