30-Something Reality

Silver Lining...

JARED's P.O.V.

Siren hadn't left Shannon's side and neither had I.  It had been three days and still no sign of Shannon waking up.

Mom came in with breakfast for Siren and I... Tomo and Vicie had just left with LoLa. "I know it's not organic but you need to eat this.... You haven't touched anything in almost two days honey... That little girl needs to have her momma strong so she can come meet you and her daddy..." Mom set a grilled cheese and some tomato soup in front of her.

She had litterally not moved unless she went to the bathroom... "Come on babe... Please eat something..." 

"YOU haven't eaten since we've been here Jared! So shut the fuck up!" She snapped at me...

"I'M  not carrying his child!" I snapped back!

"ENOUGH!" My mother yelled!

Just then I saw his hand twitch in Siren's and her jump almost out of the chair...

"So I didn't just see that!" I went over to Siren and put my hand on her shoulder... "That's a good sign... Maybe he heard us arguing..."

"Probably... He always hated when we would get into shit before this..." She looked up at me. "Jared..."

"I know... We are all going to be okay... And I know how you feel about him..." I crouched down beside her... "Only if you eat! I will eat, fine, I give... But ONLY if you do... He needs us both strong... So does Connie..."

She laced her left hand in my left... I feel she still has MY ring on her hand... NOT HIS! She looks at me with those eyes... "I told you I had made my choice... I will stay with my choice until one of you gives me a damn good enough reason to change my mind... Other wise... my daughter is my focus... And making sure she meets her father... is a priority." She took a deep breath and sipped on the soup... 

I kissed her cheek and got up to whisper in her ear... "I love you too Siren... I'll be back... I'm going to get something to eat... I gave you my word..."

Mom smiled a sheepish grin and handed me a container of Veggie Sushi... "I knew she wouldn't eat  with out you eating... And the same for you... I"m pretty sure after 43 years I know my sons..."

"Thank you mom... I'm sorry all this happened..." I felt a tear fall as I took the food from my mother's hand... I put it down and pulled her into my arms... I finally heard her break... "Mom, he's going to be fine... I promise... Connie will be here soon and he will wake up... I know my brother... No matter how mad he and I are at each other... I know he won't miss his daughter being born... He WILL wake up..."

"Good... cause he needs to hurry up... and wake up....." I hear Siren's voice shake... "Cause she is coming... NOW!"

I feel my mother pull away from me and run for a nurse...

I turn around and see Siren sitting in the chair doubled over in a pool of fluid and blood.... "Hey... how did this happen.... It's still too soon!..." I grab her and pull her away from Shannon's hand... His hand falls back to the bed and I hear the monitor speed up slightly.... He knows.... He's fighting....

"Silver lining to this is... He knows... He knows she wants to meet her daddy... She wants to do it now!...." I hear the strain in her voice as my mother and the nurses come back in with a wheel chair... "Jared I'm scared... He's supposed to tell me it's going to be okay... And I'm supposed to cuss him... And...."

"STOP!" I pull her face in to my hands... "I'm going to call Vickie and Tomo and get them over here..."

"Jared!" I hear her scream!

"Go with her... I'll call Vickie and Tomo..." I hear my mother's voice command me...

"The ONLY woman to ever get away with giving me an order..." I half laughed... 

"Cause you know Shannon and I would BOTH kick your ass if she was alone when Connie got here... NOW GO!" My mother ordered me away from my brother and to Siren's side...

The doctors corner me and ask me all about her pregnancy and her records... Luckily I had them all in the car and told Emma who was on her way in to see Shannon when she passed us in the hallway in route with Siren... She ran and grabbed them out of the car and brought them back to the nurse's station just as Tomo and Vickie got there... 

"Jared... no offence... But OUT!" Vickie pushed me to the door... 

"No! Please! I can't do this with out him..." I hear her plead...

"She out ranks you on that one babe..." I hear Tomo as he shoves me through the door... "Just remember... Connie isn't your daughter bro... You HAVE to let us do what she and your mother asked... We are NOT dealing with Shannon when he finds out you cut the cord on his daughter..."

"I promise to stay just to hold her hand if she wants me too... I think mom should cut the cord..."

"No one is going to cut a cord if we don't get her into the deliever room!" A doctor came running past me and pushed all of us out after examining her.... "Where is the baby's father?" 

"In a coma down the hall..." I hear my mother come in behind me.... "Jared... Shannon is waking up... go in there and try to keep him calm... I'll go with Siren.."

"Mom..."

"JARED JOSEPH LETO GET YOUR ASS OUT OF HERE! I HAVE SPOKEN AND YOUR BROTHER NEEDS YOU!"

"Go Jared... your mom will take care of Connie... I will be okay.... Please... Shann needs to know she is on her way..."

The way she said his name this time was different.... I knew it could be coming... But now I knew for sure... I was going to loose... my brother or my girlfriend... if not both....

Tomo grabbed me and we went down with Vickie and waited for the Doctors to come out of my brother's room.