Chapter 5

I walked away with Emma but heard him coming up behind me.

"What do you mean the new man in your life would somebody tell me what the hell is going on." We turned around Emma looked at him with her hands on hips ready to unleash her anger but I stopped her, "Emma meet my best friend Matt Houston, Houston meet Emma Charge Nurse of the NCIU and I think you need to apologize for raising your voice. I'm not going to say another word till you do.".

He apologized. I took him by the hand and we stood in front of the room that held all the babies in their beds a glass separating us.

"CJ why are we here?"

I saw Jake in the back and I pointed to him. "Houston, that's Jacob William the new man in my life we just call him Jake. Beast and I saved his life today and I'm going in to go help him he needs me."

Houston was speechless, Emma took me to the side door and Houston followed, "Can he come Emma he promises to be good right Houston." He nodded.

Emma handed me a gown and said I needed to take off the shirt, "we are trying for skin to skin for the study, it helps him get his core temperature to normal quicker and it calms him to have that contact. This will help with him getting to a normal weight and help his development."

I nodded and went to get changed.

She handed a gown to Houston.

"If you're going to be in here I'm going to need you to wear a gown and behave. No loud voices we need to keep a calm environment. Don't be too mad at her she's had a busy night I kind of heard what you said out there."

Houston smiled and apologized again for his behavior earlier, "I'm sorry CJ's had a couple of rough weeks I'm just worried about her, we've been friends for over 20 years and I'm a little over protective of her. To tell you I'm shocked well honestly I'm not what she's doing doesn't surprise me she has a habit of wanting to help people and I thank God she found it in her heart to help me."

I came out he had his gown on Emma brought us to Jake and open the incubator.

"I'm going to take him out I'm going to place him over your heart this helps regulate his heart beat so I need you calm, do you hear me Mr. Houston I need her calm. CJ I need you to ensure that its skin to skin contact, you need to talk to him get him use to your voice he needs to know you are here. If all goes well we will attempt to feed him. I know it's a lot but this is a critical time. We need to start this now the longer we wait the longer he will take to adapt."

She brought me to a recliner and I sat down. She brought Jake to me he was hooked up to monitor him she asked me to open the gown and she placed him over my heart he started to fuss the monitors where going off and I started to panic she took my hand and placed it on his back and I started to rub him. "Start talking to him CJ he needs to hear your voice so he can settle down."

I took a deep breath looked up at Houston and smiled.

"Hey little guy it's me again, I don't have Beast with me this time but I have someone I want you to meet. Jake meet Matt Houston my best friend and I'm sure he'll be yours too. Your second name William is after his father your first is after mine. Those two men made a big difference in my life. So Jacob William is your name but we are going to call you Jake, that's what my momma use to call my dad and it stuck with all his friends."

Jake started to settle down.

"keep talking CJ I think he likes it."

I nodded.

"Well Jake let me tell you about Houston you see is very protective of his friends that he sometimes gets over protective and causes a ruckus when things don't go his way. Oh and he's stubborn you'll see that side of him it's not one of his best traits but I still love him and accept him he is my best friend and you take the good with the bad and this is one good man. He's a little cross with me at the moment and also with a good friend of ours which he will be apologizing as soon as we are through here. You see I didn't let him know what was going on with you, but you took me by surprise you could say I was blindsided. I just happened to be there and I had to act if I hadn't I don't know what would have happened to you we might not have ever met. So I want Houston to know that he doesn't need to be worry so much about me. There's things I need to figure out on my own. He's taught me how to defend myself with his training and constant reminders of dangerous situations and I want him to remember he's the voice in my head when things go south. He needs to know he can't control everything in life that things happen for a reason sometimes and he shouldn't feel responsible for everything that goes wrong. I feel like his life has stopped because of what happened to me. He needs to start living his life again I will let him know if I need his help like I said he's my best friend and I know what happen affected him and I love him for caring but we need to move on."

