You’ve no idea how lucky you are.
“I know. I know. I’m so fucking sorry. I just don’t do pregnant women and Lu ’s bump was bloody huge - she just didn’t do it for me anymore and nine months is a long-time mate - you wait till you have to go through it - swollen ankles and veiny tits!”
I can’t bear to listen to his whiney, self-absorbed voice any longer. How dare he bad-mouth her now, whilst she fights to deliver their child and save her own life? Lucia’s my priority now, not this deadbeat. I stand and glance back towards Niall, his head buried in his hands, wallowing in self-pity. The guy needed his head knocking off and when the time was right, I’d be first in line to do it.
How could he do this to Lucia?
In that second, I lost all respect for him. I am no angel - fuck, I’m a total player - but I’m no cheat! I abhor cheats! I’m about to turn the handle of the door when Nina blasts through, a bag of nerves and out of breath - with the news we’ve all been waiting for, on baited breath.
“It’s a boy! He’s doing well - it had been tough but he’s here. He’s finally here.” Her eyes are glistening with unshed tears and Mac Myers is beaming at her side. “He’s finally here!”
“What about, Lu?” I’m aware that Niall and I have asked the question in unison.
Mac responds. “She’s not doing so great lads. She’s lost a lot of blood and they need to give her a blood transfusion and she needs blood fast - we are hugely depleted in A Rhd negative ”
A nurse interrupts us, popping her head around the door. “Niall, you can come meet your son now.”
I watch as he twitches nervously. Filled with guilt. He didn’t deserve this - to be a father. I’m surprised at the amount of resentment I feel towards him - that he should be the one to see Lu’s child before me.
“Go see to your son, Niall - I’ll sort things here.” I hear my encouraging voice but don’t remember saying the words. I feel helpless and scared and completely out of my comfort zone - I’m not in control and I hate not being in control.
“She can have my blood, I’m the same blood type - I know from when we donated at Uni.”
The nurse smiles and advises me that she can set that up - they just need to check a few things first.
I kiss Nina’s cheek and shake Mac’s hand firmly before heading off with Becky the nurse and Mac, who is also going to donate to Lu. After checking my medical notes to confirm my blood type is in fact the same as Lucia’s I’m relieved of a pint of my own blood and watch as it is taken in its bag to be attached to Lu. Anything to help my best friend - anything to get her well - anything to bring her back to me, to us, safely.
The baby is fine - thank God - but she is my priority.
I’ve never been so scared in my life.
“She’ll be Ok, son.”
I look up into Mac Myers' friendly brown eyes, grateful of his support and respond unconvincingly. “Yeah, she will.”
She has to be.
It is a further three hours before we are given another update. This time the Consultant Gynaecologist enters the family room with a tired serious face, still dressed head-to-toe in surgical scrubs.
“Lucia is stable now - you can go in and see her in a few minutes, once her last obs have been taken. She’s been very lucky. Getting that blood so fast helped.”
I hear Nina’s calm voice speak, asking the one thing I wanted to hear. “Will she make a full recovery?”
“We managed to save the remaining ovary and clear the pelvis of all fluid - it was a rather large cyst that had twisted and become attached to the bowel.”
“So she’ll be able to have more children?’
“Yes, Dr. Chada our in-house registrar did her best, before I arrived to limit adhesions to the bowel and a second C-section surgery would not be without risk. Unfortunately, the labour did not establish the way we would have liked, putting pressure on her and the baby and the large ovarian cyst she had - it burst and the baby’s heart dipped - the infection of the burst cyst hit Lucia’s blood stream, sending her blood pressure haywire. The baby was very large for her small frame and her section cut had to accommodate this. We were even considering a second cut up the centre of the abdomen, but we managed to get the little fella out in the end. Unfortunately we had to crack the bottom rib on her left, to remove the baby - he was just too wedged but that will heal with rest.”
I watch as Mac consoles his wife, who is visibly shaken - this was all a lot to take in. “Can I see her now?”
The surgeon nods his approval. “But keep it short. She’ll need her rest. You have a very tough lady in there - a real fighter. She is a very lucky woman - I don’t mind saying that it was touch and go for a while. The combination of blood loss and her heart murmur kept us on our toes but she’s through the worst of it now.”