When It Begins Again

18

"Los."

Jewel stopped at the door as she heard the man's name.

Jomauld sat at Carlos' bedside, his face between his palms.

"It's hard man. Doing this without you is hard. Kim is breaking on the inside and I'm trying to pick her up but I don't know how."

She heard his sniffles.

"Like I want my wife, I want my best friend, I want Kharyi and it's like right now I can't have any of those things and it just sucks."

Jewel placed her head against the door as she stared up at the ceiling.

It was hard for all of them.

"Troy is acting captain and I'm patiently waiting for you to wake up to take your position back. You hear that, wake up. You're going to wake up. You have to, wherever you are in that head of yours, please just find yourself back to us man, please."

Jewel couldn't bear to hear anymore, she was tired of crying. She was tired of walking into Carlos' room and losing all hope. She needed him to fight.

She tapped her fist against the door causing Jomauld to look up.

"Hey."

She gave him a small smile as he got to his feet and wrapped his arms around her.

"How are you?"

Jomauld questioned as she nodded.

"Somewhere between exhausted and being a parent."

Jewel joked as Jomauld nodded.

"You've got this, I know you do."

Jewel didn't know how much she needed to hear those words until they left Jomauld's lips.

"Thank you. How are you?"

A sigh escaped Jomauld's lips.

"Trying my very best."

They hugged each other once more as Jomauld left.

Jewel occupied the vacant seat as she placed her hand in Carlos'.

His heart monitor was usually always her only company.

Just some months ago they were arguing about being unfaithful and walking out on each other. Now, Jewel wanted anything but the man walking out the door of life.

She passed her finger over his cheek.

"Tomorrow Jes turns sixteen and I'm giving him the party he asked for. Crazy how it's been three weeks already huh?"

She questioned.

"Kim and I are going to look at cars after my visit here and then I plan on kidnapping Ariel with Ryan's help so I can get to meet her. Don't judge me."

She chuckled.

"If you were awake, you'd talk me out of it. Tell me that I'm crazy but Ryan said she's a nice girl and I trust that. I also think she's really been there for Jes through all of this. Which is the only reason why he's getting the car and the party."

She explained.

"Plus him driving means he can take his sister to school and pick her up from ballet and actually start to pull his weight around the house. He doesn't know that's his punishment."

Jewel could feel her heart aching. She needed this man to open his eyes, to give her a sign that he was trying to come back to her.

"Los, I love you and I want us to make this work, but that can't happen if you don't wake up. Wake up please."