Golden Boy (EDITING)

Chapter 4

Astrid

"Astrid." Noah said. He sounded absolutely exhausted and defeated.

It was two in the morning and Noah had rang. He had sent us home once he got home from the hospital, he wanted us to do the project so that he could get a good grade. Max was sat on the floor crossed legged till midnight with his glue stick sticking down paper, with a large frown on his face.

"Is everything okay?" I asked.

"She turned blue, Astrid."

"Oh my god." 

"They have managed to stabilise her but she won't stop crying." Noah sounded tearful, as if he was about to start crying himself.

"I've tried absolutely everything. I'm just so tired, I need you to come to the hospital and hold her. We all want some sleep." Noah sniffled, holding back tears.

"I'll be there in fifteen minutes."

I was meant to be covering my Uncle's shift again. I told a very annoyed Austin and got in the car with Max.

"Remind me again why he needs you specifically." Max said, yawning.

"Because whenever I hold her she stops crying." I replied.

He nodded and reversed out of the parking space. It was a quiet ride, Max put on music, mainly just the radio to drown out or worried thoughts of Maisie. 

We reached the hospital, quicker than I thought. Max looked guilty when he saw how fast he had been driving and gave me a nervous smile. 

We walked onto the babies ward, it was such a bright colourful ward but it still felt so cold and chilling. No child should have to be in hospital ever. 

"I'm here for Maisie Winters," I told the receptionist.

"Are you her Mother?" A nurse rushed up to me, quickly not giving me a chance to respond. "Please try and get her to sleep, the other babies are being kept awake."

We both walked to the hospital room and Max walked behind nervously. Noah was sat on the chair, slumped, tiredly rocking Maisie back and fourth. He didn't even react when I came into the room. He just nodded, slightly. 

I walked over and took Maisie from him, placing her onto my shoulder and chest. She took a clump of my hair in her hand and began to suck her thumb. 

"Maybe you should grow your hair out, Noah." Max teased. 

Noah offered him a tired smile, "I am." 

Max walked over and pulled out a Tesco's meal deal from his bag, "Eat."

"Egg sandwich? Gross,"

Max grinned and rolled his eyes, "Eat it, it's food."

I lay down on the bed and put Maisie on my chest, she was soon asleep, and everyone could finally relax.

"I'm going to head home," Max whispered before hugging Noah and then kissing my cheek. "I'll be back in the morning."

The lights were turned off so the patients could finally get some sleep and I felt Noah shuffle onto the bed, next to me. I leaned on his shoulder and he put his arm around me, pulling me towards him. His hands were on my waist and he was on his side, his head in the crook of my neck.

"Thank-you, Astrid," He whispered into my neck, I felt his warm breath on my neck.

Goosebumps immediately appeared on my arms and sent a shiver down my spine. My eyes widened in the dark and I felt him chuckle next to me. He lightly kissed my neck before burying his head in a comfortable position. 

"Don't punch me when you wake up, please." Noah mumbled.

I rolled my eyes but the smile on my face said otherwise. 

*

*

Noah 

Maisie had caught a severe case of the flu. Which meant, she had a raging temperature, pounding, awful headaches, a cough and a runny nose. Because she was so young, they were watching her incase anything happened.

It was midnight, she would not stop screaming. I had tried everything. Feeding, new clothes, drink, cuddles, burping, EVERYTHING. I was nearly in tears as I paced the hospital room we had been given. The painting of Homer Simpson on the wall was smiling down at me and I felt like punching him. I wasn't smiling and neither was my baby.

I dialled the number that I new by heart and rang. The nerves kicked in and I immediately began to feel sick. I sat down and Maisie whimpered at the movement. 

It was a guy who answered. That broke my heart more than I thought it would.

"Hello?"

"Is Niomi, there?"

"Yeah." He paused. "Some kid called Noah."

Niomi came to the phone.

"Noah?" 

My heart stopped. 

I hadn't heard that voice in so long. I was so in love with her, but now it just causes me so much pain to hear it. The thought that Maisie was going to grow up not knowing her Mum was enough to bring me to tears.

"Is that Molly, crying?" Niomi asked.

"She's called Maisie. Yes, she's got the flu, severe case and I was just letting you know since you haven't seen her since you abandoned her in hospital." I said. 

"She's not my daughter. She's your daughter. I just did half the work. You were the one who wanted her. She's only alive because of you so you can deal with the consequences. I don't care if she has flu. Natasha had flu last week and she's alive." She spat.

"Who's Natasha?"

"My boyfriends baby."

"You are kidding me right?" I laughed down the phone. 

"I moved on Noah, this guy has money, a car and a stable job." She replied, simply. "Please delete my number, Noah, it's for the best that I'm not in her life."

And with that she hung up.

I broke down in tears. Not for her sake. For Maisie's. She would have to grow up without her Mum and it's all my fault. If I had just worked harder in school, if I had a fulltime job and didn't rely on my parents for money, if I had brought her the car she wanted, then maybe she would still be here, holding her daughter. I knew she suffered with mental health but never this bad. Having Maisie really traumatised her and messed with her head, she should have got an abortion but her prolife parents had shoved their beliefs down her throat and she refused, meaning that this child would never know their mother.

"Is there not anything else you can think of to calm her down?" Nurse Ashley said.

Astrid?

Whenever Astrid held her she was quiet.

"One thing I can think of."

I rang her. She loved her sleep so I didn't know if she would pick up or not.

"Is everything okay?"

She agreed to come to the hospital. Thank-god.

She ran in and took Maisie out of my arms, saved the day as per usual.  She immediately calmed down and snuggled into Astrid. Astrid lay down on the bed and put Maisie on her chest. Maisie grabbed onto her hair and began to rub it on her face. It was the cutest thing I've ever seen. Astrid should be Naomi, but I'm glad she wasn't. 

Exhausted, I lay down next to Astrid. I was too tired to be embarrassed or shy. Astrid wouldn't push me off of the hospital bed when she was holding my baby. Fuck it. I wrapped my arm around her and pulled her towards me. I leaned my head in her neck, desperate for some comfort. I sighed in relief when she didn't move away. 

"Thank-you, Astrid." I whispered.