(unedited)
I feel like I am frozen. I think there is a medical term for it, but I can't think of it. Owen would be disappointed. All those years of medical school down the drain for Pookie. Or without Pookie. The room is empty.
I can feel my breath speeding up and hitching in my throat. Where is she? And Kamden? Kamden should not be out right now! What if someone kidnapped them? Then what were the Academy security guards doing? And the people in the security room! This is the Academy hospital for god's sake! The Academy safe haven.
I look around the room. The bed is perfectly made, and the flowers Dr. Snow delivered yesterday are still sitting in a vase on the side table. The bag Gabe packed for Pookie is still sitting in the small wardrobe next to Little Man's diaper bag. As I slowly circle the room, I peek out the window and nearly scream in relief.
Pookie and Dr. Roberts, or Phil now that he is retired, are walking around the Academy garden with Kamden in tow. She looks beautiful, her face flushed from the cool morning air, and Kamden-
Wait, if her cheeks are flushed, Kamden must be cold! The dark blue and green stroller he is in is not warm enough! He's going to get sick! What is Phil thinking with my son!
After staring at the pair for a few seconds,my feet finally kick into gear and I'm rushing to the elevator like the Flash. I bang on the 'down' elevator button like North would, and pound on the ground floor button once the doors open.
I run like a mad man through the lobby, much to the horror of the nurses and the secretaries.
"Dr. Green! Your son is-," Nurse Jackie tries to tell me.
"I fucking know! He's going to get hyperthermia from being outside! What does Phil think he's doing with my son?" I tell back at her.
She stares at me in shock, but I turn on my hells before she can say anything.
I rush into the rose garden, almost slipping on the damp cobble stone. Sang and Phil seem deep in a conversation, and Sang's pushing the little stroller.
I rush up to the trio, almost knocking down Phil in the process.
"What are you doing? Kamden is going to get sick from this cold air! And Sang, you still need to be resting! You shouldn't be up! At least be in a wheel chair! What if you fell and got seriously hurt? What would we do? Do you know how North would react? How all of us would? We can't loose you, especially not now!"
There is silence after my outburst, as Sang and Phil just stare at me in disbelief.
Then they burst into laughter. I stand there confused as to why they were laughing about health. Phil is a doctor and Pookie is a nurse, so they should understand the gravity of the situation.
Sand finally calms down enough to get some words out.
"Oh Sean, Phil and I were just talking here. And if you haven't noticed, it's 9:30 in the morning in July, so the air is already 80°. Kamden has a hot water bottle with him under his blankets. I gave birth almost a whole day ago, and I needed some air, Dr. Sean. Phil came up this morning about an hour ago, and he suggested the walk."
I pause, and look down. Gabe insisted that we get the stroller with the removable carrier that works as a car seat and has a small little bench on the front facing the stroller pusher. Luke loved the idea because we wanted to sit down when he got tired. North smacked him for the comment. Staring at Kamden, I wonder how I could have missed the water bottle. The top is peeking out of his bundle of blankets, and his green eyes are looking up at me. His lips aren't blue, the first sign of not having hyperthermia, and I reach my hand under his blanket a little. He feels warm enough. I check his forehead. Hm... Feels like 98 degrees F. I pull my stethoscope from around my neck, lift off the first layer of blankets, and am just about to make contact with Kamden's chest before Sang's little hand stops me.
"Sean! Baby does not need another check up! Phil already checked his vitals, and he is perfectly healthy Sean," Sang sternly tells me, looking me straight in the eye.
"But what if he missed something? You know what they say, two doctors are better than one!" I try to reason.
Sang gives me "the look" and tilts her head.
"I have full trust in Phil, Sean. And don't you think all those checkups yesterday were already excessive?"
"I..I... Well... I don't think they were too bad..."
Phil laughs, "How many checkups did you even do, Sean?"
I look down at the ground really not wanting to meet my mentor's eyes. Thinking about it now, they were a little much I guess... But not like I'd ever admit that to Pookie. In my attempt to avoid Phil's eyes, I make contact with Sang's. She gives me another "look".
"Not much, like ... fubateen..." I mumble.
"What? Numbers, Sean," Phil says.
"Fubafubateen..."
Phil and Sang both raise an eyebrow.
"Like... fourteen..." I finally admit.
Phil hoots in delight and slaps my back.
"Just wait until I tell my wife! She said that 11 checkups per birth were bad! Ha! She won't be able to say anything now!"
Sang and I just blink at him. Strange old man... He really needs something to do in his spare time now...
"Well, I think I will be on my way. Tell the other boys I am sorry I can't stay any longer to catch up with them. Academy board meeting, they're talking about another team like yours, Sean. They have lot these past few years, but I haven't seen any teams other than yours, the Andersons, and the Tomas work out."
Psh of course. That's because those teams were missing my awesomeness.
Sang smiles sweetly at the old man and tells him, "Of course Phil. You and Sara really need to come visit once we get Kamden settled in. And tell mama Sara hello for me, will ya?"
Phil smiles back, "Of course I'll tell her. She'll be waiting by the phone for your call Sang."
Phil and his wife, Sara, became like Sang's adoptive parents once she became Academy. He even walked her down the aisle on our wedding day.
