How He Broke

Please Be Okay... (Tate's POV)

I paced the waiting room.

My anxiety was through the roof as I waited to hear back from the doctors, good news that Sage had made it out of surgery alive.

"Hey, Tate." Renee made her way over to me, placing a gentle hand on my my back. "I know you're worried, but you need to take a break. Get some air, maybe go check on Indigo in the nursery." She suggested.

I nodded, deciding it would be best for me to get away for awhile before I completely worried myself to death.

I followed the signs that led me to the nursery, stopping when I had finally reached it.

I stood at the glass, peering in at all the babies that laid there peacefully.

I smiled when I had spotted Indigo. She was swaddled, sleeping happily in a plastic crib.

"Which ones yours?" A woman sitting in a wheelchair, who was holding a baby against herself asked; the man I assumed to be her husband, standing behind her.

"That one." I answered with a smile, point at Indigo who rightfully had a deep blue-purple hat on.

The woman beamed. "She's absolutely precious."

"What's her name, son?" The man smiled.

"Indigo." I answered. "Indigo Renee Langdon."

"That's a beautiful name." The woman smiled at me. "Where's her mother?"

I bit my lip. "Intensive care." I answered softly. "She had some internal bleeding."

Silence.

Neither of them knew what to say, and I didn't expect them to.

"Would you like to hold our son?" The woman asked softly. "We haven't decided on a name yet." She explained.

"Oh no." I said, refusing. "You should hold him." I smiled.

"No no!" She said, extending him out to me. "I insist."

I took him into my arms, peering down at him.

He was small, mouth open slightly. I smiled, my heart warmed at the sight of him.

"How old are you son?" The father of this boy asked.

"Seventeen." I answered. "I was with Sage every step of the way up until now." I spoke mindlessly.

"You're a good man." The man praised me.

I shook my head. "I just did what I had to." I answered. "And what I had to do was be there for my baby, and for the love of my life."

"You really love her, don't you, Tate?" The woman asked.

I nodded, "yes ma'am more than anything."

She beamed.

"Thank you for letting me hold him." I said, handing her son back only moments later.

"The best advice I can give you, Tate, is to just be strong." The woman said to me as she cradled the small baby boy in her arms. "If anything happens, you hold onto that little girl with your life."

I smiled, "Of course."

"And don't think you aren't a good man." The man said to me, "Because most kids your age wouldn't stick around to see their baby be born. A good man would be here just like you are today."

"Thank you."

He smiled, shaking my hand. "Stay strong."

I watched as the man began pushing his wife and newborn away.

As I turned to look back at Indigo I heard the pair talking in the distance.

"Hun, what do you think of the name, "Tate"?" The woman asked.

"Sounds like a strong name to me." The man answered proudly.

I smiled to myself, looking in at my daughter.