Pop - Ch.13

                “Well that was just Everett’s first birthday. Look at how handsome he is. You know, I think we made a pretty good looking kid.”

                “We did!”

                “Yea we did. And I think that cake is calling my name. Oh, but wait! You.”

                “What?”

                “C’mon, move that camera away from your face so I can kiss you.”

                “I can’t believe it’s been a year. I love you.”

                “So hello to any family, friends, or future children of mine. Today will possibly be the day, the one where Everett takes his first steps. It is April 9^th, 2010. ‘Kay, you got it honey? Make sure to use the zoom. You got it on the both of us?”

                “Yes, Niv.”          

“Okay, there he is. There’s my man! Come here, bud! Come to Daddy!”

“I don’t think he wants to get up, Niv.”

                “Shhh, course he does. Just needs a little jumpstart. I bet if I stand him up he will. Ahh – okay! There we go, now he’s standing.”

                “Come on buddy, Daddy’s got ya.”

                “Oh, be careful Niv.”

                “It’s alright – I got it. Come on Everett! I won’t drop ya.”

                “He did it!”

                “Should I let go of his hands now? Does he look like he can do it?”

                “Yea, let go of his hands… slowly. I got this all on the camera.”

                “Okay good. I’m letting go now. Come on buddy, walk to Daddy.”

                “There’s one, two! Three…four, five. Niv! Go back further. Just ten feet.”

                “He’s doing it, Max. Look at that, he’s almost to me now. Just a couple of steps more.”

                “Oh! Good job buddy, Daddy’s got ya. Good job!”

                “I can’t believe it. Niv you have a little daredevil on your hands now. He’s going to be following you around everywhere.”

                “Course he will. He’s my mini-me. Man, how’d I get so lucky? You’re so beautiful, Max. We should make a baby – another one!”

                “Niv! You can’t say that on here! I need to shut this camera-,”

                “Are you sure he said it? I have the camera on record now. So you’re sure he said it, right?”

                “Yep. He finally called me ‘Daddy.’”

                “Okay, let’s see the proof.”

                “Everett. Come here, buddy. Come here… okay, can you say ‘Daddy?’ Daaad-deee? Come on. Say it after me. Dad-dy.”

“Dadda. Daddy.”

“Oh my goodness, Niv. He’s growing up too fast. It seems like two weeks ago we were bringing him home from the hospital.”

“I know, Max. But look at how smart he is. He’s so lucky – he has two wonderful parents. Two parents who love him and each other very much. We created this beautiful little boy, Max. We did.”

                It was almost Everett’s second birthday, and as if on cue the warm spring weather started to emerge. Again March 22^nd was just around the corner. Niv couldn’t believe how fast the time had flown by. It seemed as though his twenties had gone in landmarks, one every two years. Eight years ago he had graduated with his bachelor’s degree in music management. Alekk’s fame had landed him a full-ride scholarship into college early, so to pay his friend back, Niv decided to become his full-time manager.

                Six years ago Niv had not only met the President, but had spent an entire year with Alekk traveling the world. It was Alekk’s special way of celebrating his new solo career. He had just broken up with a short-lived punk rock band called Rebel Riot. The entire world was mourning, but Alekk was surprisingly relieved. Niv just went along with everything.

And then, four years ago when Niv was twenty-four, he met Max. He remembered how young they both were then. Max was just a small-town teenager, and though he was older he remembered not really feeling much different. He remembered how much he and Max changed together – how they grew up together that summer. How they exchanged memories and feelings. How they fell in love with each other.  

And how, by some miracle, Max gave him something two years later he thought he would never live to see. His beautiful, precious, perfect son Everett.

                Now twenty-eight, Niv couldn’t believe how good his life had become. All the trips around the world couldn’t justify his thankfulness. All the college degrees couldn’t express his gratitude. All he had to do was see Max’s genuine smile, or the blue eyes of his son. The blue eyes that identically matched his. That’s all it took for Niv to realize that’s all he had to be thankful for.

