Chapter 10
Emilia kept saying Alex's name repeatedly, but he wasn't moving. Something was wrong, you could tell by how pale he got. Emilia watched in slow motion as Alex's phone slipped from his hand and bounced on the floor.
"Alex." She said softly placing her hand on his shoulder. Alex snapped out of his trance and looked into Emilia eyes. When Alex looked at her she could see unshed tears as his bottom lip trembled.
"Alex, do we need to leave?" She watched as he nodded his head. She bent down and pick up his phone and steered him towards the exit.
"Alex, are you leaving?" Philip asked coming up to the young couple.
"Sorry Mr Braxton, but something has come up that we must attend." Emilia spoke. Philip looked at Alex's heartbroken face and knew straight away it had something to do with Aiden.
"Alex everything will be ok. Get Andrea to ring." Alex nodded even though his body felt numb. Emilia took Alex outside and they waited for his car to come.
"Alex, is it Aiden? Has something happened?" she asked and Alex didn't respond, but starred blankly at the path ahead. When the car came, Emilia was surprised when Alex got into the drives seat.
"Alex, are you sure you are ok to drive?" Emilia knew she wouldn't be going home just yet, but she didn't mind because whatever was going on Alex needed her.
"Yeah." His voice trembled as he pulled into traffic. Alex speed through traffic knowing he was a good half an hour away.
"Alex slow down." Emilia shouted as he slammed on the breaks at a red light.
"Damn it, fuck no." Alex yelled slamming his hand into the steering wheel causing Emilia to jump in her seat.
"Alex." Emilia asked softly feeling her heart break as Alex struggled to deal with his feelings.
"I should have been there." Alex rested his head on the steering wheel crying in the middle of traffic. Emilia quickly put on his hazards as traffic started to build up behind them. She knew then that it had something to deal with Aiden.
"I should have been there." Alex cried again knowing that if only he went to the doctor sooner his boy would have been fine.
"Alex it's going to be fine ok. You can't blame yourself." Oh, but he did, he did blame himself.
"I should have been there." He whispers to himself before wiping his eyes and focusing on the now green light.
"I am fine it's going to be ok." Alex whispered even though he knew it wouldn't be. Emilia took the hazard lights off as Alex pulled back into traffic. The car ride was silent as Alex kept praying that Aiden was fine. They were half way to the hospital when Alex phone started ringing.
"Alex what is going on is Aiden ok?" His mother said through the phone and Alex looked at Emilia who was gazing at the window.
"I don't know Ma I am on my way to the hospital now. Damien was with him so he is waiting for us all to arrive. He hasn't told me anything yet and I'm freaking out." Emilia listened as Alex switched over to Spanish while he talked to his mother on the phone.
Emilia felt her heart drop as they pulled into the children's section of the hospital and she watched as Alex rushed around trying to quickly find a parking spot.
"Alex, Aiden, he is going to be fine." Emilia said gently placing her hand on Alex's arm. Alex looked at her and gave her a sad smile before they both quickly got out the car and rushed into the emergency room of the children's hospital.
Alex's hands were shaking as they walked up to the reception desk, so Emilia took his hand giving it a squeeze hoping she could pass on some of her strength she knew Alex needed.
"I need to know where Aiden Fabian Costa is." The receptionist looked up at Alex with a shock expression before going back to her computer.
"He is still in surgery at the moment. If you walk through those doors. The doctors will be with you and your family shortly." Alex gripped the counter so hard that his knuckles were turning white. Surgery, family, Alex felt like he was going to be sick. What had happened to his little boy.
"Please you have to tell me what is going on." Alex begged but the female shook her head as there was nothing she could do as she didn't know anything.
"Come on Alex she can't tell us anything." Emilia placed her hand on his arm and led him through the doors the lady directed them to. Emilia was surprised when everyone in the room stood up when they walked through. Emilia's first thought was that he had a huge family. Everyone had turned up kids and all. Her second thought was she didn't want to meet Alex's family like this in such a terrible situation.
"Alex." An older looking woman came up to him and he knew straight away it was his mother.
