JAZZ
I lay there in the hospital bed, my head spinning and my body feeling heavy. The dull throb in my skull made it hard to think straight, and every time I tried to move, pain shot through my broken arm. I felt like I was stuck in a fog, trying to piece together what had happened.
The door creaked open again, and my younger siblings and Pops stepped inside, their faces a mix of worry and curiosity. Melody, with her big brown eyes, was the first to speak up. "Jazz, where's Mommy?" she asked, her voice small and shaky.
I turned my head slowly to face her, doing my best to sound reassuring despite the turmoil inside me. "She's... in the recovery room," I managed to say, but my voice sounded weak, even to my ears. "She had surgery. But she's gonna be okay."
Rhythm leaned in closer, concern etched on his face. "What kind of surgery? Is she hurt bad?"
I swallowed hard, trying to keep my composure. "She had to have a C-section because the baby was coming too early. But the doctors are taking care of her."
Tempo, who was usually so full of energy, looked down at the floor, his small fists clenched. "Is the baby okay?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
I hesitated, the weight of uncertainty pressing down on me. "They're in the NICU," I said gently. "They were born early, so they need extra care. But the doctors are doing everything they can."
As they processed my words, I caught sight of Musiq standing off to the side, his little body trembling. He looked confused, tears streaming down his cheeks. "Mommy!" he cried out, his voice breaking as he moved his hands in a mix of sign language and broken English. "Mommy no come?"
I felt my heart sink at the sight of him, the fear written all over his face. "Musiq, Mommy's gonna be okay," I said softly, reaching out with my good arm to comfort him. "The doctors are helping her. Just a little longer, okay?"
He shook his head, the tears flowing freely now. "I want Mommy!" he wailed, his words coming out in a jumble. "Mommy home! Mommy!"
"Shh, Musiq," I said, my voice cracking. "I know you want her. We all do. But we have to be patient for now."
Melody stepped closer, her eyes wide and worried. "What if she doesn't come back?" she asked, her voice trembling.
"Stop it!" Rhythm shot back, clearly frustrated. "She will come back! Jazz said so!"
"You have to believe that, guys," I said, trying to sound more confident than I felt. "She loves us, and she'll be back. We just have to wait."
Tempo nodded slowly, but I could see the worry still lingering on his face. "But why can't we see her now?" he pressed.
"She needs to rest," I explained gently. "And the doctors need to make sure she's okay. We can't rush it."
Musiq's tiny hands continued to sign "Mommy," his little face scrunched up in distress. "Mommy, Mommy!" he called out, desperation lacing his words.
"Daddy and Mimi is with her," I reassured him, my heart aching at how much he needed mommy right now. "He's taking care of her, and he'll bring her back when she's better."
The room fell silent for a moment, the weight of uncertainty hanging over us. My siblings shifted, glancing at each other, unsure of what to say next.
I wanted to tell them everything would be fine, that mommy would come back and we'd all be together again, but the truth was, I didn't know. All I could do was hope and pray that she would come back to us soon.
"I'll be back I have to go to the bathroom." Pops said as he got up to leave. I thought for a second and waited til he left.
"Let's go see mommy" I said to my younger siblings.
