Welcome to My World

Chapter 21

Caroline was in and out of consciousness. She had no idea what was happening, but she knew she was scared and she wanted her Dino. 

Greg sped the entire way to the hospital while Dino panicked the entire time. He kept asking himself how he could've been so stupid? How could he treat his wife and kids the way he had? And how could he leave his pregnant wife and cause her that much stress? How could he be so awful? He chugged water the entire time they drove to the hospital trying to sober up. When they pulled up to the hospital, Dino jumped out of the car when it was barely stopped.

"Dino, call if you need anything!" Greg called after him. Dino stumbled into the hospital and then snapped out of his hazy state. 

"I'm looking for Mrs. Martin," Dino said to a nurse at the nurses' station.

The nurse recognized him, "Mr. Martin, let's see," she flipped through a patient log, "They just took her down for some tests. If you head down the hallway to Room 124, you can wait in her room."

Dino thanked the nurse and went down to Cara's room. He sat down and played with his wedding ring asking himself if the baby was going to be okay? How would they work everything out? How could he make this up to her?

His thoughts were interrupted by Caroline being wheeled back into the room. She was awake and alert. When she caught a glimpse of Dino, she rasped, "Dino!" 

"I'm here, Baby," he whispered grabbing her hand and kissing it. 

The nurses left the room leaving Dino and Cara alone. 

Dino knelt on the floor next to his wife's bedside and held her hand, "Cara... I'm so terribly sorry. I've been terrible to you and to the kids. I don't know how you could ever forgive me. I'm so sorry, Cara... I love you... Please, please-"

She cut him off, "Dino, you hurt me."

"I know and I could never imagine doing that to you. I'll do anything to make things right, Cara. I swear. I'll be the husband and father I was when we first had Sofia. I'll find him again somewhere." Tears began falling from Caroline's eyes, "Please don't cry," he whispered burying his head in her stomach. He had seen his wife cry a number of times over the year's but he had never made her cry since they were married. 

She ran her hands through his curly hair and cried. 

"Cara, please. I love you... I'll fix everything."

"Dino," she said quietly, "I'm pregnant and they don't know what's wrong with me right now. I'm scared."

"I'm here for you," Dino said looking up at her with his big brown eyes. 

"I don't want to talk about this now... We'll figure it out. Right now, I just want you here with me and our baby."

He kissed her and quietly said, "I love you."

"I love you too," she whispered.

He put his huge hand on her stomach and she put her hand on top of Dino's while laying back in her bed. A few minutes later after they sat in silence  the doctor entered the room.

"Hi, Mr. and Mrs. Martin, no need to panic. Mrs. Martin you have hypertension which is high blood pressure. It's very common for women your age to develop this during pregnancy. Oftentimes, it goes away after the baby is born, but for now, we're going to have to be careful. So we're going to put you on a very mild medication and you're going to have to really take it easy. I know you have seven children, but you're going to have to enlist some help. It's really important that you take time to rest and relax and that you don't get stressed."

Caroline nodded and Dino squeezed her hand, "So our baby is okay?" Caroline asked.

"He or she is perfectly fine. You'll just have to be careful. You're considered old for having children so it may be more difficult than you're used to."

"I just had a baby last year," Caroline replied.

"Yep, but that trauma on your body and another year of aging can make a big difference."

Dino said, "Thank you, Doc."

The doctor nodded, "We'll get your release forms ready and you're free to go."

Dino squeezed her hand, "Let me go call Greg and see if he can give us a lift home."

"You're coming home?" Caroline asked.

"If you'll have me."

She gave him a kiss on the forehead and his eyes welled with tears. 

She got dressed and then Greg arrived to drive them to the hotel Dino was staying at to pick up his clothes and his car. Cara and Dino thanked Greg and then Cara waited in the car while Dino went to get his things and turn in his key. 

He got in the car fifteen minutes later and Caroline finally asked, "Why'd you leave?" 

"I don't know. I've been drinking... for real this time and I think I just snapped. It's been a rough few years for me and I just pushed you all away. Greg told me that ratings had fallen on the show that day and I just lost it. It was wrong... I was wrong and I'm sorry."

"Why did you stay away though?"

"I was drunk off my ass for the past three weeks drowning my sorrows. By the time I considered coming home, I figured you wouldn't want me anymore."

"My God, Dino... Where did we go wrong?"

"Right around when Mamma died was when I started to slip and it happened slow, but-"

"We're going to move on, okay? But I need you to communicate with me from now on."

"I'm gonna try better..."

"That's all I ask... Just try please."

"I will. I promise. I love you."

"I love you too." 

"What do the kids think?"

"They don't know anything. Frank told them you were on business."

"I owe him an apology too, don't I?"

Caroline nodded, "He's played Dad for the past three weeks."

"I can't believe how much of an ass I've been-"

"Dino, we're going to move on. Just let it go. It's a new day."

"You're a wonderful wife."