Recovery


Tori


Trying to survive Covid was hard work. I missed a month of my babies' lives. All four of them. My Daughter Miri is almost done with her pregnancy. This is when a girl needs her mother the most.

Sirrah is all alone, in a sea of babies. She is the only one. The forgotten child. Because Aj and Jayden need all the attention. Being stuck in bed these weeks has been torture. Jade still called me every day.

She looked so tired. She would do a lot of one-sided conversations.

I felt so bad for her.

"Hello!" I heard. My eyes opened. I tried to stay still. Because if I moved, the tube in my airway would irritate me. "We are going to extubate you, your lungs are clear. We let you wake up because we need you to cough."

They finally helped me cough and the tube is out of my body. "There you go… You won't be singing any Arias for the next few months but it looks good. And you are breathing on your own."

I hadn't thought of my singing voice. I took a deep breath I still felt a little underwater but I felt better. They put a nasal cannula in my nose, it is a precaution. I heard my phone ring and I turned my head. I answered the face time, and it was Sirrah. "Mommy!" she said

"Hi, baby." I mouthed. I didn't have a voice.

"You don't have a tube in your mouth anymore." I blew a kiss at her. She talked to me for a while and she took her phone to the babies. She gave the phone to Mira, who cried when she saw me.

"Mami, I miss you." She said. "Please get better. I can't do life without you and Daddy."

"I love you," I whispered.

"I love you too." She looked at Sirrah. "Here take it to the office."

Sirrah looked at me and walked a few feet away. "Sirrah," I whispered.

"Huh? She said and paused in front of The office door.

"I'll call her," I said again. I had to repeat it a few times.

"Okay, mom… Will you be back for my birthday?" I looked at the date on the wall. It was less than a week away.

"I don't know baby," I whispered.

"I hope so," she said and we stayed on the line for a while and listened to my little girl's thoughts. Then I fell asleep because I was exhausted.

I woke to the nurse in my room. She was taking blood. "I have some news."

I looked at her and braced myself "Oh no."

"It's great news. You're covid free." She said. "We are just looking to manage your symptoms now."

I smiled and reached for my device. I called Jade. She answered and she was locked in her office. "Hey," I whispered.

She smiled then turned her head and coughed. "Hey, beautiful." She said.

"What are you doing in the office?" I asked my voice gravely now. "It's late."

"I have covid… I just took a test. I have to stay away from everyone. I can't be in our room because the babies are there, and I just can't talk with anyone."

"Love…" I said My voice is still injured. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine." She said. "I just feel a little achy, and I can't smell, but besides that, I feel alright."

"Is there a bed in the office?" I asked her.

"Yes," She shifted. "I just don't feel like opening up the couch."

"You mean you don't have the strength to open up the couch," I said.

She dropped her head. "Okay fine, I feel like shit, but not as bad as you feel"

"I'm covid free..,." I said. She looked shocked and a little scared. "I should be coming home soon."

"Love! That's amazing!" I Smiled I loved when she called me that. "I can't wait to hold you in two weeks," she said.

"I can't wait to hold you either. So you need to take care of yourself"

"I am waiting for people to go to bed, so I can go to the kitchen and get some food." I blinked at her. "They don't know…"

"Jade…"

"When you got vented I freaked out and tried to get into the hospital several times…. Sometimes I had no protection and… I've been exposed. And now I feel that everything we did was in vain because I was so careless."

I hung up on her. Yes, she was reckless. But that was ridiculous. I needed to get the hell out of this bed.


Jade


I cried when she hung up. That was what I was trying to avoid but I was sore. My throat was on fire I had absolutely no energy. All I wanted was the company.

I looked at my screen and frowned. I closed my Mac down and looked around. I really did want to lie down.

There was a knock at my office door. "Not now!" I growled at the door and that hurt so bad.

" I swear to God Jade if you don't unlock this door…". It was Beck.

"You can't get sick," I said through the door.

"And I'm supposed to be okay with you rotting in there alone?" He sighed and walked away a minute later he said. "Unlock the door and Go into the bathroom if you can I'll bring you some blankets and food."

"Do you have gloves?" I asked

"And a mask, I won't stay long."

I moved to the door. "Don't come in til I say"

"I promise," he said and I unlocked the door. I wanted to run but I didn't have the energy. When I made it into the office bathroom, I yelled out "Okay!"

I watched him through the crack and he indeed had gloves and a mask. He dropped the tray on my desk and turned to the couch. "She sequestered herself in the bathroom so I could come in." He said as he pulled the bed out for me.

"She is so stubborn" I heard Tori's gravely voice. She hung up on me to tell him about me. "An get her the comfy pajama set I know she likes to be nude but she is going to sweat a lot."

I watched as he walked to the door as there was a knock. "Thanks, Miri, grab like seven t-shirts and bring them here". he said and I watched him make my bed.

"I'll call her when we are done, she can yell at me but she won't," Tori said.

"Thanks for letting me know Tor. I'll be keeping an eye out."

Beck said finishing the process and then whipping the fest down with a bleach wipe. "Babe, there is food and some extra snacks here. I pulled out the bed and I have the electric blanket plugged in."

I sighed thinking of how glorious that bed will feel after sitting in my chair all these hours. "Thanks, babe," I said.

"I will always take care of you." He then banged his hand against the bathroom door. "I'll be back to get the dishes just text me."

"Okay," I said and waited to hear the door close. I opened the bathroom door. I looked around and there were lots of snacking things and a small sampling of dinner. I was so glad because I didn't think I could eat. I sat in my chair and my Mac lit up with a FaceTime call.

I answered and saw my glaring partners both on the other side. "Thanks," I said.

"Eat now," Beck said.

I sighed. "My throat actually hurts really bad."

"It's super soft." He added.

"Love you have to eat, even if you don't want anything," Tori said.

Then I heard a cry. "Hey,' I'm gonna go help Aj. I'll see you later Tor." Then he signed off and left me all alone.

She glared at me. "Eat."

I sighed and put the spoon to my mouth. It tasted like hot water with no salt or sugar. I picked up a solid piece and that tasted like unsalted mash. I concentrated on getting enough so that I felt fed. Then I looked up at her. "Happy?"

"Very." She said She bit her lower lip. "Hey love?" she said. "I'll be home in two days."

I breathed in relief. The babies will have their mommy. But I was sad that I wouldn't be there for her."That's such great news."

"Please get better soon?"

"I'll try."