Chapter 14
Justin was dead tired, Maddy was sleeping peacefully in his lap, snuggled up against his chest. He stroked her hair, wondering what the hell he was suppposed to do. Should he call and cancel all his stuff planned and stay with Maddy and Rosa.
They needed him. Rosa had no family here and she definitely couldn't go to her husband, that son of a bitch if Justin ever saw him, he thought he just might kill him. Maddy was just a child. She shouldn't have to face these types of things, ever.
She was the sweetest thing he'd ever met. She was happy and polite. She loved her mother very very much. Just imagined way in the future when he had kids, if he had a daughter he envisioned her to be much like Maddy.
But when Rosa was released, what was he supppose to do? Stay with her? Be her friend? Wasn't he angry at her? How could he stil be angry knowing she had been put through all this. He just had no idea what he should do.
Suddenly a doctor walked through the doors. Justin called to him silently.
"Sir." He called out quietly, hoping to catch the Doctor's attention without waking Maddy. Thankfully he heard and walked over, noticing the sleeping child in his arms.
"Can I help you sir?" He asked, smiling down at Maddy.
"Rosalina Myers. How is she?"
"Ahh, Mrs. Myers, well she's stable. We're in an uneven state right."
"Uneven state? What does that mean?"
"She broke two ribs, and there has been some added stuggle to her lung. But she's breathing on her own, meaning their mostly likely isn't damage to the lung. We'll have the results shortly."
"Can we see her?"
"Well she's still in the operating room, in about an hour, they'll wheel her out into her own room. You'll be able to see her then. Maybe take the time sir to grab a coffee and a sandwich for your daughter."
"I will, thank you sir." Justin nodded. He carefully slid his arms around Maddy and lifted her up. He had to ask directions to get where he was going but when he got there, he felt very relieved. Luckily some seats were cushioned and he laid Maddy down. Then kneeled down infront of the cross and began to pray.
He didn't know how long he was praying for. He was just there, kneeling praying every prayer he knew and asking some many questions which he didn't know the answers too. A short while later, Maddy joined beside him. She linked one of her arms through his and folded her hands together and prayed with him.
A couple of prayers later, Justin suggested they wait in the hall so they could see Rosa. She agreed. As she reached for Justin's hand her stomach growled, and she looked up at him frowning.
"Uh Justin, I'm hungry." She said.
"Okay, let's go to the cafeteria quickly and see what they have." he suggested.
"Cafeteria?" She asked confused. Justin smiled. "What's that?"
"It's a palce where they sell food and you can sit there and eat."
"Oh a restaurant." She nodded.
"Kind of. But they have cafeteria's in schools and hospitals. It's not like Mac Donalds."
"Oh." She said disappointedly.
Once they got there, it was empty except for maybe three people and a janitor. Justin bought her a fruit cup, baloney sandwich and milk. She ate her baloney sandwish quietly in the caf.
"I'm full." She announced, after she finished her sandwich, rubbing her stomach.
"Okay, well I'll hold onto the fruit cup and just drink some milk right now." She nodded. Justin opened her milk and handed it to her. She placed the straw in and began drinking. She finished it and they stood and threw their garabge out.
They waited in the hallway, and not long after Rosa strolled through the doorway on a bed being wheeled by, by a couple of doctor's. Justin picked Maddy up automatically and followed them.
Once in her room, the doctor's secured the wires and left. Justin carried Maddy in and placed her on the side of the bed. She instantly lied down and an dtook a hold of her mom's hand.
"Justin, why's her hand look blue?" Maddy asked, looking up at him like an angel, worried about her mother.
"Um....she's just cold." He anwered.
"Oh." Maddy then pulled the blankets up to cover more of Rosa. Maddy fell asleep much sooner than Justin. He could have sworn he was awake at least another hour or two before he actually dozed off.
He woke up a couple hours later, the light barely shining through the blinds. he glancd at Rosa and she was watching him.
"Hey." Her voice was rugged, strained.
"Hi. How you feeling?"
"Like a ton of bricks fell on me." She coughed. She looked terrible. Her right eye was fairly swollen still and their were 4 stitches above her left eyebrow and at the corner of her lip. The bruising was very noticable and she looked extremely pale.
"Fair enough." He said and they both remained silent just watching each other. Rosa didn't know what to do or what to say. She could barely say anything and Justin he was just watching her. She had absolutely no idea what he was thinking.
"You should have told me." He finally said.
"How?"
"I'm not sure but you really should have told me."
"Was I suppose..." And she began coughing. One after another, after another. Maddy stirred, just about to wake up until the coughing stopped.
"All I can say is thank you." She said sincerely. "Very much. You have no idea."
"It was nothing but I could have helped. Dammit Rosa, I could have helped you..." He said frustratedly, "...before this happened."
"Help me now."
"How?" He asked.
"With Maddy, please. Take care of her for me."
"I will." He agreed.
"Thank you." She said, her eyes welling with tears, at the kindness Justin was not only showing her but her daughter. Before Justin could catch her crying, the door swung open and her doctor walked in.
"Mrs. Myers, how are you feeling?"
"Like a million dollars." She replied smiling slightly, and Justin chuckled.
"I've got good news and bad news. What would you like first?" He asked. She looked over at Justin and mouthed the word good. He nodded.
"The good."
"Well the good, your lungs are fine. There was no damage done to them."
"And the bad...."
"You will be joining us at the hospital for a lenghty period. Almost two weeks, we'll like to keep you."
"Two weeks? For what?"
"Recovery, observations, therapy, possibly another surgery. The soonest you'd be out is a week and a half. We believe in a great and full recovery for you so we do suggest that your husband and daughter go back to work and school but continue to visit nightly or however they might like too." Rosa eyes shot upwards towards Justin as the doctor called him her husband but he wasn't looking at her. His gaze was fully on the doctor.
"We'll do that, thank you sir." Justin agreed.
"Just take another few minutes with her and then she'll be in observations for awhile." Justin nodded and watched the doctor leave the room.
"Well should I bring her to school today?" Justin asked. It took her a moment to answer, her mind still focused on the idea they thought Justin was her husband.
"Um...no. Her school is on strike."
"Should I pick up some of her clothes or something? Or I could just buy her stuff, it doesn't matter really."
"Well no one should be home. I believe my keys are still in my car. You could go to the house...."
"No problem and grab some of her things."
"Thank you." She smiled. And he smiled back at her. This all felt oddly normal.
"Mommy." Maddy shrieked and threw her arms around Rosa's neck.
"Hey there sweetie." She pushed away her bangs and kissed her forehead gently.
"Are you okay?" She asked quietly.
"Yep. Mommy's gonna be fine."
"Yah." She cheered.
"But I'm gonna have to stay in the hospital for a bit so you're gonna be with Justin. Is that fine?"
"Uh huh." She nodded. The doctor strolled back in.
"But mommy has to go now. I'll see you later, okay sweetie."
"Okay mommy." She agreed, as Justin lifted her off the bed. The doctor slowly began pushing her out of the room. "Love you mommy." She called out.
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