Chapter Ten
Birth and Living
It was a trying couple of days for Marco. He wanted to call Dylan and tell him how he felt and what he thought of the paper but knew he couldn't. He was waiting patiently for Monday.
Saturday morning dawned a little too early for Marco when his phone rang at five.
"Hello?"
"Marco, get up! It's Chad and Paige is in labor. She's asking for you to be here. I am taking her to the hospital right now."
Marco bolted up in the bed, disturbing Scott in the process, "Huh? What?"
"Sorry, hun. I've got to go. Paige is in labor and she wants me at the hospital. It's probably to keep Chad calm. Lock the door when you leave later. I'll call you and let you know whether or not to expect me home tonight," said Marco, in a rush. He bent and kissed Scott sweetly before sliding out of bed and dressing.
It only took Marco twenty minutes to get to Massachusetts General Hospital. He asked the first person he found where labor and delivery were located.
Once directed to the waiting area, Marco found Dylan pacing. He stopped when the door opened fully and Marco entered.
"How is she?" asked Marco.
Dylan shrugged, "I don't know yet. I just got here. Chad is back with her but should be out to let us know something soon. At least, that is what the nurse told me a few minutes ago."
Marco nodded and sat in a chair near the door. He watched as Dylan kept pacing up and down, back and forth, and running his hands through the shining blonde curls. Marco stood after about twenty minutes, "I'm going to get you something to drink, maybe tea. You don't look like you need caffeine right now. I'll be right back."
Dylan smiled tiredly at Marco, "Thanks."
Marco returned five minutes later with two cups and a bag. When he received a quizzical look, he smiled sheepishly, "I can't help it, I bought some croissants."
Dylan laughed a little, "Leave it to the Italian to feed everyone. Thank you again, for the tea and for being here."
Marco nodded, "I love Paige like a sister, bratty as she may be. I wouldn't and couldn't just sit at home for this one."
Chad came out a few minutes after that. "You both can go in and see her. The doctor says it looks like it might be a while before the actual labor starts. He said some other things but I am confused about what it all means."
Dylan and Marco followed Chad down the hall to Paige's birthing suite. She had her eyes closed until the door clicked shut softly. She smiled slightly at her brother and friend, "Hello boys."
"How are you feeling, squirt?"
"Tired and in some pain. The joys of a natural birth," responded Paige.
"Did anyone call Mom and Dad?" inquired Dylan.
Chad shook his head, "I forgot."
Marco nodded, "I'll go call now. Take it easy Paige, you have a long day ahead of you. Try and get some rest while you can."
Paige nodded, "I will. Thanks for being here. I think these two may need the calming influence."
"I'll go call your parents now. I'll try and see you again soon," said Marco as he neared the bed. He kissed the blonde on her forehead before leaving the room.
Marco saw Paige's doctor coming toward the room, "Hi Dr. Christian, I'm Marco Del Rossi, we met at Paige's appointment a few weeks ago."
"Yes, Marco, how are you?"
"Good, how is Paige doing? She looks really pale."
"She's having a little trouble. One of the babies hasn't turned yet and doesn't look like it wants to either. I may have to do a C-section but it is still to early to tell," said Dr. Christian.
"Thank you for telling me. Does she or Chad know yet?"
"I discussed it with Chad but he gave me a blank look and said to discuss this with you or her brother when you arrived. I don't think he's going to be strong enough to be in the delivery room with her. If I do the C-section, he won't be in the room at all. No one will be but the staff."
"You may want to make that a rule anyway. Especially if you foresee some problems," suggested Marco. "I don't see Chad taking his wife in pain all that well."
"Thank you for the advice. I'll keep that in mind if things get too difficult."
Marco walked off and made his phone call. The Michalchuks said they were going to be on the next plane out of Toronto.
It had been hours since Marco had arrived at the hospital. Paige was still far away from hard labor according to the doctors and nurses. Her parents had arrived about an hour prior and were in visiting with their daughter, son and son-in-law. Marco felt like a fraud sitting in the waiting room. He was technically part of the family but he wasn't a part of the family anymore, Dylan had kicked him out.
Mr. Michalchuk emerged from the doors that separated the hall from the waiting room and sat next to Marco, "She's your family too, Marco. You should be back there with us."
Marco shook his head, "I am only family in paper only anymore. Dylan served me the divorce papers just the other day, so as soon as I sign them, I won't be part of this family at all."
Dylan's dad looked shocked, "Dylan served you with divorce papers? Are you sure this isn't just some scheme to make you crawl back to him?"
Marco shook his head again and laughed tiredly, "I've already crawled more than once. He left this time without a backward glance. He doesn't want to be married to me anymore. I can't do anything with that. I'd rather we be apart than have to continually fight him to keep this working. He needs to want this too, sir."
Mr. Michalchuk shook his head, "Why did you revert back to sir? I've been Jon or Dad for years now."
"It's a form of respect for you, sir. I am virtually no longer your son-in-law and I didn't want to take further liberties," responded Marco dully.
Jonathan Michalchuk hugged the younger man to him, "Always know, Marco, that no matter what happens between you and Dylan, you will always have a place in our family. You were Paige's friend first and then Dylan's boyfriend. We will always accept you as one of our own."
Marco felt the tears burn before they slid down his cheeks. He hugged the man to him tightly before releasing him and sitting back, "Thank you for that. I appreciate it."
Dylan emerged with Chad a few minutes later. Chad looked haggard and ready to pass out.
"They kicked everyone out but Mom. They said Chad would have to wait out here with us until the doctor says it's okay again. Apparently there has been some complications with the pregnancy. Paige denied the C-section unless it is medically necessary so they are still trying for a natural birth," explained Dylan.
