"Danny, this is all my fault!"

"This is not your fault!"

"It didn't develop properly because I gave birth early.  Every single thing our daughter has had to deal with is because I couldn't carry her to term."

"No." Danny nods.

"Don't do this to yourself.  This is difficult already and you don't need that extra stress."

Jessica looked down and wiped her tears.

"Her appointment is Thursday at ten.  Do you mind coming with me?"

"No, of course I'll be there!"

"Thank you.. I'm so scared."

"It's gonna be okay.  Our girl is strong, Jess, you know that."

Jessica nods as she stares down to the ground.

"Momma!  Dada, play with us!" Arabella runs in with Coltan following behind with a board game.

Jessica smiles softly and sits down.

"What game are we playing, baby?"

"Candy land!" Coltan says with excitement.

"You be blue, mommy."

"What color can I be?" Danny asks.

"Gween!" Arabella hands it to him.

"Cole Cole you pick lellow!  And I pick pink!"

"That's red, silly." Jessica chuckles and rubs her back.

"No it pink!"

"Okay it's pink." She smiles.

Danny and Jessica sat down and played game after game with Arabella and Coltan.
Jessica got scared every time Arabella got a little too excited.

"Bella Boo, carful, okay?"

"Momma, I okay!  My heart doesn't hurt right now!"

Jessica's eyes filled with tears.

"Okay.. well mommy just wants you to be safe.  Let's not make it hurt, please."

"But I gotta be myself!"

"Okay, baby." Jessica chuckles.

***

Thursday.

The twins and Coltan were left with Danny's parents while Danny and Jessica took Arabella to the cardiologist.

"You okay?" Danny asks quickly looking over to Jessica while driving.

"I'm just nervous."

"It'll be okay." Danny reached over and placed his hand on hers.

Jessica nods then turns and looks out the window.

As they sat there waiting for the doctor, Danny and Jessica were both silent. They both kept thinking of all the possibilities and becoming more and more nervous.

"Am I gonna have to take my clothes off again?" Arabella suddenly asks.

"I don't know, honey." Jessica chuckles.

"I don't like doctors looking at my boobies!"

Danny laughs and looks down.
"I love you, Bella."

"Awe!  I love you too, Daddy!"

He smiles and takes her from Jessica.
He kisses her cheek then holds her tight.

Jessica looked at him and she could tell he was extremely nervous.
She placed her hand on his back and he turned to her.
Neither one spoke a word, they just looked at each other.
They put their problems aside and only focused on their daughter.  No mater what, their children came first Always.

After running tests the doctor came in and told them that Arabella would need heart surgery as soon as possible to repair the valve.
Jessica cried as soon as they got the news.  She was terrified for her daughter.  Not only does her three year old daughter have to have surgery, she has to Heart surgery, which to Jessica is so incredibly scary. She was a nervous wreck for her little girl.
The doctor gave them all the information about the surgery then left them.

"Momma, why you cryin'?" Arabella asks with a worried look in her eyes.

"Jessica I know it's hard, but you're scaring her."

Jessica sniffled and wiped her cheeks.
"You're right, I'm sorry.  Come on, Bella.. Let's go home." Jessica picked Arabella up and kissed her cheek.

Danny took Jessica home and they both explained to her what was going to happen.

"They gonna fix my heart?  They gonna cute me open?"

"It's gonna make you all better.."

"But I scared!"

"Don't be scared, baby.. Mommy and Daddy promise you that everything will be okay."

Arabella cries and rubs her eyes.

Jessica took her in her arms and cried silently with her.

"You're gonna be fine, honey!" She speaks in a whisper.

"Am I gonna die, momma?"

"No!  No honey, you're going to be fine!"

"I no want surgery!  I no want them to cut me open!"

"Shh, shh.. it's okay, honey." Jessica rocked her in her arms.

Arabella eventually fell asleep in her mother's arms.

Danny sat in front of them watching Arabella sleep.

"Danny, why is this happening?  I'm so scared, what if something happens to her?"

"Don't talk like that!  Jessie, she'll be fine!"

"What if she's not?!  Danny, this is my fault."

"Stop."

"No.. I hurt her when I gave birth her so early.. she's spent her whole little life fighting.  I brought another man into our children's lives.. they all hated Sam.. I was selfish and only cared about myself.. if God wants to punish me, why is he using Arabella?  Danny, this isn't fair!"

"This was not your fault!  I won't let you think you're the bad one in this situation!
You're a wonderful mother, so don't ever talk that way again.  She will be fine!  I don't want to hear you speak that way again!  We speak positive only, alright?"

Jessica nods her head and looks down to Arabella as she cries silently and rocked her gently back and forth.

"It's gonna be okay.. you'll be fine, my little Princess."

***

It was October 29th.  The day of Arabella's surgery.  Jessica and Danny were on pins and needles.  Arabella was scared and didn't want to let go of her mother.

"Mommy, don't leave me!" Arabella grabs onto her arms.

"I won't leave you, baby!"

"Pwomise?"

"I promise you, Princess." Jessica smiles softly while holding her in her arms.

