Chapter 9
Neveah

I always wondered what would happen if I had him in front of me again, but this seems so surreal. He is looking at me, and I feel like he's staring right through me and not giving anything away, and it's freaking me out. His speaking made me jump because of how quiet he was.

"Sorry, what did you say?" I ask.

"What is her name? My daughter, what is her name?" His voice shakes full of emotions.

"Her name is Norah."

"Norah and Noah," he repeats quietly. "I want to know them." I start to get worried, and I think he can tell. "I have the right to get to know my children, Neveah."

"I...I can I think about it? It's a lot to consider. I don't want them to get excited to meet their father and not have a relationship with him."

"Who said I wouldn't want to be in their lives? It's not my fault that I didn't know they existed." He says, hitting the desk with his fists and making me jump. "I'm sorry, but this sucks."

"It's not my fault either, Thomas, I thought Toby was you, and I told him I was pregnant, and he was mean to me, and I slapped him." Thomas has a slight smirk on his face, and it shows the Tj that I met.

"Wait, you're the one that broke Toby's nose?" Thomas laughs.

"I broke his nose?" I ask.

"You sure did. Toby said a girl hit him, but he never said why. I wish he would have known. I would have been there for you. I promise I would have been, Neveah." The door opens, and Nurse Penny comes in the door. "What's up, Penny?"

"Noah is in recovery and doing well." She says, looking at me, and don't miss how she looks at me.

"He's going to be alone and scared." I cry.

"No, he won't. I'm going to sit with him and ensure he isn't scared." Thomas says.

"Tommy, you know that Kingsly won't allow that? Penny says. Thomas gives her a stern look. "Sorry, I mean Dr. Orozco."

"Call Dr. Kingsly in here. Now. Please." Thomas says. Penny nods and leaves the room. We sit in silence for a minute, hear ticking, and look around; I don't see a clock.

"What is that ticking sound?" I asked, still looking around.
"That would be me. My heart has an artificial valve. Noah and I have the same heart defect."

"You have the same thing as Noah? Is his heart going to sound like that?"

"Yes, we have the same condition, and no, his heart will not sound like this. The valves have come a long way. He may not need a revision surgery because of his age."

"Did you have a revision?"

"Yes, but that's only because I had my surgery at two days old. My revision was done at nine years old. Noah's pediatrician missed a critical diagnosis, and Noah could have died. We need to check Norah and ensure her heart is okay, but this usually affects mostly boys and twins." The door opens, and Dr. Kingsly walks in.

"I will allow you, Thomas, to stay in the room with Noah, but you're not allowed to participate in his care, but you may make decisions if it's okay with Miss Villa." Dr. Kingsly says. Thomas nods and looks at me.

"Will that be okay with you, Neveah?" Thomas asks.

"Yes, that is okay with me. Can I see him?" I ask.

"You can see him tomorrow, Miss Villa." I nod. "Thomas, I'll be heading home."

"Yes, sir," Thomas says as Dr. Kingsly leaves. "Neveah, you'll see Noah tonight."

"He just said no, Thomas," I say.

"I heard him, Neveah. You'll see our son tonight. Unless you don't want to."

"I do, but I don't want you to get in trouble."

"I don't give a fuck about that. Let's go." He says, grabbing my hand. His touch sends a familiar zing, and I can't like his touch. My son needs me. "Shhh, be very quiet." We get in the elevator and go to the ICU, and he takes me by the hand again, and we hurry down the hall. We enter his room, and I see him on a vent, and I almost don't recognize him.

"Oh, my sweet baby boy," I cry as I touch his curly blond locks. I kiss his head gently. "Mi Tesoro, te quiero." I turn, and Thomas stands so close behind me that I walk into his chest. He hugs me to him, and I can feel him shaking. He is sobbing uncontrollably. "Shhhhh, Thomas, it's okay."

"Want to know something?" he says through hiccups of tears.

"What?"

"I looked for you."