An average looking man in his mid thirties with peach-colored skin and a five-o-clock shadow, ambled confidently until he reached the corner of a narrow hall. His brown hair was done up in a stylish fade and he was dressed in black clothes commonly worn by the restaurant service industry. He looked at a number plate on the wall outside of a closed room before knocking firmly.
"Come in," was the reply. He opened the door, holding flowers behind his back as he entered. The room was clean, sparsely furnished, and smelt faintly of chemicals. Against the wall near the window that showed the dark city outside were several vases of flowers.
Stirring awake in a hospital bed was a pretty woman with small dark brown eyes, bronze skin and long straight black hair. Her shoulders were slumped as if she was exhausted. A cord went from a computer screen next to the bed and down onto her finger. Sitting in a reclining chair next to her was a slender woman with shoulder length brown hair, fair skin and heavy bags beneath her dark blue eyes.
"Good evening," the man said with a grin. "How are we all feeling?"
"Fabulous," said the woman in bed, with a sarcastic tone.
"These are for you," he said, holding out the bundle of flowers.
"Thank you Matt," she replied, taking them with a wan smile.
"Congratulations Alex," he said to the woman in the reclining chair. He opened his arms and gave her a hug as she stood.
"Thank you," Alex smiled as they parted.
"So how... how long did you-?" he asked, turning back to the woman in bed.
"I don't know, it seemed like forever," she admitted.
"Twelve hours," Alex said.
"Ooo, I'm sorry," Matt apologized.
"Well it is your fault," she said with an accusing, but somewhat comedic tone.
"True," Matthew laughed. "Where's-" He was interrupted by the sound of a child crying coming from a bassinet.
"Babe, I'll take the flowers," offered Alex. She quickly grabbed them and set them next to others, before going to the bassinet. The woman in the hospital bed pressed a button on the remote and her bed tilted so she was in a sitting position, while Alex checked on the wrapped newborn.
"Could I change her diaper?" Matthew asked.
"Oh please," Alex said with relief, grabbing a diaper and handing it to him.
"It's been forever since I changed one, but I never minded too much," he said, going up to the side of the bassinet.
He gazed at the tiny human with a smiling visage. While her toothless mouth wailed, her eyes were tightly closed. He unwrapped the blanket around her torso, unbuttoned the bottom of her outfit and then opened her diaper.
"Woah, I remember that smell," he laughed. He fumbled a bit, but was able to wipe and clean the infant before placing a new diaper and tossing the soiled one in the bin. He went to the sink to wash his hands. Alex brought the baby to the black-haired woman in bed. She had opened her gown, baring her breast, ready for the infant to suckle. After Matthew was finished drying his hands he went to the other side of the bed.
"You're going to be a great mom Hannah," he said with a grin.
"I hope so," she said with a heavy sigh.
"You both will," Matthew assured, nodding at Alex. She grinned in response and nodded back.
* *
After he had left, Matthew got a call a couple hours later. He picked up the phone from his pocket, and answered when he saw it was Hannah.
"You got those flowers from the gift shop downstairs didn't you?"
"Uh... yeah, sorry I just came from work and didn't-"
"It's fine, it's just Alex and I had a bet, and it looks like I won," she said with mirth.
Matthew laughed.
"Though, I called for another reason. I forgot to tell you when you were here, because I haven't had any sleep. Our friends Sarah and Stephen from college came and visited. They didn't know how we got pregnant, so we told them the story. Turns out they are having trouble getting pregnant too," Hannah said.
"Oh?" Matthew replied dubiously.
"We basically recommended you as an option. I hope that's ok."
"You recommended me?
"Well we were so thankful for what you did. What you did was such a gift. We didn't say you would help them out for sure. We just said that maybe you would. There's no pressure."
"Oh jeez," Matthew sighed.
"Sorry I-"
"Well, it's... it's ok I guess," he replied.
"You sure?"
"Don't worry about it. You have enough to worry about with little Emma. But as long as my mother doesn't get any worse I should have enough money to last for a few months and not have to impregnate any more women," he chuckled. Hannah laughed at that.
* * *
"Wait, what?" Matthew said. His expression revealed obvious confusion.
"Central vein stenosis," said the doctor, after adjusting the stethoscope around his neck. "There are large veins in your chest which drain blood from the arms and head back to the heart. The veins in your mother's chest have narrowed considerably. It's most likely a side effect of the dialysis. That's why she has swelling in her arms."
"What do we do?"
"Angioplasty is the safest option at this point. I can insert a balloon with minimally invasive surgery and remove the blockage."
"Surgery?"
"With a very small incision. But with any surgery there are risks."
"Alright," Matthew nodded. "Does Medicare cover angio-whatever?"
"Talk with the front desk, they'll be able to check her insurance for you. Usually Medicare will cover some, but not all of the expense."
"Alright," he sighed, in a defeated tone. "Thank you doctor."
* * *
Sitting on a tan leather couch, looking at his phone, sat a very handsome man with lightly tanned skin, blonde hair, green eyes, and a straight nose. Next to him was a voluptuous, attractive woman in her late thirties. She had russet-colored skin with makeup lightly across her face, a snub nose, and light brown eyes beneath mascara-covered lashes. Her blonde hair was tied up in a tight bun on top of her head. A long dark empire-waist skirt draped her to the ankles and a ribbed sweater covered her torso, de-emphasizing her very large chest. Her hands were folded across her lap as she looked across the room to a large grandfather clock. She parted her plump red lips.
"Should I call him?"
"Wait until ten past," the man said, keeping his gaze on his phone.
"Yes darling," she replied with eerie calm.