"Ma where is Damien?" Alex looked around the room and found his brother being comforted by his wife.
"What happened?" Alex asked as his brother came over to him. Emilia took a step back and let his family comfort him.
"Everything was fine, I swear. Aiden was happily playing, he wasn't couching or anything. I went to get him some water and when I came back he wasn't breathing. I rang the ambulance and started doing chest compression. When they turned up everything was a blur one minute I am in the house the next I am here and they are telling me he has been rushed into surgery." Damien pulled his younger brother into his arms when he burst into tears.
"This isn't happening." Alex yelled as he tried to slam his fist into Damien's chest. Everyone could hear the anguish in his voice as he collapsed into his brother's arms.
"This is not happening again." Sophia sat next to her husband clutching his arms knowing this was like Maria all over again. It didn't go past her the women waiting in the corner that Alex came in with.
"I can't lose him Damien, I just can't." Everyone in the room felt Alex's pain as he stood there in his brother's arms.
"Shh Alex he is going to be ok." Damien tried to calm his brother down even if he was fighting against it. Alex felt like he couldn't breathe it felt like someone was cutting off his airways. He was surprised that his heart was even beating.
"Alex." Softer voice said and he looked up when he saw Emilia standing behind him. Alex pushed himself away from his brother and wiped his face not caring if he ruined his suit. He walked over to Emilia knowing very well that his family was watching and pulled her into a hug resting his head on her shoulder.
"I am sorry. I should have taken you home first." He whispered in her ear. Emilia shook her head knowing this was much more important than needing to be taken home.
"It's okay Alex. Aiden comes first okay." Alex nodded his head and Emilia ran her fingers though his hair trying to get him to calm down a little.
"Why don't we take a seat." Emilia lead Alex over to where his family. They both sat down for a little bit in silent before Alex abruptly got up.
"I'll be back." Emilia wanted to follow him, but she knew Alex needed a few moments to himself to get his thoughts together. She watched as Alex walked away and she could feel his whole family watching her.
"Hi sorry to be rude, but I'm Emilia." She introduced herself giving a wave as Alex's family smiled back at her.
"Hi Emilia, I'm Sophia and this is my Husband Fabian, Alex's parents. It nice to finally meet you. Shame it isn't in better conditions." Emilia agreed and she was slowly introduced to everyone in Alex's family. After she was introduced to everyone, they all fell into silence speaking in hushed whispered tones.
"Do you think I should go find him." Emilia asked after a couple of minutes worried that Alex hadn't returned yet.
"No, he just needs a few moments to collect his thoughts. He will be back soon love." Fabian said smiling softly at the beautiful woman that he knew was making his son happy again.
Fabian was right a couple of minutes later Alex returned looking devilish. His tie was undone and a couple of his shirt buttons were undo as well. Emilia took note of how his hair was a mess as if he was yanking it out.
"Alex, your hands." His mother gasped and Emilia noticed his blood-stained knuckles as he laid his jacket over the back of the chair. His mother tried to go up to grab his hand and Alex threw them again shaking his head. Sophia went to say something, but Fabian pulled her back into her seat.
"Not now mum." He said harshly and in this moment Alex would do anything to have a drink of whatever his hand could find first. He sat down next to Emilia not saying anything as he ran his hands through his head before slumping down in a defeated position.
"Can I?" Emilia asked and Alex gave her his hands without saying anything but a grunt.
"Well that was stupid of you wasn't it." Alex shrugged his shoulders. A little physical pain was nothing compared to what he was feeling inside.
"Have they told us anything yet?" He looked towards Emilia and he knew his whole family was watching them closely, but at this moment he really couldn't give a fuck about what they thought.
"No, they haven't. You should really get this checked out." Alex snatched his hands back that Emilia was caressing softly shrugging his shoulders.
"They are fine." Emilia didn't want to push him so they fell into silence like the rest of the family.
Alex didn't know how much time had passed, but it felt like years before a doctor covered in dinosaur scrubs came out of the double doors asking for him.
"Family here for Aiden Fabian Costa." Alex's head snapped up as he rushed over to the doctor almost tripping over his own feet.
