Generations: The Long Game

Day Twenty-One

Marjorie woke up groggily and saw the familiar redhead sitting next to her bed. "Hi, how long was I out?" A smile crossed Mia's face as she urged her to sip some water.

"Just about four hours. He's gone home to have supper with Emery. Aut is on her way in so I can do the same with Char and the children."

"Mia, they said it would likely be twenty days because of the infection I got after the surgery. Have they said anymore today? I really want to be home for Emery's birthday." She was so weak she could barely raise her head. The post surgical infection had taken a lot out of her, but at least some of the pain was subsiding. There were days following surgery she couldn't bear it and had to be sedated to keep her blood pressure from becoming dangerously high.

Following surgery, she spent two days in intensive care but developed the infection the day after being moved here. Twenty-one days in the hospital and still no end in sight. The walls were suffocating. The beeps and alarms going off at all hours of the day and night were maddening. Twenty-one days without her babies. Video chat was not the same, and the risk of infection meant the children were prohibited from visiting this ward.

The changing of the guard. That is what she affectionately called it. Everyone took turns, but it was mostly Mia. And Reece. She wanted to see him more, but they both knew his place was at home with the children as much as he could be. The fact that he owned the restaurant and had reliable staff had become a blessing they didn't know they needed. His staff often dropped by with meals already prepared as well for them. "Anything to help" had almost become the motto of everyone they knew. The community that had built up around Reece and their children had amazed her.

Mia spoke and shook her from her thoughts. "Aut's here. I am leaving. Don't be a pain in the ass tonight, Marjie. Viv is on the overnight." She said it with a wink, but they both knew the last time Viv worked the overnight she had definitely been a pain in the ass. The infection had spread quickly, and she was septic. She was delusional and thought Viv was an angel. It was a good laugh now, but not at the time. Her heart stopped. Twice. Mia and Viv had the same thought. They were going to have to call their best friend and tell him his wife died. On their watch. But they didn't. She fought just like she promised him she would.

"Give my love to Char and the children." And with that she was gone. She would be back in the morning though. She never let her get away with anything, but she almost never left her side either.

Aut was a different story. Aut brought her the chocolate she was supposed to limit and the coffee she wasn't supposed to have. She read her the books she knew she loved, and she let her rest her hand on the bump as long as she liked. In her deadpan voice she would tell anyone who would listen that it was just the hormones. Marjorie knew better. It was fear.