Billionaire Baby Deal

Billionaire Baby Deal - Chapter 13

I woke to the sound of a bleeping noise. Eyes flickering, the first voice I heard was Diego's shouting for Dr. Gardener. "I'm here, Alley." His lulling voice whispered into the depth. I began blinking, seeing small flickers of his face as I came around. Focusing on Dr. Gardener's warm blue eyes and reassuring smile he began to explain, "You lost some blood, Alley. But we stopped the haemorrhaging. You passed out but you're going to be fine. You've done a wonderful job. We're all so proud of you.""My boys?" I croaked, my throat hurting from screaming. Dr. Gardener looked to Diego who then took my hand in his own, his face sincere. "One of our boys isn't doing as well as the others, Alley. We're doing everything we can.""I need to see them!" I moaned, trying to pull the wires off my own body. "Not yet, Alley!" Diego held me down on the bed. "You need to rest.""Not without seeing my boys first, Diego!" My voice wobbled as I felt totally helpless. "I can't rest without seeing my babies! They need me."Determination set in and I managed to sit up against my body's protest. Dr. Gardener, clearly unhappy, helped me into a wheelchair and began wheeling me down the corridor. "Remember, you might see too many wires but they're helping them." Diego whispered, his own face pale. It seemed he was reminding himself more than me. I nodded and Diego opened the door. My eyes landed on three incubators with machines everywhere, pumping out information. Our first son weight four pounds eight ounces and seemed to be very active despite his size. I was spellbound as my hand reached into the incubator and I touched my son for the first time. His tiny head turned, his eyes tight shut. "Mummy's here," I whispered, stroking his little fingers with wonder. My babies were here."He knows his mum's voice." Dr. Gardener smiled, introducing me to my other son that was also showing great signs. Like his brother, he weighted a good four pounds seven ounces. Good weights for triplets.But my youngest boy weighed just three pound six ounces and needed a lot more help to breathe. I provided the team with my own breast milk and sat with them for hours, my eyes roaming over every inch of them. We named our first-born Hunter, his shock of dark hair like his father. He pulled his face in the same manner that his father would and I pondered how he was the spit of his father. He was a little fighter, every day showing incredible signs of his health by kicking his limbs about and wailing strong to be fed. Our second son, also with a shock of dark hair, we named Ryker. Like his brother, he very much resembled Diego's prominent beautiful features. He too was doing exceedingly well. But my third little boy, Raphael, was not doing so well. We named him after angel Raphael in the bible. Diego's mother, Grace, often prayed to the angel for healing. The name seemed fitting. My son was in desperate need of a miracle. A week after their birth, Hunter and Ryker no longer needed to have the incubators support them. I refused to have my boys separated from their brother and the nurses replaced the incubators with tiny little cribs. My boys had their eyes open, piercing silver grey just like their fathers. I managed to have my first hold of my two boys, no barriers between us. It was an explainable feeling so strong, it literally up-heaved my universe. I couldn't face my two boys going home without their littlest brother. One warm tropical night, I sat quietly with my Raphael as I touched his downy blonde hair, listening to the crickets and birds in the distance through the glass windows. We'd registered the births of our babies, naming Diego as their father. It was with a heavy heart that I knew I'd given Diego the cards he needed if he were to turn on me. But at the moment, I just didn't care. Raphael had a tube fitted to give his tiny body, providing the nutrients he needed. He refused to take my own milk, and he refused to formula milk. His tiny little hands and feet did not move as his brothers did. He was completely still, his delicate chest rising and falling softly. Those little lungs began to struggle to breath independently and soon needed the machine to constantly fill his lungs with air.Not once had I left my babies side, unless to take a quick shower. Martha came with her full support to teach and show Diego and I what to do. But my heart wasn't in it. My heart was in a incubator, fighting for his life. I felt shamed that I couldn't bring myself to take care of my other boys the way Diego was. The only time I held them was when I was sitting next to Raphael, my eyes never leaving him. Eyes heavy, I listened to the beeping of his steady heart on the machine and stroked his tiny finger. "Please, baby," I whispered, more in a prayer. "Grip Mummy's finger. Show me my little fighter."But he never moved. He simply lay there, his little eyelids tight closed and his mouth covered over with a mask, supporting him to breathe. "Never give up hope," Diego's deep voice came from behind, his strong arm coming down on my shoulder. "He's so small, Diego." I whimpered, fighting back the tears forming in my eyes. Diego's lips touched my hair and he whispered in my ear, "He's our son. Our Raphael is a fighter. Our blood runs in his veins. He's here and that's all the matters.""It kills me seeing all those tubes around him, Diego." I barely whispered to