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Nick rushed into the hospital going directly to the information desk to find out what floor the PICU was on. After being informed it was on the fourth floor, he hustled over to the elevator and impatiently shifted weight from one foot to the other while waiting for the doors to open. Once it opened he hopped in and pressed the number 4 multiple times, as if that would somehow make him appear there quicker. Once the door finally opened Nick looked over the patient board behind the nurse’s desk searching for Sutton’s name. Before he could find it on his own, a red headed nurse looked up and asked if she could help him.

“Um, I am looking for Sutton Carters room.” Nick replied nervously. He had begun to dread seeing his baby with all of those monitors hooked on him.

“Are you family? We have strict orders to only allow family.” She replied.

“He is my son.” Nick answered. The nurse’s eyes opened widely when Nick confessed his relationship to Sutton. They had yet to release a statement that he had become a father. Nick noticed the shock on the girls face and quickly added, “We haven’t released a statement yet. I have been on tour.”

“Of course.” The nurse replied suddenly seeming nervous. “Sutton in room 7 the last one on the right.”

Nick thanked her quickly and quickly made his way down to the appropriate room. Taking a deep breath he opened to the door to see Presley head pop up from beside Sutton’s small body. She hadn’t slept at all, and could only fall asleep sitting in a chair next to Sutton’s crib with her hand on his chest and her head lying on the mattress. She jumped on and as Nick approached her and through herself into his arms. She immediately broke down into tears. He had never seen her sob so uncontrollable. It was the most awful sound he had ever heard. She sounded like she was dying. He could tell that she thought her world was crumbling around her. She held on to her as he led her over to the small couch in the room and sat down with her, rubbing his hands through her hair and trying to console her.

“Baby please, please stop crying. You are really freaking me out. I need you to pull yourself together for just a minute and please tell me what is going on?” Nick said as he tried to hold his own tears back.

Presley knew that Nick was right. She needed to pull it together and let him know what was going on. Nodding her head she tried to contain her sobs. She slowly got herself under control and wiped to tears off her face. “I am sorry for breaking down. Just seeing you…. I just lost it for a second. I am so glad that you are here.”

“Of course I am here, baby. You and Sutton need me here.” He looked over at his son, seeing the all of the wires and monitors hooked up to him. Choking back tears he looked back at Presley and asked, “How is he doing?”

“I am not sure. He has been ok, since they admitted him and started supplementing him with oxygen. He seems to be sleeping better with it also.” She answered looking over at Sutton.

“Has anyone given you anymore news?” he asked.

“No, not really. The cardiologist came in earlier and said that tomorrow they are going to do a few test on him, something called and EEG and another called and ECG. One of them has something to do with sound waves and the other electric impulses. They are going to be looking at the severity of the defect.”

“What exactly is this thing called again?” Nick questioned as he racked his hand through his hair.

“Tetralogy of Fallot, I think.” Replied Presley.

“What does it mean?”

“I don’t really know all the specifics, the doctor told me, but I couldn’t understand half of the things he said. What I did get is that he isn’t getting enough oxygen in his blood because the un-oxygenated blood is mixing with the oxygenated blood, so once it is making him turn blue, and it makes him restless. Which is why he isn’t sleeping good.”

“Can they fix it?” he asked almost afraid of the answer.

“Yes….but it is a major surgery that they don’t like to do before the age of six months.” She answered.

“So what do we do until then?”

“I am not sure. I think he will have to been on oxygen full time. I am not sure if he has to stay in the hospital or not…..God Nick! What did we do to deserve this? I just don’t get it! I mean I know we have screwed up a lot, but Sutton doesn’t deserve to go through this! I am such a horrible mom! I knew that I wouldn’t be any good at this. My Son is barely a month old and his is already in the hospital fighting for his life!” She said as he felt herself begin to break down again.

“P, baby don’t do this to yourself it isn’t your fault! You didn’t do this to him!” he said trying to reason with her.

“But what if I did? I mean I was 11 weeks pregnant by the time I found out. I drank a lot before that. Drinking is one of the only known reasons for this. And the rest of my pregnancy was so stressful! I could’ve caused this at any point in my pregnancy!”

“Presley, stop it ok! You didn’t do this! Things like this happen. Neither one of us caused this! We cannot blame ourselves here. We have to hold it together and be strong for Sutton. We all have to help each other get through this. Please Presley, I need you to stay strong! If you fall apart so will I….” He replied as he pulled her into his arms.

Presley wept into his chest as she felt his arms surround her. She felt a peace wash over her as she settled into his embrace. Pulling away she looked up at him as she reached to wipe the tears off of her face. Tipping her chin up towards him, he captured her lips into his. “I love you Presley. I hope you know that.” He said as he released her lips.

Presley smiled weakly and replied, “I do know….and I love you too.”

They sat back against the back of the couch as Presley settled into Nicks embrace. Neither speaking for quite some time. So many questions were running through Nick’s mind that he desperately wanted answers too, but he knew that Presley wouldn’t have them. He would have to wait and ask the doctor. He did need to find away to give Presley hope though. “Hey baby?”

“Yea…”

“You did say that this can be corrected right? They can fix it and he will live a normal healthy life?” he questioned.

“Yea, that is what the doctor said.” She replied.

“Then let’s just go with that for right now. Let’s have faith that Sutton is going to be just fine in the end. This is just a little bump in the road. We need to be thankful that you are such a good mom! I mean you knew something was wrong with him, even though he didn’t have any real symptoms. Your maternal instinct just knew. We have to believe that there was a reason for that!” Nick said trying his hardest to be optimistic.

Presley nodded her head in agreement. “You are right. This defect has a solution. There is a way to fix it. That is what we need to remember. I keep forgetting that there is a way to make him better.” She leaned over and pressed her lips softly onto Nicks. She really missed his lips. She really missed him. “I missed you.”

Nicked pulled her closer to him as he placed a kiss on the top of her head. “I missed you too, baby. I missed you a lot.” Nick closed his eyes as another wave of guilt came over him over his infidelity the night before. If only he could go back 24 hours and take it back. He desperately wanted to apologize to Presley for betraying her, but then AJ’s words popped in his head reminding him that all confessing would do is hurt Presley. So instead he made a silent promise to her, to never let it happen again.

“I was so scared Nick.”

“I know baby…so was I. I was terrified of walking into the room. I didn’t know what to expect.”

“I am so glad you are here.” She confessed.

“I am not going anywhere until Sutton is better. I promise I am going to be here with you every step of the way. I promise.” Nick replied pulling her into him once again holding her tight against him. “I am here for you…. Forever.”