�Hey, D,� Nickolas said as he and Sunshine walked into his hospital room. �Time to get up.�
Howard looked and said, �I am up. Hey, Sunn.�
�Hey,� Sunshine said kissing his cheek.
�It�s only 9:30. What are you doing here?�
�Sunnie�s got an appointment at Tampa Bay General at 1:30,� Nickolas stated. �So we decided to stop and see ya.�
�And to apologize for not coming in yesterday,� Sunshine added.
�It�s alright,� Howard said. �Don�t worry about me, because I�m perfectly fine.� He smiled. �It was nothing serious.�
�When can ya get out of here?� Nickolas asked.
�I don�t know,� Howard said. �Dr. Bayliss said probably this afternoon if everything�s ok.�
�Polly said ya hit your head on the steering wheel.�
�Yeah; they wanted to keep me for observation.�
�Hope ya feel better.�
�I feel fine. It�s just my ribs.�
�I said the same thing,� Sunshine said and they looked at her. �And I was wrong. I�m paying for it now.� Nickolas and Howard just looked at her not saying anything. �So where�s Jo?�
�I sent her home last night to be with the twins,� Howard replied. �No one needs to be worried about me.�
�But we do,� Nickolas said. �Just like you worry about us.� Howard shrugged.
�I hope Caroline and Tyler weren�t a handful the other night,� Howard said.
�Of course not,� Sunshine said.
�They were little angels,� Nickolas added.
�That�s good,� Howard said.
�Nick put on a little concert for them,� Sunshine stated.
�Sunnie was my opening act,� Nickolas smirked.
�Whatever,� Sunshine said and they laughed.
�Why don�t you release an album?� Howard suggested. �Everyone knows you have an amazing voice; better than most of these new acts.�
�Because I�m happy with my acting,� Sunshine replied. �When I perfected my voice it was only for that movie I didn�t get to do. I had no intentions of making a career out of it and I still don�t. I won�t mind doing duets if the opportunity shown itself, but that�s about it. I already went over this with my husband.�
�Her answer never changes,� Nickolas said.
�I�m just afraid I�ll out beat ya�s and I don�t want to show ya up,� Sunshine snickered and they laughed. �It wouldn�t be fair to you guys, because you work so hard.� She smiled.
�How is my patient?� a female voice asked and they looked.
�This is Dr. Bayliss,� Howard said. �Doc, this is Sunn and Nick.�
�Hi,� Dr. Bayliss said.
�Hi,� Sunshine and Nickolas said.
�How are you feeling, Mr. Dorough?� Dr. Bayliss asked.
�No different from yesterday,� Howard said.
�We�re going to go,� Nickolas said.
�You can stay,� Dr. Bayliss said. �Just the regular check-up.�
�We have our own appointments,� Sunshine said. �We�ll see ya later, D.�
�Let me know how it goes,� Howard said.
�We will,� Nickolas said.
�See ya,� Howard said.
�Bye,� Sunshine and Nickolas said and they walked out.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
�Yo, D, what�s up?� Alexander practically yelled, as he and Destiny stepped into the room.
�Not so loud, man,� Howard said. �My children are sleeping.� He pointed to the car seats at the bottom of the bed.
�Sorry,� Alexander said, as Destiny walked over to Caroline and Tyler.
�They�re so beautiful,� Destiny said. �Where�s Jo?�
�She went to get a drink,� Howard replied. �She�ll be back in a few.� She nodded. �SO did you tell Sunn and Nick yet?�
�Not yet,� Alexander said. �We stopped by the condo before we came here, but no one was home.�
�They were going down to Tampa for Sunn�s appointment.�
�Do you know what they decided?� Destiny asked. �We haven�t heard anything.�
�Um, according to Jo they�re not going to have the babies.�
�She didn�t say it so many words,� Josephine began, as she stepped into the room,� but I know what she meant.�
�When did ya talk to her?� Destiny asked.
�Yesterday.� She sat beside Howard. �She just said �when God wants us to have children He�ll let us know�. She really didn�t say anything after that.�
�It�s got to be tough,� Alexander said.
�You�re telling me,� Howard agreed. �Two things Nick wants more than his career and he can only have one right now.� He shook his head.
�I�m sure it�s tearing him apart inside,� Josephine said. �Although he�s staying strong on the outside for Sunshine�s sake.�
�I don�t think I�ve ever seen him cry,� Destiny said.
�Me either,� Josephine agreed.
�Nick doesn�t like crying in front of people,� Alexander said. �So he keeps it all inside until he�s alone. That�s just Nick.�
�But I�m sure if anything happened to Sunshine,� Howard began, �he wouldn�t leave it inside.�
�Most likely not,� Destiny said. �She�s his life.� They all nodded.
�Where�s Paradise and Alexander?� Josephine asked.
�With Danielle and Brian,� Alexander answered. �Since Adrianna�s up in PA they were lonely and wanted to spend the day with the twins.�
�That was nice of you,� Howard said.
�Plus we needed a break,� Destiny said. �Just a few hours alone together.�
�To make another little McLean,� Josephine snickered.
�We already made one,� Destiny said patting her stomach.
�Right,� Howard said and they laughed.
�We�re happy though,� Alexander said.
�Are you two going to have anymore?� Destiny asked.
�Don�t know yet,� Josephine said. �We�re going to wait awhile before discussing it.�
�It�s good to wait,� Destiny said. �For certain things anyway.�
�Dani�s pregnant did ya hear,� Josephine said.
�Yeah,� Alexander said. �They told us when we dropped the twins off.�
�It�s cool though, because they�re good parents,� Howard said and the others nodded in agreement. �They just have to keep Sunn and Nick in mind.�
�Yeah,� Destiny agreed.
�Mr. Dorough,� an older woman said entering the room. �Guess what time it is?�
�I�m stumped,� Howard said.
�Test time,� the nurse said checking the machines.
�Again?� Josephine said. �He just had some yesterday.�
�I�m just the nurse. Dr. Bayliss� orders. An orderly will be in a few minutes.�
�Alright,� Howard said and the nurse walked out.
CHAPTER 28 CHAPTER 30
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