I opened the door and my heart sank as I saw my boys, I was not prepared for what I saw and the tears just fell from my face.
“Why…” is all I could say as the door closed behind me.
I saw my reasons for living all banged up and both boys had a broken leg, Logan had a broken arm, Carter had his head bandaged up and both were in neck braces and looked so helpless laying there asleep. My already 6’ tall mini me’s laying there helpless, to say my heart was pounding out of my chest was an understatement. The beeping and the sight of both of them like this got to me, my anxiety shot through the roof and I fell my self spiraling and I couldn’t catch my breath. I slowly backed away to the door and hit the door because I wasn’t paying attention. This got Katie and Charlie’s attention. They opened the door to see that I had slid down on the floor crying hard and my head in my hands. “Alex!? Are you ok?” Katie asked me, knowing very well how much I had anxiety and panic attacks sometimes. I couldn’t answer her. My head was spinning and I was thinking the worst. I was thinking they’re both in comas and broken beyond repair and anything and everything more horrible that it actually seemed to be. “Charlie…can you help me get him up and out of here for a few minutes please?” I heard Katie as while I was just sitting there.
Charlie and Katie helped me up and out of the room and helped me sit in a chair outside. After about ten minutes I started to come down and was relaxing. I was still tense but I was calming down. “Alex? Are you ok?” Katie asked me. Charlie had left to go get us some drinks. I looked up at her. She really was a beautiful woman, one that at one time in my life I thought I was spending my entire life with, even if I had my thoughts. My oh my how life changes. I realized I’m gay, she cheated on me and is still with the guy, our boys are in ICU and I just rushed away from who I now think might be the actual true one for me and he’s a guy. I calmed down and took a deep breath. “Katie. Are they going to be ok? I can’t lose them. We can’t lose them.” I said sadly. “Yes Alex. We have to stay positive. I’m just as worried as you but I’ve had some time to see them and process it. The doctor should be here soon and can tell us more on what the situation with the boys are. Why don’t you go relax for a bit and find some food. You just got off a plane after 13 hours and honestly look like shit.” I chuckled. Yeah I’m sure I do after flying all the way back to Texas from Greece. Greece.. oh speaking of Greece I smiled and grabbed my phone. This didn’t go unnoticed by Katie.
I looked at my phone and I had one text and a voicemail from Nico. “Who’s the lucky girl?” Katie asked seeing that I was smiling at my phone. I locked the phone and looked at her. “It’s nothing.” I was not ready to say anything just yet. One life changing event at a time here Alex. “Sure..” Katie said chuckling. Oh if she only knew that after her I’m into men. I walked away for a minute and listened to Nico’s voicemail.
“Alex. I’m sorry you had to leave so sudden and soon. Thank you for a wonderful time and I wouldn’t be lying if I said I already miss you terribly because I absolutely do. I hope Logan and Carter are doing ok and you are doing ok too. Fixing to board now for my shift. I’ll text you later and I hope you can get some rest. Love you. Bye.” He said in his sexy Greek accent.
I was speechless. Did he really just say he loved me? So I wasn’t just hearing things that night in bed. He really does. So that’s what this feeling with him is…love. I never thought that would happen again. I whispered to myself “I love you too Nico.” Smiled and read his text… “Miss you and hope to see you sooner rather than later! ;)”
I managed to go get some food and relaxed a bit. I ended up falling asleep in the uncomfortable hospital chair. I guess I really was that tired. The doctor came by the room at 8am and since I hadn’t met the guy yet I wanted to be the one in there while he checked them. “Hi you must be their father Mr. Darkos I presume?” He asked me. “Yes sir I’m Mr. Darkos but you can call me Alex.” We shook hands. “Well as I was telling your ex wife and her partner over there. That the boys suffered some severe bruising, both boys broke their left legs and one broke the right arm. They both have slight concussions and we gave them some pain meds for them to get some rest and for the swelling to go down. They are all casted up and will be that way for at least 6-8 weeks. We are moving them to their own room now as the swelling from the accident in their brains have gone down significantly. So all in all your twins over here are super lucky Alex.” I breathed a huge sigh of relief. “Thanks doc. I just flew in all the way back from Greece nonstop and seeing them like that was not how I planned on returning from my birthday trip.” I turned to look at them sleeping boys of mine. “I could imagine that’s not how you’d want to end that nice of a vacation and your birthday. Happy Birthday might I add.” I shook his hand. “Thanks.” “I’ll inform your ex wife and let her know we will be moving them to another room. They should only have to stay there for another two days or so just to make sure everything is ok and if swelling and everything is good, then they can go home. I’ll leave you with them now. See you later.” He walked out of the room and I could hear him begin to talk to Katie.
