A/N: I'm almost to the end of this story. Just a couple of more updates to go. Please enjoy. R&R if you feel like it! Thank you so much for liking this.
Take The Long Way Home - Chapter 9
"I'm calling an ambulance, right now. I'll meet you at the hospital," Peter said quickly and with not a little fear in his voice.
"I'll stay here with the babies and Devin will follow behind the ambulance in the car," Angela said falling immediately into ER nurse mode.
Devin heard her voice and was so happy in a way that Catherine had come along with him back to Pittsburgh to get his wife out of her depression. Angela was stronger and she knew now that though their son was lost they had their daughters and if she never became pregnant again there was a whole world of children who would love to have a mom, dad, and three sisters.
However, now was the best time because he could feel her strength come back with Catherine's emergency. Angela was always a great handler of emergencies.
"Devin, mind the twins and I will get a little bag packed for Catherine in the event she wakes up from her coma. She probably will once they get a little blood in her," Angela said not stopping to realize that this was her husband she was commanding not another medic or nurse's aid or other member of the medical profession.
"Really?" Devin had studied himself just enough to pretend he was a doctor for a little while but whatever he knew he promised not to use it. Having no formal degree or certification he was breaking the law; and in the years since his subterfuge had ended, he had made even more solemn promises to his family not to be a fraud anymore.
"Yes, really. Here take V.J. Caroline is still asleep," Angela said as she handed the little kitten-faced baby to Devin as she went into the bedroom. Angela checked Catherine's vitals once more and noticed how really low her pulse was and how slow she was breathing. Catherine looked so white.
Vincent? What were they going to tell Vincent? I haven't even met the man yet and I am worried what his reaction will be. Normal men freak out and do not get too violent, but Vincent? I suppose he can control himself. Otherwise, I'm sure Catherine would never have fallen in love with him and had his children.
Angela had become very intrigued with her brother-in-law the more stories she heard of him. Devin loved him; Catherine loved him; and already Angela's daughters were more than smitten with their unusual looking Uncle from what she heard. Angela hurried and put some underwear and Catherine's other nightgown and regular clothes in a bag along with some toiletries that she would need even if she was not performing the duties herself but by a loved one or a nurse.
The ambulance arrived shortly after Catherine's bag was packed. The paramedics came in and started an IV of saline along with one of 0 negative type blood as no one was sure of her blood type. Not even Peter and he was her obstetrician and gynecologist. The paramedics wrapped Catherine up warmly and had placed her on a clean absorbent pad on the stretcher. Devin accompanied the paramedics out of the house and swiftly kissed Angela goodbye as she stood in the doorway holding Caroline he started the car and quickly followed the dust that the ambulance had produced on its rapid way to the hospital.
The ambulance arrived and Peter met them there.
"Devin, I'm glad you're here. Do you remember Mr. Wong's phone number?" Peter asked.
"Yes, of course, I do. Eidetic memory," Devin said proving he was good at something.
"Great! Call him. Tell him to get a message to Vincent. Then I need you to get to the Tunnels and somehow bring Vincent here. Now, I know Father will have a coniption, but I think he can make an exception this time."
"What does he tell the kids and should he bring them with him?" Devin asked dreading why Peter wanted the entire family here if Catherine were only going to be in the coma until her blood had regained some strength.
"Tell him you will pick them all up. Yours, too, right?" Peter said as they rolled Catherine straight into an emergency bay.
"Mind if I call my wife first?" Devin said aching to be on the road and somehow finding some comfort for Vincent who probably already knew something had happened and was arguing with Father how to get out to Pittsburgh.
"No. Tell her I'll come by your house to check on the babies when I get a moment."
"No problem. Thank you, Peter," Devin said and shook the doctor's compassionate hand.
"I would do anything I could for Catherine and Vincent. I have to. I promised both their fathers," Peter said and smiled ruefully before he let Devin go and ventured into the busy bay.
Vincent had felt Catherine slip into the coma. He gasped loudly in the middle of listening to Jonathan read his assignment to him.
"Daddy, what is it?"
Vincent looked at his son who resembled Catherine and who even had her green eyes and said, "Nothing, son, go on."
As soon as Jonathan was finished his assignment was when Vincent had received the message from above.
Vincent,
Catherine has fallen into a coma because she lost so much blood with the birth of the babies. I am coming tonight to take you and both sets of children to Pittsburgh. I have written a separate note for Father, so he will not be surprised when you all want to leave. I am sure he will understand.
So be ready for me at the North Park Tunnel. I will arrive by 7:30 pm. It should be dark enough by then for us to go in the borrowed four wheel drive. Just take a few things. I will discuss more when I see you.
Love,
Your brother, Devin
Vincent waited just where Devin told him and the children to wait. Rebecca had volunteered to stay with them to keep all six children in order as Vincent's mind and heart was with Catherine and was lacking the ability to concentrate on the whereabouts of six young children in the early evening as they tried to maintain patience in their expectation of Devin.
"Daddy?" Mary Margaret, five years old, asked. Presently Vincent held her in his arms as he anxiously sought the predetermined signal from Devin that he would give when he arrived.
"Yes, Mary," Vincent asked eyeing his little girl who carried a faint resemblance to him. She had a flat nose with somewhat flaired nostrils and slight almond shape eyes. Her skin was a little darker toned than her brothers but it was not extraordinary. Mary did possess a small cleft in her upper lip, but it was not deep enough to think that she had strange parentage. Her mouth with full lips formed a little rosebud. Her hair was the same color as Vincent's and only then when she stood next to him could one realize that she was his daughter.
