Fantasy Life made Normal

Chapter 75

Marshall pulled his wife behind him as they headed for the Emergency Room with her questioning him the whole way there. He was getting frustrated but his mind was only on their son.

"Damnit Madelyn, shut the fuck up," he finally snapped.

She went quiet real quick. He never yelled at her like that. She followed silently. They arrived to the ER just as an ambulance pulled up. Marshall watched his brother jump from the back of it. The EMT's pulled out the stretcher with his infant on it. He had no idea how the hell his child didn't roll off until he realized just how they had Matthew strapped down. He dropped Madelyn's hand, ignored the woman yelling at him and ran for his son. He knew his wife was confused and hurt but all he focused on was Matthew.

"Marshall," Nate sounded panicked.
"What the hell happened?" he asked.
"His apnea kicked in and we couldn't get him to breathe again. They have him back now."

Marshall nodded as they followed Nate to a room. Doctor's descended on the room instantly basically pushing Marshall and Nate to the hallway. He glanced for his wife. She was coming toward him, tears running down her face. He didn't care right now. He stared into the room watching as they hooked his baby boy up to monitors.

"Marshall," she whispered.

He shook his head and moved away from her. Nate wrapped an arm around her shoulder and filled her in on what had happened. She was wracked with sobs as they stood there. It killed him to hear it but he couldn't bring himself to go to her. She stayed huddled with his brother as Nate comforted her. They all watched the room. Madelyn's sobs increased as the monitors went off in the room and the doctors began to move faster. It was all a blur to him. He just kept thinking on how they weren't supposed to lose him. He had been promised that they wouldn't lose their baby. He blamed himself for not being there. He blamed himself for all the bad he had done. This had to be karma.

"Let's find you a waiting room," a nurse said sweetly.
"I can't leave him," Madelyn whimpered.
"The doctor's will come get you as soon as they have him stabilized."

They followed her to a small room. He paced the room while she collapsed into the couch against the wall. She curled up into a ball and sobbed. Nate didn't know what to do. He had never seen his brother reject his wife like that. Not even when he was angry.

It felt like an eternity before a doctor came into the room. Marshall stopped his pacing and stared at the doctor.

"Matthew Mathers family?" the doctor questioned.

Marshall nodded feeling a lump form in his throat.

"I am Dr Sorrento. I worked on your son when he came in. We have had to place him on a c-pap machine to keep his lungs open right now. It seems as though when he falls asleep, he forgets to breathe. The continuous pressurised air will keep his lungs open. We will monitor for at least a few days in our pediatric ICU. He should make a full recovery though," the doctor said.

Marshall let out a sigh of relief while a new wave of tears hit his wife. Marshall glanced at her. He felt an overwhelming amount of guilt for his behavior over the last few hours. He was the asshole that her family believed that he was. He stared at her as she wrapped her arms around herself. He took a step toward her. She shook her head and got up. She left the room following the doctor to her baby in the room they had left him in. Marshall dropped into a chair and put his head in his hands. Nate looked at his brother.

"What the hell just happened?" he asked.
"I never told her what was going on and she kept asking. I yelled at her and then you saw the rest," Marshall sighed rubbing his hand over his face.
"What the hell Marshall?"
"I don't know. It's been nine years and I haven't yelled at her like that in a long ass time. I didn't even mean to. I just couldn't take the questions when I didn't have any answers."

Nate nodded. They left the room to go check on the baby. Madelyn was at his bedside bringing Marshall back to when they had to wait so long to hold him in the NICU. His heart broke just watching her. He walked over and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Don't touch me," she said softly.
"Mads," he began.

She shook her head, the tears rolling down her face.

"Leave," she snapped, coldly.
"Fuck you, he is my kid too," he replied feeling anger replace the guilt.
"Woah you two, stop. He needs you both and you need each other," Nate tried to reason with them.

Madelyn glared at Marshall. Emotions were running high and it was out of fear for the baby they almost lost. Nate knew neither of them meant what was coming out of their mouths.

"Fuck you, you never wanted any of our kids," Madelyn snapped, feeling a dam break.
"The hell I didn't," Marshall argued.
"Oh that's right it was just Maverick and Malakai you didn't want."
"Fuck off Madelyn. Why you gotta be such a bitch?"
"I'm a bitch? Well what does that make you?"
"I already know I'm an asshole. What's your point?"
"Why do you pick and choose which kids you want to be there for?"

It hit Marshall like a ton of bricks as to where his wife's mindset was right at that moment. She had gone back to when Kai had RSV and was hospitalized.

"Madelyn," his voice had calmed.

She shook her head hard. He didn't give her a choice. He pulled her into his chest and hugged her hard. She broke down against him, at first attempting to push him away and then dissolving into sobs.

"I'm sorry. I am so sorry," he whispered against her head.

She wrapped her arms around his middle and sobbed against him. He took a deep breath and glanced at where his brother had stood. Nate had already slipped from the room, leaving them alone together.