Chapter 284
A couple of hours later Tegan was being wheeled out of the ICU.
"Another fucking scan… seriously?" she mumbled. She was pushed into a room next to the ICU.
"And now they make me wait" she sighed.
The door opened and Sax entered.
"Can't you just do all the tests at the same time?" Tegan complained.
"Stop being so grumpy" Sax smiled and checked Tegan's monitors.
"I'll be back" she said and turned to leave the room.
"Sax, I'm tired… hurry up" Tegan complained.
Sax just made a yapping motion with her hand.
"Fucking hate this place" Tegan mumbled and leaned back against the pillow with closed eyes.
The door opened but she didn't look at it expecting an orderly to take her to some sort of scanner.
"Say Hi Mommy" Tegan heard Lindsey say and snapped her eyes open and her head up. Lindsey was standing in the doorway holding Casey and Ryan's hands. The kids looked confused and scared.
"Monkeys! Hey guys! I'm so happy to see you" said Tegan smiling from ear to ear.
Casey's lip started trembling as she looked at all the machines surrounding her mommy.
"Hey hey, don't worry, I'm okay honeybun. Come to mommy" said Tegan holding out her healthy arm. Both Casey and Ryan crept behind Lindsey's legs.
"Guys, listen to Mama" said Lindsey crouching down. "Everything's okay, Mommy really wants to see you. She's got some booboos but she missed you so much. Those machines aren't hurting her. Let's go say hi"
The kids reluctantly followed Lindsey grabbing her hands tightly. They were each holding some gifts and had balloons tied around their arms.
"Hi guys" Tegan smiled.
"Hi Mommy" said Ryan shyly. Casey muttered "hi" behind Lindsey's leg.
"Okay, I'm going to pick you up so you can sit next to Mommy on the bed but you have to be really still okay, we don't want to hurt Mommy. Really still" said Lindsey.
The twins nodded. Sonia came into the room and kissed Tegan on the forehead. She took Casey and gently put her down next to Tegan's leg that was in the large, black brace. Casey's legs hung over the side of the bed. It didn't seem to hurt Tegan. Lindsey gently put Ryan down on the other side, the side of Tegan's injured arm.
"Hi my loves… I've missed you so much! I'm so happy to see you" said Tegan softly. She took Casey's hand.
"Mommy hurt?" said Ryan.
"Mommy's a bit hurt yeah, but I'll be okay. The doctors are making me better big guy" said Tegan.
"Mommy come home" said Casey.
"I'll come home soon sweetie. As soon as the doctors fixed me okay"
"What's this Mommy?" asked Ryan pointing at Tegan's cast.
"Well this…. Hmmm…. This is a hard thing that covers my arm so the bones inside stay together while they're getting better" said Tegan.
"Does it hurt?" asked Ryan dryly.
"It doesn't hurt too much Ry. They're giving me medicine through these tubes in my arm. See those bags with the liquid in? That's medicine to make it not hurt too much and get me better faster"
"What's this?" asked Casey pointing at the pulse ox on Tegan's finger.
"This is something that checks if Mommy's breathing okay" said Lindsey when she saw that Tegan was becoming a bit out of breath from all the talking.
"And this?" said Ryan pointing at an electrode and some EKG wires sticking out above Tegan's hospital gown.
"That is something that is listening to Mommy's heart. It checks if her heart is beating okay. And you see this one?" said Lindsey pointing to one of the lines in Tegan's neck. "This one also tells the doctors how well Mommy's heart is beating. And then, it shows them on this TV" said Lindsey pointing to the monitor screen. "See that jumping line? That's Mommy's heart beating"
Ryan frowned, obviously trying to take in all this information.
"That's not Mommy's heart… Mommy's heart is inside" said Ryan pointing at Tegan's chest.
"Okay Ryan, you have me. You're way too smart" laughed Lindsey.
"What's in your nose Mommy?" asked Casey softly touching Tegan's nasal oxygen cannula.
"This is just some special air that's helping me breathe better" said Tegan.
"How you get the booboos Mommy?" asked Ryan.
"Um… I fell sweetie" said Tegan.
"Why you fell? Did you run and not listen to the mommy?" asked Ryan.
Tegan laughed. "Yeah, something like that"
"Love you Mommy" said Casey.
"I love you guys so much. I can't wait to go home with you"
"Today?" said Ryan.
"Not today… but soon okay"
"I want you better Mommy. Mommy come home" said Ryan.
"I know big boy… I know. Soon alright. The doctors are fixing me"
"We bring pwesents" said Casey smiling wide.
"Really? Yay! Show me" said Tegan grinning.
Sonia and Lindsey handed the kids the gift wrapped presents.
"Me first Wyan" said Casey.
"Me first" said Ryan leaning over Tegan. Tegan flinched.
"Slow down guys, you're going to hurt Mommy. One at a time please" said Lindsey strictly.
Tegan let out a slow, painful breath. "How about I open Casey's first because she called first dibs and then next time, I promise to open yours first Ryan"
Ryan was becoming emotional. Sonia held him tight against her chest. "It's okay Ryan… It's okay" she whispered.
Tegan had some trouble opening the gift with only one hand. "How about you give Mommy a hand and each one of you open your gift. This hand isn't working so well yet" said Tegan smiling.
The kids immediately ripped open the wrapping excitedly.
"Oh wow, look at that! A photo of my favourite little monkeys in a beautiful frame! I love it" said Tegan and touched Casey's face softly.
"And cool, an emoticon pillow! It's my favourite one" said Tegan looking at the pillow of the emoticon with the two hearts for eyes. Ryan showed his. Another pillow but this one was of the emoticon with the thermometer in its mouth. Tegan laughed and flinched.
