*Thank-you for the reviews on the last chapter. They were greatly appreciated. Thank-you all so much!*
"What is taking so long?" asks Dean as we sit in the waiting room 2 hours into Natalia's heart surgery. He's been on edge ever since they took her back. The waiting is killing him, it's killing me but the longer it goes the better it is.
"Relax," I say as I hold his hand in mine. "The doctor said the surgery could take up to 3 to 4 hours to do. Just relax."
"I'm dying here," he says as his leg shakes. "She's just so little. I can't take this waiting."
"Just be patient and know that they are doing everything the best that they can for our little girl. She's going to come out of this and she's going to be healthy. Where's that positive attitude you were talking about earlier?"
"I know but then we get 2 hours into this surgery and no update on what is going on back there."
"I'm sure they are just busy fixing up our little girl. Right, Dad?" I ask as my dad sits across from us looking over some paperwork from his job.
"Right," he says, "with technology these days anything is possible. I'm sure everything is going well back there. Just try not to worry. It doesn't help to get worried. You two are pretty strong to sit through this. I'm proud of you but don't get worried. That's the worst thing you can do."
"It's hard not to worry," says Dean. "She's our baby girl. It's so hard to just sit here and not be able to do anything. I feel so powerless and I feel so weak. I'm her dad I'm supposed to protect her and yet I can't save her from this surgery."
"Dean," I say, "there's nothing you and I could have done to stop this from happening. She was born with this heart defect. We had no control over it. I wish we could control it but this is what we were dealt with as far as the cards of life go. Having her get the surgery is the best thing we can do. She wasn't gaining weight like she should, she wasn't eating like she should and she was really fussy. Her breathing wasn't as good as it should have been. After this surgery she should be healthy and she should be able to breathe and gain weight. It's going to be hard having a child with a heart defect the rest of her life but she is going to be healthy and happy. That's all we can ask for."
"You're right," he says before he kisses my cheek. "I am just going to take my mind off of it. In fact, Rod, can I talk to you for a minute?"
"Sure," says my dad as Dean lets go of my hand.
He goes to stand up but I stop him. "Why can't you talk to my dad in front of me?" I ask.
"It's just something I want to talk to him about. We'll be back in a couple minutes. I promise."
"Okay," I say before he kisses my lips softly. "I love you."
"I love you too, Beautiful." He says before he walks out of the waiting room with my dad. I'm curious to know what it's all about.
DEAN's POINT OF VIEW:
"So what's up, Dean? What did you want to talk about?" asks Ana's dad as we walk to the cafeteria to get Ana something to eat and get her something to drink. She hasn't eaten all day because of her nerves. I want her to be healthy.
"Well, you know Christmas is coming up right?"
"Yes," he says. "What about Christmas? What are you and Ana planning on doing for Christmas?"
"Well, since Natalia will still be recovering from her heart surgery and is at a high risk of infection Ana and I decided it would be best if we stayed home for the holiday and just spent our first Christmas with Natalia at home alone. I mean you're more than welcome to come visit with Chastity and Roderick but we would only like it to be no more than close family because of Natalia's high risk to infection."
"I would love to come see you three on Christmas afternoon. Our family usually has their Christmas Eve celebration and then Christmas we stay home as a family before we take our annual trip to Aspen."
"Aspen sounds fun, Ana is really upset that she can't go this year."
"I know," he says. "So what's up? I know that you didn't just pull me away from Ana to talk about Christmas plans what did you want to talk about?"
"I'm nervous," I say as I feel the nervousness inside my body as we reach the cafeteria. I know what I want to talk about but I'm not exactly sure how I want to say it. "You know it will be a year that Ana and I have been together in January."
"I am aware," he says.
"Well, I was wondering if for Christmas if you would be okay if I asked Ana to marry me. I want to spend forever with her. I love her. She's the only person in my life that has really told me I could do something and supports me in everything I do. Ana is the best thing to ever happen to me and I love Natalia. I want to be a family and I want to get married to her."
"I don't know," he says as we jump into the line in the cafeteria. "I think you and Ana are way too young to think about marriage. Ana is barely making it as a mother and going through school. Being engaged and planning a wedding is the last thing she needs to think about."
"I'm not saying we'll get married anytime soon just whenever she's ready. I don't care if it's after college or what but I want to marry her someday but I want to ask her on Christmas."
"Dean, I like you. I think you're a good guy. I think you're good for my daughter and she loves you but you two are too young to think about marriage. I know you have a beautiful little girl together and that's fine but don't try to propose to Ana because of the fact you two have a baby together. That's not how you solve an issue."
"I'm not asking her because of Natalia, well in a way I am but I'm asking her because I love her. I love your daughter. She makes me want to be a better person and she cares about me more than anyone else has in my life. She's all that I have left in my life; her and Natalia. I want to take the next step and propose to her. I don't plan on going anywhere."