"How is he?" Alex asked as he felt a soft hand grip his own giving him the support he needed.
"Your relationship to Aiden?"
"I am his father." The doctor nodded and looked at the family that was behind him assuming everyone had come to see how the little boy was.
"He is ok now. He is still asleep from the sedative we had to give him. Aiden was lucky, if it wasn't for your brother giving him chest compression Aiden most likely would have not made it." Alex's breath hitched as he looked over at his brother knowing he would never be able to repay what he had done today. Alex knew if he lost Aiden he would have nothing worth living for anymore.
"Aiden had a serve chest infection, we had to drain his lungs from a build-up of fluid and mucus that was stopping him from breathing." Alex nodded his head as if he was understanding what the doctor was saying, but all he cared about was seeing his little boy.
"Can I go and see him?"
"Yes, for now, but your family must wait." Alex didn't care as long as he got to see Aiden. The moment the doctor gave him the room number Alex was off and Emilia hung back with his family knowing he needed time alone with his son.
"Emilia, you should go with him. We are happy to wait. Alex needs you know." Fabian smiled at her. She felt weird about the whole situation, but she guessed she had to get used to it. Emilia took her time getting to Aiden's room giving Alex the time he needed.
When Alex reached Aiden's room he was hesitant to walk in. He was scared about what he was going to find, but there was a stronger part of him, his fatherly instinct that was urging him to hurry up and see his child.
When Alex opened the door he slowly walked in with tears now running down his face at the sight of his world lying in a giant bed that was too big for him covered in wires that were monitoring him making sure that his heart was still beating and he was still breathing.
"Oh Aiden." Alex sat down on the chair next to the bed and started crying. He felt his heart breaking as self-hate and failure sunk into his bones that he hadn't noticed sooner how sick he was. He felt like a horrible father that he let his son get this bad that he almost died.
"Daddy is so sorry. I promised I would be there and I wasn't." Alex had his head rested on the bed and he griped his son's hand softly scared that he was going to break if Alex even breathed in his direction.
Emilia was going to knocked, but she heard the soft sobs that were going from Alex. Not wanting to disturb him she slowly walked into the room and smiled at the animal themed room. She walked towards the bed and smiled with a fondness at how similar Alex and Aiden looked. There was no doubt that the little boy was Alex's child.
Emilia walked over to Alex and gently placed her hand on his back and he looked up at her with glassy eyes as he sniffled before wiping his nose on his expensive shirt.
"I'm such a bad father." Alex whispered. And Emilia quickly straddled his lap and grabbed his face into her hands shocking Alex for a moment.
"Alex, you are not a bad father. These things happen Alex children get sick. You can't blame yourself. A bad father is something who doesn't care and doesn't give the love to their child and I can tell you give that boy nothing but love Alex." Alex shook his head. If he was such a good father, then why did his boy almost die.
Emilia sighed she knew she wasn't going to change Alex's mind that was something only he could do.
"He looks like you." Emilia moved in Alex's lap so she was now facing the little boy." Alex chuckled a little and smiled at Aiden.
"Yeah. I didn't want you to meet him like this. I wanted to wait a little bit longer before you met him." Emilia knew why Alex wanted to wait a bit, but it still hurt her feeling that he didn't want her to meet the most important person in his life.
"How long were you planning to wait?" She asked and Alex just shrugged which made her angry.
"Hmm." She hummed and Alex just sighed he didn't have the energy to have this conversation at the moment, so when Emilia stood up he was kind of glad as bad as that sounded.
"I think I should go I can get my brother to pick me up." Alex sighed and stood up.
"Emilia, you don't have to go. I want you to be here." Emilia shook her head. Tonight, was a big night. Not only did she find out that Alex didn't know when he was going to let her meet Aiden, but she also met and saw Aiden which made him kind of real to see him alive and breathing.
"I need to think Alex, seeing Aiden kind of made it real, you know. I will call you okay. Just focus on Aiden at the moment, I can wait." Alex wanted to say something more, but she quietly walked out of the door leaving Alex alone with his son and slightly confused.
