Page 54 of His to Love
Chapter Twenty-Five
Patton
Three days later, and the doctors finally had enough test results to diagnose why Alexa’s heart had stopped. As I’d predicted, the Vicodin was to blame. It turns out she’d had an allergic reaction.
We were happy with the findings because it meant that Alexa didn’t have an underlying heart condition that we would have to worry about dealing with in years to come. With her mother’s heart trouble, it had been weighing heavily on our minds that she too might have a similar problem.
Luciano would be bringing his parents up to stay a few days with us in the near future. They all wanted us to get home and settled before coming for a visit. Of course, no one had told them that Alexa’s heart had stopped, for fear of her mother’s reaction. They thought we’d had to stay at the hospital because of the baby’s early arrival.
As we prepared to leave, I packed the bag we’d brought to the hospital with us when we’d come. But my brothers and people from work had come to visit and each one of them had brought presents for the baby and Alexa, so I had lots more to carry out than I’d had to carry in. “I’m going to have to make a few trips, babe.”
“I’ve got our little pumpkin butt right here,” she said as she pulled her shirt back into place after giving Patty a little dinner before we got on the road home.
We were both over the moon that he’d taken to the breast with no problems at all. He’d taken both the bottle and the breast, which the nurses told us wasn’t always the case with most babies, especially newborns.
Just before I got to the door, a knock came and then a man I recognized stepped inside. “Mr. and Mrs. Nash, I’m Deacon Soliz.” He looked back and forth at us, seeming to recognize us too. “Hold on a moment. Don’t I know you?” He shook his finger at me. “You came to my home.” He looked at Alexa. “To find you, Alexa. Oh, my goodness! How have you been?” He smiled at her. “I see you’ve been busy since you left us. Married and with a baby already.” He smiled with what looked like genuine happiness for his former boarder.
Though he seemed to be grateful for this happy reunion, my mind snapped as I thought about the fact that Patty’s grandfather was standing right there. His real, flesh and blood grandfather. Panic rushed through me. “I’ll let you two catch up while I take these things to the car, babe.” I couldn’t be in the same room with the man. So many thoughts flooded my mind.
As I walked out of the room, I heard Alexa say, “We did have a baby. He’s a little early, but he’s healthy as they come. How have you and Mrs. Soliz been?”
Going to the elevator, I felt my pulse speeding up and my breathing becoming rapid.Just calm down.
I felt on the verge of a panic attack or something—it was something I’d never felt before. There was absolutely no reason for me to feel guilty about anything, but there I was feeling guilty anyway.
The coincidence of that man coming in to make a religious visit with the family of his biological grandson was just too much. What were the chances of that happening?
We’d been visited by a person from the clergy each day while in the hospital. And just as we were about to leave, here comes Patty’s grandfather. It had to be fate stepping in.
I made it down to the main floor and out to the parking lot, where I loaded our stuff into the trunk of Alexa’s car. She’d wanted me to bring it rather than my truck, as she said she didn’t want to have to climb up into the passenger seat and maybe rip her stitches. Her car was okay, but I already had plans on buying her something much safer since she would be driving with a baby on board now.
As I closed the trunk and went back to get more, I couldn’t stop myself from wondering what I would feel like if I had a grandson in the world that I knew nothing about.
But the situation with Alejandro was different. Alexa had told him about the baby and he’d told her to get rid of it. But his parents didn’t know a damn thing about the pregnancy. I found it unfair that they weren’t given a chance to say if they wanted to be in their grandson’s life or not. Knowing their religious affiliation, I thought they would probably want to be in his life, regardless of what their son had said and done.
Alexa and I hadn’t discussed anything about the Soliz family in a long time. Alexa had said before that they’d raised Alejandro, a womanizing liar who didn’t care if she murdered his baby, so why would she want his parents in her son’s life. So, I was quite sure her take on things would still be the same.
But maybe her mind had changed since having the baby. Maybe the man’s visit would have her feeling the same guilt I did. So, I hurried back to the room, only to find him gone. “How’d that go?”
“Fine,” she said as if it wasn’t a big deal at all. “The nurse said they’re about to bring in the release papers and after we sign them, we can go. I’m so ready to be home. Aren’t you?”
I was more than ready to be out of that hospital. It was nice, but it wasn’t home. “Of course I’m ready to be home.” I couldn’t believe how nonchalant she was being about the grandfather of her baby being in the same room with him. “Did you say anything to him about Patty?”
Her eyes shot daggers at me. “Are you being serious right now?”
Maybe not.
“You know what? I’ll just grab this next bunch of things and take them to the car. I’ll be right back to get the last load and hopefully they’ll have the paperwork ready by then.” I took off, not wanting to look her in the eyes after that response.
I’d never seen that look from her before. It was more than a little scary. But, like they say, a mother can become a bear in a heartbeat if she feels she needs to.
There was no way that I wanted to upset Alexa. But I also didn’t think I could just keep my mouth shut about things either. Perhaps the deacon and his wife deserved to know about their grandson. Perhaps they would become an intricate part of his life. And maybe that would be for the best. After all, the more people who would love our child, the better. Or so I thought, anyway.
After putting away three loads in the trunk of the car, completely filling it up, I headed back up to Alexa to find her signing papers. “Oh, good, you’re back.” She slid the stack of papers over then handed me the pen. “I’ve just finished signing them. Now it’s your turn.”
“Why do they need all this signed by both of us?” I began putting my John Hancock on the papers. “I’ve already given them the insurance information and even paid the co-pay already. What is all this?”
“Odds and ends,” she said as she put Patty into the car seat.