                At the moment Niv was walking over to the supermarket, reading over the extensive grocery list. He had made sure to circle and highlight the things at the bottom, the things that would be Everett’s birthday presents. Max was with Everett now at the park across the street, distracting him so that he wouldn’t have a clue as to what his presents were.

                Niv was completely admiring the intelligence that his son beheld that is, until a beeping sound came from his belt. He recognized the sound, vaguely familiar. It was a sound he was taught to learn automatically, but didn’t expect to happen since those fourteen years ago. He unclipped the worn pager from his belt loop. The beeping had subsided, but a faint red light flickered.

                Niv’s breath caught as he held the pager in his hand. He knew what it meant – it meant that it was his turn to receive a perfectly healthy heart transplant. What a big deal this was. Someone died in order for him to be in this place. The possibility of it all seemed too surreal. He remembered being in a list of thousands, his impending deadline creeping closer. But now this perfect heart could be his. He couldn’t imagine it; a heart that didn’t have holes. A heart that didn’t need anything but to be put in place instead of his.

                Frantically Niv dove into the store, completely forgetting the grocery list all-together in hopes that whatever he grabbed would be good enough. He had to tell Max. He had to tell Alekk… and he had to tell his parents.

                I watched as Niv quickly fell asleep from the heavy sedative that pumped through his I.V. His eyes, pools of blue, flickered closed and the surgeon began donning his gear. My cue to leave. I wanted to be in there with him, to hold his hand the entire time. They assumed it would take several hours. I wouldn’t have minded. I could stand in one same place that long if meant giving Niv’s mind a little peace that I was here supporting him. That I would never let him go.

                I’m sure I wasn’t the only person that felt this way. So it wouldn’t be fair for only me to stay in there. Niv’s parents were waiting out in the hallway with Everett, who could equally grab their attention as well as Niv could grab mine. So I had to take my place out in the hallway – same as them. Niv would understand. I would be waiting right outside. I would never be far.

                My heart about stopped as I opened to door to Niv’s room. For two reasons. One as I saw how lonely Niv looked, though surrounded by people in blue. Two as I saw Alekk take his place next to Niv’s parents. Alekk whom I hadn’t seen in almost two years.

                “Hello,” he said calmly. No smirk, no hint of playfulness in his eyes. It couldn’t be possible, had he really matured since I had seen him last? Ever since that first day that I held Everett in my arms, Alekk had never bothered to show his face. Niv and I just had to assume that he was no longer going to be a part of our lives. I was finally fine with the result.

Ghostly images of my past shot through my head though as I saw him perfectly standing there. Nothing had changed, and I knew it the moment I felt the single pounding thud from my heart. The nervous jolt and the instant flush of my cheeks. It was wrong, but I couldn’t disagree. Nothing had changed. I still was in love with Alekk Weston.

“Hello,” I replied blatantly. Niv’s parents eyed us suspiciously.

                “He looks just like Niv,” Alekk spoke, three hours later, his head nodding towards Everett. He was grabbing the attention of anyone that came down the hallway, his short chubby fingers grasping out towards anyone that walked by.

                “He got lucky, though,” laughed April, Niv’s mother, “he’s got your cute little button nose, Max. I was sure he was going to get stuck with the Orin curse… our big noses.”

                I laughed as I could see what she meant. Though her nose was normal, Niv’s nose was an exact replica of his father’s. Long and shapely. Not that it looked horrible, however. I just couldn’t imagine their noses to really look wonderful on any other person.

                As the silence crept back in, I hoped desperately that some form of small talk would continue. It was painful just sitting here, hours on end. Finally Niv’s mother spoke again.

                “Thank you, Alekk. For everything you’ve done.”
                “You’re welcome.”

                April handed Everett over to her husband, tears starting to form in her eyes. Her husband rubbed the small of her back in an understanding gesture, as if he knew what she was about to say.

