Stay the Night

Chapter 79

June 16th, 2005

Michael felt like he was in a haze. He had been at the hospital with Karrin when she gave birth to their son and he knew he should have visited Mariah to see his daughter. She was born a month premature, but Janet reassured him that the baby was still healthy. She urged him to go visit Mariah, but once he got home he couldn't bring himself to move.

He could hear his other children playing and laughing in the living room, oblivious to the turmoil of the outside world. He cherished their innocence, relished in it. Linda and Ashleigh were watching over them while Mariah was in the hospital, and he was grateful.

You gotta get up Mike.

He didn't even know his daughter's name. He let Mariah decide on the name, and he was sure she'd pick something beautiful. He sighed, staring up at the ceiling.

He pushed himself up from the bed, swaying on his feet. He was so lightheaded he could barely see straight. He grabbed the wall to steady himself before stepping into the hallway.

"Hi, Daddy!"

He slowly turned around to see Elizabeth waving at him, her pale green eyes sparkling.

He forced a smile. "Hey, Donut. What're you guys up to with Grandma?"

"Miss Linda is making us lunch. She said she's making a traditional eye-rish dish," She responded excitedly.

Michael chuckled. "Did she tell you what it was called?"

"Bacon and cabbage,"

He nodded again. "What makes it Irish?"

Elizabeth shrugged. "I don't know. She's making bread too,"

"Really?"

"Yeah, and she let us help,"

"Well, that's nice, Donut. I'm going to go check on your mommy, okay?"

"Okay!"

Michael took a deep breath before opening the hospital room door. When he walked in his eyes immediately met Mariah's.

She was sitting in the hospital bed, a milk pump connected to one breast. Janet was there, sitting next to Natalie while a blonde woman who vaguely looked like a mix of Natalie and Ashleigh was sitting on her other side, holding the baby.

"Well, look who finally showed up," Mariah bit.

Michael didn't respond, slowly dragging his feet across the floor until he stood next to the hospital bed.

"How are you feeling, Mimi?" He asked, tired.

The scowl never left her face. "I'm doing alright. So is our daughter,"

"Good, good," He looked down at his feet.

He never thought having a child would feel so empty to him. He remembered holding his son with Karrin and how he felt nothing. Now he was standing in front of Mariah, who could have easily died from complications, and he couldn't even feel relief to her that she was doing well. He just felt nothing.

Mariah continued. "You have some paperwork to sign. You know, being her father and all,"

He nodded. "I figured as much. I wanted to see you two first. I'm sorry it took me so long. I just--"

He trailed off as he forced himself to meet her eyes. Despite her anger, he could see the pain in her eyes.

"How's your son?"

The question caught him off-guard. Mariah was no cold-hearted woman but he could tell by the way she asked that there was something else there.

"He's good. Big and healthy,"