Homeward Bound//Sam Kiszka x OC!Layla

Why the Caged Bird Sings

    Being a mom with two kids and one in school was exhausting, especially with Sam on a three month tour to make sure he was back by the time Atlas had to go to preschool. Atlas kicked his feet in the chair across the room and hummed as he played on his tablet. She was trying to plan Halloween on top of everything else. Her doctor came in the room with a smile, "Layla! Long time no see on your part. How are you feeling?" "I'm so tired all the time. And it's beyond mom tired." "Have you tested for pregnancy?" "I keep showing up negative." "That's odd. Let me check your blood pressure." She took her blood pressure, a concerned look coming across her face. "I'm going to send you for some tests. I don't like how your blood pressure was. Do you think you can go to the hospital right now?" "I have to get Juniper from school." "After?" "Yes." "I'm going to have you go to the emergency room as soon as you get Juniper. Okay?" Layla nodded. Her doctor made all the phone calls she needed to to the emergency department while Layla helped gather Atlas up.

    She sat in her car for a second, contemplating who to call. The twins would only freak out, and she didn't want to freak Sam out and make him come home. She pressed her Bluetooth button, "Call Mama K." The phone began to ring in her speakers as she pulled out. Karen answered on the fourth ring, "I'm elbows deep in hot chocolate, baby. What's up?" "Do you think they'd let you take a couple days off to come down?" Layla could hear her excuse herself into another room. "Layla, what's going on? Is it something Sam needs to come home for?" "No! No, I don't think so. I don't know yet, actually. I've been severely exhausted for the last couple weeks and I went to the doc today and she didn't like my blood pressure and pulse so she's sending me to the emergency room." "Where's Bean?" "I'm picking her up from school right now." She said as she placed her paper on the dash. "Yes, I just bought the flight. I'll be down tonight, gonna go home and pack and I'll be down." "Thank you so much, Mama." "You do not need to thank me. You're my daughter and you're sick. I'm your mother, it's the bare minimum I can do. I love you." "I love you." She hung up, sighing a breath of relief.

    Juniper flung open the back door, smiling at Layla. "We're learning letters, Mommy! And guess what letter we learned today?" Juniper buckled herself in after the teacher closed the door. "What letter?" "J! Which is what my name starts with!" "Who else's name starts with J?" "Ummmm, Jake and Josh!" "Yes! Good job! Honey, can I talk to you about something serious?" "Am I in trouble?" "Absolutely not. We're going to be going to the hospital. Which can be a really scary place." "Why are we going there?" "Dr. Jordan wants to check some stuff out on me." "Are you sick?" "I don't know yet, honey. But Nana is coming down for a couple days until Daddy can come home for his break." Sam was due home the following week for a week long break and she missed him severely, but it was going to be so nice to have a second set of hands.

    She made her way to the hospital, pulling Atlas out of the car, and making sure Juniper got their activities bags. Juniper grabbed Layla's hand as they made their way into the emergency room. The nurse smiled at her as she approached, "Hi! Are you needing to be seen?" "Yes. My doctor called over." "What's your name, sweetheart?" "Layla Kiszka." "Birthdate?" "12/21/95." "Alright Miss Layla, are these your little ones?" "Yes." "Can she keep up with you, because we're going to need to put you in a wheelchair." "I think so? Can you keep up with me in the wheelchair, honey?" Juniper nodded, squeezing Layla's hand, "I can do it. I'm big." Another nurse brought over the wheelchair, and guided Layla into it. Juniper kept pace as they got Layla into a room. The nurse helped Layla get changed and comfortable in bed with Atlas after she put in her IV. "The doc will be in in just a minute." "Thank you." The quiet, "Mommy, can I come lay with you, too?" took her out of her small daze. "Of course, my baby." Juniper climbed into the bed, curling around Layla's legs.

    The doctor came in, "The nurse will be in in just a second to put you on a heart monitor. I'm Dr. Klaissen." He promptly explained to her all of the tests they were going to perform on her because of her abnormal results at the doctors office. Layla nodded. "At what point should I call my husband?" "Whenever you need a little comfort, or at the very end when we're reading you your results." She nodded, glancing at the clock. It was 4:30. He was going to be busy making sure he's eating and getting ready. She needed to text him what was going on. 'Hi baby, no alarms going off yet. Don't cancel the show and rush home. Saw Dr. Jordan and she didn't like my bp. In the ER.' Her phone immediately lit up with a phone call from him. "Hi honey." "What is going on?! You're in the hospital alone?! Where are the kids?!" "With me." "I'm booking a flight home right now." "Sam, I don't know how serious it is. Your mom is already on her way down." "Layla, baby. You are my wife. You are my main priority other than the kids." "I know. I know. Finish out these last shows, and if I'm still sick when you come home for break, then stay." "Jesus fuck, you're stubborn." "Baby, you are working. You need to work." "I need to be there for you emotionally, too." "You are, my love. I can't tell you enough how much you are." "Keep texting me or one of the other boys about what's going on."