                “You know, I hated it at first, that Niv had to be with you everywhere you went. Hugh and I would see him for a week, and then a year later he’d be five inches taller with new interests and experiences in tow. And for that entire week we would have him, it would be just us constantly trying to grasp at who this new person our son had become. We never really got to ‘know’ our son.”
                Alekk kept his gaze on April but didn’t say a word. April let out a big sigh, more tears forming. Hugh rose from his seat in search for a box of tissue.

                “Most parents, when they talk about their children, talk about every aspect. They talk about their love of sports, what TV show they like, their favorite foods, their personalities. Hugh and I had nothing to go off of. People would ask us about Niv and the most we could tell them was that he was going around the country with his best friend, Alekk. The celebrity – oh you might know him! I disliked the idea of you then, Alekk. Because you, his best friend, knew more about my son than I did.”

                “But Alekk, for today’s reason, I am eternally grateful. Hugh and I may have missed fourteen years of his life. But after this we get to start anew. We get another 20, 30, maybe even 40 years left with him. Please Alekk, if there is any way we can repay you, just give me the word.”

                Alekk smiled.

                “Just your gratitude,” he replied, “that’s all I need.”

                This was bugging me, the way Alekk was acting. He was saying everything perfectly on cue and I think that’s what was bothering me. He was acting perfect. No, not acting. He was being perfect.

                Normally this is what everyone strives for. The girl notices the “bad boy” and yearns to be with him, but only if she can fix the minor details. First she’ll convince him to get a clean haircut. But then she’ll notice that the clean haircut doesn’t go with his baggy clothes, so then she’ll change his clothes next. At this point, he’s got the haircut and the preppy wardrobe. But without noticing she’ll slowly change his personality. Within a couple of months he’s become her own little masterpiece.

                I wasn’t like that though. I didn’t want that. I liked the rawness that came with Alekk. I didn’t need perfection – Niv was there for that. They both were polar opposites and I liked them that way. But Alekk seemed to change somehow. He was like an emotionless version of Niv. It was hard to grasp. I certainly couldn’t imagine Niv suddenly turning into Alekk.

                I wanted my Alekk back. Not whoever this was.

                Suddenly the surgeon entered the hallway.

                “Niv’s surgery was a success – he’s waking up from the anesthesia now. You may go in and talk to him if you’d like, just remember he’s on morphine for the pain. And as always I recommend he stay here for a couple of days just to make sure everything is stable before he leaves.”

                I hardly paid any attention to what the surgeon had said and just nodded idly in reply, waiting for the moment that he would get out of the way so that I could go in the room and see my beautiful Niv.

                And there he was, awake in his bed. Just a stapled cut down his chest and probes to monitor the rhythm of his heart. He looked like a happy little child.

                “There he is!” Niv gushed, reaching his arms out towards Everett as April carried him in her arms. Niv gasped in surprise however, when Alekk entered the room.

                “I thought I’d never see you again,”Niv smiled, his grin becoming contagious to everyone in the room.

                “Oh you know I’d never miss out on this,” replied Alekk, taking a seat next to Niv’s bed. I watched as the two friends talked for ages, about everything they had missed out on. Alekk had talked about his retirement from the music career and Niv talked about Everett. The two bonded with soft punches to the arm.

                Over the next couple of days we had gotten used to Alekk’s presence as though he had never left. It was like those few years ago when we all used to live with each other. I missed those simple days, back when we could tell each other everything and still were practically inseparable. One night while Niv was sleeping, Alekk and I talked to each other outside in the hallway. Sleep hadn’t caught up to us, yet. It was still early.

                “You’ve changed,” I said. Alekk gave me an expression like he knew, like he expected this sort of thing to be brought up by me.

                “We’ve all changed,” he retorted, “it isn’t just me.” He nodded his head toward Everett, who was quiet. The last couple of days had worn him out.

                “Alekk, you know what I mean.” He nodded again in understanding. It was only obvious that I had changed. My status, not my attitude. Two years ago I was a childless adult, two handsome men by my side. Now I was a mother, with all of the responsibilities that also came along.