"That's awesome Ryan! Thank you" said Tegan. Ryan took out the big container of jello. "Yay, my other favourite thing, jello" said Tegan.
Ryan laughed. "Me too! Can I have it?"
"You know what… I love you so much you can! Take it with you. Share with your sister okay" said Tegan. She was obviously starting to take strain now.
"We make pictwers Mommy" said Casey and handed Tegan some bright toddler paintings.
"Oh wow, it's beautiful. What is it?" said Tegan looking at the pictures that didn't really look like anything.
"Me and Wyan and Mommy and Mama" said Casey.
"Its awesome guys, thank you" said Tegan.
"Okay kiddos, it's time to say goodbye to Mommy for now. She needs to take a nap now, so do you guys" said Lindsey.
"No mommy, no" came the desperate cries from the kids.
"I'll bring you back again another day, I promise" said Lindsey.
"Babe, just a few more minutes please" said Tegan.
"Okay, just a few more" said Lindsey.
"Hug mommy" said Casey.
"Okay, one at a time though guys. Mommy has lots of ouchies okay" said Lindsey. She gently let Casey lie down next to Tegan in her healthy arm. Tegan closed her eyes as tears slid through her lids.
"Mommy no cry" said Ryan.
"It's okay monkey, Mommy's just happy"
Tegan felt Casey's little arm circle over her chest. It hurt her damaged ribs but she didn't care. She was ecstatic.
Ryan also came in for a hug but Sonia held him back. Just a minute sweetie. Mom's arm won't hold out on this side. "Let's untie the balloon so long so we can tie it to Mommy's bed" said Sonia.
"I have Dusty balloon Mommy" said Ryan referring to his favourite movie character from the movie Planes. He was trying to get Tegan's attention.
"Really, that's nice Honey. I wish I had Dusty, he's very reliable" said Tegan still holding Casey. "Unlike some other planes" she said under her breath.
"I have Fwozen" said Casey.
"Nice one Case. Please don't sing the Frozen song though… the cold bothers me after all" Tegan chuckled and winked at Lindsey who smiled and shook her head.
A minute later Lindsey tried to get Casey away from Tegan.
"No, stay with Mommy" Casey cried.
"Casey, the doctors need to help mommy now okay. We'll come back soon" said Lindsey.
"Noooo, Mommy" Casey cried.
Sax rapped on the glass window and put her finger over her mouth before pointing at her watch.
"Go back to the hotel with Mommy now honey. I'll call you later okay. I love you"
After another emotional few minutes with Ryan in her arms Lindsey prepared them to leave.
"Say bye Mommy, we love you" she said.
The kids repeated dutifully, softly sobbing.
Lindsey kissed Tegan's hair. "Bye Boo. I'll be back later okay, love you" she said.
"Linds, thanks for this. Thank you so much. Take your time with them. They need you right now" said Tegan.
"Okay… feel better hon" said Lindsey. Tegan smiled.
"Who's up for some ice cream down in the cafeteria?" asked Lindsey.
-0-
Sonia walked next to Tegan's bed as they pushed her back to ICU.
"This wasn't fair on them… they don't understand this" said Tegan.
"Well, I think they understand a bit more now Tegan. At least they know where you are and that you're okay. They'll be fine, kids are so resilient" said Sonia.
"I hope so… damn I hope so"
Sara and Kate were both awake when Tegan was pushed back into the room.
"Hey where'd you go? More tests?" asked Sara.
"No, had a visit from my kids" Tegan smiled, clearly exhausted after all the action. She pointed at the balloons.
"Kids? You have kids? As in more than one?" asked Sara looking shocked.
"Yeah, twins. A boy and a girl. They're almost two and a half" said Tegan beaming.
"Wow… just… wow… I'm a bit shocked" said Sara. "Are they like… friends… with my kid?" asked Sara.
"Oh yeah… thick as thieves" Tegan smiled. Sonia had put up the pictures on the far wall so Tegan could see them.
"Did you… you know… give birth to them?" asked Sara.
"No, Lindsey did, but we used my eggs. So they have your DNA Sar. Oh and you're their Godmother" said Tegan.
"Great" said Sara looking pale.
"I want to though… carry the next one I mean" said Tegan.
"The next one… uh huh" said Sara and swallowed hard. This was weird.
Kate tapped the railing of her bed with the call button. Sonia walked over to check what she wanted. Kate tapped away on the iPad. Sonia looked at the screen. "She wants a visit from Amelia too"
"Oh, now I've started something" said Sax rolling her eyes.
Kate put her hands together in a pleading sign.
"Yes Morgan! Soon okay, let's just get you off the vent first" said Sax.
"Not fair" Kate wrote and made a sulking face.
"Hey, Amelia did send you two some gifts" said Sonia and handed Kate and Sara a gift each.
"Oh… how sweet" said Sara apprehensively.
Kate tore her gift wrapping off with some difficulty and revealed a pillow of the emoticon wearing a surgical mask. She smiled widely and gave a thumbs up.
"Well, open it" said Tegan to Sara.
Sara swallowed hard and opened the package. It was the emoticon with a bandage around the head. Sara couldn't help but laugh. "Funny guys" she said shaking her head and smiling. She held the pillow tight against her chest though.
"Alright, party's over. Get some rest please. Tegan, the investigators are coming late afternoon to talk to you. You up for it?" asked Sax.
"Yeah, let's get it over with. Listen, can you ask the shrink to sit in. I really don't want to repeat the story more than once. You and Linds can too if you want Mom" said Tegan.
Sonia nodded and squeezed Tegan's hand. "Get some rest now, you look tired".
"I am… busy day already" said Tegan. She pressed her morphine pump and drifted off on a cloud.
A/N: Sorry for the delay with this one. At least it's a long one! Hope you enjoyed it. Review please.