Emilia wasn't angry at Alex, okay that was a lie she was a little angry at him, but also needed time to really think. She really liked Alex a lot, but she knew from day one he had a son, but she kind of just brushed over the idea that by dating Alex she would also eventually be a mother to a child and she didn't think she was ready to be a mother just yet. She wanted to live her life a little. So she knew she had a lot to think about as she dialled for her brother to come pick her up.
Not long after Emilia left the doctor came in to check on his vitals.
"When will he wake up." Alex asked as the doctor smiled assuring Alex everything was fine.
"It depends. He is still under heavy sedation and we would like to keep him in here for a couple of days just to make sure his body is accepting the antibiotics and there aren't any further issues." Alex nodded his head.
"He will be okay though." They doctor smiled at the young father and nooded his head.
"Yes, I believe Aiden will make a full recovery. He might have slight bruising on his chest from where you brother did compression, but it will heal." Alex for the first time felt himself relax knowing that his little boy was going to be okay.
Over the next few hours his family came in one by one to see Aiden and every one of them asked where Emilia had gone. Alex gave them a small lie that she had work early in the morning and Sophia scoffed wishing she had asked one of them to take her home because they would be more than willing too. Plus, it would give her a chance to get to know her better.
After Alex's family left he texted Andria telling her he was taking the week off before he put his phone to silent and stayed up wanting to be awake the moment Aiden did so he wouldn't be scared about being in a strange place.
"Daddy." Aiden's soft voice called out in a scared tone and 4am in the morning.
"Hey buddy." He said in a tired tone as he brushed curls off his face giving Aiden a tired smile. Alex hadn't gotten a lick of sleep so worried that if he did Aiden would disappear.
"Daddy where are we?" Alex leaned forward kissing his head thanking the lord that Aiden was fine.
"We are at the hospital, you had a small accident but you are all better now." Aiden smiled drowsily at his father and tired to pull the cords that were helping him.
"Daddy I don't like." Alex quickly grabbed Aiden's hands to stop him before he touched something vital like his drip that was giving him his antibiotics.
"I know baby, but they make you feel better. How is your chest?" Aiden frowned before he smiled brightly.
"You make chest better. No sore." Alex kissed Aiden's head again before Aiden yawned ready to go back to sleep.
"Daddy sleep with me. Please." His eyes were starting to drop and Alex shook his head.
"The bed is too small for daddy. But how about I sit right here so when you wake up I'll be the first person you see okay?" Aiden nodded his head too tired to talk. Alex hummed softly as he watched his little boy fall back asleep. He brushed a few curls away from his head realising how close he was to losing him today.
Sighing Alex leaned back in his chair and rubbed his hands over his face. He wanted to call Emilia, but stopped when he realised the time and secondly, she said she would ring him and he didn't want to seem desperate. Alex closed his eyes for a few seconds and soon he found himself fast asleep like his son.
Over the next few days was stressful for Alex. His brother bought him over clothes, but he refused to leave Aiden alone. They did more scans and test on him and he showed massive signs of improvement and was responding well to the medication he was given.
Emilia still hadn't called Alex and he didn't have time to worry as he needed to focus all his time and energy on Aiden to made sure he was better.
On the third day the doctor came in and said Aiden was good to go home and Alex was over the moon that he would be able to sleep in his own bed tonight and not the uncomfortable hospital chair.
"Hi my name is doctor Simon. I just need to check on Aiden. If everything is fine before he can go home today." Alex stepped to the side to allow him to examine Aiden one last time. His drip had been taken out earlier and Alex was relieved to finally see no cords attached to Aiden
"Hi Aiden, how are you?" Aiden looked at his father who was giving him an encouraging smile.
"Me good." Aiden smiled at the doctor who started listening to Aiden chest.
"Really well. Someone told me you like Thomas." Aiden's eyes lit up and he started rambling everything he loved and new about Thomas.
"Daddy buy lots of Thomas." The doctor nodded his head and started feeling around Aiden chest.
