Zac watched helplessly as the passengers doors of a truck swung open, "You sure it's him?" he heard someone ask. The window rolled down while the other guy jogged to where Zac was."Yo, hold the fuck up!!" he painfully hollered "Uhhh" he groaned, clutching his chest as he doubled over against the oak tree.
"That's him Twain! Go get him! What the fuck you standing there for!?" the voice of an irritated woman yelled from the driver side window. Zac fought to keep his eyes open as pain pulsed through his chest. "Oh shit! Twain come on man, we gotta get him up!" the other guy yelled, running towards Zac. His eye sight grew dim as the rain continued pounding around him. "I'm.." Zac tried, gathering as much breath as he could without causing himself too much pain "I'm down here!!" he yelled to the best of his abilities.
"Oh my God" Tierra gasped as her baby's father and his brother, Deon moved as fast as they could getting Zac off of the ground and towards the car "Be careful! He's looks hurt really bad" Tierra yelled over the sound of the storm, leading them back to her truck. Twain held onto Zac's upper body while Deon had his legs and feet. "His shit broken?" Twain asked looking down at him "I said be careful!" Tierra hollered at them while they got him into the 2rd row backseat of the truck without causing him anymore pain. "Hang in there Zac" Tierra said, "We're gonna get you back to Fatima, just hang in there" Zac wasn't able to speak as his chest and rest of his body throbbed with pain. He tried to wet his dry lips but his mouth was too
dry. Zac just nodded and laid his head down on the seat. He felt the truck moving in reverse and his tired eyes slowly began to close..
______________
Hours later..
Operation Room 205
"Blood pressure stable for mommy and baby" a nurse called out as she and two other nurses prepared Fatima for the birth of her daughter. Fatima controlled her breathing, just like she remembered. Everybody dressed in teal pants suits briskly moved around the room, grabbing the various items needed for when Baby Taylor entered the world. Fatima could only see the plastic shield covered faces of Dr Pearl and her fellow pediatrics surgeon, Dr Fawn over the white sheet that separated her from seeing anything beyond her chest. The sound a cold metal clanked against the metal tray as they ripped fresh tools from their packages seemed to echo. The steady beeps from the machines around her made the room feel so empty and cold.
"How we doing mommy?" Dr Pearl's muffled voice sounded over the sheet.
"I can't believe he's not here" Fatima whispered as she closed her eyes, tears streaming down the either side of her face. She held her empty hands out as she began to sob, rubbing her fingers together as she looked over at them. "He's really not here" she continued to sob. Dr Pearl looked up and over the sheet, removing her face shield and blue latex gloves "Fatima, sweetie it's going to be okay" she tried, walking around and kneeling beside Fatima's head. It only made her cry harder.
"Something happened to him" she double sniffed, shaking her head "It stopped storming a while ago" more tears began to fall, "why would they stop looking for him?"
"Fatima, list-"
"Excuse, Dr Pearl. Your needed in the lobby" a nurse kindly interrupted
"The lobby? Chrissy, I'm trying to-" the beep on her watch caught her attention and the message she read brought tears to her eyes. "Fatima.."she started, walking away to check her carts and progress on the monitors while Fatima continued to cry. "I have to grab something really quick and when I get back, we're having a baby, got me?" Dr Pearl said, peeling herself out for the surgery suite. Fatima gave a weak smile and nodded as Nurse Chrissy grabbed a few tissues to wipe her face while Dr Pearl bagged out of the operating room...
20 minutes later, Fatima heard the sound of a badge being scanned and the door automatically opening. She didn't bother turning her head in that direction. She figured it was only Dr Pearl until she heard wheels rolling on the floor.
"I told you I'd be back"
Fatima's head whipped in the direction of where that voice came from. She immediately broke into tears as Dr Pearl wheeled an injured Zac into the room. Fatima only cried and thanked God for bring him back to her, right in the nick of time. Zac used his free hand to wipe her tears, letting some fall with her. He kissed her face over and over as she cried. Zac knew he would have to explain everything he remembered, along with the information he found out but that could wait.
"Alright everybody!" Dr Pearl called out, after wiping her own tears. She sounded a single clap and her team echoed it causing her to smile as she looked at Zac and Fatima. "Let's have us a baby!"
______________
2 hours later..
Suite 4022 - Babygirl Taylor🎀
Fatima looked over at Zac and her sleeping baby girl while they peacefully slept on the sofa bed. He had the covers pulled just enough to cover Jurnee's little legs and feet incase she was hot natured like her mama. Due to some internal bruising on the left side of his upper body, she was right in the middle of his chest, sleeping away. Fatima's heart was filled with so much gratitude for Zac's return, the birth of a healthy baby and an amazing teams of Doctors and nurses who helped her every step of the way over the past few days but she couldn't help but feel enraged by Zac's current appearance. From the bandage on his forehead, the red scratches on his body from what she could see to his left arm being wrapped up and in a sling, that he later removed and the fact he was wheeled into her room due to the boot he wore on his foot. He wasn't wearing the clothes he wore before he left either. She wondered how he made it to the hospital to be treated and by to her when the search team found the jeep but didn't find him.
"Anne" he said calmly and cleared his throat "You need to be sleep. Rest is gonna help with the recovery baby" he never opened his eyes.
"Who's recovery? Mine or yours?"
Zac took a shallow deep breath, careful not move Jurnee too much "I know you have questions and I have answers but my only focus is you and Jurnee right now. The rest of that will be handled at a later time"
Fatima rolled her eyes, slowly laying back
against the bed. "Zac I get that but I've been so worried and-"
"But you don't have a reason to worry anymore Fatima. I'm here now. I'm alive. You and our baby girl are healthy and that's all I care about. That's all and nothing else" he said, respectfully dismissing her. Fatima didn't say another word, still staring at the both of them. "I am glad you're okay though Zac. I really thought I lost you..especially when mama said they found the jeep but didn't find you"
Zac cleared his throat once more causing Fatima to grab the second unopen water bottle in front of her, as if she could stand on her own. "I'm okay baby" he chuckled as he opened his eyes. "Look at me Tima" and she immediately obeyed.
"Stop worrying so much and live in this moment with me baby. Can you do that for me?" he asked so calm. She nodded, never taking her eye from his. "Do you love me?"
Fatima smacked her lips, "Ofcourse I do Zac. You know that"
Zac smirked and nodded as Jurnee stirred a little on his chest. They both froze, staring at her little back as it began to softly rise and fall again.
Returning his attention back to Fatima, he asked "And do you trust me?"
Fatima took a breath, knowing the reason why he would randomly ask her that question. Whatever plan for had to handle the situation was already in motion. She simply nodded.
"No, let me hear you say it babe"
Fatima licked her lips, unable to control the smile that grew across her face. "Ofcourse I do"
Zac wore a proud expression and closed his eyes, turning his head to face up at the ceiling "That's all I needed"
Jurnee Elise Taylor
August 18th 2023
9:54 pm
7lbs 4oz