Caballeros

In Sickness and Health

Jules

I sit there while he sleeps and run fingers through his light brown hair. Daddy comes and hugs me tightly; I am grateful for him. He looks at Joaquin and smiles to himself; I makes me curious.

"What is it daddy?"

"You're going to have a hell of a time getting him to listen to the doctor Mija," he says.

"Shit, don't I know it?"

"I'll do whatever I can to help."

"Thank you Daddy. Have I told you how much I love you?"

"Every day," he says with a smile. "I am going to go see Trinity, unless you need me here."

"No daddy, go. That is a great idea. She'll love to play with her papa."

He kisses the top of my head and leaves the room. I continue humming and running my fingers through his hair. The nurse comes in and smiles kindly at me. Joaquin's eyes dart open and he tries to sit up by putting weight on his arm.

"No honey you can't do that," the nurse says.

"I am going to be sick!" he yells. Before I know it he is throwing up; I rub my hand down his back. "Wow what a way for my new wife to see me. This is sexy right?" he says between getting sick. I try not to look at his puke but there is something alarming about it.

"Why is it black?" I asked freaked out.

"That is the anesthesia dear; it's normal." She says. "I'll give him something for the nausea."

"You still think I'm sexy?" he asks. While I wipe his mouth for him. "This is so embarrassing."

"I will always think you're sexy, don't worry about me seeing you like this. I love you. Remember Gordo through sickness and health."

"Thank you Darlin. Can I go the home now?" he asks the nurse. "I want to sleep in my own bed and maybe get lucky tonight." He waggles his eyebrows at me. I just shake my head and laugh.

"In about an hour you can leave. I doubt very much that you will be in a very frisky mood after the pain medication wears off."

"I feel like Superman!" he says sure of himself.

"Ok Superman, give me a little bit and I will get you discharged."

He throws up a few more times before the nurse can get him his anti-nausea medication. She give me a bag of stuff for aftercare; pain medications, bandages for the shower. She sits him up and fits the sling to his arm. He doesn't like having to wear the sling; he is being a baby about it.

"When I get home I'm taking this shit off."

"Oh no you fucking won't! if I have to treat you like Trinity I will."

"What are you trying to say?"

"That you are acting like a baby. You have to wear it or you won't heal right." I say with slight attitude.

"Oh Mrs. Ortega has a sassy assed mouth." He says.

"You know you love it."

"You know I fucking do. Will you kiss me after I brush my teeth?" he laughs.

"I will kiss you now, just not your mouth." I laugh as I kiss her forehead.

The nurse helps me get him in the truck which is task in its self. He tried to help as much as he can but he is wobbly on his feet. She tells me she can eat anything as long as he can tolerate it. I drive down the road and I look at him; he is still pretty out of it.

"Are you hungry baby?" I ask.

"Not for food."

"Joaquin, you are too much, for real are you hungry."

"Yes, I want Taco's from La Guadalajara and a coke," he says.

"Ok baby."

I go in and order enough Tacos to feed everyone in the house and a Quesadilla for Trin. I take everything out to truck. I find Joaquin with the door open; he is getting sick again; poor guy. This woman is giving him the stink eye.

"If he is drunk you need to take him home; no one want to see that." This lady says. What a bitch.

"For information he is not drunk he just had surgery! You are very rude!" I Yell.

"Darlin' don't yell. It's okay."

"Oh I'm sorry; I didn't know," she says.

"No you didn't, next time mind your business. Hella chismosa and all that. Nosey bitch." I Say starting the truck. Joaquin is cracking up. "What are you laughing at?"

"Damn baby hella protective and shit." He says. He said hella again and it's made my day.

"Damn right I am."

We get home and Narizon and Guerro come help get Joaquin upstairs. I get all food and take it upstairs. Trinity is watching Frozen yet again in highchair; she reaches out for me. I put the food down and pick her up. I kiss her face and she notices Joaquin's arm; she points to him.

"Dada got ouchie?" she says in baby babble. She is very concerned.

"Yes Daddy got an ouchie so we have to be gentle with him. Okay? "

"Otay mama, oh dada ouchie."

"You wanna give him some love?" I ask and she nods. I take her over and she is unsure at first. "Give daddy a kiss."

"Hi baby girl," he says groggy. He sits on the couch with pillows that the guys put behind his back. "Can I have a kiss?"

"Uh uh, daddy ouchie?" I lower her so she can kiss him. "Sana sana dada"

"Yes Trin, Sana sana Colita de Rana," he says. An old saying when we were kids and we would get hurt my abuela would tell us that.

We eat our food and it is really good I help Joaquin; he is right handed and his right arm is in a sling. He tries to use his left hand but made a mess. He does not like that he can't do things on his own. I give both Trinity and Joaquin their pain medications. I put Trinity in the playpen in our room to make sure she doesn't try to get out of bed herself. She gets so mad because she wants her big girl bed. Finally I make my way to go sleep and I lay gingerly next to Joaquin so I don't hurt him. I begin to close my eyes and they dart back open.

"Mama, owie mama owie," Trinity screams. Her pain medication must have worn out. I get up quickly to grab it from the kitchen.

"Baby, I need you. I am gonna be sick babe. I can't get up," Joaquin yells.

I run back to the room full blast to help him; he barley makes it to the toilet. I give Trinity her medication put Joaquin back in bed after helping him change his shirt. Joaquin and I repeat this about five times during the night; the nausea medication is not working. I love him deeply but this is so exhausting.

Sickness and health...keep repeating that Juliana.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Thank you for reading!

Please remember to comment and vote Please share my story to your followers it would mean the world to me!