I'm With You

Chapter 28

It was over a week later and it was as if knowing of her pregnancy had made Eira impossibly more determined to recover. She was adamant to try walking around to at least the bathroom the next day, Miguel and Mackenzie supporting her every step of the way. Miguel had run to Doctor Brookes whilst Eira rested, discussing the situation with him and it was agreed that Miguel could have paid time off from work to help care for Eira since as she was expecting his child and it was also agreed that Mackenzie could sleep in the room with Eira at night because of their circumstances. Wendy had even stopped by to see them, providing the girls with a few sets of clean clothes and some bathroom supplies - it meant a lot to Miguel and the girls that Wendy had come to see them. Eira's pregnancy was still deemed as high risk, even though there continued to be no signs of miscarriage. Miguel had stuck by his word, never leaving her side until the nurses came and kicked him out at the end of visiting hours. He was always there to support both Eira and Mackenzie, and that meant the world to both of them.

Miguel was walking down the hallway, leading his parents towards Eira's recovery room. He'd told his family about the sisters, leaving out personal details about their past but he told them all about Mackenzie's sickness and what Eira had been through in the stabbing. Although they were all beyond shocked at the news that she was pregnant with his child, they were all desperate to meet them both. They'd waited until Eira was feeling better and off the strongest painkillers until they started to make plans for just Lloyd and Darlene to meet them at first, they didn't want Eira and Mackenzie to feel overwhelmed.

"How is she feeling today?" Darlene asked.

"Better than yesterday. Her wound is still healing nicely and the doctor said he's going to look into discharging her tomorrow." Miguel said.

"No signs of anything being wrong with the baby?" Lloyd asked.

"No... there's been no pains or bleeding, just regular pregnancy symptoms." Miguel said and he cracked a small smile when Darlene rubbed his back comfortingly. He was tense for them to meet Eira and Mackenzie too, wanting it to go well and also knowing how big of a deal it was for the sisters to even give his family a chance after all they'd been through. He still didn't know why Eira left him that day, but he didn't ask either. He just held her close to him, even telling her that he loved her and she replied with the same three words right back to him. He knew she would tell him everything when she was ready to tell him, but he already knew that nothing she could ever tell him would make him stop loving her. He would never understand how hard it must be to live on the streets for so long, how desperate things must have been and how much they were hurt both physically and mentally.

"It'll be good for them to be out of here... to get the chance to be free, to get a little independence, learn to trust others..." Darlene listed and Miguel nodded his head slowly. He hoped for that too - that Eira and Mackenzie could learn to be their own separate people, to trust others and that they could finish school so they could have the same opportunities as anybody else. Miguel knocked gently on the door before guiding the way inside, seeing his girlfriend propped up on the bed with pillows, a fresh IV topping up her pain relief, but it was clear the sisters were terrified."Oh, sweetheart... look at you, huh! I'm Darlene, this is Lloyd. How are you feeling, sweetie?" She asked softly.

"Better than I did before." Eira breathed.

"Good! Now, I'm usually a hugger but I'm holding back. I don't want to hurt you or scare you both off." Darlene said with a smile and Eira cracked a very small smile.

"It's a relief to know that you're okay, Eira - both of you, and the baby," Lloyd said, placing a hand gently on Mackenzie's shoulder.

"S-So, how is this going to work?" Eira asked.

"How is what going to work, sweetie?" Darlene asked, confused.

"I-I give birth to this baby and I... I hand him or her over to Miguel to raise? O-Or to you guys? A-And then we go our separate ways?" Eira guessed, taking Miguel, Lloyd, and Darlene by surprise.

"What?" Lloyd questioned, obviously confused.

"I-I know it's probably not right, but I'd like to... to visit sometimes? We can come up with a story - that I'm just a friend or something..."

"Eira, what the fuck are you talking about?" Miguel cut her off.

"I-I'm homeless... I can't raise a baby on the streets..." Eira trailed off, confused as to what they weren't understanding.

"No! No, no... Eira, sweetheart, Lloyd and I are here to offer for you both to live with us! You never have to give up your child, Eira, we want you and Mackenzie to come and live with us." Darlene tried to comfort her, rushing to hold Eira's hand but it was clear that both sisters were stunned.