Ways to Live Forever

The Hodgson Miracle

Nikki sits patiently in front of her newborn daughter as she watches the nurse mess with the wires connected to her which are monitoring her vital signs and heart rate, "How is she doing today?" Nikki asks as she bites her thumb and leans forward resting her elbows on her knees.

"She's responding to the antibiotics very well and the doctor wants to reduce the oxygen to see if she will take over breathing again" the young nurse replies. Nikki wipes her eyes slightly to remove the tears that are forming in her eyes.

In the past few days, Isabella had developed a serious chest infection which had spread rather quickly to other parts of her body, her body is small but attempting to fight off everything that is coming her way, the nurse moves away and smiles at Nikki indicating that she can touch her again, she opens the little hatch to the incubator and hesitates before placing her hand inside and touching her daughters back. The heart rate monitor pings slightly which makes Nikki jump, "It's okay... don't worry, she defiantly knows you are her Mum, her heart rate picked up then, maybe if you talk to her also she will listen" The young nurse smiles as she is yet to hear Nikki speak to her daughter.

"What about? I mean she is sedated..." Nikki sighs taking her hand away from the incubator and looking down at her lap.
"She will, you are the best thing for her right now. A mother's touch always works... I'm sure you know that from bringing your older daughter up" She speaks and Nikki cringes knowing she didn't want to give away that she didn't bring her biological daughter up at all and it was all down to her father.

"She's always been very independent, forever arguing with me, we don't see eye to eye much anymore, she's turning into her Dad..." Nikki smiles.
"He seems like a decent man through, he's very caring and loves Isabella" She explains and Nikki smirks slightly at her sweet comment.
"My husband isn't my eldest father, I've only been with Jack seven years, friends before that... Emily belongs to my ex-boyfriend and colleague," Nikki explains as she looks back up at Isabella and then at the tag which has been placed in the incubator which is her identity tags for doctors and Nurses.
'I am a Girl
Name: Isabella Hodgson
Mother: Nicola Alexander
DOB: 14/02/19
Time: 17:58 pm.
Weight: 2lbs 5oz'

"Oh I'm sorry, I didn't realise" She replies to Nikki.
"Don't worry about it" Nikki mumbles before looking at her lap again and giving a sigh.
"You know you should, touch her and talk to her."

Nikki just nods and slowly looks up at her daughter again and decides to place her hand back in the incubator and gently stroke her back as she has been laid on her stomach for a while. "Look at you" Nikki smiles tearfully as she chokes up on her words. "I can't" Nikki replies and starts to cry.

The nurse looks at Nikki with a sympathetic look before walking over to her and placing her arms gently around her and pulling her into a hug, "Whatever is the matter? You are meant to be happy that Isabella is improving today," She smiles.

"I know, it's so silly, she is so venerable and she ends up with a mother like me..." Nikki mumbles through her tears.
The nurse looks at Isabella and smiles before looking at Nikki again, "You are going to be absolutely fine, I know it's not my area or any of my business, but is everything okay at home?" She questions.

Nikki nods and wipes her eyes with a clean tissue, "Just hard me being here all the time and Jack working and being at home attempting to be a step-father to my daughter who doesn't give us the easiest of lives. I've hardly seen Jack this week, he said it's pointless him coming on his paternity leave until she is home, which could be months away... he doesn't want to sit around all day watching the clock tick by" Nikki says and finally relieves some frustrations.

The nurse just sits there and accepts Nikki's frustrations for a while before she has to get back to work and leaves Nikki with Isabella, she looks up at her daughter again and gently strokes her tiny clenched fist, "I'm going to try my hardest for you darling, I don't know what the hell I am doing but we shall figure this out" Nikki smiles wishing she could just pick her up and cuddle her.