Back to You (An International Story)

The Family

Jenni's POV:

We continued to sit and wait. Gabriel sat in the middle of us and fell asleep on Alexia's lap. Mapi's parents showed up.

"I can't just sit here and wait." Virginia sighed. "I need to know what's happening. It's not just some person, it's Mariana. That's my sister in there."

Nahikari rested her head on Virginia's shoulder.

"We'll know something soon, Vir." Alexia said. "I know we will."

The doors opened and Mapi walked out. She stood there in shock staring at her hands.

"Mapi." Virginia stood up. "What happened?"

She looked at her hands and back towards the doors. "She."

"Mapi?" Alexia lifted Gabriel's head off her lap and gently placed it on mine. She walked over. "Mapi look at me. What happened?"

"They got the baby." She smiled. "And I told Mariana. And when I looked at her, her eyes weren't fully open. And the nurse said she was losing a lot of blood and they told me to leave. I can't."

"Come here." Alexia held her. Virginia slid down the wall, head in her hands. "It's ok." Alexia rubbed Mapi's back.

"Vir." Lola walked over to her.

Virginia stood up. "It's Mariana." She cried.

"It's ok, Vir." Lola said.

"No, it's not!" Virginia kicked the chair. "It's Mariana!"

Gabriel woke up. "It's ok." I held him.

The doors opened and Leila walked in with Mariona. Tatiana and Inês behind them. "What happened?" Tatiana asked.

"It's Mariana." Virginia repeated. She collapsed into Lola's arms. Leila looked at me.

Alexia continued to hold Mapi. "I got you, Mapi. I got you."

"What did we miss?" Leila asked. I shook my head. She walked over to me. "What happened?"

"There was something wrong with the baby." I whispered. "They needed to do an emergency cesarean. They got the baby and Mariana was losing a lot of blood. That's all I know."

Leila sat down and stared at the wall. "Is, is she going to be ok?"

"She'll be fine." Nahikari patted her shoulder. She looked at Lola who was leading Virginia away.

"I'm gonna take her outside." Lola said.

"You stay. I'll go, I need some air." Carmen stood up. "Come on Vir." They left.

Mapi sat down next to Leila and Alexia sat next to her. Mariana's father came in and cried once he heard the news. We sat there in silence.

Carmen and Virginia returned and Vir sat with Mariana's mom. "She will be fine." Her mother said. "My daughter is strong, she will be fine."

A nurse walked in. "Mapi?" She stood up. "Come with me please."

"Go ahead." Alexia nodded.

"It's gonna be ok." Mapi put her hand on Virginia's shoulder. She reached up and grabbed it.

Mapi walked away and I walked over to my wife, sitting next to her. She turned her face away and I saw the tears. "Hey." I wrapped my arms around her. "It's ok."

"She's been there for us through everything and," She shook her head. "I can't do anything to help her right now."

Mapi came back. "Well?" Virginia said. We all waited.