"Aedan, he hasn't eaten in two days. He won't leave her side. Please talk to him. I can't bear see them like this. She's going to wake up I know it. I can felt right here." Joan whispered to her equally distraught yet stoic husband as she pointed towards her gut.

They left Nyla's hospital room to get some coffee. It was really to escape the sickening silence and bereft look on their sons’ face. Joan had truly grown to care for Nyla and looked forward to when she became her daughter-in-law. No. She was still looking forward to her joining the family especially now.

Aedan turned to look at his wife, squeezing her slightly wrinkled soft hand and sighed. He spent half his life with her and prayed his son would be afforded the same fortune.

"You stay here, ok? Drink your tea." He said handing her a drink after she was seated.

"Ok." She mumbled as anxious blue eyes glanced at the stark white hospital door. She lowered her lashes in prayer. She’d been doing that a lot lately.

"Here son I brought you some coffee." Aedan said towering over Gavin. They were the same height, but the way Gavin's shoulders slouched made him seem small and it reminded Aedan of when he was a young boy.

"Gavin you know when your sister died-"

"She is not going to die!"

"I know son, I know. Just let me finish. I’d never felt more inadequate as a man, as a father and husband as in those weeks when I learned that my name, my wealth meant nothing. But whatever grief I was feeling… had to be put on the backburner because your mother needed me. Right now Gavin this is your moment, to put the pain aside and be there for her."

Gavin looked up at his father, his handsome face drawn in from the lack of sleep.

"Is that a joke? Tell me father, what more can I do to help her? Talk to her? I talk until my voice gets hoarse. I'm afraid to leave her side, afraid to go to the bathroom just in case she wakes up while I'm away. Care for her? I've flown in Dr. Campbell from Texas. I have Dr. Knat coming from Connecticut and a neurologist from the UK flying in tomorrow to treat to her. I’ve created the dream team of doctors to save Nyla. I’m doing everything I can as a man right now dad."

"No you’re not."

Gavin's lifted his bowed head and glared contemptibly at his father.

"You’re not. When she wakes up and sees that you've given up on her, she'll be pissed. But worse yet she'll be hurt. You haven't eaten. You haven't washed. You've all but abandoned your patients. You won't even acknowledge-”

"Dad don't... don't go there.” Gavin said standing up walking over to him. "Stop it. Just stop talking about it, just shut up about it."

"I have to go there son because you won't and there isn’t anything left. There is only your baby." Aedan whispered. He placed his hands on Gavin's shoulders as he crumbled to the floor sobbing loudly.

"Jesus dad! Why would God give me everything only to take it away so quickly?" Gavin asked holding his tear-soaked face in between his hands.

“To see how much you want it. You have to fight Gavin, fight for them... Both of them." Aedan said as he helped Gavin up.

“I will. I'm sorry about earlier dad. I won't fall apart again."

"Yeah you will and that's ok. You can fall apart, just keep it together when you’re around Nyla she can sense your tension and so can the little guy."

"Dad it's too early to tell especially...” He paused. "We should just wait until everything is clear before we start debating the sex of the baby."

Aedan was pleased that his son was finally acknowledging the baby. He needed this breakdown to build himself back up. Almost forty years earlier he remembers how he sat on a park bench one day and wept like a child at the injustice of losing his beloved daughter. He sat alone that day in freezing temperatures. He didn’t want upset Joan as she was on the precipice of a mental breakdown.

Aedan was grateful Gavin wouldn’t have to face this alone.

“Gavin I'm sixty-three years old, I've waited a long time to be a grandpa so I'm going to enjoy it. I have faith that my daughter-in-law to be and grandchild will be just fine. I have it on good authority as a matter of fact.” He said smiling as he gave Nyla an affectionate but gently pat.

"Dad, would you and Mom mind staying with her? I'm going to go home and shower, maybe rest a bit."

"Alright I'm going to go tell your mother."

"Thank you." Gavin eyes left his fathers and set on his fallen angel’s face. His heart constricted as he scanned the rest of her still form.
He took his place at her bedside and drew the chair close. He rested his weary head in the empty space next to her hand and the several IVs that provided everything from medication to sustenance. He peeked at her flat abdomen and he choked back the despair that covered him like a blanket. Its oppressiveness stifled him. Sweat started to bead at the nape of his neck, his upper lips and brow.

