Page 20 of When You Blush
I sigh and push my hand through my hair. “Give me another hour, Mo. I need to wrap a few things up here, but I’ll be in by”—I check my watch—“ten.”
“Got it,” she says. “Thanks, see you soon.”
I hang up and hurry back to the room where Dani and Bridger are waiting. I hate that Bryce is having issues this morning. After everything Bridger went through with Birdie when she was born so early and so small, this is the last thing my brother needs.
“Did you see him?” Dani asks right away as she pads out of the attached bathroom, and Bridger helps her back into bed.
“Sweetheart, all of this is preventive. They wouldn't be bringing him back to you if we thought he was in distress or failing.”
Dani swallows hard and nods as Bridger kisses the top of her head.
“Aspirating fluid isn’t uncommon,” I continue. “And because they caught it so soon, they can get ahead of it. The antibiotics aren’t a bad idea. I’m going to warn you, if they go that route, they’ll want to keep him here for seventy-two hours because it’ll be IV antibiotics.”
“I have to go homewithout him?” Dani asks, her eyes wide in horror. She shakes her head. “Absolutely not.”
“Hey, let’s not get ahead of ourselves, kitten,” Bridger says. “Let’s see what they say, okay? Stop working yourself up.”
Dani takes a deep breath. “Okay. Did you check in with your parents? How’s Birdie?”
“Birdie’s great, and she can’t wait to meet her baby brother,” I reply with a grin. “I FaceTimed them right after the birth and showed Bryce off.”
“Good.” Dani grins and relaxes a bit. “I don’t like being away from her, either.”
“You’re such an amazing mama,” Bridger tells her.
Dani isn’t Birdie’s biological mom, but she’s become a mother to that little girl in every way, and they share a special bond.
“I have to go,” I inform them, but then Dr. Lachlan comes back in with a smile.
“The good news is, the CBC didn’t show any infection in his little body. We’re growing some cultures to make sure. However, the X-ray does show a little fluid in there.”
She opens her laptop, brings up the images, and shows them to us.
Sure enough, left superior lobe.Damn.
“Harper is suctioning him now. Don’t worry, it’s annoying but not painful for him at all, and it’s probably all done by now. Idowant to start an antibiotic to prevent any infection and get him started off on the right foot.”
“Can he stay in here with me?”Dani asks.
“Absolutely,” Dr. Lachlan says. “But we’ll watch him and keep an oxygen monitor on his toe. If he doesn’t want to eat because he’s gasping, please don’t panic. We can feed him today until his lungs calm down, and then he can start feeding regularly once his breathing evens out.”
Dani sniffs, and her doctor rubs her hand up Dani’s arm. “I know this isn’t what you expected today, Mom, but this is minor in the grand scheme of things. Bryce is healthy, and his coloring is good. He’s just breathing like he went for a jog.”
“Well, if he takes after me,” Dani says, wiping at her eyes, “he hates that because I don’t run.”
That makes us chuckle. The doctor finishes, answers questions, and promises to check on Bryce before she sends him back here.
“This sucks,” Dani says as she leans against Bridger, who’s just climbed on the bed with her and wrapped her in his arms.
He looks ridiculous. He’s huge and half of his ass is hanging off the side.
“I’m going to head out,” I inform them. “I have to get to the clinic, but I’ll check in with you guys between patients. Try to get some rest, you two.”
“Thanks, Blake,” Dani says, reaching for my hand and giving it a squeeze. “You’re the best brother-in-law ever. Don’t tell the others.”
I smirk, kiss her hand, and pat Bridger on the shoulder before I walk out of their room.
I want to go upstairs to the NICU to peek in on Bryce.