"Where's mommy? Are we going to her?"
"Yes. Uncle Devin is taking us to see her and your new brother and sister," Vincent told his daughter and gave her a kiss on her cheek.
"Daddy, I'm afraid." Mary Margaret never ventured much above unlike her older brothers who sometimes accompanied their mother on her charity work and to see Uncle Joe. Mary only went above once about a year ago and when separated from her mother and brothers had a bad experience where an older child made fun of her. Ever since Mary never went above. At this age, it had been difficult for Mary to tell her fears to her parents. That was one reason why she told Vincent she was afraid. Also because she had heard the horrible stories of when Vincent had gone above as a child and the difficult experiences he had to endure.
"It's ok to be afraid. However, we are only going to Uncle Devin's house and meet your cousins' mother. Think of it as an adventure," Vincent comforted his little daughter. His connection with his little girl told him that there was more to Mary's fear then met the eye. However, Vincent's heart and mind was concentrated on Catherine that he made a note to himself to address the situation later when he had had a minute to ascertain or see his wife in her present condition.
Reaching down just then, Vincent picked a late rose from the bush next to which they were standing. It was one which had no thorns on the branch so without pricking his finger he handed it to Mary whose eyes grew wide. Vincent smiled as he watched Mary sniff it.
"It's so pretty, daddy. Where did it come from?" Mary said as she looked down and around from high in Vincent's arms.
"Mary..." Vincent said trying to bring her attention back to him. She suddenly looked back at him with her own blue eyes.
"What daddy?"
"Let's say it was magic this time, ok?" He nuzzled her nose with his own slightly furred one.
"I love you daddy," Mary said and then hugged him as best she could.
"There's the signal, Uncle Vincent," Angelica had said semi loud and pointed.
"How did you know what the signal was?" Jacob asked.
"Because one time we went camping in the mountains and I got lost and daddy used that signal to let me know it was him who was waiting for me. That was the way I found my way back to my camp."
"What does all that blinking say?" Jacob asked.
"It's like Tunnelspeak only with lights. You heard of Morse code, right?" Angelica asked her cousin.
While they began to walk to the van, Rebecca included, Angelica told her cousin what Devin's message said.
"It says: ' I love you'," Angelica said.
Jacob had nothing to say to that so he just shook his head and helped gather his cousins and siblings into the car with their luggage.
Devin asked once all the luggage and people were packed up.
"I love you, too," Vincent joked with his brother as he quickly belted Mary and Heather into carseats set in the second seat of the minivan.
Devin laughed. "I'll explain that later. Are we all packed and ready to go?"
"Yes, they are all in. It's nice to see you again, Devin. Although our visit is short one this time, come back please," Rebecca said as she hugged Devin.
"I will and I will bring Angela. You and she would be great friends," Devin said giving one more wink to his one of old childhood friends.
"I'm sure we would. Goodbye Vincent and children. Give my love to Catherine. Can't wait to see those new babies," Rebecca said before turning around and waiting for the van to drive away.
Vincent sat in the back of the minivan where it was darker. He looked at both children whose little heads drooped from slumber as they had both had fallen asleep. The other four children were either looking out the back window or drowsed in and out of sleep. Angelica, Miranda, and HeatherMarie jumped into their father's arms upon seeing him arrive at the park. Devin was so grateful to see his children that he thanked Rebecca and his brother for the great care they took of them.
"It was our pleasure," Vincent said. "They are wonderful children."
Now as they were traveling back on the Pennsylvania turnpike in the dark as the street lights temporarily illuminated the inside of the minivan, Vincent took a little time to pump Devin for answers about Catherine's condition and how they were going to sneak him in to see her.
"Well, Peter and I hadn't gotten that far when he told me to come get you. I know that's what he had in mind, but I know he's hoping that Catherine will awaken by the time we get there. She's been in the coma now for approximately ten hours as its almost midnight."
"Is your wife ready to meet me?" Vincent wondered.
"Well, we had to explain little Vincent, Jr.'s features to her, but, yes, I think she's ready to meet you. Your little guy looks just like you except his eyes aren't as blue as yours. There more a hazel gray."
"Already? I didn't think they would change for at least a couple of months. What about Caroline?"
"She's a little Catherine. Now she's has the green eyes," Devin said. "Oh by the way they are both eating up a storm. I think they both have gained two pounds in two days."
"Well, I'm so grateful that Peter was able to be there to deliver them and I am grateful to you and Angela for doing the very best you could for my family."
Devin stopped smiling and considered what Vincent and Catherine had done for his family without even realizing it.
"It's ok, really, Vincent. You've no idea how Angela has sprung back from her depression. She delivered Caroline by the way. Peter had not arrived but a few minutes after and was there for V.J."
"V.J.?"
"Yeah. Do you like his nickname?"
Vincent pretended to cough and stated "Not really. What did Catherine think?"
"She'd said you wouldn't like it. She knew that because you have never called her Cathy like all her friends have."
"That's because Cathy isn't good enough for her. I love her full name-Catherine."
"She said she loves it that you are the only one that calls her Catherine."
"Well, don't you call your wife Angela, or do you have a nickname for her?"
Devin stopped talking long enough to think about it.
"No, I have never called her anything but Angela or another endearment like "honey" or "sweetheart"."
Devin saw Vincent laugh and then he smiled himself.
Just when Vincent started to doze himself. Devin pulled up into the driveway of his modest back- in- the- woods home.
Stopping the engine, he loudly said, "We're here!"