"Dean, I like that you love her and that you care so much about her but think about this, Dean, you're only 17 and she's only 18. You two have a long way to go in life. Getting engaged this young is not a good idea. Trust me I know. I've been down this road. I loved Ana's mom. I loved her with all my heart. I thought we would be together forever but we're not. I proposed to her when we were young and we married young and right now we aren't together anymore. She left us. I don't want Ana to marry you and have regrets then leave you and Natalia much like her mom left us."
"So Ana's mom left you because she regretted getting married so young?"
"There's more to it than that, Dean. It's great to be in love. I know. I've been there. I'm not saying I don't want you to ask my daughter to marry you I'm saying to wait. If you two love each other like you say you do then you can wait till you are both old enough to stay committed to one another and last forever. Ana's mom and I made a mistake. We married young and we had kids young. She wanted a life that she never got, Dean. She felt trapped and she wanted out. She chose to leave us. Don't tell, Ana this because I don't want her to hurt or think of her mom in a negative way."
"Ana and I don't keep secrets, Sir," I say before I order something for Ana.
"Dean, I need you to promise me you won't tell Ana this. If she finds out about this it's going to hurt her."
"I can't promise that."
"Dean, her mom left because she didn't want to be a mom anymore. She left because she didn't want the life she had. She felt trapped and I blame myself every day because she left us. It's my fault. I pushed her to get engaged, I pushed her to have more kids before she could ever live the life she wanted. We were too young. If I could have waited till I was 30 to get married I would have done that and I would have waited to have kids. You and Ana have a child together. I'm not going to condemn you for that because I think you two are wonderful parents but you two have got to be able to live your lives and live the dreams you want. I don't like Ana wanting to be a journalist or whatever it is she is trying to be. I don't like it but I've come to realize Ana is her mother's daughter. She wants to do what she wants to do. You can't stop her and I can't stop her. Let her live her dream. Getting married at a young age is only going to lead to heartache for everyone at the end of the road. Don't do that to Natalia. You and Ana live together, make your dreams together, raise Natalia together then talk about marriage when you're older. You don't have to be engaged at 18. You can stay together and still be happy. Don't propose to her this young. I'm not even sure Ana would want to be engaged this young. She is only 18. You two have plenty of time."
"Do you know how bad Ana wants to see her mom?"
"I know," he says as we get our food to take back to the waiting room. "But Dean, it's not a good idea. If her mom wanted to have anything to do with her kids she would have kept contact in their lives. I spent some time looking for her after she left. I tried to keep her in the kids' lives but she wants nothing to do with them. I don't know what she's doing now and I don't care. I just don't want Ana getting involved with her and seeing her only to get her heartbroken."
"You can't stop her," I say. "Do you think it would be that bad?"
"I think it could be really bad," he says, "I just don't want to see Ana hurt. She's my little girl. She always will be. I know it was hard when her mom left but to know the truth I don't want her to be destroyed over it."
"I know," I say. "My dad left when I was 3. He wanted to live his own life too. He didn't want any kids, he didn't want a wife. He wanted to be on his own, go to college live his life. He and my mom were teenagers when they had me. I guess I'm scared that I'm going to turn out like him and leave Ana behind with Natalia. I never want that. I don't but I'm scared which is why I want to propose to her because I know she's scared of the same thing and I want to prove to her I'm sticking around and I want forever with her."
"It's too soon," he says as we make our way back to the waiting room. "Ana will still love you in 10 years if you wait I'm sure of it."
"I hope that you're right," I say, "but I want to think about this a little more."
"Okay," he says, "think about it."
ANA's POINT OF VIEW:
"Did you enjoy your talk?" I ask my dad and Dean as they come back into the waiting room.
"It was interesting," says Dean with a smile as he hands me some French fries and a drink. "We got you something to eat."
"I'm not hungry," I say.
"Come on, Baby you have to eat at least something. It's not good for you not to eat. Natalia needs you to be healthy when she comes out of surgery."
"Fine," I say as I pick up a French fry and eat it. "Happy?"
"Thanks," he says as he takes a seat next to me.
"So you're about to be 18 in a couple days. What do you want to do for your birthday, Birthday Boy?" I ask him as I eat.
"Eh being 18 is no big deal. I've been an adult since I was 10," he says with a shrug. "I don't want to do anything special. I just want to spend the day with my two favorite girls."
"I think that can be arranged," I say with a smile. "I'm going to bake you a cake."
"You don't have to bake me a cake," he says.
"Oh but I am. You deserve a cake and you're getting a cake."
"Okay," he says with a smile. "I hope Natalia is out of the hospital by then."
"Me too," I say. "I hope she is too."
"I never got to do anything for you for your birthday."
