Mermaid Thighs

Nurses are a unique kind. They have this insatiable need to care for others, which is both their greatest strength and fatal flaw. – Dr. Jean Watson

The neonatal staff became an extension of the rapidly growing family. There were many mornings that Reese would bring in donuts or other breakfast items when they arrived at the hospital in the morning. Several days a week, he would order catering from one of his restaurants.

He even convinced the hospital to let him bring in some grills and help cook hamburgers for the staff. Once that was approved, he called Willow who reached out to the food trucks. They all set up just off the walkway in the grass with portable grills and griddles.

Many of the food truck owners were so thrilled to be involved that they donated their time and services. Reese refused to accept that and had Willow give them some free time in their contracted locations.

Helen was kept in the hospital for a little over a week. After that, they moved to the hotel across the road. Again. This time, JD and Dean stayed at the house by themselves. Although, they both spent almost all day at the hospital or the hotel anyway.

Three days before JD was to ship out to the Great Lakes for boot camp, Jagger was released from the hospital. With him no longer in the incubator with the girls, Jaina began to deteriorate, and Janelle would not stop crying.

Chuck asked for Helen to bring Jagger back and within minutes, Janelle settled down for the first time in hours and Jaina began improving.

“that’s right, big man.” JD said as he stood with his hand inside the incubator, each of the babies held a different finger. “You take care of our baby sisters while I’m gone. You three are going to be so big the next time I see you.”

“Where are you going?” Chuck asked from where he was notating the charts for the girls.

“Navy boot camp.”

“How long is that?” The nurse asked.

“Ten weeks.” JD smiled at his younger siblings. “They’ve grown so much in six weeks; I can’t even imagine how much they’ll grow in two and a half months.”

The older man chuckled. “A lot. But at least you were here when they were born. Isn’t your dad Navy?”

JD shook his head. “My bio dad is an asshole. Reese is my stepdad, but I’d rather have his name than the other, so as a graduation present, he paid for me to change my name.”

“That’s awesome. He seems like a good guy and a devoted father.”

“Yeah. Monday has always been their date night. Reese insisted on taking her out tonight.”

“Where’s your girl?”

JD sighed. “She’s… out with friends.”

“Everything okay?”

“I feel like she’s going to break up with me.” He admitted quietly. “It’s stupid. Who meets their one in high school? But honestly, I thought that I had.”

The room was silent except for the buzz and beeps of the machines. Jaina was the only one still on oxygen and none were currently on feeding tubes.

“I did.” Chuck grinned. “Not that it was easy. She was a year older than me and graduated before me. She went to college, and I was sure that she was going to find someone else.”

“That’s what Dean says.” JD nodded, his heart in his throat.

“If it’s meant to be, it will be.” Chuck clapped him on the shoulder.

“What happened? With you and her.”

He pulled out his phone from his scrub pocket. His background picture was him and a woman with three young kids. “Ten years in October, and number four in November. But let me tell you, it has not been all sunshine and roses. We’ve had fights, days that I was sure that we were going to split and a few nights on the couch.”

“But you made it?”

“We’re making it.” Chuck corrected. “My dad told me that your heart makes the choice to fall in love. You have to make the decision to stay there.”

After a tense moment, JD looked up with tears in his eyes, his heart in his throat, and asked; “What do I do if she… if she doesn’t choose to stay?”

“You can accept it and move on. Or you can pursue her and change her mind.”

“How?”

“How what?” the older man asked with a grin. “How do you move on? You pick up your heart and you bury your heartache.”

Shaking his head, JD corrected the question. “How do I pursue her?”

“What does she like? What are her hobbies? Does her family support you two? Does yours? Will they help? What about your friends? Her friends?”

JD stood in thoughtful silence as the nurse left the room to go check on his other patients. A few minutes later, one of the other nurses brought in the first of the three bottles. They ate in the same order every time, oldest to youngest. Jagger was eating more than either of his sisters and Jaina ate less but a little more frequently.

When Reese and Helen walked back into the nursery, JD was in the glider giving Jaina her bottle. She finished draining the formula and he sat the bottle aside and placed her on his shoulder. He gently rubbed her back until he got a little burp.

“Now, now, little one, your sister gave me a much better burp than that.” He encouraged as he shifted and began to gently pat her back. Another, louder burp came out of her, and he chuckled. “That’s my girl.”

Reese chuckled as he watched the older brother with the tiny baby. She gave a yawn and then scrucnched up against his chest.

“Let me have her.” Helen said as she placed Janelle back in the incubator after changing her diaper. Reese had just placed Jagger back inside after changing his diaper also.

“Here go, little one, mom’s going to spoil you and I’m going to steal dad for a minute.” JD said handing over his baby sister.

Reese followed him out into the hall and JD went to a small conference room.

“You okay?” Reese asked as the other man closed the door.

“No.” he admitted as he sat at the small table. “I think that Dean is going to break up with me and I don’t want to lose her.” He let out a harsh breath. “She moved back to her room and is practically ignoring me.”

“She’s scared, son.” He sat across the table from his stepson.

“What do I do?” JD asked, his fear was written on his face and thick in his voice. “I don’t want to lose her.”

“That’s not up to you.” Reese said gently. “It’s her choice. You can court her. Woo her. But ultimately, it’s up to her.”

“I lover her, dad.” JD said, not even realizing what he had called Reese.

Reese reached across the table and grabbed his hands as they tightly gripped each other. His heart was full because this young man saw him as his father. And it was breaking for the same man who was facing his own heart being ripped to shreds.

“I know you do. I think that she loves you too. But she’s scared. You’re going to have to prove to her that you’re not going anywhere.”

“But I am going somewhere. I’m going to leave her.”

“No, you’re not leaving her. You’re going to make a life for yourself and for her.”

“I need to show her I’m serious.”

They sat in silence for a few minutes.

“What about a ring?” JD asked.

“I think both of you are a little young for an engagement ring.”

JD shook his head. “A promise ring.”