29. CONGRATULATIONS. YOU ARE A FATHER!!!

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"How are you feeling?" Mateo asked, taking the seat previously occupied by Valerie.

"Lighter now that I let all of the pent-up sadness and fear out." He nodded, no emotion on his face, "And... wiser."

He raised a brow.

"Mom, could you pass me my phone?"

"River-"

"Please?"

She dialed a number and pressed the phone to her ear.

"River?" Eric picked his phone up.

"Hey, do me a favor?"

"Sure, what is it?"

"Make a call for me." She said, a grimace forming on her face.

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"Do you feel any pain?" Dr. Dewell tapped on the wound on her head.

"A bit." River replied.

"That's normal." He smiled. "There's no swelling, no major vessels damaged and no sign of hematoma. It's healing well. So I think there is no need for surgery."

"Phew.. The last thing I needed was my bush shaved off." She replied. Her hair was one wild nuisance but she loved it nevertheless and having it shaved away for surgery would have broken her heart.

"No tedious works until the braces come off." He added and then gave her a small smirk. "It means you have to strictly keep to walking."

River nodded, rolling my eyes. She was known in the hospital for running around like a maniac. And things were bound to get hectic soon because she had already missed three scheduled surgeries the previous day.

"You are all good to go by evening after the formalities are done." He finally said the words she wanted to hear, and gave her a side hug.

"That's against professional etiquette." River raised a brow.

"So is sleeping with Mateo Adesso." He winked and walked away while she mentally face-palmed.

"Everyone know about it, don't they?"

"Yep." Susan, one of the older and super sweet nurses, with her mother's name, laughed as she removed the drip from her hand. "You can start taking solid food. Your breakfast will be sent here soon."

River nodded. It felt good to sit up, cross-legged again. She had spent the whole day either on her stomach or side last day. And she was very weak after the panic attack. She hadn't had one in years so it took its toll on her.

'So stupid of me. My kids would have been scared out of their wits.'

Much to her chagrin, it had been decided that it was better the kids didn't visit their mother at the hospital anymore so they had to settle with face-timing. A few more hours and they would be reunited.

It was eight in the morning and River's mother had gone home to get her some casual clothes and maybe some lemon cookies. Hopefully some lemon cookies?

"River, there's something I need to tell you." Susan turned back at the door, looking suddenly tense.

"What is it, Sue?" She asked. She had been there at the hospital ever since she had started working there as an intern so they were pretty friendly. And she had River's mother's name so she felt that familiarity and affection towards her too.

"Are you seeing Mr. Adesso?" She asked timidly.

"No, why?"

She looked relieved when she said that. "Then it doesn't matter. Take care of yourself."

With that, she left.

River was confused for a moment. But then she remembered that last year, when Mateo was admitted, Susan was the first nurse assigned to him.

Did something happen?

'Well, you know who to ask.'

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"Mateo, give me the damn phone!" Adam bellowed as he tried to get his hands on his phone.

The test results had been sent to him in the morning but he couldn't bring himself to open it.

"Capo, you are being extremely illogical!" Ricardo tried to reason with his leader.

"Look, I will open it when I am ready." He tried. He didn't know why but he was terrified.

He needed those kids to be his.

Not because he wanted River. Well, he did want her. That hadn't changed after one whole year of trying to get over her, but he needed those beautiful, angelic kids to be his babies and he was scared the results may come out negative.

"Mateo, there are lives at stake here. We need to act fast. We don't have time for you to be sweating around like some timid teenager!" Adam said. And for once in his life, though Mateo wouldn't say it out loud, the motherfucker made sense.

"Fine." He sighed as he tapped on his phone.

"CONGRATULATIONS. YOU ARE A FATHER!!!"

All of their heads snapped to the door to see Alessia grinning at them, Mateo's laptop in her hand.

"Why didn't I think of that before?" Adam pointed at his best friend's Mac and then turned to him, "OH MY FUCKING GODS, I AM AN UNCLE!!! TO TWINS!!!"

He threw his hands around Mateo while he just stood there, just digesting the fact that was thrown at him.

This is exactly what he wanted to hear. That he was a papa.

That he had children with Dr. River Johnson, the woman he wanted to marry since a year ago.

That he was the father to two of the most beautiful and amazing children in the world.

And it was so stupid that he still didn't know their real names. He had just heard them be called Lukey and Ki. That couldn't be their real names. He needed to start by finding that out.

There were so many questions he needed answers to.

Well, he knew who to ask.

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