Another Reason to Love

chapter 19

"Have a seat," the doctor said, motioning for them to sit down in a couple of nearby chairs. "I'd like to talk to you about your daughter."

Camila and Lauren looked at each other nervously before focusing on the doctor. They held onto each other tightly, fearing that the words they were about to hear were going to be painful.

"It's a good thing you got her here when you did," the doctor began. "She was struggling to breathe and was not getting enough oxygen. We're still running some tests, but she is stable."

Lauren and Camila both visibly relaxed at the news that their daughter was stable. "Is she going to be okay?" Lauren asked.

"As far as we can tell," he said. "it looks like she's got a case of pneumonia. Has she been coughing much recently?"

Camila nodded her head. "I did notice that, but I thought it was probably just allergies. I should have taken her in to see a doctor right away."

"It's okay. We should be able to treat it and within a few days, she should be able to come home." The doctor smiled at the two of them and a wave of relief washed over their bodies.

"Can we see her?" Lauren asked.

The doctor looked down at Lauren's stomach and pulled a surgical mask out of his pocket. He handed it over to her. "If you're going back there, it would be best if you wore this mask. To protect yourself from getting sick. Pneumonia is very dangerous for pregnant women."

Lauren nodded and took the mask from his hands. He motioned for them to follow him and they walked hand in hand through the double doors that had just before been unreachable to them. He pulled back a curtain and there, sleeping in a hospital bed that was about 10 times too big for her, was their fragile little girl.

Camila gasped when she saw her tiny body. She was so pale and lifeless. Camila's immediate response was to look at her chest, checking for the rise and fall of her breathing. She was wearing an oxygen mask that, even though it was made for children, was entirely too big for her small face. "I know she's going to be okay, but it's just...she looks so sick. It's scary."

"I know, Camz," Lauren said, rubbing her wife's arm in support. "The doctor said everything was going to be fine. She'll be running around the house again in no time," she reasoned.

"I'll leave you two alone with her. A nurse will come in soon to check her vitals. She may wake up. I'm sure she'll want to see you two," the doctor said. He gave them a smile and closed the curtain to give them some privacy.

Camila stepped closer to the hospital bed and upon further investigation, she figured she could fit in it too. She gingerly moved some of the wires, careful not to unhook them, and climbed into the bed beside her little girl. Moving a few of the wires on the other side, she cleared a space for Lauren.

"Here," she said, patting the other side of the bed. Lauren looked at her hesitantly, and then tied the surgical mask behind her ears, pulling it tight so that it would catch any germs. She carefully lifted herself into the bed and turned inwards to face her wife. She gave Brooklyn a kiss on the head through her mask and brushed her fingers against her forehead to check her temperature. Lauren was able to relax when she felt the little girl's skin was cooling down.

On the other side, Camila was keeping herself busy by running her fingers through the little girl's curly brown hair. She used to play with her hair all the time, but lately, Brooklyn had been refusing to let her, running off to play instead. It seemed like the only time she could touch the silky locks was when the little one was sleeping.

Looking over at the other side of the bed, Camila noticed that her wife's eyes were drooping. "Laur," she whispered. "You can sleep if you want."

Lauren shook her head no, but couldn't keep her eyes open long enough to protest. Camila smiled and was immediately aware of her own tiredness. They had experienced a long night and exhaustion was imminent. She took Brooklyn's tiny hand in her own and settled in, letting herself drift off to sleep.