The accident had changed so much, altering their reality forever and he was forced to go through the changes alone. Gavin wasn't sure how Nyla would react once she learned the extent of her condition. A part of him feared that she would reject him, blame him for these turn of events. The things she’d been robbed of, but he couldn't think about that now. Right now she just had to wake up.

Gavin got up to relieve himself before he left however when he reemerged he was no longer alone.

"What are you doing here?" Steel coated his tongue as he spoke.

"I… I... I'm sorry man. I know this isn't the time or place to do this but-" Trent stopped talking and walked over to Gavin and stopped in front of him.

"I know I've been an ass but I'm here if you need me. I mean it."

Gavin looked at Trent and gave him a curt nod. It wasn't forgiveness or acceptance but he didn't have it in him to fight. He was already fighting the battle of a lifetime.

Trent took a step towards the bed, but stopped as if to clear it with Gavin first. Their friendship was broken and during this strenuous time he didn't want to rock the boat. Gavin gave him a slight nod and Trent moved further into the large suite. It wasn’t sterile white but instead bathed in warm creams and beiges. Less the expensive hospital equipment it could’ve been confused for a well-appointed hotel room. Despite its appearance, it was nothing but.

"How is she?"

"Her chart is right there." He replied as he fell into the chair next to her bed which had become his new home. There was a sofa on the far end of the room. But that was the problem it was too far from her. He wasn't sure if he wanted Trent around her, but he had contacts that might be useful. Every decision was made with his family in mind.

As he watched Trent mull over the test results and lab reports he asked the question that had permeated the fog of his mind.

"What are you doing here?"

"I've wanted to talk you. You know patch things up for a while now but the timing was always off."

"And with my fiancée in a coma, that seemed like a good time?" Gavin shook his head knowing Trent wouldn't ever truly change.

Trent looked over the chart, though this wasn't his specialty another pair of eyes never hurt. His decision to repair their defunct relationship was far from a sporadic one. This was an opportunity to be a friend and possibly be welcomed back in the fold. Gavin's vulnerable state was optimum. And if there was anything he was it was an opportunist.

"Does anyone come to mind? Anyone who might have a different take on this? I'm open for suggestions no matter how radical." Gavin said and turned his head when he heard the door open.

"Excuse me, but I don't think those radical decisions are yours to make." An elegantly dressed middle-aged woman said immediately owning the room.

"Who are-" Gavin didn’t finish his question. He knew as soon as he saw the interloper who she was.

"You’re Nyla's mother. I'm sorry we are meeting under these conditions. I had hoped..." His voice cracked as he thought of the spectacular engagement party he'd wanted to throw. He envisioned their mother’s shrilly voices filled with exuberance that their children had found their partners for life. Instead Nyla lay in a hospital bed unconscious and he was a disheveled, unkempt mess who would sooner pass for a homeless person than a doctor. Worse yet, he didn't even have the will to care about how untimely their meeting was.

"Let’s go over to the couch and talk." He directed her mother before turning to Trent.

"This is a family matter." Gavin said dismissing Trent.

"I'll make a few calls, but let me know if there is anything I can do to help." Trent said shuffling past Nyla's mother. He hoped he didn't see Gavin's parents. The icy look Joan gave him sent a chill down his spine.

When the door closed behind Trent, Evelyn didn't walk over to the seat as instructed; instead she stepped closer to Nyla. She touched Nyla's brow and frowned. "Is she sleeping?"

Gavin could tell she knew the answer before she asked the question but needed to hear it.

"No. She's in a coma."

"How did this happen? When did this happen?"

"It's been three days." The longest three days.

"How?" She choked out.

"She was struck by a car, the impact broke her leg but the fall is what is causing the most concern. She hit her head and... and hasn't regained consciousness since."

"Is she brain dead? Because I won’t allow her to live that way. I won't let them just torture her body if her mind is gone."

Gavin was mildly surprised at her concern, from what he'd gleaned from conversations with Nyla and the lack of contact between mother and daughter he didn't know what to expect.

"No there is brain activity and her cat scans show no reason to assume permanent brain damage."

"But these are all just that... Assumptions." She said sitting in the loveseat next to him.

"Yes further cognitive testing will be done when she wakes up. Then we will be able to fully assess the damage if there is any."

