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Chapter Thirty Four: Four Men and Four Women
It was now around 6:30 in the morning and Marty had woken up from a few hours of sleep. She looked around her room glad to see that only one visitor inhabited the plastic chair by her bed. It was John who was sleepily slumping over in the chair. Looking tired and worn while wearing the same clothes for a day and a half he still managed to be absolutely handsome.
She stayed silent waiting for him to wake up before she said anything. Slowly his eyes fluttered open revealing, the intense blue depths she had come to know so well. "How long have you been here?"
"However long it was it wasn't long enough," John smiled taking her outstretched hand. "Cole finally left with Langston a couple hours ago. Neither one of us wanted you to wake up alone so I said I'd stay here with you. I know that Mike was in here earlier to talk to you but you were already asleep before either of us got back. How are you feeling now?"
"Tired." She answered honestly. "How's the baby?"
"She's doing well the last time I checked. She's a fighter like someone else I know." John mused with a roguish wink.
Marty blushed slightly as she ran her fingers delicately over John's knuckles his hand still in hers. "She must be so beautiful. I wish I could see her."
"You will. Don't worry about it. She's not going anywhere." Before John could elaborate, his cell phone began buzzing. Sighing he flipped it open to find that it was Bo calling him. "Listen I'll be back in a second. It's work."
"Go ahead and go. You've been here forever. I'll be fine on my own for a little while."
John apologized again with a chaste kiss to her lips and forehead. As he left the room he found Jessica standing outside holding Bree while Marcie stood next to her holding Tommy. Smiling at the two women he said, "I'm going to be right back. You guys keep Marty company will you?"
"Of course we will John." Jessica replied with a dismissive tone her mind already focused on her best friend. Closing the door quietly behind herself and Marcie she grinned widely at the brunette in the hospital bed glad to see her friend was okay. "How are you feeling Marty?"
"Better now that you two or four actually are here." Marty realized seeing that both Jessica and Marcie had their children with them. "I'm really happy both of you are here. It's been nice having John and Cole around of course but guys are no-substitute for girlfriends."
"Don't we know it." Jessica and Marcie chorused together as they laughed.
For the first time since waking up from her accident Marty felt comfortable in what she had previously deemed her "old life." She then realized from all the well wishes she had received she had no old life, no life before the accident and no life after. What she had was her life the same as before just with a few spots here and there that were missing. The most important things she had were John, Cole and their new baby girl. In the grand scheme of things that was all that mattered that she had them.
"Oh before Bree and I forget we have a present for the newest McBain." Jessica says. "Okay Bree go give Marty your present for the baby."
Bree nodded as Jessica placed a large fluffy snow white unicorn with a pink horn in her forehead in her arms. With a big smile the toddler handed Marty the horse. "This for baby." She said slowly. "Oh! Why thank you so much Bree. I'm sure my little girl will love it."
"Bree and I picked that up a couple weeks ago at Wyndham's. She has a unicorn just like that and insisted your little girl have one just like it."
"All right Tommy go on and show Marty what you and your Daddy picked out for your new baby cousin." Marcie urges. "Go on sweetie don't be shy."
Tommy smiled a gap-toothed grin at Marty who beamed back at him in return. He then handed her a beautiful chenille sea-green elephant who held a beautifully decorated baby album in the same color in his arms. Tracing the cover of the album with her fingers she wiped tears from her eyes. "Thank you so much Tommy. I love it. We'll have to put lots and lots of pictures with you and your cousin inside."
"Knock, knock." Langston called from the door. Pushing it open with her hip she pulled a love struck Cole in behind her. The goofy grin on his face explained the events of the previous past few hours they shared together. "See Cole? We made it just in time. Everyone's here to see how your Mom is doing."
"That seems to be the question of the day." Marty retorted. "I'm doing pretty well and judging from the look on your face Cole you could say the same."
Crimson crept up Cole's throat. "Mom I'm really glad you're all right. I'm going to go find John. I um wanna know how the baby's doing." He told Langston brushing a kiss over her face. "I'll be right back."
"Oh that is just too cute." Marcie giggled once Cole was gone.
"I know right?" Langston said bounding over to sit next to Jessica. "Oh and before I forget I have a present for the baby too."
"Another present? She's only been born what fifteen hours? And all of you are already spoiling her rotten." Marty cried.
Langston pulled a CD out of her purse saying, "These are all the songs my Mom used to play for me when I was baby. I liked them a lot I still like them a lot. I didn't know what else to get so I just copied them for you, Dr. Saybrooke."
Marty was touched deeply by the gesture and pulled the girl into a hug. "Thank you so much Langston. My son is lucky to have such a caring and thoughtful girl like you. And you can call me Marty."
Langston nodded as she reciprocated the hug saying, "You're welcome Marty."
Outside the room John shoved his cell phone back in his pocket just as Nash and Michael both rounded the corner. Cigars with pink wrappers were in Michael's hands along with one in his mouth while Nash carried a trio of yellow daffodils Marty's favorite flower and he also had a cigar in his mouth.
"You two crazies aren't thinking of actually lighting those suckers in here are you?" John chuckled as he clapped his brother on the back.
"Us? Light cigars in a hospital hallway? Never!" Nash proclaimed before looking around the hallway. Pulling John close to him he whispered conspiratorially, "We're going to find a deserted on call room and light them in there."
John laughed shaking his head at the antics of the blonde man. Sometimes he wondered how Jessica could put up with all of his stunts. "How's the baby doing?" Nash questioned seriously. "She's doing good really good." John said smiling.
"Hey guys." Cole announced as he strode up to all of them coffee carriers in hand. After handing a cup to each of them he peered through his Mom's hospital room's window. He saw her happy and laughing surrounded by Jessica, Marcie and Langston while Tommy and Bree played in the middle of the bed.
"Look at them." The other three men turned to look at the window as they sipped their coffee and smiled.
"There's no one more beautiful." John proclaimed at the sight.
"Which one?" Michael asked with a chuckle.
"Does it really matter?" Nash questioned. A bright smile bloomed on his face as he thought of Jessica and Bree. "But just for the record the older McBain so meant my Jess." He quipped earning a laugh from the other guys.
"We're really lucky guys aren't we?" Michael said seriously his eyes focused on the lively plump red head perched on Marty's left side.
"Yeah, Mike we are." John agreed enthralled by the beautiful brunette in the middle of the hospital bed.
"I never knew life could be this good." Nash confessed his blue eyes focused on the two blondes in the room. "I've got Bree and I've got my Jess. We really are lucky."
"I've never been this happy. I wasn't even this happy with Starr. Langston's everything I could ever hope for." Cole admitted staring at the young brunette with purple streaks running through her hair.
After confessing about how lucky they all were Cole, John, Michael and Nash all continued staring at the four women who captured and enthralled their hearts. Each of those four women were as different as the men who loved them. But to those four men they were all the same beautiful, intelligent and the loves of their lives.