A summer day in the backyard takes a turn. Jay will need the support of his family to get through this battle.
Chapter 19 is now available.
Read on Ao3 or below the cut.
Daddy lets him walk up the steps into the house.
He’s spent all morning being shuttled back and forth between exams and blood work before Dr. Lee finally decided he could go home.
Then had come the longest drive of his life.
Literally.
Dr. Lee had told his daddy on their way out of the hospital that he needed to be careful.
To leave the buckles on his car seat just a little looser than normal.
To avoid any harsh braking or anything else that might put pressure on Jay’s chest.
His chest still hurts.
They keep telling him that his incision his healing well but the main pain is deeper.
Especially when he moves too fast.
They say the bones will take the longest to heal.
That he needs to be careful or it will take even longer.
If that boring drive was being careful, it’s going to be a long couple of weeks.
Will is waiting inside with a banner and a new stuffed dog.
He hugs his big brother, careful to avoid putting any pressure on his chest.
Then daddy helps him climb up onto the couch and settle into the pile of pillows they’ve set up for him.
Tucks his heart pillow under his left arm and the dog under his right arm.
Pops a video from the library into the vcr.
The Voltron theme song fills the room and he turns to Will, motioning him up onto the couch.
Will climbs up next to him, sitting next to him and settling against the back of the couch.
Bridget joins her husband in the entry to the hall, watching them chatter about something beyond both of their parents understanding.
“It’s good to have him home.” she tells her husband. “Good to have both of you home.”
“I know I’m excited to sleep in my own bed.” he says. “Rather than that half-assed excuse for a recliner.”
“Just your own bed?” she asks.
“With my hot wife.” he whispers in her ear.
She giggles, nudging him.
“Maybe now that this is starting to get behind us, we should think about another one.” she suggests.
“You don’t think we’ve spent enough time in the hospital this year already?” he asks.
“New Years is coming up.” she says with a shrug. “New Year, New Beginnings.”
“New Baby?” he asks.
“Will is such a good big brother.” she says, “Shouldn’t Jay have that chance too?”
“Gonna make this same case for the new baby in a couple years?” he asks playfully. “And then the next one a few years after that?”
She shrugs.
“Can we have a little brother?” Jay calls from the couch and she dissolves into laughter, dropping her head onto his shoulder.
“I don’t know.” Will says. “A sister could be cool too.”
“And then we get stuck going to dance recitals like Bobby.” Jay says. “No way.”
“We haven’t made any decisions at all.” Pat says sternly. “And babies don’t work like that. You don’t fill out a request form for what you want. You take what you get.”
“Even if the kid comes with a defective heart?” Jay says quietly.
The entire room goes silent.
Pat and his wife exchange a look.
“Baby.” Bridge says, sitting on the couch next to her son and reaching for his hand. “Even then. Because you do have to take what you get but you also get what you need. Even if you don’t know it. Every family gets the baby that is the most perfect for them. Just like you and your brother. Because the two of you are perfect for this family.”
“Even if I’m broken?” Jay says, tilting his head to the side. “And cost too much money?”
“Kiddo.” Pat breathes. “You aren’t broken, sweetheart.”
“Dr. Lee had to fix me.” he says, looking disgruntled. “Cause I wasn’t born right. Cause you got a baby that was broken.”
He shakes his head.
“Maybe you shouldn’t have another baby.” he says. “What if they’re broken too?”
And it’s not like it hasn’t occured to her.
That if they had another baby, they might run into another congenital heart defect.
They’ve had Will screened, are confident that his heart is free of any defects.
“You had a minor defect of your heart that Dr. Lee repaired.” Bridget tells him. “There will be some follow up appointments but then you are going to live a perfect life and do whatever you want to do. And that tiny problem with your heart is just one piece of you. These last couple of months are just one little piece of your life. And I’m not a big fan of this particular snippet any more than you are but you are so much more than this. What you have to offer our family is so much more than this.”
“Really?” Jay asks, eyes wide.
“Really kiddo.” Pat says. “I promise this is all going to get better. You and your brother are both going to accomplish so many incredible things.”
Jay stares up at him, looking for any sign of dishonesty in his face.
Finally he smirks impishly.
“What about our baby brother?” he asks.
Pat chuckles.
“We will talk about it later.” he tells him.
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