                Alekk and I just sat there for minutes. It was awhile before he spoke again.

                “I’m dead inside.”

                “What is that supposed to mean?”

                “Well isn’t it obvious why I’ve changed?” Alekk argued, his hazel eyes throwing darts at mine. He almost jumped out of his seat. Finally, at least some emotion had emerged, though I wasn’t sure I preferred this over his lack of emotion from before.

                “Alekk, don’t you dare say it’s because of me.”

                “Well of course it’s because of you!” Alekk yelled. Everett, who was drowsing off to sleep was now awake, fully intent on listening to the rest of Alekk’s speech. I’m sure he wasn’t the only one. We were just outside of Niv’s room. It was possible Niv had been listening, too.

                “Do you know how many times I’ve wished that Everett right there, could have been mine? That you could have been mine – my wife? That this whole world that Niv lives in could have been mine? I try to move on but I can’t. I can’t pretend those feelings I have for you and push them onto somebody else. The part of me that you say is missing – that’s changed? It left when I learned that I could no longer have you, Max.”

                An alarm sounded overhead. What perfect timing as I just stood there, gaping at Alekk over what he had just said. No words would come out of my mouth. My brain wouldn’t conjure up some smart remark that would keep Alekk silent. So it also surprised me that it took more than a couple of seconds to realize that the alarm had come from somewhere not only close, but very nearby. It had come from Niv’s room.

                Quickly Alekk and I forgot about what had just happened moments ago, as I conversed with the doctors and nurses how important it was that we be in the room with Niv. I was crying, I couldn’t see him. No one would let me. Alekk and I were shoved back to the hallway where we were before. We weren’t allowed in. We weren’t family.

                Alekk held me as I cried. I was so confused. Why did the alarm go off? What was wrong with Niv? Was he going to be okay? Staying in the hospital this long had taken a toll on me, body and mind. Everett was crying in the background and it was everything I could do to keep myself together.

                It was a sight to be seen. Hugh held onto his son’s hand and nurses and doctors scattered about the room. Niv’s hand was so cold. April was somewhere in the background yelling and crying, trying to figure what was going on amongst all the chaos. Everyone was in a hurry, except for him, his eyes glued to his son’s, which were flickering in and out of consciousness. Those blue eyes always found their back to him though, and stayed there, for as long as they could.

                His heart beat rapidly as he struggled to stay focused and be there for his son. His son who he couldn’t help. Not this time. His beautiful, handsome son. He remembered looking into those eyes the first time they opened. He remembered the first breath he took, not unlike the breaths he was struggling to take in now. It was just him and Niv. Certain words would strike a nervous spark in his mind. Something about uncontrolled body temperature. Something about a heartbeat that couldn’t be determined. But somehow he would pull himself back into the zone. He would squeeze Niv’s hand and live off of those blue eyes. He had to.

                It was when Niv’s heart stopped that he started to panic. Those blue eyes fluttered and closed, but he heard someone in the background count down. Three… two… one. Hugh let go of Niv’s hand and wondered how much longer he could stand this. Niv’s body flailed in response, but no heartbeat came. The small window that Hugh had allowed for just him and his son previously had now started to close down on him. Too many doctors. Too many nurses. Get him out of here, he thought. Get me and my son out of here. He didn’t feel when April fell into him, but wrapped his arms around her anyway. Twenty-eight years, and those blue eyes he wouldn’t see open again. I’m sorry, he thought. I’m sorry I let go.

                “He’s gone.”

                Those two words would have sent me crashing to the ground had it not been for Alekk, who caught me before my knees hit the concrete. Nothing could have been worse than this. I felt as though the world had already taken its share of me and now it was back for seconds.

                Everyone was silent as I walked into the room, and it felt uncomfortable. Too quiet. Tears instantly sprang from my eyes as I saw the motionless Niv, covered in white. Alekk was the same. He let go of my hand and rushed over to his friend, grabbing his lifeless hand, pleading for him to come back. I could imagine what he was thinking. They both had been through everything together. How could Alekk possibly let go of his best friend now?

