Something In The Water Volume 2

~18~

Prince followed the doctors down the hall to one of the private triage rooms where Carlyn was being assisted. The door opened and he was fearful of what he was about to see but prepared himself for anything at this point. Rounding the corner he was met with a thick tan curtain. The doctor placed her hand on the curtain before Prince could reach for it.

  "Mr. Nelson I should tell you that you have to try and stay calm. Carlyn is unconscious but stable. You can see her but I have to ask you some questions." The doctor said.

  "Can't it wait? I just want to see that she's alright." Prince asked.

  "Your daughter lost a lot of blood Mr. Nelson. We need to do a blood transfusion and given you religion-"

  "It doesn't really matter. We're not a match." He said trying to see around the nurse.

  "Aren't you her father sir?"

  "Yes but we're not a match because she's adopted. You have my permission to do whatever it is you have to but please just let me see my child! Please!"

Prince was beginning to get upset that the two things that were standing in his way was the doctor and the curtain. It wasn't in his nature to use physical force but he was wanting to with every passing second. The doctors knew that Prince only wanted what was best and sensed that he was very concerned and emotional. She finally stepped to the side dropping her hand away from the curtain. All Prince had to do was go behind it. His little girl was just on the other side waiting for him. With a shaky right hand he said a prayer and pulled back the curtain. He finally saw her lifeless body laying on the bed with lines of fluids running from the IV pole to her left arm. The doctor closed the curtain to give him some privacy and Prince just inches from the bed dropped to his knees and cried. His eyes could barely look at her face which was once an almond bronze. Her skin was nearly grey and her lips were dry and starting to crack. Disheveled hair laid sprawled around her on the pillow as the matching kept track of her vitals at a constant beep. Prince sobbed for a few moments before he was finally able to calm himself and look at his blessings in front of him. Wiping the tears from his face he pulled up a chair next to the bed and sat down running his thumb up and down her face. He watched the monitors for a minute and thought about all the times he and Carlyn would bicker over little things like the remote and tv time. He ever remembered the time the fought over her going to a historically black college. It made him smile when his mind took him to the day he returned her metallic purple iPod when she left it behind at First Avenue.

  "My sweet and curious dove." He whispered.

Hoping that she would respond he took free hand and wiggled at her fingertips trying get her to acknowledge that he was in the room.

  "Thank you for making my dream of being a father come true at last. I will be forever grateful for you and Joey. Because of you I've been a better man. I know I've probably let you down a lot but.....I've been learning just like you have. Learning how to love....be open and honest....mostly....how to be more forgiving. My harshness of my ways has caused me a great deal of pain in my youth but.....you opened my eyes and made me realize that.....a cold heart isn't what we need in this world. You showed me that no matter what the situation is.....love is always the way. You made me love again Carlyn. You and Joey. You two are my greatest achievement of all. To lose you now would be like losing my own life. Because you are.....my life. I wish that I had listened to you. I was too busy letting my selfish acts get in the way and blind me from the truth. Tori was never the one for me. You knew it the whole time and I didn't hear you out. Well.....my beautiful one.....I hear you now. I only hope that....you can hear me. Wake up my sweet dove. Please wake up."

Prince's tears streamed as she silently sat and watched his child lay non responsive. The sound of the machines were broken but the doctor calling for Prince from just beyond the curtain.

  "Mr. Nelson?" She called before coming inside.

Prince pulled himself together but didn't turn to the doctor. He didn't want her looking at him after he had cried his heart out for his baby girl.

  "Any news?" He asked with sadness in his tone.

  "Well there is! We found a match for Carlyn and we are going to do a blood transfusion in a bit. However there is just one small complication."

  "About my grandchild?" He asked.

  "Actually grand.....children."

Prince's eyes widened and he slowly turned and face the doctor.

  "Say that again?" He said confused.

  "That's right. There were twins."

  "Were? I don't understand! I thought it was only one!" He explained.

  "With twins the second one still has a chance to hide in the womb behind the bigger fetus. In which case.....I'm saddened to say that the smaller twin didn't survive. That was the cause of all of the bleeding. We were able to save the bigger twin but.....she is still a little unstable which is to be expected because she's very early. Babies that are born four months ahead of their due date have a dramatically decreased chance of survival. But at least she is breathing with some assistance. The only concern is temperature regulation."

Prince was beside himself. All that time they waited and the doctors and nurses were working frantically to save three lives....not two. His prayers were answered. God was trying his best to perform a miracle for his family. He still has his daughter and one grandchild. Unfortunately it was a still heartbreaking news to know that Carlyn's second child didn't make it.

  "I can't tell her husband. I feel it's only fair that you get him back here. Let him give the consent from here on out. He needs to be with her right now." Prince replied still trying to wrap his mind out the information he was just given.

  "Mr. Nelson.....are you sure? She does have you as her emergency contact." The doctor asked.

  "Yes. Just make sure you note me as her secondary in the event her husband can't be reached." He said.

The doctor nodded and began to fill out Carlyn's chart with the new contact information. Once again the room fell silent and Prince sat with Carlyn until it was time to do her transfusion. Afterwards he was escorted to the hall and Carlyn was being transported to a private room. So much was going through Prince's mind and his thoughts took him back to Ahmir. A single tear fell from his right eye as he looked up at the fluorescent lights above him. His daughter had succumbed the same fate but was still bless with a child.

  "I won't question your ways....I'm just glad that my daughter is ok and she's able to be a mother. Thank you Jehovah for hearing my prayer."