And Back Again

Chapter 26

Wasting no time, Angel rushed Zara to the hospital leaving his brothers to celebrate the marriage without the couple.

"It's too early," she whimpered.

"Doctor said it might happen," he said in an attempt to ease her concern. "Didn't he?"

"Multiples are always early but not 31 weeks early," she explained, taking slow deep breaths to keep calm.

"It's alright," he said, less than confident. "It's a green light, asshole," Angel suddenly shouted at the driver ahead of them.

"Oh my god," Zara laughed a little. "You're a living cliché, babe."

"Is it cliché is it's a real reaction to pricks who can't fucking drive?" He snapped, glaring out the windshield. "How are you so calm?"

"You're helping distract me," she said, closing her eyes.

"Z, it's gonna be okay," he promised her.

"I hope so," she said, her voice cracking. "I can't deal with another loss, Angel. You and my dad are the only two people I have left. Everyone else is gone."

"Hey," he reached over and grabbed her hand. "I...I don't know what else to say but it's all gonna be fine, I promise."

Zara nodded. "Just drive."

—

A few hours after the wedding ceremony, EZ and Coco arrived at the hospital as a show of support. The duo could tell by the look on the nurses' faces that men looking like them are uncommon among their halls.

"We're here to Zara Osbourne," EZ said with a sweet smile.

The nurse's cheeks flushed, easily charmed by a sunny smile, as she looked at her computer screen.

"We don't usually allow visitors in labor and delivery but I know her situation is slightly different. You can pop in for a few minutes. I'll just need your names for the log."

"I'm Ezikel Reyes," EZ said then pointed to Coco, "And this is Johnny Cruz."

The nurse scribbled down the names and double checked that Zara's visitor preferences before pointing to the hallway. "231, she's on the left. Try to keep it under fifteen, if you don't mind."

They nodded and once she buzzed the doors Coco and EZ went down toward room 231. There were some moans and whinnies, women obviously in active labor, and it made both men uneasy and slightly nauseous.

"I don't like it," Coco said quietly. "Shit sounds awful."

"Yeah, I'm gonna assume it is," EZ chuckled. "She's right here."

The door was open a few inches but it was much quieter in that room than any others in the hall. Coco stuck his head in to see Angel sitting at a sleeping Zara's bedside, resting his forehead on Zara's thigh, while his lips moved.

What the couldn't hear was Angel's supportive and desperate words to his unborn children. He begged them to stay put, to grow bigger and stronger before making their entrance while reinforcing his daily message of how much he loved them.

"Hey," Coco said quietly. "We good?" He asked, pointing into the room.

Angel's head shot up. "Huh. Oh shit. Uh, yeah."

"What are they saying?" EZ asked as he greeted his older brother with a hug.

"They gave her something to help her sleep," he said sadly. "Now they're monitoring shit and they gave her a steroid shot in case the babies come early, it'll uh, help their lungs or something," he explained in a whisper. "There's details but, ya know," he shrugged.