                My mind went over moments when Niv was alive. I still couldn’t get over the fact that he was gone. My mind kept wanting to make new memories of him. His face looked so perfect. I had just talked to him a few hours ago.

                It was when Everett looked at me with his blue eyes, the ones that were perfectly identical with Niv’s, that I broke down. I just sat there and cried. I had lost the one who understood me best. My whole world had been taken from me.

END OF CH. 13

Pop - Ch.12

 

You are just like your mother, I'm just the same as the others.
Do you believe everything they write in all those magazines?
Stay out of love until you're ready, stay out of it 'cause it scares you.
You'll still find your love outside the public library.

I know it could happen to you.

 

- Shout Out Louds – “Impossible”

 

                “Dad, I’m worried.”

                “Hold on son, I’m putting you on speakerphone. Your mother wants to listen in.”

                “What’s this you’re worried about? You know worrying’s not good for your heart.”

                “I know Mom,” Niv sighed heavily, “it’s Max.”

                “Well what is it son?”

                Niv looked over at Max, still sleeping under the covers of his bed. How could someone he loved be causing him so much pain? Ever since Alekk had left and they moved into his house nothing was the same. Another side of Max had surfaced, the side that he guessed was trying cope around the fact that

Alekk was no longer in their presence. It had to be this way though. He would have done the same thing had it been Alekk in his place.

                “It’s the same,” Niv replied to his father, “every day she stays in bed, still crying sometimes. It’s been a month since the doctor lifted her bed rest orders, but I swear I’ve only seen her out of bed when she uses the toilet or takes a shower.”

                “Is she eating?” asked his mother in concern.

                “Yes.”

                “Well that’s good, then. Just give her some time, Niv. Okay, we have to go.”

                “Yes, don’t worry so much,” said his father, “and just be there for her, son.”

 

 

 

 

                Click.

                Niv walked over to where Max was sleeping. Nothing could have been lonelier than this. It had been almost two months since they had had a normal conversation. He had practically no one to talk to. Just one word, he wished. Just a confirmation that she was going to try – that she would push through this cloud of depression that had caught them so quickly. He knew he had no control over the events that had happened recently, but inside his heart was slowly breaking, and he couldn’t very well do anything to control that either.

                Outside the sky dimmed from its usual bright blue that had shown in earlier months. Autumn was brewing in the air. Niv thought about his situation over and over again in his head. He was supposed to love Max and love his baby. It was such a hard concept to grasp. All he did was try his best to make Max happy enough to see the light in her eyes. Did she even love him anymore? He knew the time would come when he could feel nothing but love. But for now, how could he love when he received no love in return?

 

 

 

                Niv had finally left me after a few minutes. Lately every time he came in I would pretend I was sleeping instead of cry in his presence. I felt so guilty, so wrong to be feeling this way in front of him. I remembered at one time he asked if I did really love him the same I loved – still love – Alekk. I told him that I did. I would have done the same thing if he had left me instead of Alekk, but there was still the huge gaping hole in my heart.

                Half of me was gone it seemed. I was in so much pain. Every day I awoke with heartache. I knew this was the norms of society. Generally it was like this: mother, father, child. You would never typically see a woman with two men she loved to pieces, and the child they would raise together. Relationships like that weren’t meant to work.

                Tears streamed down my face once more as the piercing memory came back – the one where Niv and Wes had to tell me that Alekk would never come back. I couldn’t be in his house anymore. I would perhaps never see him again. How cruel of a world this was that forever I would be ripped apart from someone I love so much. Never to give him a kiss; never to even hold his hand again.

                Every day I lay in bed like this. Sometimes I would get up to stretch my legs. I knew with every passing day however that I was making Niv less hopeful of my professed love for him. In the mornings he would chipper up, bringing me breakfast in bed. But as he would watch diligently over every bite I took, I could see his small smile start to fade.

                “Please don’t give up on me,” I would think to myself. I just needed time, but in my situation time was a limited thing.

