Temporary Love

Part 19: Oz and Lu

All I can do is stare down at the sweet little babies in the incubator. My heart beat slowing and I can't quite breathe normally.

"I...I hope you don't mind...I thought... I thought it would be a nice way to...ya know—honor her." Turning back to Helen, I hastily rush up to her which freezes her quickly until I gently- but hastily grab the sides of her face and press a strong passionate kiss to her lips.

"Thank you...thank you..."

"So you're alright with it?"

"Yes...yes...Baby I am." I turn back and look at little Oscar and then back at her. "Oscar—I really like that name as well."

"I had a cousin named Oscar...Oz...Ozzie- he passed away when I was 14. He was my best friend...like a brother to me. I have a half-brother Fehrad- but we've never met."

"I love the name Oscar. It suits him very well." She blinks slowly and flashes me those doe eyes. "What's wrong?"

She shakes her head briefly and I can tell something's wrong.

"Helen."

"I'm so sorry, Max." Tears streak down her face and I just pull her tight to my chest. "I didn't mean what I said long before...I never wanted you to...to jump off...I was just hormonal...and hu...hurting...I'm sorry, Darling...I love you. I've always loved you.."

"Shhh...shh...It's alright, Helen. I know....I know. It's okay, Baby."

"I don't know what I'd do without you. I don't know if I could do this..."

"I'm here- Helen. I'm here. I'm not going anywhere. I promise."

"You missed everything...you didn't get to...to be there and be apart of...of it..." She clings tighter to my back and I feel horrible.

"I'm here now though... okay...I'm here now and I'm going to take care of my family." I rub her back and leave kisses on her neck. "I got to be here for the greatest part-seeing our babies come into this world and take their first breaths. That's the greatest thing I could ask for."

"I really thought...I really thought you didn't want to come..."

"Christopher pushed me out of the ambulance." I feel her loosen slightly and then re-squeezes me. "I never wanted to leave you...I just...he was better for you...he can give you everything you need."

"But I've only ever wanted you." She quietly says and her lips kiss beneath my ear on my jaw. "I shouldn't have let him fill that void...he wasn't good at it..."

Sitting back, she rests against her pillow and puts her hand on her stomach, but winces.

"How's your sutures look?" I ask and she pulls up the gown just a bit to reveal the horizontal cut they made just a over her pubic bone in her bikini line area.

"Better than they feel, but I wish I would have gotten to deliver them naturally. I imagine that's what it feels like to be a true mum..." She sadly says and I rub her leg.

"Honey, the type of delivery doesn't matter. You are a mum. You carried your babies for just shy of nine months. You had no choice in the matter. But you are their Mum and you're going to be the best one ever." I look her over and she pulls the gown back down. "You are so beautiful and I have good news."

"What's that?"

"We get to retake the boards."

"No!?" She says shocked and I smile wider.

"Yes- Canfield was the surgeon who delivered the babies. He reached out to the other members of the medical boards and plead our case."

"That's amazing! Ow...." She holds her stomach slightly and winces. "That hurt."