Chapter 393 - They Can't Leave Me - mdfour
Alfredo
Your life flashes before your eyes in a split second, that's what happened to me. Everything short-circuited to make thousands of conjectures while simultaneously reacting. The paramedic said that before he revived her, she came to this clinic looking for her husband, the father of her child. Now, is Máximo here? Or...
I looked at the baby being held by the rescuer, that connection I felt when holding him, that need all this time to have him... The blessed Oreo ice cream... an overwhelming sensation emerged from my gut and settled in my heart... He was my baby, my heart knew it, my guilt for having lost his mother and believing I didn't deserve her blinded me... she didn't have preeclampsia... I didn't know whether to laugh, cry, or scream.
"She's having another attack!" Those words made me look at the stretcher where my Patricia was lying. "Dr. Masa!"
Cereza's voice came to me from when she trained me in my youth. "When you become Rino, nerves don't exist, you alone control the situation, you're the damn Ace."
"She can't breathe!"
The paramedic mentioned she might have broken ribs, we don't know if she has any ruptured organs... "I need to be Rino, I can't leave my son without his mother."
"Step aside."
I didn't look at her, if I did, I'd lose. I moved her to see if her back was bruised... Damn it! Her lung is punctured, that's why she can't breathe. I've done this once before with Lobo. I took a knife from my calf, the doctors were bewildered. But they said nothing and didn't interfere, I had to drain the blood accumulating in her lung.
So I did, once the blood came out, I saw a stream emerge and we saw how she could breathe. And there was my mistake. I saw her bruised face, her shattered collarbone, I began to lose control, thousands of images with her; her kisses, her hugs, her caresses, her laughter, her gestures when I made love to her. My hands began to tremble.
"I want all the appropriate personnel up front, please. You can continue now."
The nerves took over me, I could no longer control them. A thousand things in my head; she's here, I have a son, she came to see me.
"Do you know her?" my partner asked me, I nodded.
"She's the mother of my son. She's my woman." The imminent danger had passed. But my hands were a bundle of tremors.
"Calm down, I'll take over from here. You need to take a sedative."
Two more doctors arrived, they took her away with them. I stayed in the emergency area, my hands covered in Patricia's blood. I looked at the ceiling.
"So this is how you were going to return her to me?"
My whole body was trembling and Amín's cry was like a hook, the rescuer approached me.
"You need to wash your hands so you can hold your son." I was still trembling. A nurse moved me.
"He's in shock, give him a few minutes." said the colleague, they took me to a bathroom, the nurse sat me on the toilet. "Dr. Masa, you need to react, your son and wife need you."
The words sounded distant, Patricia was completely affected, the pain she must be feeling tormented me, my woman was suffering!
"I've never seen a doctor do what you did with such precision. Doctor, Doctor!" I heard her, but I couldn't control my tremors, wet hands on my face and the cold in my hair. "I'm sorry, but if you don't react this way, I'll have to slap you." My son's cry made me look at the nurse.
"Naty." I whispered.
"That's it, we need you focused. We understand you can't be with your wife, but your son needs you. She never told me you had a wife and a precious son."
"I just found out he's mine, and she's not my wife yet."
"You don't need a DNA test. But now you need to calm him down." I stood up.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome."
I went out and took my... son in my arms. I hugged him and it felt so nice, my phone started ringing, while walking into the restricted area with Amín and his stuffed animal, I answered without knowing who was calling.
"Hello?"
"Alfredo," Gustavo said, "I don't know how to tell you this, but Patricia went to look for you. We're leaving the ranches to get to the airport. Miguel, Daniel, and Simon will accompany me to Hawaii. Please, look for my sister. Videos on the internet and local news say there was a serious accident." Gustavo was on the verge of tears. "They don't mention the child."
"I have him in my arms. He doesn't have a scratch, and I don't understand it, but Patricia..."
"Don't tell me my sister is dead!" That word made my heart race.
"She's in very bad shape, and I don't know... I managed to stabilize her, but now my nerves are shot, and I know I'd be more of a hindrance than help. Besides, Amin wouldn't stop crying."
"He's your son, brother. What do you need us to bring?" Everything felt like a movie; the only certainty was the tiny body of my baby, who was calming down, and he was calming me. "Please, Alfredo! Tell me what you need!"
"She has a fractured clavicle, tibia, fibula, and some ribs. I punctured her lung to drain the blood. They performed resuscitation. I don't know what other organs might be compromised besides the lung. Tell Dr. Jones to send the specialists and the full necessary equipment to transfer her to our clinic."
"Don't let my sister die."
"Gustavo, I'm shaking all over. Seeing her arrive, finding out Amin is my son, I don't even know what I feel; it's like I've been put to sleep."
"I know. We'll see you in a few hours."
An hour later, Naty handed me a bottle. At first, I didn't know what to do, but then I understood. I'm still in idiot mode.
"Can you give him the bottle, or do you need help, doctor?"
"I want to know how she is."
"Wait for the report." The nurse sat next to me and held the baby, who started to feed.
"Take care of him. I'll be right back."
I got up and entered the surgery area. One doctor was working on her clavicle, another on her leg. She was all tubed up. They saw me arrive, but I didn't look at them. I approached her ear.
"Patricia, listen to me. We have a lot to talk about, and I'm not going to listen to anyone but you. So you're going to get that gorgeous butt up, and don't even think about leaving me for the second time." I kissed her forehead.
"Masa, you need to leave. Everything is under control now; the danger has passed."
"In about six hours, we're going to transfer her."
"Where to?"
"To my clinic in Blanco." They all looked at me. I smiled. "A plane is coming to get us. We need to be at the airport."
"Wait until tomorrow, at least let her come around."
"You're right." I stroked her cheek. I don't like seeing her like this. "I'll be outside."
When I got to the waiting room, Amin was crying, and Naty looked desperate trying to calm him. As soon as he saw me, he reached out his little arms, and without hesitation, I hugged him to my chest, and he calmed down.
Left alone with him, I began to analyze him, reacting as I felt calmer knowing Patricia was out of danger. I looked at his little hands; he had a gold bracelet, "Amin Alfredo."
I smiled like a lovesick fool, stroking his cheeks, capturing that beautiful little face. He was my son.
"So, you're my Oreo ice cream."
I started laughing and instinctively began kissing his face all over while he laughed. He was my son! God, my son!
Seven hours later, Gustavo, Miguel, Daniel, and Simon arrived at the clinic. My son was sleeping in my arms. Naty had kindly bought diapers and other necessities. They were waiting for her to come out of anesthesia, and once she was in a room, I could see her.
"Alfredo!" My friends arrived with Naty accompanying them. "How is my sister?" I nodded.
"Stable, out of danger, under observation, and in a few minutes, they'll move her to a room. Tomorrow we can transfer her. It's best if she stays here."
"Thank you. I'll call old Josefina so she can rest." I greeted the rest of my friends. Miguel took the baby while I talked with Simon.
"How do you feel about everything?"
"Numb, with a thousand questions, but I want Patricia to be the one to answer them."
"After seeing Patricia, we'll take the baby so you can talk if she wakes up."
"Thanks. And thanks for coming."
"That's what brothers are for."