"An accident? What do you mean? Is he okay?
... Is he alive?"

"We are sending a police to come and get you, ma'am. Just meet us at the hospital."

"Tell me! Is he alive?!" She raises her voice.

"Yes, but he's out of it. He's badly injured and we won't know how much damage is done to the brain until we run a cat scan."

"Oh my God."

Jessica hung up and cried.

"Mommy, are you okay?" Sofia asks.

"Yes, baby. Go play!"

"Are you sure?"

"I'm fine Sof, now go play, please!"

Sofia leaves her alone and Jessica calls her mother.

"Hello?"

"Mom! I need you to come watch the kids! Danny's been in an accident and I need to get to the hospital."

"What?! Is he okay?"

"I don't know, there might be brain damage. I just need you to stay with them, please!"

"Of course, sweetie. I'm on my way!"

"Thank you."

"Sure. Call Sarah to meet you there, I don't want you going by yourself!"

"I will."

Jessica calls Sarah, and she rushes over to the hospital.

"Mommy, is it daddy? Is he hurt?"

"He's gonna be okay, Sof! You three be good for grandma."

"Please be carful, Jessie. Call me when you find out."

"I will. Thanks again."

As Jessica sits in the car, she thinks of what she last said to Danny.

He wanted a kiss. Why didn't I kiss him?
Oh God, please let him be okay. I can't lose him. I can't! I need him. We have five children together. I couldn't do it without him... I can't! God, why didn't you kiss him, Jessica?!

When Jessica gets to the hospital, she runs to the front desk and in a panic asks, "I need to see my husband!"

"What's his name, dear?"

"Daniel Huston.

Please let me see him. I need to see him!"

"Unfortunately we cannot let you back there, ma'am. The doctors working on him, please take a seat and he'll be out to see you shortly.

"Working on him? Like reviving him?"

"No. Your husband lost a lot of blood, so they're just trying to stabilize him."

"Is he gonna be okay?" She says with tears running down her face.

"The doctor will come to talk to you in a few minutes, ma'am."

Jessica breathed heavy as she walked to the waiting room.

"Ah.." She holds the sides of her stomach.

"Ugh, not now, boys."

What a fucking year. Almost divorcing Danny, having a baby early, Arabella in the hospital the first few months of her life, then a few scares once she was finally home. Me in the hospital after I had her.  Getting pregnant with twins, finding out Bella has asthma, Danny in this accident.. How much can we take? I want this year to be over!

Sarah arrived about ten minutes later.

Jessica was getting some coffee when Sarah came up behind her and said, "Hey Jess! What's going on?"

"Oh you scared me!" She turns to her and touches her chest.

"Sorry! How is he?"

"I don't know, they won't tell me. All I know is he lost a lot of blood and they were doing a ct scan to see if there was any uh.. Brain damage." She swallows hard.

"Oh God...
Jess, he's gonna be fine."

"Is he?" She looks into her eyes.

Jessica slowly walks to go sit down and says, "I tell him all the time, Wear your seatbelt, wear your seatbelt. He doesn't listen! He never.. Listens." Jessica looks down and cries.

Sarah wraps her arm around her to comfort her and says, "Jessica, Danny's strong. He can get through this!"

"Sarah, he wanted a kiss before he left and I didn't do it.  Why didn't I kiss him?!  What if he leaves me and I never kissed him?!" Jessica gets louder and cries harder.

"Jessica, don't!" Sarah cries and hugs her tight.

***

"It's been three hours and they haven't told me anything!"

"Maybe no news is good news." Sarah rubs her back.

Jessica gives her a look, then sighs and leans back in the chair.

"How about you. Are the boys okay?" She rubs her stomach.

"They're fine."

"You feeling okay?"

"I'm in a little pain, but I'm fine."

"Like labor pains?"

"No."

"Have you named them yet?"

"Yeah, baby A is Joshua and baby B is Joseph."

"Awe! I didn't know that! That's so cute!"

"Thanks."

"Just think, in a few weeks, they'll be in your arms. "

"Yeah..." She gives her a small smile, then looks down and her happiness quickly fades away.

"Sarah, what if it's really bad? What if I lose him? I couldn't go on without him."

"Jess, don't talk like that."

"I've been with him since I was sixteen years old..."

"I know.."

"Sarah, what am I gonna do without him?"

"You won't have to live without him, because he's not going anywhere!  Okay?  He's gonna be fine!" Sarah says as the doctor walked out.

"Mrs. Huston."

"Yes?!" Jessica stands up faster than she's gotten up in months.

"How is he? Is he okay?!"

"He's stable. We stopped the bleeding. He has several stitches on his face, he broke some ribs and dislocated his shoulder.  He also has a slipped disk in his back.  These are all minor and treatable things."

"What about his brain?  You said there might be damage."

"We ran some test. We will tell you as soon as we get the results back."

"Can I see him?"

"Yes, but he's not alert at the moment."

"When will he wake up?"

"I don't know."

"You don't know?  You're the fucking doctor, how can you not know?" Jessica raises her voice.

"Mrs. Huston, I'm sorry, but that's all I can tell you right now.  I'll let you know how his results as soon as they're in.  Also, I know this is a difficult time right now, but you are obviously in no condition to have any added stress.  Please try to relax, and we will do all we can."

Jessica takes a deep breath and Sarah walks up, "Is everything okay?"

Jessica tells her what is going on with Danny, then says, "They're gonna let me see him, could you call my mom and let her know what's going on, please?"

"Sure, Jess."

Jessica gets a tight feeling in her chest and follows the doctor.

Danny didn't look like himself. He was all bandaged up, his face was swollen and bruised, and there was still blood on him.  He had an oxygen mask on as well.

"Oh Danny!" Jessica says in a whisper with tears running down her face.

She sits on the side of his bed and holds his hand.

"I'm so sorry this happened all for some diapers and peanut butter..

I love you, Daniel." She says with tears pouring down her face.

"Don't leave me.  I need you to wake up.  We have three kids at home and two on the way.. We need you, baby.

I love you.. I love you so much."

Jessica rubs his hand, then kisses it.

"I'm sorry I didn't give you a kiss before you went to the store.  I wish I could go back... I'd never part my lips from yours."

Jessica sat in there for the longest time, just holding his hand and watching him sleep.

"Wake up now, baby.  Please?  Wake up, honey.." She placed her palm on his cheek.

She hears a knock and the doctor walks in.

"Hello, I was just coming in to discuss Danny's results."

"What is it?" She says as the tightening in her chest returns.

"Danny has a concussion, but there is no permanent brain damage."

"Oh thank God!" She touches her chest and cries.

"It's normal for him to still be out.  Some people are out a few seconds, minutes, days, and sometimes even weeks, so we really don't know how long he'll be out for.  But we will be monitoring him closely."

"Thank you so much."

"You're very welcome.  Danny's fine is you want to go home.  It's late and you must be tired."

"Can I stay the night with him?"

"If you want to, then sure!  We can bring a small bed in here for you to sleep on."

"Oh no, I'm fine.  Thank you, though."

"Are you sure?  I know you've gotta be uncomfortable.  How far along are you?"

"Thirty seven weeks.. with twins." She smiles.

"Wow!"

"Yeah!  Hopefully this doesn't put me into labor, I need Danny with me!" She looks over to him.

The doctor smiles and says, "He'll be there for you, Mrs. Huston."