It was so surreal. Mitch looked like he was certainly dead. He had noticed that a baby monitor was hooked up to him out of the mess of tubes and machines keeping him alive. In the silence, the heart monitor beeped, and Scott could feel the tempo.
"The anesthesia should wear off soon. I'll check back in a little to see how he's doing," the doctor said.
Scott took a seat in a cushiony chair next to the bed and waited.
However, minutes passed and Mitch hadn't moved a muscle yet. Scott looked down at his phone. Kirstin, his close friend and band mate, was in Texas for the week visiting family. But Scott decided to bother her because he desperately needed someone to talk to.
He dialed her number.
"Hey Scottie," she said cheerfully, "why are ya callin'?"
"Hey Kirst, listen. I've got some news."
"Sure, what is it?"
"Well, you know about Mitch being sick, right?"
"Uhmmm, yeah, that was like, forever ago. Does he have it again?"
"Well, no, uh, yeah. He's in the hospital actually."
"Wha- is he okay?! "
"I don't know Kirst....I'm scared."
"Scott-"
"Last night he had surgery," he was trying to hold back tears, "and now he's in the ICU and hasn't woken up yet."
"Sco-"
"The doctor said that if I didn't bring him in in time-"
"Sc-"
"And in the car he was like, suffocating and now, turns out he's-"
"SCOTT!!!!"
"Pregnant."
Both were silent.
".....What?" Kirstin said softly.
"Kirst, I'm gonna be a father!!"
She was silent.
"I-I'm sorry," Scott said wiping tears from his eyes with his sleeve. "I just... I guess I just lost it. With everything happening so sudden, you know, and.... I love him."
"Scott," she said. "how."
"I don't know." he was practically whispering.
"Just, promise me this. You'll keep me updated, okay? When I get back, I'll come and help you guys."
"Thanks Kirst. I'm glad I have you."
She smiled to herself.
"I'll talk to you later, Scott."
"Okay, bye."
Just as soon as he hung up, he felt a warm hand wrap around his wrist. Startled, he looked up and his eyes met two, tired brown ones staring back at him.
"Scott." Mitch's voice was quiet and raspy.
"Mitch!" Scott cried.
Mitch placed one hand on his belly and groaned.
"Sore?" Scott asked.
"Yeah."
Scott placed his larger hand over the one on Mitch's stomach.
"It's okay." he said reassuringly.
