Page 75 of Dirty Money
Men were odd, she decided. One day they wanted one thing and the next it was like that didn’t really matter at all. She didn’t know when or how she’d ever figure Weston out.
If ever!
With their lunch finished and an hour had passed, they went back up to see if they could go in and see the baby. They found her father outside of the room, talking to the pediatrician. They waited until he was done and the other man had walked away. Charles leaned back against the wall and looked at Aulora with fear-filled eyes.
They approached him with much hesitation then Aulora asked, “Is there something wrong, Dad?”
When he nodded, she felt her knees go weak and was thankful for Weston’s strong arm that tightened around her to hold her up. “The baby has a heart murmur,” her father said with a long sigh following.
“Oh God!” Aulora said, stunned. “What does that mean, Dad?”
He shook his head. “Just that she’ll have to be specially monitored. One of her heart valves doesn’t seem to be closing tight enough. The pediatrician said it can get stronger with time. If she’s not better by the time she’s a year old, they’ll do surgery to fix the problem.”
“Oh, so it’s not like some terminal thing then?” Aulora asked, feeling more than a bit relieved.
“Not terminal, no,” he said. “If she has to have surgery a lot can happen. I hope she doesn’t have to undergo that.”
Weston clasped Charles’ shoulder. “I’m sure it’ll get stronger on its own. We’ll research the shit out of what to do to make sure it happens for her. Don’t worry. How’s Clara taking it?”
“Typical of any new mother. She’s devastated,” Charles let them know.
Weston shook his head as he thought, at least he got two months of pure joy before it was all taken away from him. This poor couple got a few minutes before doubt was put into their heads about their child’s future.
“Let’s go see her, Aulora.”
Going inside, they found Clara, holding the baby. Tears were in her eyes and it gave them both pain in their hearts. “Hey, there,” Aulora said as they came in. “Do you feel up to company?”
“Did your father tell you?” she asked Aulora.
She nodded and came to her side. “He did. Can I hold her?” Clara nodded and Aulora took the tiny baby in her arms. “Hey, you. You know you have to get that little valve problem under control, right? You’re scaring Mom and Dad. As your big sister, it’s my job to make sure you’re always okay. So, you have to get okay, New Aulora.”
“Oh, we didn’t name her that,” Clara said. “Her name’s Hope. Because we want to remember to have hope for her every time we talk about her.”
“Hope, huh?” Aulora asked. “I like it. So, Hope, you have to get better. I have big plans for you and I.”
Weston took a seat as he listened to Aulora talking to her sister, much the same way he’d talked to his son. He’d had hopes, dreams, plans. But he shook his head to rid himself of the thoughts that would only send him into a funk.
Clara looked worried and defeated. Weston made an attempt to ease her mind, “You know most babies get through this early on.” He held up his cell to show her what he’d looked up. “It says here that most of the babies with this condition when born are better before they reach six months old. That’s great news. Don’t you think, Clara?”
“I guess,” she mumbled. “I just wish I knew what I had done wrong. I don’t want to do it again with our next child.”
He looked at the article and shook his head. “It says there’s no one who’s at fault with this kind of thing. It can happen to anyone. And the mortality rate for this type of thing is extremely low, even if they have to do surgery to correct it. I think you should focus on the baby and not worry about that too much.”
“Can you move in with us for a while, Aulora?” Clara asked her. “I think I could use your help.”
Weston looked at Aulora who’d gone pale. “Me? Move in? Um,”
Weston got up and came to her side, wrapping his arm around her waist, he said, “Of course, you can.”
She looked up at him with wide eyes. “Only if you come too.” Aulora looked at Clara. “He and I are a package deal.”
“I know that. Of course, he can come too. I can use all the help I can get. I will not have nannies looking after my children. Only family members. I consider Weston part of the family. So, it’s settled. You two can move into the room right across from ours, so you can help us out. Can you be in there before we get released from the hospital?”
Weston took charge. “We can. Not to worry. I think it’s fantastic that you don’t want to use a nanny. I had one and I hated her. She was so stoic and strict. I could feel the fact I was nothing to her. My younger brother could too. I hated it when I had to go to school and leave him alone with her. We’d be glad to help with little Hope. And one day, I hope you and Charles can help us with our own brood.”
Aulora blushed as she looked at the baby in her arms. “Would you listen to him, Hope. He’s counting his chickens, isn’t he? Calling what we’ll have, a brood!”
The baby wiggled in her arms and she saw Weston looking at the bundle she held with great interest.
