Caballeros

Sugar and Stress

Jules

I feel something poke my arm and I open my eyes wide and look around to see all these strangers staring down at me. I don't recognize anyone that here with me and I begin to panic a bit; I can feel someone stroking my hair. It is a woman in scrubs and she smiles down at me; her smile is comforting to me.

"Welcome back honey," She says.

"What happened to me?"

"You fainted again in the hallway." She says quietly.

"Why are do I need an IV?" I say looking down at the IV in my arm.

"It seems like your sugars are really low and the baby doesn't like that too much."

"What do you mean?"

"Well the baby has had some decelerations which means the baby's heart rate is going down and back up. We are just monitoring you. No need to worry now."

"Where is Noel?" I ask.

"Oh your friend went to check on your husband. It seems like he is having a hard time."

"What's wrong with him?" I say panicked.

"Dear he is alright now. His blood pressure went really low again. Honey he is okay it was just a reaction to the morphine drip. They changed his medication to something else. The doctor should be here to check you any minute."

"Please don't tell my husband about me. I don't want him to worry. Even though I am so angry with him right now; I don't want him to worry."

"Honey, that's what marriage is. They can piss you off to the no end but that doesn't change the love ya'll have for each other. God puts us through trials and right now you may not know the reasons but in time you will. Just have faith it will all work out."

"Thank you. I needed to hear that. What is your name again?" I ask trying to fight back tears. Her words cut right through my soul.

"My name Angelina," she says with a smile.

I am propped up on this hospital bed with a monitor on my belly and I can hear the whoosh, whoosh, whoosh of our baby's heartbeat and that comforts me. They brought me all sorts of surgery thing to eat to bring up the blood sugars; I've eaten jello and popsicles until I got sick of them. It's been hours since anyone has been in here. Right when that thought comes in my head Changs walks in on his cell phone. He smiles at me sweetly too sweetly what is this guy up to?

"Hold on Joseph," he says into the phone. He mutes his phone and looks at me. "Joaquin wants to talk to you."

"Did you tell him what happened to me?" I ask. He shakes his head. "Okay give me the phone."

"You ready Joseph? Don't let him get worked up." He says handing me the phone.

"Hi Joseph," I say.

"Hi Mrs. Jules. He wants to talk to you. He won't eat until I let him talk to you. He is on a new pain medication so he's kind of loopy."

"Okay thanks for giving me the heads up," I laugh remembering how he was after his shoulder surgery.

"Okay I am going to hold the phone to his ear. Okay Joaquin she is on the phone." I can hear him say in the background.

"Darlin'?" he sounds really groggy.

"Yes my love it's me."

"I don't deserve your love. I am so sorry I didn't mean to yell at you like that. I'm a fucking bastard." I can tell that he is crying. "Please forgive me. If you don't I will understand."