Danny sat at the foot of the bed and never took his eyes off of Arabella.
It's amazing how much their lives have flipped. Just a few months ago they were happier than they've been in years.  Then Coltan came into his life and there was this part of his life Danny had no idea was missing.  Then life really hit them hard. Trisha died, Danny got custody of Coltan, Jessica left him, there was so much that went on before that made him really think.  Was he giving Arabella enough attention? Of course he was but in that moment Danny felt like he should have given her so much more.

"Momma, Daddy I pwomise I be a good girl!  I won't be bad no more!  Please please take me home!" Arabella begged her parents.

"Baby girl, we're not doing this to punish you." Danny said as he softly stroked her arm.

"Yeah Princess.. this is going to help you.. you'll feel all better after this surgery."

"But mommy, I so so scared!"

"Honey, I know it's a little scary, but you're in great hands!"

"Can I pray, mommy?"

"Of course you can, sweetie!"

"Okay.."

Arabella shut her eyes and put her hands together.

"Dear Jesus.. God.. and uhm.. all the angels and other people.. please let the surgery go fast.. please make my heart better and not hurt.  I just want to go home and be with my brothers and sisters, Sofia, Jackson, Joshua, Joesph and Cole Cole.. and I want to sleep with my mommy and my daddy.. their names are Danny and Jessie!  I want them to hold me and make me feel all better.. Thank you Jesus.. Amen!"

"Amen!" Jessica and Danny both say.

Jessica pats her thigh and gives her a kiss.

"Do you think he'll answer my prayers, mommy?"

"Of course he will, baby girl."

"I hope so.."

**

When it came time for Jessica and Danny to leave Arabella screamed and cried.

"My baby!  Please let me stay with her!"

"Ma'am, I'm sorry but we need her to calm down."

"I'm her mother, I can calm her down!"

"MOMMY!"

"Jessie, let's go out in the waiting room-"

"NO!" Jessica broke away from Danny and ran to her daughters side.

"Momma.." Arabella cries.

Jessica held Arabella's cheeks with tears pouring down her face.

"Oh Bella, my baby!  Please let me stay until she falls asleep!"

"Alright, but then I'll have no choice but to ask you to leave."

"That's fine!  Oh Bella Boo.. I'm so sorry you have to go through this!  I love you so so much, my precious girl."

"I love you too, momma."

**

"Am I gonna have cuts all over me, cause I no like that!  I gotta look cute in my swimsuit!"

Jessica looks at Danny and he laughs.

"She can always make us laugh, huh?"

"Heh, definitely!  She's a little firecracker!" Jessica smiles.

"NO!  I don't like needles!  They hurt me!" Arabella shouted when she saw her IV.

"Shh, shh.. it's okay, baby.. here, let's play on momma's phone.."

"We watch my video?"

"The one daddy made when you turned one?"

"Yeah.."

"Okay, let me find it."

Jessica found the video Danny had made of Arabella's first year.  The song "I get to love you" starts and Arabella calms down as she watches it.
Jessica cried quietly as Arabella laid on her head on her lap.  This was the song that she danced to with Arabella the first night she was home.  Hearing it always made her very emotional.

Eventually Arabella fell asleep and Jessica and Danny had to leave.
Jessica gave her a soft kiss and gently caressed her cheek as she whispered, "I love you."

As they sat there waiting, Danny sat beside Jessica and watched her fiddle with her tissue in her hands as she moved her leg nervously.

"Jessie.. she's gonna be okay."

"I know.. I just so nervous, Danny.  I know you said it's not my fault but I still blame myself."

"I wish you wouldn't, Jess.. you're an amazing mother and this was out of your control."

"Thank you....
I just keep thinking about what's next.. Recovery after this is going to be rough on her little body.  This is all so overwhelming." Jessica sighs.

"I'll of course help you out.  You're not alone in this, Jess.  Whatever that is messy between us is out the window right now."

"Yes.  We're parents and right now that's all that matters.  We have to work as a team."

"We can definitely do that.. and if it gets too crazy at the house, then I can take the kids to my place so you only have to focus on Bella."

"Okay.. that might work.... Thank you, Danny."

"No problem.."

**

Danny sat back going through old pictures on his phone.

"Jessie, look at this picture of Bella!" He chuckles as he taps her arm.

"Heh!  Oh my Princess!  Look how tiny she was.."

"And that was her after gaining a whole bunch of weight!"

"Yeah.. man, look at her blonde hair!  She's looking more and more like daddy these days." Jessica chuckles.

"She may have my hair, but she definitely has her mother's beauty."

Jessica smiles softly then looks back down to the picture.

"I remember the first time I held her.. man, it was so unreal!  We had gone so long without being able to hold her that when we finally did.."

"It was amazing." Danny finishes.

"Mhm." Jessica nods with tears filling her eyes.

"Oh God.. Danny, our baby is back there having heart surgery!  Our poor little girl!  What did she do to deserve this?  I don't understand!" Jessica loses it once again.

Danny puts his phone away and comforts her.

"She didn't do anything.. things like this happen.
It doesn't make sense and it never will.. we just have to get through it.. and I know we can.  I'm here for you.. just let it all out so you're all ready to see our Princess." He says rubbing her back in a soothing way.

Jessica sobbed into his chest as he held her.  Jessica was happy Danny was there for her.  Right now in this moment they both needed each other there for support.  This was beyond scary and they needed to stay strong for their children.  Right now cheating, divorce and stupid bickering didn't matter.  All that mattered was getting their daughter through this.