him, "I feel so helpless.""I know," Diego replied, his breath but a whisper. "He's in the best hands, Alley."We sat with him together, Diego on one side stroking his hair softly as I held his warm tiny foot in my hand. The next day the team attempted to see if Raphael would breathe on his own, but he didn't make a sound and his little chest didn't rise. That night I sat with him, simply talking about the world outside and how much he was loved. Martha came on the tea time, cooing over how my triplets were just the most prettiest little things she'd ever seen. She was fantastic with Hunter and Ryker, constantly there showing her support. Bobby visited with lots of baby clothes and flowers for me, Nicolas in his shadow. He nodded at me, "Congratulations, Alley.""Thank you," I replied, gazing back at my son. "He's so gorgeous!" Bobby squealed with awe, looking down at him. "Look at those lips. He has your pretty lips, Alley.""You think?" I smiled warmly at my still baby. "I think they all look like Diego.""Oh, Hunter and Ryker, absolutely!" Bobby gushed with delight, "But he might have Diego's bone structure, but he has your lips, there's no question there! And I suspect that pretty blonde hair will stay with him when he's grown. All of them will be heart-breakers."For a while, we sat with Raphael whilst Bobby and Nicolas snuggled into Hunter and Ryker, both showing interest in these new voices. My heart warmed as Ryker turned his head when he heard my voice, looking for me. He began to cry with a high pitched cry, his legs going stiff as he expressed his unhappiness. I took Ryker in my arms and pressed a kiss to his deep black dust of hair on his head. "That's your brother in there, you know. You've been such good boys, haven't you?"He made a soft snuffling noise and calmed as I held him. They really were such good babies. "I'd love a baby." Bobby commented, his gaze raking over Hunter as he lay peacefully in Nicolas arms. "Why don't you?" I asked, patting Ryker soothingly as I stared down at him with wonder, "They change your world. You think you know everything, until you see your babies. Suddenly whatever you want just doesn't matter. It's all about them and what you'd do for them just to see them smile at you - like you're their most favourite thing in the world."Nicolas and Bobby looked at each other, obviously never having that conversation before. I could see that both of them would give their soul for a baby. Sometimes, it takes that little push from someone else to accept those hidden desires that you would usually shove to one side. At tea time, Martha visited and took her turn cuddling Hunter and Ryker. My boys loved the attention they received from everyone, especially the staff as they held on a while longer to see it through with Raphael before having to return to their posts. Martha sat with Raphael telling him a story as I took a quick shower. On my return, Diego sat on the other side of him, stroking his fingers, his face masked of any emotions. I had learnt that face. Diego hid his true emotions behind that face, concealing his emotions. Martha rubbed my arm soothingly. "You need your rest, darling. You'll be no good to Raphael when he needs you to be strong for him. Get some rest, I'll watch him while you sleep."Tiredly, I nodded and went next door, leaving the door open as I collapsed on the bed, passing out as my head hit the pillow. When I woke, I applied the anti-bacterial gel to my hands and took my seat back next to Raphael, rubbing my bleary eyes. "Mummy's here," I whispered reassuringly to him. Martha sat content with a book while Diego had fallen asleep in the chair, my two boys sleeping peacefully with their father. Martha had placed a blanket around them, keeping them warm as they slept. "I must get back to Eddie, he will be wondering where I am." Martha murmured, yawning. I had slept longer than I intended to. "Thank you, Martha." I whispered, my gaze on Raphael as my eyes ate him up. "I can't thank you enough for what you're doing for us.""Nonsense, Alley," She placed a kiss on my hair and rubbed my shoulders warmly. "This is my place now. I love you all like family. I'll be back later on to check on you all. I'm making your favourite dessert for a treat."She knew how much I loved her profiteroles, stuffing them in my mouth two at a time. Later that day, the nurses tried again with Raphael, trying to encourage him to breathe by himself. Once again, I looked on helplessly as my son gasped for air, struggling to breathe. Their gazes fell down as they attached the machines to his little mouth and nose again. They were losing hope. I noted in the background that Diego had stepped outside, all of them whispering about what to do next. I held my sons tiny limp hand between my thumb and forefinger and rubbed gently. "Don't worry baby, you'll learn. I know you will."The door came back open and Diego stepped in, his face hardened as Dr. Gardener came in behind him. "I need to talk to you, Alley." Dr. Gardener's voice came, his hands tucked into his pocket as I gazed over to him. Something was wrong. I could see the strain behind Diego's eyes as his silver eyes locked on my own. He calmly came over to me, his face masking his emotions, and took my hand in his own..."It's time to let go, baby." Diego whispered, his voice like a razor blade. "He can't fight anymore. It's cruel to keep him hanging on like this. We've tried everything."