Racing for Keeps

Chapter 8

It's been a few days since the surgery that saved Camila's life.  The one where they gave her my blood.  They have her in a medically induced coma to help her body heal and recover from the multiple surgeries and medications that have been forced through her body.  Very similar to me, she's got a long road to recovery ahead of her. Both our families are here now and we've taken rotating shifts to watch over her, but I refuse to leave her side. I don't want to miss anything. I sleep at her bedside and spend the days holding her hand, kissing her cheek and watching TV shows, commenting on what's happening as if she can hear me and laugh right along with me. I hate being this helpless but I know how important it is for me to be here for her.

Dr. Carlos was almost successful in his mission to take everything from her, but luckily with medications and the top doctors at Mayo, Camila should hopefully make a full recovery.  However, given what her body has been though, and the severe concussion she suffered due to debris falling on top of her, the neurologist is worried she may suffer from some temporary memory loss when she wakes up.  The decision was made that when she's woken up, Sinu will be in the room.  They want her to see a familiar face to test the waters and see if she remembers her mother and then slowly reintroduce more people to her.  James would be the next one, and then myself.  I'm having a hard time coping with the fact that I won't be the first face she sees when she wakes up, but I understand the reasoning behind it.

I know when I woke up I joked with her and in that split second it scared the shit out of her.  This time, with her, it won't be a joke and I don't want to scare her.  Hell, I don't want to scare myself.  I don't think I could handle her not knowing who I am.

Was that possible?

Could she really forget me?

The nerves and anxiety, the fear I feel over the next couple of weeks almost gets the best of me.  I'm so scared that my girl won't know me, that she'll forget all the moments we've shared and everything we've both done to make this relationship work.

It's now been over two months since she's been on a coma and I'm watching the vent breathe for her, but I can't stop letting my eyes roam over her.  For the first time in months her cheeks have a pinkish tinge to them.  Her lips are no longer a faded red, but remain cracked and chapped from the dry hospital air.  I take out the Vaseline and a Q-tip we use to soften her lips and slowly spread the jelly over them, thinking about all the times I've kissed her lips.  All the times those lips have kissed all of me and mine have kissed all of her while sounds of pleasure escape her pretty pink pout. 

I let my hands caress her cheek as my fingertips gently outline her closed eyes, her face still healing from the cuts and bruises she sustained.  Next I move my hand down her arm as I take in the spot where her 16th IV has been started.  Her skin is so pale, still almost ghostly, but the deep reds and purples are fading into yellows and light greens.  My eyes watch the rise and fall of her chest before I'm interrupted by one of the nurses.

"Good morning Shawn.  How's she doing today?" She asks.

"Okay I guess.  Her cheeks have a little more color to them today and her body doesn't seem so tired today" I tell her quietly, my eyes never leaving Camila's fragile frame.  "Is she coming back to me Maggie?  It's been so much longer than we thought" I sigh as I finally take in the dark haired nurse standing on the other side of Camila.

"We hope in the next few days... the doctors need to run her through the normal battery of tests, but it could be very soon" Maggie says reassuringly.  I give her a brief nod before I lace my fingers with Camila's cold ones.

"Baby....I hope you can hear me.  I'm still here.  I haven't left your side and I'm not going anywhere, but I need you to be strong for me Mila.  Please baby, I need you to be strong so you can open those beautiful eyes for me" I whisper as I run my fingers through her dark curls and lean forward to kiss her forehead.

"You're doing great Shawn!  I know she can hear you and I know she's fighting her way back to you" Maggie says as she changes one of the IV bags, checks her vitals and leaves the room.

Josh and Bella; who recently became a couple, come in shortly after Maggie leaves and relieve me for a couple hours so I can shower and change clothes.  Once we found out Camila was going to be kept in a coma more than two weeks, I rented a home close to the hospital for us.  Most of the time we all spend at the hospital though and Camila been moved to one of the largest rooms they have to accommodate us all.

As I stand in the shower, I let the hot water pound into my skin.  I can tell I've lost weight and I'm not eating like I should, but this isn't at all what I was expecting and as much as I'm trying to keep it together for Camila, myself and everyone else, I can't help but let out an exhausted sob as steam rises and fills the room.

My phone ringing breaks me out of my trance.  Shutting the water off and grabbing a towel, I run it over my long curls before wrapping it around my waist.

Grabbing my phone I stare at the screen as 'Unknown number' flashes across the screen.  Answering it thinking it may be the hospital, I'm shocked and quite frankly appalled at who's on the other line.

"Shawn Mendes.  Never would've thought I'd have to call you to get any information on my daughter" Mario's voice breaks the silence.

"What do you want Mario?" I growl into the speaker.  He has no right to be calling.  Where was his concern months ago when the earthquake happened?

"I want to know how my daughter is" he says smugly.

"That's funny.  Why didn't you call, oh I don't know, months ago after the earthquake?" I question angrily as my grip on my phone tightens.  "Jail can't keep you that far out of the loop of current events!" I grumble bitterly.

"I....I didn't know..." he stutters.  "Pffff like I'm going to believe that!" I scoff in disbelief.  "You don't get to know how she is right now.  I don't care that you're her father.  You lost that right the night of my going away party, and quite frankly, you probably lost it before that too.  I don't owe you a damn thing!" I shout as I don't even wait for him to respond before hanging up.

Mario Cabello has done enough damage already, he doesn't get to have his hands anywhere near this right now....or ever...we're going to leave it up to Camila if she wants him to know.

Quickly putting fresh clothes on, I repack my overnight bag and head to the kitchen of the house and make something quick to eat.  The anger still fuming from me as I try and take a few deep breaths to calm myself.  Fuck Mario!

Hopping into the car, I drive back to the hospital and hurry inside.  When I arrive in Camila's room, everyone is sitting staring at an empty space where Camila's bed should be.

"What's going on?" I ask in a panic, my eyes darting between my parents and Sinu.

"They took her for some tests" James answers.  "They may wake her up today.  We're not for sure, but the doctors think she's showing some more positive improvement" he continues, with a hint of anxiety in his voice.

Letting out the breath I didn't know I was holding, I lean against the wall in a sigh or relief.  Now it's just a waiting game.  Now we continue to hope and pray that she's going to be able to wake up when they ween her off the medication.

Minutes turn to hours as we all try and distract ourselves.  After what seems like forever, one of her doctors comes in and we all turn to face her at the same time.

"Hello everyone, I have some news about Camila" she says.