                I tried not to think of Alekk, telling myself that if I didn’t think of him I’d soon forget little bits of what resembled him. I hoped that maybe I would get lucky and forget what he looked like, what he smelled like, what his warm skin felt like. However one day I broke that rule, and I think that was what sent me deeper into my trap of depression…

 

                The sound of his house phone ringing awoke Alekk from his midnight daze as he meandered around the living room by himself. Every night he had found himself down here until the early hours of the morning, unable to sleep as much lately. The phone call was a total surprise, and he looked at the screen to see who had called him. Blocked number. Alekk picked answered the call in amusement, expecting some teenager down the street to spout out some comedic prank call.

                “Hello?”

                “Alekk.”

                Her voice stopped him dead in his tracks. It took everything to keep his knees from nearly buckling. He could feel the tears start to well up in his eyes, but fought off the feeling.

                “Hey,” he replied, his voice shaking, “why are you calling so late?”

                A long pause. Then Alekk could hear Max crying in the background. That did it. A few tears coursed their way alongside his cheek. He punched the wall in frustration. Max could have been his, and only a month ago she was in his arms. He quieted his sobbing enough to talk in an even tone.

                “Why are you crying? Is everything okay? Is Niv treating you okay?”

 

                “Yea he is. Why are you talking so quietly Alekk? I can barely hear you.”

                Alekk sighed deeply. Out of all things he would have to explain this.

                “I don’t want to wake anyone.”

                “By ‘anyone’ you mean ‘someone,’ don’t you?”

                There was a slight whine to Max’s voice. Alekk would have preferred a black eye over this, over the disappointment he knew held, over his overwhelming guilt that served no purpose. This was killing him. Her voice brought back all the pain he tried to suppress.

                “Max, I’m trying to move on. This is me trying. I wish she was you, though. Man I’d do almost anything to have you take her place. I want you, Max.”

                “Does she know you’re talking to me?”

                “No, I don’t think so,” Alekk replied, “not that I care, though. Does Niv know you’re talking to me? I don’t want to make him upset.”

                “No, no he doesn’t. I can’t stop thinking about you, Alekk. I don’t think I can move on.”

                “I don’t think we’re meant to, babe. We just have to keep trying. I love you, Max. I should probably go now.”

                Those last words burned through his mind. He didn’t want to go; he never wanted to let Max go. He knew the impact the words would have on Max, on him. It would possibly be their last goodbye. He hated how Max was now sobbing in the background, no doubt trying to collect herself so that she could say something back.

                “I… love you Alekk. Goodbye.”

                Alekk just remained still, staring at the quiet phone now in his hands. In just a moment she had gone. His mind was so consumed in the conversation that he hardly noticed when a pair of slender arms hugged him from behind. He just stood there, not caring what his lack of response would mean.

                “That was her, wasn’t it?” she asked.

                “Yea,” replied Alekk.

                “You’re tired. Come back to bed with me,” Alyssa soothed, grabbing both of his hands. She held them for a while, staring into his eyes as if expecting him to look back at her. But Alekk just stood there, emotionless. She let go, her eyes still searching for some sign that he knew she was here. That she existed. When her face finally dropped was when Alekk somewhat responded. He grabbed her hand, and the two gently walked to his bedroom.

                “I’ll make you some chocolate chip pancakes in the morning. I know those are your favorite,” smiled Alyssa softly. It was a fake smile, but she was grasping at straws. She wanted Alekk to be happy again. She remembered a time when Alekk was completely happy, when he would playfully smirk at her. She used to hold his happiness all those years ago – now Maxine did. Alyssa wondered if it really was this difficult for Alekk to perhaps fall in love with her again.

                As if reading her mind, Alekk finally spoke.

                “You know I don’t love you, right?” he said as he dressed into his pajamas.

                “I know.”

                Alyssa climbed in bed, the rest of the night staring at the ceiling and wondering why this Maxine was so much more special than she could ever be.