I didn't look up. I couldn't, I had said what I had wanted to say to him through Jake.

Houston cleared his throat.

"Jake nice to meet you I'm Matt and CJ is my best friend in the whole world, we've been friends for a very long time. I want you to know you are one lucky fellow to have this lady here be a part of your life, she's very special and doesn't let many people come close to her so that means your extra special so if you're a friend of CJ's then you're a friend of mine. Oh and you can call me Houston all my friends do."

He stooped down to our level and looked at Jake he took his hand and brushed his cheek.

"You heard CJ say that I am over protective, she's right I am especially with someone that is part of my family, and she's been part of my family since the first day we met. She's right I do have a temper that only she knows how to reign in and I need to apologize to her and our friend Hoyt. But she's just as stubborn as me sometimes even more so, but when you get two stubborn people wanting their way shouting is usually the way it gets settled as is knowing when to say sorry. Oh let me tell you she has a mean streak in her which you don't want to be in the path of ever. She thinks that I shouldn't worry about her that I should just forget what happen to her. That things will get back to normal well it's going to take time and she needs to understand that. Like she saved your life I had hers in my hands and I thank God he gave her back to me. It was scary Jake it's a feeling I never want to feel again. There are a lot of people that would be lost if anything happened to her she is loved by many and a very special lady. I will not stop being protective and she shouldn't worry about me getting back on the saddle I'll start to date again when I'm good and ready. Right now I want to spend time with you and my best friend."

He put his hand on top of mine on Jakes back, I didn't want to cry so I started to tell Jake about the other people in our lives and Houston chimed in with names that I had forgotten. I started to rock and closed my eyes and remembered the song my momma use to sing and started to hum it for him.

He picked up the tune and start to hum with me Jake started to calm down and move his head towards our voices. Emma came back with a bottle, "You both are doing a great job thanks I was a little nervous but you've put my mind to ease. Also, you have a fan club she pointed to the glass. There was Carol, Michael, Uncle Roy and Will smiling at us.

"So let's try feeding him and I need you to measure exactly how much he's drank okay? Preemies usually have trouble using their mouth to suck the bottle I'm hoping Jake will not be one. "

I nodded and so did Houston, "I'm going to show you some exercises to do before we start okay? First we will use your finger to circle his lips, then I'm going to need you to stroke his chin last I need you to squeeze his cheeks together. So let's turn him over and start these exercises okay you ready Houston?"

He nodded and Jake was turned over and was not happy and started to fuss.

"CJ start with your finger see how he does I'll stoke his chin."

Jake started to follow my finger and his tongue came out Houston stroked his chin then squeezed his cheeks. "That's it let's try the bottle see if this little guy is hungry." He attacked the bottle next and had no trouble with swallowing.

"There you go little man drink up, there's a lot more where that came from right CJ."

Jake open his eyes and was looking at me and Houston while he ate. Tears started to flow down my cheeks, Houston wiped them from my face.

"He's so tiny but a little fighter, he amazes me with every minute I spend with him. Thanks Houston for being here with me."

He kissed my cheek and squeezed my hand. Jake started to close his eyes and let the bottle go. I looked at the bottle he had drank 3.5 oz.

Emily walked over, "so how did Jake do?"

"Houston spoke up, "3.5 oz. is that good?" She smiled, "Way to go Jake you drank double then I expected you are full of surprises aren't you I think it has to do with your team here so let's see if we can burp you and then I'm going to put him back into the incubator Jake I need you to keep your body temperature up. CJ and Houston will be back don't worry but I need you to rest little guy."

I put a towel over my shoulder and got him to burp. Emma came to take him from me but I didn't want to let go.

"It's okay CJ I'll take good care of him while you're gone and Roxy on the next shift has been filled in about what's going on with Jake and she will be here when you get back. Okay? I need you to go home and get some sleep both of you it's been a long night and like Jake you too need some rest and something to eat. I don't want to see you back here till 6:00 pm okay, he will be fine I have your information CJ and if anything happens I'll call you now get going."

