Give Them Hell

Four Wide Receivers Stacked on the Left

From my understanding only immediate family was allowed to go and see Lyric and I, meaning Mackenzie because he's my brother and Nikki because he's my husband. Dakota is pissed right off that she can't see me and worried sick. Mackenzie and Nikki bounce between the children's hospital and my hospital room, I don't think either one of them are sleeping a lot.

I'm going on five days in the hospital which I think is ridiculous because I'm perfectly fine. I just want to go see my baby but I can't as long as I'm in this hell hole. Like I said earlier Mackenzie and Nikki have been bouncing between both hospitals and right now Mackenzie is with me.

We're watching the Raiders play the Seahawks on the little tv in the corner of the room. The rest of the room is covered with get well soon cards and balloons, Nikki says that Mackenzie's entire football team dropped off a bunch of balloons and stuffed animals at the children's hospital for Lyric.

"Andy can't run his seven against the Seahawks because they're too strong of a team." Mack explains and points at the tv.

"Do you ever miss it?" I wonder as I reposition so I'm sitting cross legged.

"Miss what?" He asks.

"The Seahawks and playing with Matt and Jason?" I expand and he shrugs.

"Some times, I mean Seattle was the first place that we lived that felt like home." Mack admits. "When we lived there it was like everything clicked. You had Frank..err...Nikki and I had football with Jason and Matt, that's why I jumped at the chance to play for Seattle. But moving to Los Angeles was the best thing at Caroline and I did."

"Can I ask you something and you'll tell me the absolute truth?" I wonder and he laughs.

"Nothing but the truth, kiddo." He promises.

"Why aren't you in Seattle right now with your team? Why aren't you home with your wife, daughter, and son? Why are you here with me?" I ask and he takes a deep breath.

"I'm a husband before a football player, I'm a father before a husband, and I'm a big brother before a father. That's my order of priorities, brother, father, husband, football player." He explains. "I'm on a leave of absence from work, Caroline and I have had long conversations about what's going on with you and we both think that I need to be here with my little sister."

"I love you, Mack and you know I do but I have Nikki--"

"Nikki is one person, Dolly. He's got enough on his plate with his wife and daughter being in the hospital and he wants to be with them both. Nikki can't be in two places at once and he doesn't ever want to leave one of his girls alone. That's why I'm here, I'm here as a place holder so one of us are with you two at all times." My brother explains and I narrow my eyes.

We fall into silence and Mackenzie looks back at the screen.

"We need a play to beat these Seahawks." He finally says something.

"Put on five wide receivers, four receivers stacked on the left and Andy on the right. You'll over load their left and they'll cover Andy. Have Jordan call the play from the line, defence will never know what hit them." I mutter and Mackenzie laughs.

"Maybe you should've been a football player and not a rugby player, Dolly." He laughs.

Nikki

Dallas' favourite food is fudge sundaes from Dairy Queen, it always has been and it always will be. I don't know if she's supposed to be eating regular hospital food or not right now but I knew ice cream would make her happy so I got it for her.

It's killing Dallas not being able to see our daughter and she's always asking about our little Lyric. Mack says she's asking him about his little niece too. I honestly don't know how she's going to react when she sees Lyric for the first time.

Lyric is tiny, she looks like one of Tara's baby dolls more than she actually looks like a human baby. She's hooked up to so many different machines and has a tube up her nose  so she gets some nutrients, I think the doctors are saying she's on a ventilator or a respirator or some sort of breathing machine.

There's this little arm holes on the side of the incubator so we can put our hands in and touch the baby. I bawled my fucking eyes out the first time my baby daughter wrapped her tiny hand around my finger. When she opens her eyes they're the same grey as her mother's.

"How's she doing today?" Dallas wonders as she eats her ice cream and I smile.

"She's doing better. The doctors say she has a really strong heart." I say and she lights up.

"I told you so, I'm sure she's going to be okay." She admits.

"There's still a long way to go, baby." I remind her and she nods.

"I know but I also know that she's half you and half me, that little baby is too stubborn." Dallas laughs and I smile.

I kiss her cheek as the nurse walks in, I pull the sundae away from Dallas so it's in front of me and the nurse looks at me.

"I promise she wasn't eating that." I say awkwardly and she laughs.

"I don't care what she eats, I'm just here to give you your discharge papers." The nurse says and my wife's eyes grow.

"Discharge papers? Like I'm going home?" Dallas asks excitedly and I smile.

"Yes, Mrs Sixx, you can go home." The nurse says and hands her the paper.

The nurse leaves and Dallas looks at me excitedly and I laugh.

"I can see her!" My wife squeaks and I laugh. "Nikki, I haven't seen her yet and she's all I think about." She admits quietly and I kiss Dallas' knuckles.

"I know, baby. We'll go see her." I promise her and she smiles.