Phil turns around and walks back to the direction of the hospital, and I turn around and scoop Sang into my arms. Ahh... I missed this. Being away from her for 10 hours and 43 minutes was torture... Not that I was counting or anything pshh... She fits so well in my arms, and her skin smells divine. Very sweet and motherly.
"Ah Sean put me down!" Sang giggles, "I still have all the baby fat!"
"I'd rather not, Pookie. Plus, I rather like you with the baby fat. I always thought you were too skinny to begin with."
She turns around in my arms and pouts at me.
"C'mon, I think it's about time we fed Kamden," Sang says crawling out of my arms.
====
After getting a little spit sample from Kamden for the DNA, which honestly was not hard because babies drool like Niagra Falls, Pookie and I are curled up in the hospital bed, with Kamden in my arms. He is the most beautiful baby I have ever seen. Except for the future Pookie and Sean combo, because hey, who can beat the cutest pair? Imagine a North and Sang combo ahah... A little blonde with the dark scowl of North.
"You know, this may be the only peace and quiet we will have in a long time..." I say, my voice muffled by Sang's hair.
"I was just thinking the same-"
Sang's cut off by the sound of pounding feet. Judging by the stomping, North is probably leading the brigade. I guess the plan for only having a few guys grab Sang flew out the window. But who can blame them? We have a perfect little wife.
"Sang Baby!" he booms storming into the room.
"North Star!" Sang leaps up out of the bed and into his arms, and I can feel the immediate loss of not having her cuddled up next to me.
"Ay lil bro share the goods will ya?" Luke comes from behind him, and Sang transfers into his arms while her legs wrap around his waist. Luke kisses her softly before passing her to Gabe.
"Oy Trouble why are you fucking still wearing the ugly ass hospital gown shit?" he says scrutinizing her.
"Awee, Meanie," she pouts," It was comfy. And this is a different one. Nurse Jackie let me change."
"Still don't like this shit on you," Gabe replies.
Sang rolls her eyes before leaping up again.
"I forgot! I have a present for you guys in a little bit!"
"C'mon Ten, can I get a hug and a kiss first before you decide to surprise us?"
Sang giggles, "Of course," and proceeds to kiss Kota on the lips.
She finishes her rounds to Nathan, Victor, Silas, and Owen, while the rest of us coo over Kamden. Yes, North coos. Weird, I know.
After we are finished greeting Sang and Kamden (for now), we grab Sang's over night bag, the stroller, and the diaper bag and make our way down the elevator. Since our group is so big, and now has a stroller, we go down in three groups. First group is Sang, Kamden in a carrier strapped to Sang's chest, North, and Victor. Group two is Kota, Nathan, Gabe, and Luke with the stroller, and group three is me, Owen, and Silas.
We unite in the lobby, and Owen gives us directions as to who goes in which cars. Apparently they planned this in the morning after I left. It bothers me a little that they didn't do this last night when I was there, but Sang doesn't seem too bothered. She's probably used to having 9 overprotective guys trying to make perfect plans all the time.
Everyone is piling in their assigned cars when Sang yells, "Boys! I need you over here!"
We all come rushing to her, wondering if there is anything wrong. Kamden's in his seat in North's car, and we did a sweep to make sure we didn't leave anything in the room.
Pookie motions for us to make a semi circle around her. The door to Kamden's carsear is open, and Sang is standing right in front of it.
"Ok, nothing is wrong guys, but Nurse Jackie gave me a great idea last night," she announces.
I make eye contact with Owen. Uh-oh. This cannot be good. Jackie is a really... how do you put this nicely... crazy. She's a very good nurse... but she enjoys fun a little too much...
She picks up a little brown bag I didn't even notice she had and begins to make her way around the circle handing us... rubber bands? What are these for?
"Peanut, why do we have rubber bands?" Nathan asks. Thank you brother. I was wondering the same thing. My other brothers murmur in agreement.
"They're for swearing!" she announces, "Look! Put them on."
My brothers all slip the rubber bands on their wrists.
"Now what, Ms. Sorenson?" Owen raises an eyebrow at her.
"North, swear!" she says triumphantly. What?
"What no! What the fuck Baby what are you- argh out that fucking hurt- argh again!"
I cringe. I can hear the snapping of the rubber band on his skin.
Sang giggles in delight, "Every time someone cusses, I will pull the rubber band back and snap it against your wrist. This way, my little boy won't grow up to have the mouth of a sailor!"
"What the holy chicking fucking shit-" Gabe doesn't get much further than that before Pookie reaches over and pulls his rubber band.
"Oy you fuc-fudges this actuallly really fudging hurts!" Gabe yells.
Luke laughs at his choice of words.
"Fudging. Really Gabe? You couldn't do better?" he says between laughs.
"Oy like you could do any better you little mother- fu- dancer," Gabe scowls at him.
"I don't know what's worse. Dancer or fudger," Victor chimes in.
Sang snaps Gabe's, Victor's, and Luke's rubber bands.
"No fighting boys! Now, let's go home. Everyone, in your cars!" Sang commands, and then skips around to her passenger side.
My brother's grumble about the rubber bands as they go back to their cars. Sang just smiles in the back next to Kamden in delight.
"It's a good idea, don't you think, Sean?" she asks me as I climb into the front passenger seat next to North. North answers for me
"No fuc-" I snap North's rubber band "way. But if Baby wants me to stop swearing, I will try."
His Baby beams at him before blowing me a kiss.
"Let's get Kamden home, guys."