I got up and walked over between the beds they were laying in. My sweet sweet boys, you have no idea how much I love you two and still need you. I’m so glad you’re going to be ok. That was a birthday present I was ok with getting, the best one I may add, knowing they will be ok. Knowing that information I felt better and told Katie and Charlie to go home and get some real rest, that I’d stay making sure everything is ok. “Alex. Are you sure? You literally just flew all the way back here from Greece. You sure you don’t…” I looked at Katie. “Yes I’m sure. I want to spend my birthday with them since I’m here…” She looked at me and realized it was in fact my 40th birthday today. “Oh Alex I’m sorry…” I smiled. “It’s ok Katie. The first birthday after we are officially divorced and I’m spending it in the hospital with the boys. As long as I’m with them I don’t care where I am. That’s a gift.” She smiled back. I still did love her after all we’ve been through, just not like that anymore, but the love changed and it’s still there. “Well ok then. Happy Birthday Alex. We will be back in a few hours. Let me know if anything happens.”
They left and I took my spot on the chair against the wall. I was dozing off and on when I heard one of them start to speak. “Dad!? Is that you?” It was Logan. I immediately got up and rushed over to him. “Yeah it’s me. Your mom called me and let me know what happened to you two and I rushed home.” By that time Carter had started to wake up and we repeated the same conversation I had just had with his brother. “You flew all the way home overnight from Greece? But dad… you’ve been excited about that trip forever it seems like.” Carter said quietly. I grabbed both of their hands and squeezed them tightly. “There is no other place in this world I would rather be right now than to be here with the two of you boys. You’re my world and of course I would be here.” I smiled and a few tears slipped from my face. They both were looking at me. My twin boys and literally my twins. No denying these two belonged to me.
Logan asked what day it was and as soon as I told them they both looked at eachother and then at me. “Happy Birthday Dad!” In unison. I smiled. “Thank you both very much.” At that time the doctor had come back in the room and noticed they were up and starting to sound normal. He ran a few tests and deemed them well enough to be moved into a regular room. Once we got the boys moved into a regular room, of course they both had to be with eachother, I texted Katie and gave her their room number and filled her in on how they were doing. I was sitting on the recliner in the corner when my phone dinged. It was Nico. He must have landed from his long flight he had been working. I smiled at his message and it once again didn’t go unnoticed. Both boys looked at me and grinned and then looked at one another. “Who is that dad?” Logan asked. “Someone special?” Teased Carter. Here I am a grown man of 40 years and I’m blushing and getting embarrassed by my 16 year old sons. “It’s nothing. Well not nothing but nothing I’m quite ready to talk about just yet.” I replied. They looked at one another and smirked and replied in unison “ok dad.” And then let it go for a while.
Nico had texted he was at his stop and that he was actually there for the next two days and wasn’t flying back out again until the night after next. He didn’t say where but I was just happy to hear from him again. I missed him so much and I didn’t realize I did until I was sitting in the hospital room while listening to Logan and Carter beginning to be their normal obnoxious selves to one another. Talking about girls and baseball. I really did miss him. I know it’s crazy for only a few days but I really did miss him. Like those 3 days with Nico were more magical than any of the last few years of my marriage with Katie and we did have a great life up until the end really.
I started to text Nico back.
A: Glad you landed safe!
N: Me too!
N: Happy Birthday old man! ;p
A: Thanks! You’re not that far behind!
N: Yeah yeah but you’re still older than me by 3 years!
N: How are you doing? How are your boys doing?
A: :) Thanks for asking. I’m doing good. Tired but good. The boys got moved to a regular room and back to being their obnoxious selves. Or as much as they can be with a broken leg each and one with a broken arm. But you remember what it was like to 16 and carefree lol! But if all goes well they’ll be out of here by tomorrow maybe.
N: That’s so great to hear! I’m glad! Not quite the birthday present you expected but that’s pretty damn good!
A: Yeah I’m glad. On another note…is it weird to say that I miss you a lot? Because well I do…
N: No. It’s not. I started missing you the moment you power walked into the airport.
A: :) Aww shucks! You know how to make a guy blush! I missed you too. I didn’t want our time together to end like that so abruptly either but…
N: Me either! But oh for sure those two come first. I totally get it! :)
A: How are you so amazing and so damn cute too!? And how are you still single!?
N: I don’t know. I’m sure my mom would like to know that one too….and my grandmother. lol!!
A: Uh oh lol. I’ve been found out! lol I’m over here grinning texting you and it’s caught the boys attention….
N: Here comes the interrogations!! ;p
By this time I was so engrossed with my texting I didn’t notice the boys had stopped talking and were watching me grinning from ear to ear while I was texting Nico back and forth. They looked at each other and grinned. “Who is she dad? Who has got you grinning from ear to ear like the Cheshire Cat?
I smiled and kept texting Nico back and forth but I told them it’s none of their business and when the time comes I’ll tell them more on a need to know basis. Little did I know, to my surprise later on the next day, it would be would be a lot sooner than I thought…. But in the most absolutely perfect way I never could have imagined!
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