He’d taken his sister down to the so that she could hold her baby niece. Jessi dotted on little Miri for several minutes and they went back to Delilah’s room. He found his mother sitting and talking with his wife. “Everything’s going to be ok, Delilah. Miri is beautiful. She’s the perfect combination of you and Jacob. His curls, your eyes- both color and shape- his nose and chin, your cheek bones. She’s perfect. Dad and I both agree on that.”
“I can’t wait to finally hold her tomorrow. They’ve got me so drugged up right now that it’s not funny. I’m in so much pain, Mom.”
“I believe it. I’m not going to say I’ve been there because I’ve never had to have a C- section or anything like that, and I’ve NEVER had a broken femur. I can’t imagine what that feels like. But, sweetie, I’ve had my share of car wrecks and I know those are painful. Whiplash is what inspired me to go into massage.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. It’s painful as hell to deal with whiplash.”
“I bet it doesn’t hold a candle to having a broken leg.”
“I’m sure it doesn’t, dear.” She sighed. “When Jake and Jessi get back, I’m gonna take Jessi home and let you and Jake have a little bit of alone time. We’ll probably be back up here to help him out tomorrow afternoon.”
“Ok, Mom”, Jake said from the doorway.
“How long have you two been standing there?”
“Not long. Just long enough to finally understand what made you become the Rock Star of Massage.”
“That’s just been because of my marriage to your father.”
“And because of a car accident when you were younger.”
“That’s why I became a massage therapist. I never wanted to be the Rock star of Massage.”
“But you’re married to David Draiman, the Voice of the Resistance, Mom. It was bound to happen.”
“And that’s my point. Were it not for my marriage to your father, I wouldn’t be known as the Rock Star of Massage. But, such is what I get for being David Draiman’s wife. Does it upset me? Not anymore because I’m used to it.”
“Mom?” Jake said
“Yes, Jacob?”
“Can you go now? I’d like to eat dinner with my wife.”
Brie smiled and gave each of her kids that were staying at the hospital a quick kiss on the cheek. “Ok, you two. I’m out of here. Enjoy your dinner. I brought both of you something.”
“Thanks Mom”, Delilah said as she tried to adjust to get comfortable. “A burger sounds great right about now.”
“And that’s just what I got both of you”, Brie said with a smile. “But, I’m telling you both now, this has NOTHING on what I’m making for dinner tonight.”
“What are you making for dinner tonight?” Jake asked.
“Bison burgers.”
Jake’s mouth started to water. “Bring us one tomorrow! PLEASE!!”
“You got it. I’ll bring you both a bison burger tomorrow. Now, you two eat your dinner and try to relax a little bit. Miri will be just fine without you down there in that N-ICU every waking moment, Jacob. You need to spend some time together and just talk. Let the nurses take care of Miri unless they call down here for you. I’m sure they know what room you’re in.” She looked at Jessi. “Come on, Jessykah. We need to leave. I’m sure Dad’s got dinner half finished by now.”
Jessi hugged her brother and sister in law. “I’ll see you two tomorrow. Meanwhile, I’m gonna go home and brag about how I got to hold Miri before any of our siblings.”
Jake laughed. “I thought that was going to be our little secret, Jess.”
“Not on your life”, she said with a laugh. “You might be older than me, Jacob, but there’s no way in hell I’m going to keep the fact that I got to hold our niece to myself, big brother. Not a chance in hell.”
Jake shook his head. “Just go home, Jessykah. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
----------------
After eating dinner and sitting with his wife until she went back to sleep, Jake went down to the N-ICU to sit with his baby girl. When he arrived, the neonatologist, Dr. Firestein, was giving Miri a checkup. He scrubbed up while he waited for her to finish her exam. When she was finished the turned to see Jake standing there. “Well, why am I not shocked to see you down here, Dr. Draiman?”
“Because you have common sense, Dr. Firestein?” he said with a laugh.
She shrugged. “Where is your wife? I thought she would have been down here by now.”
“Her doctor’s not letting her out of bed just yet. C-section, on top of broken femur and mild concussion and abdominal hemorrhage equals not getting out of bed until they’re sure they have everything under control. Thankfully, I have good insurance.” His thumb and forefinger held the tiny pendant of his necklace between them. His Star of David had always been a comfort to him, especially in the most difficult times.
Dr. Firestein saw him rubbing the tiny pendant. “Needing a little religion, huh?” she asked, pulling her own Star of David from under her scrub top.
Jake smiled. “Just a bit. It’s more for comfort than anything. My parents aren’t really religious, but they taught us about their peoples.”
“Peoples? Are you something other than Jewish?”
“I’m actually a quarter Irish, as well.”
“You’re mom?”
“Yeah, lucky me.”
She looked at him carefully. “I was in here earlier when you had your father in here and I could have sworn that the man with you was David Draiman.”
Jake just laughed and shook his head. “That’s because it was David Draiman. He is my father.”
“Then you’re related to Malachai and Jordan Draiman of Reckless Disregard.”
“They’re my older brother and twin sister respectively.”
“Didn’t figure you for a twin.”