Marco held his arms out to Chad, who gratefully sank onto Marco's lap and buried his head against Marco's chest. Chad started to cry as Marco soothed him by rocking him slightly and rubbing his back.
"Shh, Paige is strong. She'll be fine and the babies will be perfect," murmured Marco. He looked up to Dylan, "Will you go get him a cup of tea, please? I'd probably try to get chamomile, it's a calming tea."
Dylan nodded and turned to walk away but stopped, "Can I get you something?"
Marco shook his head in the negative before going back to console the friend still parked in his lap.
Dylan returned with the tea and Marco encouraged Chad to drink some of it. Chad had settled down enough to move to the couch. He fell asleep about ten minutes after he had lain down.
Marco and Dylan were sitting on opposite sides of the room when Mrs. Michalchuk emerged from behind the doors. She threw a questioning look at her husband before turning to Marco, "She wants to see you."
Marco walked back towards Paige's room with Mrs. Michalchuk, "What is going on between you and Dylan?"
Marco sighed, "He served me with divorce papers not too long ago. I haven't signed them yet."
"Why haven't you signed them?"
"I don't want a divorce. I think we could work our marriage out if he would just stop running away when things don't go the way he wants," replied Marco.
Mrs. Michalchuk never got to respond because they were at Paige's door. Marco pushed open the door and found an even paler Paige, if that was even possible, on the bed. "Hey beautiful, how are you?"
"Marco, if anything happens to me, I want you to help Chad raise our children. He'll need the help. Please tell me you will help him," begged Paige.
Marco looked at her with concern, "You will be fine Paige. You will be here to help Chad raise those babies. You may even be able to raise him in the process. I will be here though no matter what if that's what you want to hear. You will be fine, my love. I won't let anything happen to you. These babies need their mom."
Paige had tears dripping out of the corner of her eyes, "I don't think I'm strong enough to do this, Marco."
"Paige, you are the strongest person I have ever met. You can do this and will do this. You are the one that strong-armed me into telling Dylan that I was gay. You are the one that pushed us, sometimes physically, toward each other. You are the one that fought with Charles on behalf of your brother. You fought for Chad and won. You will survive this one too. Are you listening to me, young lady?" inquired Marco with his best no nonsense teacher voice.
Paige laughed a little at his speech, "Yes, I hear you. Thank you, Marco."
He bent down and kissed her cheek softly, "You are very welcome. I love you, Paige."
Mrs. Michalchuk saw the tear drop fall as Marco turned to leave the room.
Marco walked back to the waiting room and kept on walking. He didn't think he could face Dylan, Chad or Mr. Michalchuk.
Dylan watched as Marco kept walking until he was out of the waiting room, "What do you suppose that was about?"
Dylan's dad shrugged, "I don't know but he was crying. Maybe you should go find him, he might need a friend."
Dylan looked over at Chad's sleeping form before standing, "Call my cell phone if he wakes up."
Mr. Michalchuk nodded and watched his son follow his husband into the hallway.
Dylan found Marco in the chapel a few feet away from the waiting room. He tried to enter as quietly as possible but failed when the door slammed shut.
The men stared at each other for a few minutes until Dylan moved to sit next to Marco on the pew. He sighed, "Are you okay?"
Marco took a deep breath to try and steady himself before speaking, "No I am not okay. Your sister thinks that she isn't going to live through childbirth. She wants me to help Chad raise the babies. She has to be okay Dylan. I don't know what any of us would do if we didn't have Paige." He started crying again and this time he couldn't stop.
Dylan was unsure what to do so he followed his instincts. He wrapped his arms around Marco and held on for dear life. He felt the younger man curl into him as he continued to cry.
Once the crying had abated, Dylan and Marco went back into the waiting room. Chad was just waking up when they walked through the door.
"What time is it?" inquired Chad.
"It is almost seven on Saturday night. We've been here a long time," stated Dylan.
Chad stretched, "Has anyone gone in to see Paige?"
Marco nodded, "She asked for me about an hour ago. She's tired but she's doing okay."
Chad just nodded, "I think I need to go grab something to drink or eat. I just need to do something."
Dylan nodded, "That sounds like a good idea. I'll come with you. We all need to eat something."
The men had eaten some sandwiches and brought one into Mrs. Michalchuk before breaking out a deck of cards that Dylan had purchased from the gift shop.
As the first hand of poker was dealt, the doctor came out of the doors.
"Chad, I'm about to ask you for a hard decision but it's one that needs to be made quickly. Which do you want to live, your babies or your wife?"
Chad looked stricken, "Both preferably. But if I have a choice, Paige. There can be other babies but there's only one Paige."
Marco and Dylan shared a look across the table and moved toward Chad. The supported him from either side as the doctor swept out of the room. Chad sagged against his friends and started to cry.
"Why did they ask me that question? That is a horrible question."
Dylan soothed his friend the best way he could while his husband spoke softly, "It's just a precaution. Paige is strong, she'll be fine."
It felt like days had passed before the doctor emerged again. In reality, it had only been about two hours.
"I am happy to announce that both babies and their mother are fine. Paige is a little weak from the blood loss but she'll make a full recovery. Your son and daughter, Chad, are absolutely perfect," Dr. Christian announced.
The four men sighed in relief. Dylan spoke up, "Will we be able to see Paige and the babies?"
"The nurse will be out soon to get all of you. Paige needs to be cleaned up as do the babies. It shouldn't be any longer than an hour."
Chad started to cry again, "She's fine. The babies and Paige are fine. Thank you God for sparing her."
Marco held onto his friend tightly as he cried. He caught the tears that were welling up in Dylan's eyes over Chad's head. He nodded his understanding as the first tear fell.