Emma took Jake who hadn't woken up and placed him in the incubator I touched it, "Get some rest I'll be back." Jake started to fuss and it tore at my heart.

"No we will be back little man get some rest and I'll make sure CJ does too I promise." Jake settled after hearing Houston's voice.

"I think he likes you more than me."

He shook his head, "he wanted to hear I would look out for you it's a guy thing he needed to make sure our favorite gal is taken care of. Go change and I'll meet you out in the waiting room."

I nodded and went to get out of the gown. I put on the t-shirt again and shivered I didn't have a jacket and it was going to be cold outside. I walked to the waiting room saw Houston apologizing to Michael and Uncle Roy was there and pulled me into a hug.

"You had us worried young lady I never seen this man run as fast as he did from the boat to his house and then to not find you there and then told you where taken away in an ambulance Matlock didn't even wait for us and came here like a bat out of Hell. We got the complete details from the couple that helped you out before we got here I'm glad you are okay but don't ever do that again CJ you aged me 20 years."

I apologized for aging him and he asked about Jake. I filled him in and he gave me another hug.

"You looked good in there like a natural both of you did."

Houston smiled and looked at me.

I asked for Carol and Will not wanting to revisit that right now in my mind but it was lingering me and Houston with a newborn like he was our own? Maybe in another lifetime.

Michael said they had gone back to the house to make us breakfast my stomach rumbled.

"Sounds like someone's hungry and cold where's your jacket CJ?"

"I left without one wasn't thinking about myself wanting to get Jake to the Hospital ASAP was priority."

Houston pulled off his sweater and handed it to me, "We can't have you get sick and I don't want to hear any arguments if you're sick they won't let you take care of Jake am I right Emma."

I turned around and Emma nodded. I pulled the sweater over me it was warm I thanked him and went to introduce Emma to Uncle Roy. He was his charming self and even got Emma to laugh, "I'm glad I caught you Houston you are going to have to fill out the same paperwork as CJ and a life scan needs to be done this has to be completed before you can have any other contact with Jake. I kind of bent the rules last night but I'm making sure all the t's are crossed and the i's dotted I want this on the up and up and Children Services can be a ball of red tape."

We started to walk to the exit and I stopped, "Emma can I bring him some baby clothes for Jake or is that not allowed?" She nodded yes, "if you want to that's fine I was going to see if we had any extra here most are brought in by parents I'm sure he will appreciate it." I hugged her and we started to walk out.

I yawn and started to feel tired I started to lag behind when Houston put his arm around me, "you look like you're ready to fall asleep want me to pick you up and carry you to the car."

"No I can make it to the car I am tired but not that tired and I'm sorry for not calling you I just wanted you to have a good time with your family and I didn't want to be a burden it feels like I've been that for a couple of weeks and…"

He stopped, "CJ enough with this crap I don't know where you've gotten this ideal that you're a burden you're not and like I told Jake you are a part of my family you've been by my side through thick and thin and well we need to talk seriously not now but soon there's somethings we need to discuss okay? Let's take care of Jake first and then will see what happens okay."

He kissed my cheek and took my hand as we walked to his car, Michael was going home he wanted to get some sleep and I thanked him for caring and coming to check on me.

He hugged me and whispered, "don't be too hard on the cowboy, he apologized which is a miracle in itself. Remember like you he's had a rough couple of weeks and you don't have to thank me I care about you too CJ we all do. Get some rest."

Uncle Roy opened the car door for me and I started to slide into the back seat he shook his head, "Uncle Roy its okay I'm probably going to fall asleep anyway go ahead and take the front seat." I jumped in and buckled up.

"Come on Uncle Roy let's get home and counselor remember what I said if you fall asleep how I was going to wake you up it still stands."

I rolled my eyes, "sure cowboy whatever you say."