"Well Alex everything seems a lot better. The antibiotics have started to kick in and his chest is sounding a lot better. Before he leaves I just want to get one final x-ray of his chest just to make sure everything is good. You must give him these antibiotics for the next 2 weeks to make sure the infection goes away completely.
The doctor gave Alex the prescription that he would get on the way home. Alex stayed in the room while the doctor took Aiden to get his final x-ray and he wasn't surprised when he saw his father's head pop through the door.
"Where is Aiden?" He asked wondering where his grandson was.
"They took him to get another x-ray. I am just packing up so we can finally go home." Alex smiled at his father glad that he had come alone and didn't bring his mother. God love her, but over the last few days she was driving Alex up the wall being the overprotective mother hen he hated.
"I came to see if you needed any help. Took a lot of convincing to let your mother stay home. So please ring her when you do arrive home otherwise I'll never hear the end of it." Alex chuckled at his father and soon both the men heard the sound of Aiden laughing.
"Daddy look. I was brave. It's Thomas." He bounced up and down on the bed as a nurse bought him back into the room with him holding a Thomas shaped pillow.
"Well aren't you a lucky boy." Alex said while smiling. Aiden had bounced back in no time and you could hardly tell he was sick anymore.
"The doctor said everything was all clear and you can take him home. Once you have dressed him just come to the counter and sign the release papers." The nurse left and Alex rushed over to Aiden picking him up into his arms.
"Daddy we go home?" Alex nodded as he dressed Aiden. Wishing he could wrap him out in buddle wrap for the rest of his life, but Alex knew he had to let go of his fear and let Aiden live.
Alex's father was carrying Aiden, while Alex filled out all the final paperwork that was needed to finally take Aiden home. Alex was beyond tired. He had gotten hardly any sleep the last few days worried about Aiden and also worried as Emilia had yet to call him back. Sighing him and his father put Aiden into the car who was happily having a good old chat with his new toy about his adventure's in hospital.
By the time, Alex arrived home he was ready to go to sleep. His eyes were heavy he had a headache and the last thing he needed was for himself to get sick. Aiden was wide awake when they got home and Alex knew he wasn't getting any sleep anytime soon. So, while Alex put Aiden down to play he quickly took a proper shower and changed into track pants and a white shirt. Coming out the shower Alex felt a little more awake so he plugged in his phone and played soft music throughout the house while he sat on the couch and watched Aiden play.
Alex was turning over the page in his book something he hardly had time to do these days. When his phone started ringing. Not wanting to answer it he let it go to voicemail knowing if it was important they would ring back. He waited a bit in case the rang back before going back to his book.
However, the moment he started reading the phone rang again. Alex growled annoyed as he put his book down which cause Aiden to look up at him.
"Hello." He grunted and he didn't hear anything.
"Sorry Alex did I catch you at a bad time." Alex rubbed his head a bit annoyed Emilia hadn't rung earlier.
"No, it's okay. So how have you been?" He asked Aiden went back to playing with his toys as Alex leaned back into his couch.
"I've been okay. How is Aiden." Emilia didn't know if they were still at hospital or not and she guessed that was her fault for not calling earlier.
"We came home today. Look Emilia I think you should come over here so we can have a talk. Things got a little crazy and I think you misunderstood me." Emilia started chewing on her lip wishing she hadn't called and could, put the conversation about what happened on hold for a little bit. Emilia didn't like confrontation so if she could avoid it she would. She was kind of hoping they both could forget about it.
"Umm. I'm not sure Alex." She finally said and Alex sighed. He knew this would happen the moment Emilia met Aiden.
"Look Emilia what's the worst that's going to happen. It's just a talk, I'm not expecting anything from you. Just let me explain first please and I don't think it should be a conversation that is over the phone." Sighing Emilia thought it through. He was right it was only a conversation, but it also meant finally meeting Aiden while he was awake which scared her a little.
"I guess. Did you want to talk today?" they both set up a time for her to come around and when Alex hung up the phone he knew this was it either she would accept him and Aiden or reject them both.
*****
For those who have read or are reading the story this is a whole new Chapter 10. If not keep enjoying the book