“No one really ever does. At least you did better than the guys I went to med school with. None of the believed me until graduation when they saw him, minus his labret piercings. I’m surprised I haven’t gotten any calls telling me that I owe people for meals.”
“Where did you go to medical school?”
“Johns- Hopkins.”
“Nice.” She sighed. “I guess you want me to update you on little miss right here”, she said as she slid fingertips over the plastic top of the incubator.
“That would be nice.”
“She seems to be getting stronger and stronger with every passing hour. Her vitals are good, she’s breathing better, but not as good as I’d like so she’ll be staying in the oxygen for a little while longer. She might actually be out of here sooner than I’d initially thought.”
Jake had been holding his breath as she spoke and let it out in a sigh of relief. “That’s great news.”
“If you don’t mind me asking, what is your specialty, Dr. Draiman?”
“Neurology.”
“As big as your family is, I’d think you’d have gone into obstetrics or pediatrics.”
“I’d initially planned on pediatrics because I have such a big family. But, I had a friend during my senior year of high school that was in a motorcycle accident and is still dealing with the repercussions of that.”
“Traumatic brain injury, huh? Do you work with a lot of that?”
“Actually, yes. I deal with it a lot at work. I actually have a patient that thinks she’s a thirteen year old girl and she’s my age; twenty- four.”
“Wow, you’re young for a doctor.”
“Finished my degree in five years total. Med school itself was three and a half. I piled on the hours so I could get the hell out of Boston as quickly as I could.”
“Boston’s not that bad. I’m a Bostonian.”
“You’re one of the few that I met that isn’t completely rude.”
“I’m sorry you experienced my home town like that. It’s really not that bad.”
“I believe you; I just haven’t seen it for myself yet. Now, would it be ok for me to hold my baby girl for a while? I’m sure she needs a clean diaper and a bottle by now.”
“Feel free, doctor. I’m sure she can’t wait for Daddy to hold her a little more.”
---------------
Poor Jacob was like a chicken with his head cut off as he ran between Delilah’s room and the N-ICU. After checking on Delilah and making sure she was ok, then giving Miri a bottle, Jake decided to step outside to get some fresh air and clear his head. As he took a deep breath of the cool valley air, he wished he had a joint. He wouldn’t deny that he’d smoked a little bit of herb in his time and he even advocated its medicinal properties. Thankfully, it was legal to buy, sell, and smoke marijuana but Jake couldn’t if he wanted to keep his medical license.
He pushed the thought away with a sigh. Maybe another time, he thought as he pulled his phone from his pocket and called his boss. When the phone picked up he was greeted with a pleasant tone. “Jacob, how’s everything?” Dr. Francis asked.
“Still pretty surreal, to be honest, Kevin. It’s all still trying to sink in.”
“How’s your wife doing?”
“She’s resting now. She’s sustained a mild concussion, a fractured femur, and a minor tear in the abdominal aorta, as well as pre- maturely going into labor.”
“Wonderful. So, how’s the little miracle?”
“She’s doing better than expected to be honest. She’s on oxygen and in an incubator, but that’s about the extent of it. Hell, she’s been held more in the first few hours of life than any other baby in the N-ICU.”
“Really? Can’t keep your hands off of your daughter?”
“No and neither could my parents and youngest sister.”
“Isn’t that sweet? Grandma, Grandpa, and Auntie just couldn’t keep their hands to themselves. When can we expect you back, Doctor?”
“That’s actually what I called about? I’m gonna need some of that leave time I’ve got saved up. They’re not going to release my daughter for at least a month.”
“And your wife has a broken leg, that’s another month so that you can help her out once you get baby girl home. What do you want done about your lab?”
“Lock it up, no one goes into that lab without talking directly to me and I plan on turning off my phone when I go back inside to spend the night in the N-ICU with my daughter.”
“Speaking of, what’s the little one’s name?”
“Miriam, after my father’s mother.”
“That must mean a lot to your father.”
“He choked up a little when I brought it up to him a couple months ago.”
“What her middle name?”
“Rebekah, after my mother’s mother.”
“How sentimental. Well, you’re cleared for two months leave, Dr. Draiman. Can’t wait to see you back here.”
“It will be nice to get back to work after all this shit. Thank you, Dr. Francis. I appreciate this a lot.”
“No problem. Now, get back to your family. We’ll be fine here.”
“I’m going. Again, thank you.”
“Don’t mention it.”
---------------
He sat in the rocking chair with his little girl in his arms. She’d had a bottle, been burped, and was now asleep on Daddy’s chest listening to his heart beat. The longer he rocked her the harder it became to stay awake. Finally, he brought a foot up to rest on the opposite knee and gently laid her in his lap. She looked at his beautiful little girl with a smile. Miri, I promise you right this moment that nothing will ever happen to you if I can help it. You’re my pride and joy; the apple of my eye. The first person to hurt you will answer to me. I love you more than words can say and I will never let anything happen to you, so help me God. He brushed a finger tip along her tiny cheek a laid back in the rocking chair and drifted off to sleep.
No comments:
Post a Comment