"Oh, you're here, finally," Des said, turning in his embrace and ignoring the doctor and nurses he was talking to. "She'll be fine soon. We're about to operate in another hour or so. Doctor Stephen is simply waiting for her to relax."
Othello frowned, not hiding his concern for Des. "You're going into the operating room?"
"Just this once. The women in your family made a request, and I found it hard to reject."
Othello smiled. "You're such a softy."
"Guilty." Des chuckled.
He pinched Des's chin softly, lifting his face to his. "Are you sure about this?"
"Yes, I am. It's just once."
"Okay." He leaned down and kissed Des on the forehead, hugging him flush against him.
This was the difference between Des and Phillip. Des would do things for people out of the kindness of his heart, while Phillip was selfish and required payment at the end.
No wonder I'm falling in love with him.
Des enteredthe operating room and waited for the nurse to finish gowning and gloving him up. While listening to the nurse’s update, his mind drifted just a little. The last time he had been in the operating room, his patient died, and although he was partially settled with the thought that he had done everything he could, he was still nervous. But he couldn't deny the excited emotion coursing through him like he’d always felt whenever he was in the operating room, which shocked him.
Fuck, are my parents right?
Des didn't get a chance to dwell on that thought since the nurse had finished speaking, and the room grew silent. He noticed everyone, even Emilia, lying on the operating table numb from the waist down, was looking at him.
He locked eyes with Maria, who had taken Iago's place since Emilia was adamant Iago was not allowed anywhere near her or the babies. No one argued or tried to convince her to change her mind and did whatever she requested. But Des knew that Iago was still in the hospital waiting for news about his children.
"Are you alright, Doctor Ellington?" Doctor Stephen asked.
"Yes," he said, clearing his throat. "Let's get started." Moving over to the table, he extended a hand. "Scalpel."
He swallowed, running a finger along the dull edge of the scalpel when handed to him. It felt just as normal as it did when he held a paintbrush. And just as when he made the first brushstroke, Des made his cut and focused on bringing the two healthy babies into the world.
Othello leaned against the door,his hands in his pockets, staring at Des gently rocking one of the twins. It was hours later, and to his surprise, he was an uncle of two boys, Antonio and Tybalt.
"The way you're watching him makes me wonder if you're changing your mind about the whole not-having-a-kid thing," Alessandro said, standing beside him.
"Maybe," Othello said, not refuting his father's words. After Phillip, he had closed off his heart and mind to love and wanting children, but with Des in his life, he was walking back on that feeling.
Des looked good holding the baby, and he could see Des pregnant with his child, who would be born with either of their features. As if hearing his thoughts, Des raised his gaze and smiled as their eyes met.
"He fits in well with our family," Alessandro told Othello. "I liked him from the night I met him." Alessandro squeezed his shoulders. "He's good for you, Othello. Don't let him go."
Alessandro walked over to Des, who handed the baby over to the giddy grandfather and then came over to stand in front of Othello.
"How does it feel to be an uncle?" Des asked.
Othello grabbed the front of Des's scrubs, pulling him flush against his body. "You did good tonight. Are you tired?"
Des turned in his embrace, pressing his head back into Othello's chest. "I'm exhausted, but seeing that makes me happy. Tonight also made me remember why I’m not cut out to be a doctor. It’s a good profession, but not for me."
“I want you to be happy, Tesoro, so I will give you anything you want,” Othello told him.
“Thank you.”
Othello leaned down and kissed behind his ear.
"We've never talked about it, but do you want kids?" Des asked.
