Older || Sequel To SOS

Thirty-Seven

"Knock knock." Crystal pokes her head through the door, smiling as she makes eye contact with Elodie sitting on the bed again.

"Come on in." El chuckles, waving her best friend over quickly.

"We brought food, and clothes, and essentials, and your car." Michael lifts his armload of supplies to show her.

"Bless you all, we couldn't do this without you." El sighs.

"How are you feeling tonight? Have you got to meet Atlas yet?" Crystal asks as she sits gently on the edge of Elodie's bed.

"Ya, we spent a few hours over at the NICU with her today. It was perfect, she's perfect." Elodie nods, her eyes welling just at the thought of her baby across the hospital without her. "I wish I could be with her all the time, but I have to heal too." She sighs, trying to hold back all her raging emotions.

"You'll get the chance." Crystal reassures.

"Where's Luke? And your mom?" Michael asks after he's set down his armload on the couch.

"Rebecca went back to our place about an hour ago to get some sleep, she'd been up most the night since Luke called her first after he finally got into the NICU to see Atlas. Luke is with Atlas, she needed to be fed and the hospital hooked us up with a breast pump so he took milk over and is feeding her. He's taking it really hard, her being there and me being here. He feels torn."

"That sounds like Luke." Michael nods softly, "How long will you have to be here? I'm assuming less time than Atlas will."

"They said I have to be here at least forty-eight full hours. To make sure no infections set in. So at least through the morning after tomorrow. Atlas is doing really good though, so if she keeps it up she may not be here very long either. They think they may have miscalculated my due date by about a month. Her size, breathing, eating, everything seems to be pointing to her being older than we thought. They told us this morning if she stays on the track she's been on she could be out of the NICU in a matter of days."

"That's amazing." Crystal gasps.

"I know. I'm going to be mama bear to the max no matter what, because she's still so small and fragile. But if we could take her home with us in a few days rather than a few weeks, it would make everything easier. Especially since I know you guys have more information about my accident a few months back. And having found my bio dad and all that is going to entail. I can't imagine having Altas stuck here struggling too."

"You found your dad? Is it the man you guys thought it might be after the whole blood issue?" Michael's eyebrows raise in surprise.

"Ya. Atlas and I were saved by my cousin and her willingness to share her blood with us." Elodie half chuckles. "Her uncle is my dad. I haven't met him yet, or even decided what exactly I want to do with that information, but I have it, and I'm going to do something with it."

"Don't pressure yourself to do it too fast." Crystal offers, reaching out to squeeze Elodie's hand, "I can only imagine how overwhelming everything has been for you over the last day and a half."

"It's laughable that yesterday Luke and I woke up in Hawaii and flew home. So much has happened since then." Elodie sighs, carefully leaning back against the bed.

"No kidding. But you're okay, and so is baby Hemmo, that's what really counts." Crystal offers. "And we brought you all the things to help you feel more comfortable while you recover."

"I'm willing to try anything at this point, I am pretty miserable right now." Elodie chuckles.

"That was our goal. Brandy and Brooke send their love through all the postpartum gifts."