"Is that possible? For there to be no damage?"

"Anything is possible. But it doesn't matter we will work through it. She just needs to wake up."

"You love my daughter very much, I can see that clearly."

"Yes I do.”

"And love can blind you to a multitude of things."

"Such as."

"My daughter always seems to find herself in distressing situations."

"And do you for one moment think that she has pursued or asked for all the strife that she has been through? Do you even... love Nyla? I mean because Nyla and I have been together for a year and I practically live at her house. And I can count on one hand how many times you've contacted her. And unfortunately I can tell on the few occasions you do speak because she is withdrawn and insecure after your conversations. I understand your place as her mother, but understand my place as her husband. And I will be her husband because she is coming back to me. So if you are here to give her anything other than your unconditional love and assistance during yet another difficult time in her life, you will not see her. Am I making myself clear?”
Nyla woke up lazily, stretching out her arms hesitating opening her eyes as the sun greeted her and warmed her face. She squirreled deeper into the bed. This was heaven. Finally she opened her eyes was surprised to see a pair of welcoming, anxious orbs staring back at her.

"Hi."

"Hi."

"I've missed you.”

"I've missed you too."

"You came for me?"

"No Nyla. It seems you finally came to me." Greg said with a warm smile.

"There is someone else who is anxious to see you again. Ava come in here."

"Ava… Am I dreaming?"

"God I hope not because I can't lose you again."

"What?" Nyla said pushing herself up. "Where is Gavin?"

"He didn't come with you mom."

"Come where? What's going on?" Nyla asked frantically. No longer content in her plush bed she swung her legs off and stepped out onto sand. The white sleeveless dress billowed in the cool breeze and Nyla unconsciously dug her feet deeper into the soft sand. Momentarily too awestruck to ask how she just appeared on the beach when she was in a goose down heaven moments prior.

The sea was calm giving gentle loving kisses to the sand. Nyla noticed several footprints in the powder soft sand. She briefly wondered if God would appear like in the poem on Greg's mothers’ refrigerator, but soon laughter tickled her ears and without thought she followed the sound. Nyla walked close enough to the water that it would lap at her feet enjoying the warmth of sand and the coolness of the sea.

A grin a mile-wide broke out on her face when she finally saw them. Ava was just as lovely as she remembered. She was sitting Indian-style on a checkered red blanket taking a pretty healthy bite of some type of sandwich. She quickly dropped it and rushed over to Nyla.

"Mom? You came! I didn't think we'd see you so soon. Come on dad is waiting for you." The excited young woman dragged her to where they had set up a lovely picnic spread.

"So what's the occasion?"

"You."

"Me." Nyla said scrunching her face before sitting on her knees. The dress was long but the buttons stopped at her knee and she noticed Greg noticing her gams and smiled.

"Have you figured it out yet?"

"Figured out what?” Nyla asked chomping away at the best damn coleslaw she had ever eaten.

"Nothing, it's not important. Let me worry about it."

"Now hold on Greg, that's not exactly how this works anymore. If it concerns me then I need to know about it."

"Ok love after lunch. We've just got you back, let’s just enjoy lunch."

"No wonder you were such a good attorney." She remarked and pursed her lips to hide the easy smile he always brought out.

The three of them ate in silence just enjoying the moment as a family, but Nyla couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong. She was finally reunited with her family, both of them but her thoughts were on another.

"I need to let Gavin know I'm ok." Nyla knew it didn’t make sense but said it anyway.

"He knows."

"Are you sure?"

"Aren't you happy that we can be a family again mom?" Ava looked at her as sadness eclipsed her face.

"Shh hon, trust me it’s not that. I'm so happy to see you both of you." She reassured. She looked into Greg’s eyes and waited for the rumblings of longing and lust to follow, but they didn't. And their substitution was disconcerting. A wistful sentimentality befell her and with it apprehension took root. The sky began to rumble as gray storm clouds overcast the once brilliant blue sky. The narcissistic ocean not to be outdone was suddenly rife with tumultuous waves.

"Let's get out of here!" Greg screamed as he jumped up. They followed but Nyla went to grab their things but Greg grasped her hand. “Just leave it."
Nyla’s eyes clashed with his because it felt like he was asking her to leave much more than a blanket.