 

                I didn’t think I would ever be able to get Alekk out of my mind. It was impossible not to think of him for a second. But then there came the day when I would feel a love more powerful than I had ever felt before, so powerful that it could allow me to push Alekk to the edge of my mind. I would always still think about him, but the pain associated with him would dull to almost nothing.

                “Oh my gosh,” I blurted out without thinking. I didn’t expect it this soon, and it felt weird, like a butterfly fluttering. I threw back the covers.

                “You okay?” grumbled Niv, half-awake. Other than speaking he didn’t move an inch. He must have been exhausted.

                “Yea,” I whispered, “I’m just going to the bathroom. I think I drank too much water yesterday.”

                “Mhm.” He instantly fell back asleep.

I tip-toed over to the bathroom, the floor feeling cold against my bare feet. I flicked on the light and walked over to the mirror, running my hand over my stomach. I had gotten bigger, and didn’t even notice with all my time spent in bed lately. I felt the fluttering again and held my hand there. A wave of emotions surfaced. My heart was beating so wildly – I could laugh or cry, or both. I noticed Niv in the mirror’s reflection. The look on his face said it all.

                “Niv, I could feel it move.” As predicted, I did end up laughing and crying at the same time. I was a huge sappy mess. Niv smiled genuinely and walked over to me, placing his hand over mine. He looked at me with those beautiful blue eyes, full of love.

                “My baby,” he whispered, kissing my stomach. And I think I knew then that my world was complete.

 

                Niv sat on the couch with Max, who was resting her feet, hoping the swelling in her ankles would go down. He wasn’t sure for Max, but to him the months had passed by so quickly. His son or daughter would arrive only two months from now, and Max was really doing great. But for some reason, they still had trouble with picking out names.

                “Gosh, you’d think we’d have this figured out by now,” laughed Max.

                “Right?” replied Niv, “Okay, girl names. Give ‘em to me.”

                Max smiled.

                “I like the names Camille, Rachel, and Georgiana.”

                “Georgiana, I like that one,” Niv blurted.

                “Are you sure?” Max asked suspiciously, “we always have trouble picking names.”

                “No I like it. I can see our daughter having that name.”

                Max wanted to argue the truthfulness of that statement, but couldn’t. Niv’s kind blue eyes stopped her mid-thought.

 

                “Okay, a boy name,” sighed Niv, smiling at the fact that I still didn’t have a comeback for what he said previously. I gave him a smirk.

                “Chris P. Lettuce,” I said jokingly.

                “Oh, nice! As if we won’t have to worry enough about keeping the girls off of him – thanks to your genes – but now we’re going to have to worry about them eating him, too.”

                I was still smirking, hints of laughter escaping. Niv leaned over and gave me a quick kiss, one I wanted to last longer. He was just so handsome. It wasn’t fair.

                “Okay, what are your ideas then?” Suddenly Niv’s light-hearted smiling face turned quite serious. I could tell he had been thinking about this for a while.

                “Just one. I like Everett.”

                It was a name that I couldn’t get over. All I knew was this this HAD to be the name I picked if I had a son.

                “It’s perfect,” I smiled.

 



 

 

                Unknowingly to Max, Niv had been keeping in touch with Alekk lately. With each day he got more excited because it meant a day closer to meeting his son or daughter. But with each day he also became more worried. What if his heart couldn’t handle the whole experience? What if he was in the delivery room and he suddenly had a heart attack? As far as he knew, having a baby was a very stressful process, and his nerves were getting to him. He wanted to be there for Max when the time would come, but he also didn’t want to chance dying before he became a father.

                Alekk agreed to stay within the neighborhood, frequently calling Niv to make sure he was okay, to remind him of his deep breathing exercises – anything that would help his heart.

                “I mean, I wouldn’t mind if there was a doctor there and all, but what if Max was by herself? What if it was just us? People do that sometimes, you know.”

                “Niv, it’ll be okay. You guys have the hospital nearby, just take her there when the time comes. I doubt you guys will be by yourselves.”

