Their Rose Petal

Chapter Forty Six

A gasp leaves my lips as I watch his green eyes stare at the baby on his chest. He doesn't move, nor make a sound.

"Mateo?" Kristen speaks softly, walking up to the bed. His eyes don't leave Malanni. I'm unsure if he's really awake or if his eyes just simply opened.

"Baby?" I speak after her.

"Can we get someone in here?" Elias yells out the door, keeping Mateo in his vision as he does so. He's been scared to trust the signs of improvement since day one. He doesn't want to give himself false hope of his best friend waking up, then watch it all crumble around him. I understand that, but I believe this is real.

Mateo's hand slowly strokes Malanni's back. His movements are so shaky. "He's awake," I let out a silent tear. What I really want to do is jump, scream, thank every doctor in this building that did not give up on him when the other doctors had. I settle myself. I don't want to cause any stress, I don't want to do anything to risk this moment being a false one.

"What seems to be the- Mr.Michaels!" The doctor rushes in, looking just as surprised as us. Mateo's eyes slowly look up, cringing against the bright lights. His eyes go to his mom first, then Elias, then the doctor, and finally; me. He just stares, no emotion present in his features. I wipe the tears from my face. I look like shit, and it's the first time he's seeing me in months. Nappy hair that hasn't been properly washed in days, sweats, and Mateo's shirt. The doctor walks over to him, and his eyes go back to Malanni. "This is your daughter, Mr. Michaels. Can you understand me?" He holds his fingers in from of his face, using a light to watch his pupils reaction.

It's almost as if he's unable to talk. Hell, he might not be able too. We have no idea what to expect. No one prepared us for this reality. We were prepared to let him go, to let him die. That's all that was told to us.

I slowly try and pick up the baby so the doctor can do whatever tests he has to do. His hand tightens on her back, his eyes telling me no. I put my hands back quickly.

"This is completely normal," the doctor says. "We aren't sure what to expect. He's been in a coma for a very long time. His brain may not function properly. We'll have to do a CT and have neuro attending check everything over. However, he will be different. This might not be the same man you had before the coma for awhile, if ever. He will be agitated, maybe even slightly aggressive. We need to take everything very slowly."

"Can you tell me who this is?" He motions to Mateo's mom. His eyes follow the doctors movements, but his eyes are stuck on the baby in her arms.

"Oh, my sweet boy." She walks over, her eyes red and puffy. "This is your son, Myles. Him and Malanni are twins, just like your sisters. Michelle did amazing. She brought us two very beautiful blessings."

His arm slowly extends, reaching out to his son. His arm barely hovering above the bed but it's still noticeable and identifiable.

"You want to hold him?" The doctor asks. Mateo doesn't move for a moment, confusion and fear being the first expressions to appear on his face. I take a deep breath, watching him appear human for the first time. He very slowly nods his head, just barely. It is almost undetectable. 

Kristen slowly places Myles sleeping figure onto Mateo's chest, his arm coming to his back.

That's when realization must have hit Mateo's slowly waking consciousness. He begins to cry. It's not just slow tears or silent cries. It's a gut wrenching sob that shakes the core of everyone in the room. His chest rumbles with both babies on his chest. His hands tremble, his eyes close and his head leans back. I cover my mouth to prevent my own cries from coming out. Elias pulls up a chair next to the bed, and I see his flushed face for the first time since Mateo showed movement. Tears roll down his cheeks and down his neck, soaking his gown. The doctor stands from the edge of the bed he was sitting on, bringing me to replace him.

That's when everything comes loose. The sadness of our whole little family bursts through, nothing but cries and hiccups are heard through the dull walls. I lay my head in Mateo's lap, missing the feeling of his body on mine. My heart beats rapidly when I feel his shaky hand set on the top of my head. I grip the sheets on top of his leg, trying to calm myself down.

Everything hits at once. The last long nine months, cutting through my body. Watching them both roll into the hospital. Being told Mateo wouldn't make it. Finding out I was pregnant. Carrying Mateo's twins in my stomach for seven months without being able to share the feeling with him, without him feeling our children kick ruthlessly in my large belly. Delivering two babies when I only knew about one without either one of their fathers by my side. It all overtakes every ounce of my soul.

For the first time in a long time I feel complete, like the missing pieces are slowly being put back together. I'm not sure if I'm crying from sadness, grief, anger, or relief. Perhaps it's a little bit of every single emotion that I've held in for so long.

The babies start to cry, our own cries waking them up.

"I think we need to let Mateo relax, adjust to everything that is going on around him." The doctor speaks lowly, not wanting to interrupt but feeling like he has too.

"N-no," Mateo's voice sounds out raspy and rough. I jump up at the noise, his eyes on mine. He begins to cough, and Elias rushes to bring the water he was drinking on the way here to Mateo's lips. He drinks it greedily, leaning his head back when he's done. His face is swollen. His face looks like that one word took all of his energy with it.

"Twins," he whispers, another cry tearing through his body. It breaks my heart, and I know it reached Elias and his mom as well. One day he fell asleep, waking up months later with two babies. But to him it probably  felt just like he thinks; a day. You go to sleep one day and wake up to a whole new world.

The doctor eventually forces us to back away, the babies asleep once again. We sit here for hours while they run every test possible. He looks so tired, but I'm so scared to let him fall asleep again. What if he goes to sleep and doesn't wake back up?

Elias is on the phone with Kaleb when they bring Mateo back in on his bed. The doctors have multiplied, one turning into six.

"This case truly baffles me, if you want my honesty." One of them smiles softly. "He shouldn't have woken up, but he did. There appears to be no brain deficits. He's awake and aware. Confusion is definitely going to be around for at least a few days. We'll have to help his body come back to the reality alongside his brain. Simple tasks like walking, chewing, talking will all have to be mastered again. Each one of these doctors will work closely with Mateo and you all for the next few days. It's a team effort now. He did all of the hard work, now we just have to pick up the pieces." She smiles. "Welcome home, Mr. Michaels." With that all six off the doctors walk out of the room.

Now it's just us. How it should've been this whole time.