Chapter Two
"...A drunk driver?" Steve repeated.
"He had a .19 when we found him this morning," Oscar said.
"How do you know he was drunk yesterday?"
"When he found himself surrounded by Federal Agents instead of the police, he admitted everything. He claimed he didn't know he'd hit Lauren, but he brought up the subject; we didn't."
Steve nodded. "Thank you."
"How is Lauren?"
Steve's eyes clouded. "It's been almost 24 hours with no change. No response – nothing."
"We've got some of the best medical talent in the country here, Pal. She'll pull through."
"Oscar, she has to!"
"What about you and Jaime? How are you holding up?"
"I'm...ok," Steve said unconvincingly. "And Jaime...about like you'd expect."
"What about the kids?"
"Jaime's on the phone with them now. Jenna and Crystal don't really understand, but Hannah's been crying since yesterday. And James...they may not be identical, but he and Lauren are definitely twins."
Both men fell silent as Jaime (looking as though she might collapse at any second) joined them. Steve quickly helped her into a hallway chair.
"James wants to see his sister," she said sadly.
"What did you tell him?"
"I said he could, as soon as she...wakes up." Jaime took a deep, quivering breath. "Steve...Hannah asked me...if Lauren was gonna die."
- - - - - -
Rudy stopped at the hospital that night to check on Lauren's condition himself and also, at Oscar's request, to check on Lauren's parents.
"Have either one of you slept since yesterday?" their friend and doctor asked gently. He wasn't expecting an answer; the bags under Jaime and Steve's bloodshot eyes and the pallor of their faces said it all. "What about food; have you eaten?"
"I don't think I could," Jaime answered for both of them.
"How about some soup?" Rudy persisted. "That'd slide right down, and you won't be any good to Lauren – or each other – passed out on the floor..."
"Rudy, thank you," Jaime said softly, hugging him. "But...I just can't."
Rudy extended one arm to Steve, inviting him into a tight family-sized hug, then moved his own arms away to leave husband and wife in a comforting embrace. "I'll be back in the morning. Look out for each other, and please don't give up hope."
- - - - - -
When a second 24 hours went by without any response from Lauren, doctors started to lose the little bit of optimism they'd been able to retain and Jaime began to reconsider her decision.
"Steve," she began, very quietly, "maybe we should let James see her."
"Whatever your instinct says is best," Steve told her.
"I mean, she is his twin, and if...something happens..."
Steve opened his mouth to contradict her, to insist that everything would be alright, but they didn't know that anymore. Instead, he nodded sadly. He caressed his wife's face, wishing there was something – anything! - he could do to relieve her of the horrible pain that overwhelmed her, or to keep the tears from her eyes. "I'll call Mom and Dad."
"Have them bring all the kids – they need to see us, Steve. They need their parents, almost as much as Lauren does. We can talk to them in the room across the hall.. And I know Mom and dad want to visit Lauren."
Steve nodded again, and headed down to the offices to make the call.
- - - - - -
Steve took Crystal and Jenna onto his lap and Jaime held Hannah in a close bear hug, while James sat between both of his parents while Steve quietly gave them an age-appropriate explanation of Lauren's condition.
"Can I go see her, too?" Hannah asked.
"Not just yet, Baby," Jaime answered gently. As soon as she's a little stronger, you'll all get to see her -"
"But James is gonna get to -"
"James is her twin," Steve said firmly, "but while he's in there, you'll be the oldest Austin kid in the room..."
"I get to be in charge of Jenna and Crystal?" she exulted, tears momentarily forgotten.
"Within reason," Steve told her, smiling in spite of himself.
When Jim and Helen joined them, Jaime could see that Helen had dried her own tears before the children could see them. Setting Hannah on her feet, Jaime moved to give the older woman a hug.
"Ok, Buddy," Steve told his son, "your turn. Do you want Mom or me to go in there with you?"
"Uh-uh. I...just wanna see her for a few minutes, that's all." Steve walked him down to the door of the ICU cubicle, thankful that they'd bent the rules to allow this special visitor access to his sister. He wrapped an arm around his wife as she joined him, and they sank into two hallway chairs to wait.
"Do you think we should go in there?" Jaime ventured. "He's so young – they're both...so young."
"He knows we're out here. I think he needs this time with just the two of them."
A sound from inside the cubicle temporarily stopped their hearts before sending them racing: a nine-year-old female voice, weak but very clear - "Mom!"
Sometimes one single sound can set the world back on its axis, spinning properly again.
- - - - - -