Chapter Eight

Jaime rested in her hospital bed while the two most important men in her life conferred with Rudy in his office. "How is she really, Rudy? And is the baby ok?" Oscar couldn't sit still in a chair and was nervously pacing the few steps back and forth in the little office.

"She took a nasty blow to her head and has a pretty bad concussion, but thankfully no fractures. She's still in shock, and her blood pressure is almost off the charts, but she's been medicated for that, and she's resting fairly comfortably, in spite of having refused the sedative. I think that after a good, long night's sleep, we'll see definite improvement in the morning, especially with her blood pressure."

"And the baby?" Steve reminded him.

"We did an emergency ultrasound, and everything still looks normal; no detachment, no bleeding. It's impossible to know for sure, though, for another few weeks, until we can hear the baby's heartbeat. I want her completely off of her feet until then, and she refuses to do that at home, then she'll be doing it here."

"I'll be there to make sure she sticks to it; I've put in for full retirement," Oscar announced. Seeing the shocked looks on Steve and Rudy's faces, he continued. "I've been wanting to do that since the wedding, but never felt quite comfortable because there was no one to replace me. No one crazy enough to actually take the job." Oscar smiled, ready to spring the surprise. "But now, I've found exactly the right person, and it's time."

Rudy looked at his old friend and immediately knew where he was headed. Steve simply looked puzzled. "So who's the unfortunate lunatic?" he asked.

Oscar grinned. "You are, Pal."

"Now, wait a minute -"

"You'll be perfect! The way you took charge of everything tonight and got Jaime back - you stayed calm and got it done - I can't think of anyone else better suited for this."

"I don't know if that's a compliment or an insult to my sanity," Steve told him.

"So you'll do it, then?"

"I can't believe I'm saying this, and I'm not sure why, but...yes. I'd be honored, Oscar. I had an excellent teacher." The two men shook hands and then Steve headed out and Oscar turned to Rudy.

"When can I see Jaime?" Oscar asked.

"You can go down right now, although she's probably sleeping. I've got her in Intensive Care, just until she's stabilized. I've informed the nurses they should let you stay as long as you want to."

"Thank you," Oscar said, a little too quietly.

Rudy looked at him sternly. "You might consider getting some rest yourself, though. You look positively beat."

"I've got the rest of my life to rest; tonight, I need to be with my wife." Oscar headed down to the ICU and pulled a chair close to the side of Jaime's bed. Her breathing had become regular and steady again, and the oxygen Rudy had put her on was bringing a new, heathier color to her face. He watched her sleep for a very long time. When the sun was almost up, her eyelids fluttered and she slowly opened her eyes.

Oscar took her hand and smiled broadly at her. "Those have to be the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen," he whispered, once again choked with emotion.

"Is the baby ok?"

"Rudy said everything seems fine. He'll know more in a couple of weeks, when he can hear the heartbeat."

"Hey," she remembered, "this morning you said you had a surprise for me..."

"Yup. I was going to tell you I was taking a leave of absence, but I changed my mind."

"Oscar, you know, you work way too hard. A leave might do you -"

"I'm retiring, instead."

"You're -"

"Retiring. As in, you'll be stuck with me at home 24/7, like it or not."

"I don't like it; I love it!"

Jaime spent the rest of that day in the ICU and was moved to a private room the next morning. She became a model patient, doing anything Rudy told her to do, determined to return home to her husband. Less than a week later, she did just that.

Seven months (almost to the day) after her release, Jaime returned to the same room at the hospital for a much happier reason. Their baby was born healthy and squawking. "Sounds just like Mom," Oscar noted, teasing her. That evening, the new OSI Director was the family's first visitor. Oscar placed the baby in Steve's arms and said "This man is the reason you got here safely, Little One."
Steve looked down at the infant in his arms and smiled almost as broadly as her parents. "Well hello, Miss Stephanie Lynn Goldman! Welcome to the world!"

END