                “Alekk, I’ve seen shows. Sometimes people have kids in vans on the freeway. You know, this one couple got into a car accident on the way to the hospital. What if that happens to us? What if something like that happens?”

                “Then you call me, Niv,” Alekk replied, “you guys won’t be by yourselves, I promise.”

 



 

 

                Niv ran his hands over Max’s swollen stomach. He was playing hide-n-seek. Everywhere his hand would touch, the baby would kick soon after. He smiled as he saw a tiny outline of a foot.

                “Come on baby, any day now.” It had been two days since the due date, but he and Max didn’t dare step foot outside the house. It had been a week since the paparazzi surprisingly found out about their location. Max was as popular as ever.

                “Be careful of what you wish for,” she warned, “do you want me to fix you something for lunch?”

                Niv nodded in reply. He couldn’t help but look at Max. She looked so beautiful. She opened the fridge before suddenly grabbing onto the counter nearby, clutching it for support. Her face was full of agony.

                “Niv! Niv…,” she laughed slightly, “I think my water broke.” Niv’s head started to spin.

                “Oh my gosh, okay. Um, I’ll go call the hospital. And I’ll start the car.”

                He said what he was going to do, but now he was frozen in place. Move, he told himself. One leg at a time he started to move, but he couldn’t keep his eyes off of Max, who was still in pain.

                “Niv it’s too late,” Max gasped, “I don’t think the baby wants to wait any longer.”

 



 

 

                Niv panicked. His worst nightmare was coming true. He picked up his phone and dialed the only number that stuck in his brain at the moment, the number of the only person he knew who could help. Alekk.

                “Hello?” Alekk answered in his usual calm voice. Niv usually admired how calm his was, but at this moment he didn’t believe anyone was allowed to be calm, especially in this situation.

                “Alekk I need your help. It’s Max. She’s having the baby and we’re in my house, and we can’t go. And I don’t think I can take this. I’m going to die, Alekk. I’m going to die.”

                “I’m on my way,” replied Alekk, “but listen to me Niv. You can do this. Breathe. You have to be there for her – she needs you. You have to do this. You’ll be okay. Just breathe, you’re going to be a dad, Niv.”

                “Okay,” Niv gasped. He started doing his deep breathing exercises.

                “Okay, I can do this. Can you call for an ambulance?”

                “Sure,” replied Alekk, ending the call.

 

                Niv rushed back over to Max, who was now safely on the floor. She looked at him apologetically.

                “I don’t think I can do this, Niv. What if I’m like my Aunt Karen? What if something happens?”

                He realized he wasn’t the only one completely clueless to this sort of thing. He knew now that he couldn’t let Max down. He had to encourage her as best as possible.

                “You can do this, Max. Think of how beautiful he or she is going to be. I’m going to be right here. I won’t ever leave you.”

 



 

 

                The traffic allowed Alekk to arrive at the hospital later than he intended to be. By the time he stepped foot in their room, Niv was already holding his baby who was wrapped in a blanket. Niv was swaying slightly, rocking the baby to sleep. His eyes were glued to his child.

                Max was laying in the hospital bed, no doubt still heavily exhausted. She smiled amusingly at Niv, a smile full of love. Her eyes were tired, and as Alekk walked further in the room, they caught his. She gave him a light smile, before looking back at Niv. She quickly started falling asleep.

                “A boy,” Niv whispered as Alekk approached.

 

 

                “What did you name him?” Alekk asked.

 

 

                “Everett.”

                Niv had the biggest grin on his face. Alekk had never seen him so happy before. He remembered everything Niv had sacrificed when he was younger because of his failing heart.

                “You never thought you would make it this far, did you? It never occurred to you that this would happen in your lifetime, that you would become a father.”

                “Not in a million years.”

                Alekk was happy for Niv, he really was. It was this moment that made his music career worth it. Niv’s happiness.

                “Well then you better like your place in life right now… you’re number five on the transplant list.”

 

END OF CH.12