The Story of Them

October 27, 2020

As soon as I saw that it was Jackson who was up to bat, my mind, which was too busy with the baby's movement, switched right to the game. There was a runner on second looking antsy to make it home to get game to be a 3-0 ball game.

Jackson looked very calm as he stepped in the right hand batter's box. The pitcher loads and fired a fast ball in the center of the plate. Jackson hit that ball causing it to soar into the corner of the right field. That was a very easy double for my husband. I was so happy that I wanted to get up and scream, but I knew that I couldn't since the three little ones in my abnormally huge belly.

I watched as my husband rounded first with no thought and continue to sprint toward second, but there was a huge problem. I don't get what really happened since it happened so fast, but what I did see was my sweet caring husband collide with the shot stop. Both men didn't get up, but I didn't see either move hardly at all.

As a pregnant woman I know that I need to keep calm, but I absolutely couldn't. I started to cry profusely not able to look at the screen of replays of what happened to my husband. The world around me went silent that I didn't even hear my neighbor, that is supposed to watch me, enter the house.

I was in shock that I couldn't function. I just heard my neighbor that broke into my house saying that I need to calm down, but I couldn't. The next thing I know the EMTs was there taking me to the hospital so I could be monitored there. My husband is at a hospital in New York and I'm in a hospital in Chicago.

At the hospital, after I finally got calmed down, the nurse gave me the phone because Jackson was on the other side. When I picked up the phone and quickly said hello before I heard Jackson voice respond, "Baby, I'm alright. I'm just fine after couple months of remission. How's you and the babies?" He spoke so quickly sounding like he wanted to talk as much as possible before the phones was taken away.

"It... everything will be alright here as well, but they have to take the babies out because of my panic attack triggered an early labor. I want you here, wheelchair or not, just to hold my sweaty hand as these three mystery children leave my womb. Jackson, I need you forever, and I can't imag..."

"Honey," he interrupted. "Don't think like that. I'm fine. I wish I can be there with you, but I'm kind of held up hear."

"Okay, so did you guys win?" I asked trying to get to a different topic for both mine and Jackson's sakes.

"No idea. I have no idea since these mean doctors won't answer my questions. Honey, I got to go. The doctor is going to run some test. I'll get a message to you as soon as I can. I love you." I hanged up as the doctor came to check up on me. With barely a look he announced that it was time for me to give birth.

At that moment, I didn't want to do this without Jackson by my side. "NO, NOT WITHOUT JACKSON! THESE BABIES WILL HAVE TO WAIT, CAUSE I'M NOT DOING IT WITHOUT HIM! I JUST CAN'T!" I broke down crying. Everyone probably thought that I went insane, but I couldn't do it by myself. Jackson helped me to get here about to be a mother, but I can't do the rest without him.

The doctor looked sadly at me, "I know that you what your husband, but there is no way we can get him here in time. Unless you need someone closer, we have to get going. Keeping these babies in longer than they need to be can harm them or yourself. You need to have these kids, now or never."

"Fine... but can you guys take a picture of them on my phone and text it to Jackson so he can see them?" I asked trying to stop crying.

"I'll see to it myself, but can we please start this?" he asked already knowing my answer since I started to nod in his direction.

The next six and a half hours was a blur for me. Looking back, I only remember screaming, crying, pushing, and hearing my babies cry after taking in their first breaths. I never remember being so happy ever in my entire life. I didn't name them since I wanted Jackson to be with me for that.

The doctor did as he promised and took a picture of all three of my babies, sending them to Jackson. I didn't know if Jackson responded since I passed out from exhaustion.

When I woke up, Zoey was in the room the next day. "Hey, how long have you been here?"

"A half of an hour, but I got to see your little babes during the wait. They are so cute and precious, congrats for that by the way. Oh also I got to show you something," she said nervously.

After couple of moments pulling something up on her phone she showed me something Jackson posted on Instagram last night. It was the three pictures that the doctor sent to Jackson. Nothing was showing since they were wrapped in a blanket at that point. 'While I lay here in a New York hospital, my lovely wife just gave birth to our incredible triplets. We waited so long to have them, and I can't wait to meet those beautiful creatures when I get out of here. What a blessed day it was; first winning the World Series and then having these three come into this world. I'm sorry Stephane for not being there, but I know that you were tough. I love you more than ever before!'

"I know that it's sweet, Steph. So what's their names?"

"Haven't given them one yet. Kind of waiting for Jackson on this one. I don't think that he would want to miss this one. So do you know how he is?" I asked needing that valuable information about my injured puppy.

Zoey met my graze, before she said, "He had surgery about three this morning to set his bones together so his bones would mend neatly. He wouldn't let the doctor operate until after you had the babies. He also has about fifteen stitches from the cuts of his face from the cleats. No concussion is suspected, thank god. The doctors say that he will be fine, but will have to do some physical therapy before he can play. They say that they will release him tomorrow if all their test that they are going to run come back with nothing wrong."

I felt instantly a sigh of relief. I never want anything to happen to my husband, but I know that he knows how to take care of himself. I closed my eyes wishing that I could be by his side right now. I know that he's probably thinking that as well, but I don't care who's in the bed or not as long as we have each other.

"So Jackson is missing all the celebration with the team, isn't he? Truthfully, I think that it's funny that this happened, now of all time. I just wish that he didn't get hurt, and that I didn't give birth yet."

Zoey smiled at me, thinking about things. I slowly feel back asleep for a late morning nap.

I stood in mine and Jackson's Chicago apartment, with three eight year olds running around. I looked around at everything and I knew that there was a piece missing in this picture. I started to look around looking for the most important man in my world: Jackson Michael Julian Maier Myls the Fifth.

Then I saw it, I saw a picture of the two of us in a picture frame that read, 'Gone but not Forgotten'. I didn't want to believe it, but something in my dream state I knew that it was true here in this realm, at least. I felt my heart drop at that finding just as my little girl came over to me.

"Mommy, come and play with us." I couldn't exactly see her looks, but at the moment I didn't care about how she looked. I just wanted to spend time with my fantasy family as long as possible so I didn't have to think about... well you know.

We spent the whole afternoon playing, but I felt a lump in my heart. I was missing something; I was missing someone important. I would never survive like this for the rest of my life, but it felt so real that I knew that I would have to for my kids.

Before I knew it all three of my kids was in their pajamas falling asleep in their beds. I sat in a chair in the boys' room reading a chapter in a random book for a bed time story. At the moment after I finished reading I realized what I just read. It was the story of Jackson and me. I guess Jackson wrote this before he left us. He probably wrote this so we could remember his life after he passed. I don't' think that I could ever forget his life, but I guess that it would be for our young children.

After they fell asleep and my daughter sheepishly waddle to her bed, I went into my bedroom and grabbed my laptop. I quickly searched Jackson's name wondering what happened to him. What I found was a mystery since I woke up before anything showed.