Inferno Part 2

~196~ Lady

I apparently can't get enough of the chapters with the songs attached. If it's not your thing, I'm sorry 😇 I'm throwing a little twist with the song this time. It's not going to be Ellie singing....Anywho, I love how the last one went, where I cue'd you in when I was ready...So, when I tell you to start the song, start the song🥰🥰😘😘

Ellie's POV

It's been a hard month. A really, really hard month. Elizabeth has been home for the majority of the month. Charlotte hasn't. We don't know when she is coming home.

Charlotte's first surgery went ok. Ok, as in, she's not dead. They are pretty confident that when she is a toddler, she will need a heart transplant. The doctor's have already convinced Liam and Nora to put her on the donor list. They are going to do open-heart surgery again when she is 6 months, but they aren't confident that it will do much, long-term.

They said that by the time she is two, she will probably need a new heart to have a chance at a "normal" life.

This has been absolutely devastating.

What has been equally as devastating is watching Liam and Nora trying to balance their time. No matter where they are, they're always missing someone. Being at home, they miss Charlotte. Being at the hospital, they miss Saavy, Jaxson, and Elizabeth. They are both being pulled in so many directions that I'm worried. I'm really, really worried.

Alex and I basically swap, and take the kids as much as we can when Liam is at work and Nora is at the hospital. Jaxson is missing his mommy so badly. Elizabeth doesn't even know her that well. She's trying to divide up her time equally, but she's so stretched thin that I'm afraid for her health. She's not eating much. Don't even get me started on her mental health.

It's not good.

I'm worried for this family. My family. We're all stretched thin. How thin can a person be stretched before they break? I'm afraid we're getting close to finding out.

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Liam's POV

Today we are spending the day at the hospital. We are in the NICU, and we brought Elizabeth with us. Jaxson screamed when we left. I'm spending the entire day with him and Savvy tomorrow. My heart is so broken. Jaxson doesn't deserve this. Saavy doesn't deserve this. Charlotte and Elizabeth don't deserve this. No one deserves this.

I'm holding Lizzie and cradling her. Nora is sleeping in the chair, holding Charlotte's hand. We hold her some, but not all the time. Sometimes her oxygen levels decel, and it's really really scary. Alarms go off and nurses and doctors rush in. Sometimes it's easier just to leave her in there. I want her to feel our love, though...This sucks.

I'm holding Lizzie and cradling her on my chest, and I'm holding Charlotte's hand once Nora drops it in her deep sleep. I'm holding one of my girls, and holding the other one's hand. Right now, this is as good as it gets.

Cue the music :) this is called Lady, by Brett Young ❤️

The radio is on, and a song I have heard a hundred times comes on. It's the first time I've heard it since these girls have been born, though.

I'm not a "great" singer like mom and Sasha. I can, however, hold my own. Hold the tune, so to speak. People don't cringe when they hear me. I suddenly feel like singing this particular song.

I feel like singing it to my girls.

"I remember when I first heard your heartbeat
It had only been eight weeks
Standing there, starin' at that screen was the
First time you ever scared me"

"God knows I don't know
Exactly what I'm doin', but
Good news, we got her to get through it"

"I hope you look just like your mama
And love her like I do
You'll see close to perfect patience
If you watch her every move
You can always run to daddy
You'll always be my baby, but
Look at her, baby girl
And you'll learn
How to be a lady"

Nora is everything. These girls are never going to want for anything with her as their mom. Just look at her, completely exhausted, doing her best to give her kids everything.

She's the epitome of a mother

"I can make ya laugh 'til you cry
But she can make your tears dry, and
When you get your heart broke by the wrong guy
She can make it right"

I'm crying as I'm singing to these two babies. I am so tired. Im so scared...I'm so grateful they're alive.

But I've got Nora

They've got Nora.

We're going to be fine. She's going to do what I can't for them. She's going to teach them what I can't. She's going to love them more fiercely. She's going to fight harder than I can. She hasn't complained: not once.

I've complained. I've complained a lot. I've screamed. Mom and dad have dealt with several of my temper tantrums.

Not Nora. I always thought that mom was the strongest woman I know. I think Nora is just as strong.

No. She IS just as strong. We've got her. They have her. I'm so dang lucky she's my person...That she's their mom.

She's going to make us fine.

Through her, we will be fine: guarantee it.

"She'll hear you
She'll hold you
She'll help you through
She'll fix you
And me too"

"I hope you look just like your mama
And love her like I do (love her like I do)
You'll see close to perfect patience
If you watch her every move (every move)
You can always run to daddy
You'll always be my baby, but
Look at her, baby girl
And you'll learn
How to be a lady
Just how to be a lady"

As I'm holding Elizabeth, my tears are falling on her bald head. I watch Charlotte, her little body with tubes still sticking out of her. I'm watching my two girls. Suddenly I look over once the song ends, and see Nora.

She has woken up, and is watching me with tears streaming down her own cheeks.

I look at her and smile. "This song just said everything I haven't been able to. We're so lucky to have you, baby. They were brought to you for a reason. Both of them."

She cries harder and shakes her head. She's not ok. She isn't ok at all, but she's been pushing it aside to give her all to the kids.

"You have a good voice," she finally gets out.

I smirk. "Don't let word get out. Just keep it between us and these girls huh?"

She smirks and nods, wiping her eyes again as she takes Elizabeth from me and snuggles her close.

"The doctor's told me right before you got here that Charlotte is strong enough. They think we can start transitioning her home," she sniffs.

"Really?" I ask, feeling the wind getting knocked out of me.

She nods and sniffs again.

Am I ready for that? She's safe here, with the doctors and nurses. WE will have to be the ones to help her when her oxygen dips. When the scary alarms go off.

I'm not ready for that at all.