Everlasting Love

Chapter Three-Losing Hope

Caroline’s P.O.V.:

It broke my heart to see Luke so upset and distraught over his dad. We had just pulled into the emergency room parking lot and I heard Luke choking back a few tears. “It’s going to be okay, sweetheart,” I replied softly, as I kissed him on the cheek. “Your daddy is strong, just like someone else, I know,” I smiled slightly. Luke looked up at me with tear-filled eyes, managing to force a slight smile, but I could see the pain in his eyes. I knew he had to be thinking the worst, especially after losing Lee a few years ago to a heart attack. Now his dad was at risk, and I knew Luke was worried sick, that his dad might not survive this one. He’s had several minor heart attacks in the past, but from what Luke gathered from his mama on the phone, this heart attack was much more severe. I leaned in close to him, so his eyes met mine and cupped his tear-stained cheeks, with my hands. “Everything’s gonna be alright, honey,” I said, as I brushed his cheek with my hand. He nodded slowly. He turned the engine off, opened the door and hopped out of the truck. I gathered the kids from the back seat. “Can I bring Mooey?” Cynthia asked, as she went to reach for her beloved animal friend. “Sure, sweetie,” I said, ruffling her soft blonde hair. Bo and Tate grabbed their game systems and hopped out of the back. Once we were all out, we headed across the parking lot. Luke held on to my hand, as tight as he could. I squeezed his hand gently, letting him know everything was going to be alright. Luke took a deep breath, as we walked through automatic doors.

 The hallways were full of traffic. Doctors and nurses rushed about, attending to their daily activities and discussing their patients. We finally entered the waiting room. It was packed with patients waiting to be seen about their injuries or illnesses. As soon as Leclaire and Kaye saw us, they sprung up from their chairs. Luke let go of my hand and threw his arms around his mama. I could hear his muffled sobs, as his head rested against Leclaire’s shoulders. It tore me up inside seeing Luke so upset. I walked over to Kaye and embraced her in a warm, comforting hug. “Any word on Tommy yet?” I asked, as we broke free from the hug. Kaye shook her head. “No. They’re still workin’ on him,” She replied in between sniffles. I looked over at the kids. They were sitting quietly, wondering what was going on. I took a seat next to Bo. “Hey buddy,” I said, gently, as I kissed the top of his head. He looked up at me with concern. “Mama, is papaw gonna be okay?” He asked, his voice cracking. It made me so sad, to see the kids so scared, not knowing if their papaw was going to pull through. “I don’t know baby, but all we can do now is pray,” I replied, softly. I looked over at Cynthia and Tate who were talking to each other quietly, about Mooey. Cynthia was always talking to people about her stuffed cow. I knew Tate wasn’t really interested, but now was not the time to start anything, so he pretended to listen and be enlightened by Cynthia’s story. Luke and Leclaire were now sitting down, but he never let go of his mama’s hand. I took a seat next to Luke and rested my head on his shoulder. “Hey baby,” I whispered. “Hi,” he whispered back, as he Fidgeted with the hole in is t-shirt. Luke probably had a dozen of raggedy t-shirts that he wore for traveling or just to bum around in. “You doing okay?” I asked, taking his hand in mine. He shrugged. “I’ll feel better once I know what’s goin’ on,” he replied, impatiently. Playing the waiting game was killing him. Luke hated hospitals. He always has.

Suddenly, we heard footsteps approaching. All of us, except for the kids, sprung up out of our seats. “I’m looking for the Bryan family,” the voice said, as it got closer. The doctor was a young, Middle Eastern man, who wore a turban upon his head. He spoke with a thick accent. “I’m his wife,” Kaye declared, with panic in her voice. The doctor had a serious expression, a look of remorse spread across his face. I felt a surge of uneasiness in the pit of my stomach. I shot my gaze towards Luke. I could see the worry in his eyes. He bit his bottom lip and fought the tears that were coming on. “Mrs. Bryan, I am terribly sorry, but I am afraid I have some bad news.” Luke’s grip on my hand tightened. We all stared intently at the doctor, waiting to hear the worst. “Mrs. Bryan, we did everything we could, but your husband has died.” The words rolled off the tip of his tongue and pierced right through me. My heart ached for Luke. I looked over at him. His expression was blank. He was in shock. I knew he must have felt like he took a bullet to his chest. I could hear him breathing heavy, as he started to go into a panic attack. He collapsed into the chair and began to hyperventilate. I sat down next to him and put my arm around him.