If That Is What You Want✔

45

Laurent wiped the sleep from his eyes and tried to focus on what the doctor was saying. The doctor sat down to explain Lyra had a concussion, which caused her to fall. Most concerning were her human chorionic gonadotropin levels were elevated but they could not locate an amniotic sac during the ultrasound or locate a fetal heartbeat.

Laurent wanted to know if that meant she is pregnant or not. The doctor simply said, for whatever reason she wasn’t anymore. In addition to Lyra failing several reflex test, they were unable to wake her, even momentarily. Therefore they wanted to keep her under observation until she was awake and re-evaluate her condition at that time. Laurent asked when she'd wake up. The doctor shook his head.

“Could be tomorrow, could be within the next ten years; we hope to know more when the rest of the results come in.”

Larry woke up in time to hear about the pregnancy. He remembered Catarina said Lyra was 6 weeks then lowered his head, silently grieving for his brother's loss. Laurent kissed Lyra’s hand and thanked the doctor for the update.

“Lau, I sorry.” Larry hugged Laurent.
“You think you watch her, I…” Laurent stood as his face crumbled and Larry moved out of his way. Laurent walked out the door through the waiting area and out the hospital.

He collapsed a few feet from the door and screamed until his throat hurt as the sun slowly rose on a beautiful new day.

~~~

Larry was about to go check on his brother when Catarina knocked on the door.

“Hello?” Larry greeted her as she held up two bags.
“I wanted to make sure you two ate.” She looked around as she entered, “Your brother left?”
“He… the doctor say her no pregnant.” Larry said sadly. 

Catarina walked closer to Lyra, she removed the blanket to looked over her stomach and hips then nodded.

“I get him.” Larry offered but Catarina shook her head.
“No, eat. I will find him.” Catarina sat a bag on the table near Larry.

She found Laurent sitting on the ground with his head in his hands.

“Laurent?” Catarina called softly as she approached. Laurent glanced at Catarina and wiped his eyes before he started to stand.
“Come child, sit with me.” She extended her hand. Laurent walked with her to a bench a few feet away.
“I know you are upset right now, but Lyra will recover and you will have plenty of babies together.” She patted his hand. “Lyra is a strong woman, in a long line of strong women. She just needs rest. You both do.” She lifted his chin to look into his eyes, “Now you promised me you would take care of her, and you cannot do that if you neglect your health. I brought food, now get in there and eat.” She started towards the door. Laurent remained seated looking at his hands. “Don’t make me drag you, young man.” Catarina said sternly.  Laurent looked up at her then nodded seeing where Lyra got her toughness from.

~~~

Larry walked over to Lyra after Catarina left.

“You listen to me, you stubborn bih. I no let you in us life, for you to hurt us like this. You fight me for let you in every time I try for get rid of you, and you win. You fight more harder now! Us need you. I need you for irritate me when you smile, for piss me off when you laugh, call me Fido when I call you a bih.” He took a deep breath as tears filled his eyes. “I told you I be nice to you. You promise for make my brother happy. He not happy and it all you fault! You break you promise!” Larry hissed in her ear. “You no get for leave us now! I hate you for you make me cry! Wake up, dumb bih!” Larry looked at her face as a tear fell from his eyes but she showed no sign of waking. “You better not break us heart!” He stood up.

~~~

Laurent and Catarina returned to Lyra’s room in time to witness Larry whispering in Lyra's ear. Laurent stood in the doorway and watched as Larry had a private conversation with Lyra. He watched until Larry stood up and turned away from her.

Larry spotted Laurent then lowered his head as he moved away from her wiping his eyes. Catarina sensing his emotions turned away to give them a moment as she started pulling out food. Laurent pulled Larry into a hug. He held the back of his neck as Larry fought not to cry.

“I know, is okay. Us have to be patient.” Laurent whispered rubbing his brother's back.

After they ate, Catarina put the brothers out to catch a flight to France and hopefully get their mind straight.

~~~

Laurent and Larry's first stop in France was to visit their mother.

She was always happy to see her babies and hugged them as soon as they walked through the door. She immediately noticed they were bothered by something. She sat them down for a home cooked meal and asked if they how they were doing but they barely talked.

Larry looked at his brother shaking his head then mumbled a small no. Their mother knew that if she was going to get answers she needed to talk to them separately.

“Laurent, go to the store for me?” She smiled handing him a list.
“Okii, maman.” He answered.
“Larry help me clean up.”
“Okii, maman.” Larry replied.

As soon as Laurent left, their mother told Larry to dry and put the dishes away as she washed. When they were done, she sat him down in the living room.

“Tell me what happened. How long you fight this time?” She asked softly caressing his hands trying to comfort him.
Larry exhaled slowly, “Nothing, us no fight maman.” He smiled sadly at his mother's hands holding his own.
“What happened?” She asked softly  sensing her son's distressed state.
“Laurent, his girl…” Larry said slowly. “She get hurt bad. Her… ”

Larry stopped talking when Laurent walked into the home and his mother thanked him. Larry took the bags and walked away.

“Come sit with me. Tell me about this girl.” She asked patting the seat Larry just abandoned. Laurent frowned not understanding why she was suddenly interested. She told his mother about Lyra in the past, what more was there to say?

“Lire a good girl.” Laurent started.
“You want to marry this girl, I never see. You ashamed of her or me.” She asked.
“Maman, no, I never ashame of you, I love you. Lire has good heart, her strong and smart and caring and fun. I love her.” Laurent tried to explain while keeping his worry to himself.
“I remember you talk about that loud girl.” She turned to face him.
“Maman, she no like her, please meet her first. You see she a good girl for me.” Laurent asked. His mother glared at him until he gave her a pleading look complete with trembling bottom lip. His mother sighed and patted his face as she agreed.
“When I meet her?” She asked and Larry ran upstairs.

Laurent lowered his head and told her that Lyra wasn't able to travel right now but promised he will bring Lyra to meet her as soon as she was. His mother sat back in the chair, mulling over what he said and what he wasn't saying. She asked why Larry was upset. Laurent said he would find out. Laurent looked around but didn't see Larry anywhere downstairs. Laurent flew up the stairs to check on him.

~~~

The doctors ran more tests, and finally called in a neurologist. Every test result seemed to point to a problem within her brain because none of the doctors could find any other reason why Lyra wouldn't wake up. The doctor tried to talk Catarina into doing a CT scan or MRI on Lyra.

“You are out of your mind! You can't flood her body with all those radioactive chemicals! What's next? Exploratory brain surgery? Find another way!” Catarina yelled holding her granddaughters hand.
“These radioactive isotopes have relatively harmless interaction with the body and its solubility. The results could…” One doctor tried to reason with her.
“I don’t care if your tests could reveal she was directly related to the Virgin Mary! Go find a way to diagnose and treat my grandbaby without putting toxins and poisons into her body, now get out!” Catarina pushed the doctors out the door.

After several more hours of arguing, Catarina made them transfer Lyra to a different hospital and called in her own specialists to evaluate Lyra.