"It's no big deal. Natalia and I spent it together."
"Yeah but I want to make it up to you."
"You don't have to, I promise my heart isn't broken. You're home now and I get to spend your birthday with you and we get to spend Christmas together. Which reminds me, Dad, would you like to come over on Christmas Day with us?"
"I would love to," says my dad. "Are you cooking?"
"I can. I can make ham, green bean casserole and baked corn."
"You're making me hungry," says Dean. "I love your cooking."
"I love to cook," I say with a smile. "I want to be one of those wives that cooks a great meal for her husband every day."
"Speaking of husbands and wives," says my dad. "Have you two talked about marriage?"
"I am too young to get married. I'm only 18. The last thing I am thinking about is marriage. I am thinking about school and my daughter. That's it. Marriage is a long way off."
"You don't want to get married at a young age since you have Natalia and all?"
"Why should she determine if I am ready for marriage or not? I love Dean and I want to be with him but we don't have to talk about marriage to make sure we last forever. I am too young to think about it."
"Okay," says Dean and there is something about his voice. I catch a look between him and my dad.
"Have you thought about marriage, Dean?" I ask.
"I mean sitting in jail of course I thought about it. I thought maybe we could get married someday. I want it all with you, Ana. I want to live my dreams with you and I want to live yours with you. I want that forever with you."
"Oh," I say. "Maybe someday."
"Maybe," he says.
"So what did you two get Natalia for Christmas?"
"We haven't really gotten her anything yet," I say. "I mean she's only 2 months old she'll be almost 3 months old on Christmas she's not even going to have a clue about what's going on. I mean I guess we could get her some new clothes, new pacifiers, new bottles and a couple toys. She doesn't really need much. WE can't afford too much."
"That sounds about right to me," says my dad. "You don't have to go overboard. It's her first Christmas. She'll never know. Keep it small for her."
"Natalia Ambrose," says the doctor and we all look at him.
"Yes," I say as I stand up and Dean stands up with me. We hurry to the doctor holding hands. "Is she okay?"
"Everything is fine," he says with a smile as we both let out a breath of relief. "The surgery went very well and she did fine."
"Is it fixed?" I ask.
"The hole is all closed up. She will need to visit a cardiologist on a regular basis throughout her life to have her heart monitored and checked but she is fixed up."
"So the hole is gone?" asks Dean.
"The hole is gone," says the doctor with a smile. "And she's doing well. She's in recovery right now. WE are about to move her to the PICU to keep watch over her for the next couple hours but she's doing very well. She should be in a regular room by tonight."
"Can we see her?" I ask.
"In a few minutes once we get her moved I will send a nurse out for you and you can come see her. The surgery was very successful. You have nothing to worry about."
"Thank-you," I say with a smile.
"Thank-you," says Dean before he shakes his hand.
"You're welcome," says the doctor before he walks away.
"She's okay," I say with a smile as I face Dean.
"Our little girl is a fighter. Of course she's okay." He wraps his arms around my waist as my arms snake around his neck. "She's strong she's got this."
"I know," I say with a smile. "I love you."
"I love you too," he says before he kisses my lips softly.
About 30 minutes later a nurse comes to get us so that we can go see Natalia. She only lets Dean and I go because we are her parents. I'm not sure how I feel about going to see her in the PICU but I really want to see my baby to make sure she's all right. As Dean and I get closer to the PICU he holds my hand a little tighter as the nurse escorts us into the PICU. Tears fill my eyes as I see our baby girl hooked up to tubes and wires laying in her bed she is so tiny. It's hard to see. We walk over to her and I place my finger in her hand as she wraps her little hand around my finger. It makes me smile as Dean rubs my back to comfort me. "Hey, Natalia," I say, "Mommy and Daddy are here. You did so well in your surgery. We are proud of you. You're such a fighter. Dean, look at her."
"She's beautiful," he says as he takes his hand over the top of her head. "Our beautiful little warrior, she's going to be okay. The worst of it is over now."
"I know," I say. "It is just so hard to see her like this."
"I know but in a couple days we'll see her smiling and being happy like she was before. She's going to be okay, Ana. Look at her she's just like us we have been through so much in our lives and won. She's going to do the same."
"She is an Ambrose," I say with a smile before I kiss her little forehead. "An Ambrose can make it through anything."
*A/N: What do you think about Dean asking Rod for permission to ask Ana to marry him? Do you think Dean is going to listen to Rod? Why do you think Rod chose to tell Dean the truth about Ana's mom but not Ana? Do you think his story is true? Do you think Dean will end up telling Ana what her father told him or will he keep it a secret from her? What do you think about Rod throwing Dean under the bus asking Ana what she thought about marriage? What do you think of her opinion? And lastly what do you think about Natalia's surgery? Think the worst is over now? Please review and thank-you for reading.