In Need of You

Chapter Forty-One

Elisha's eyes were closed tight. Sabrina trailed her fingertip along the side of his jawline and smiled. Tears welled in her eyes. He hadn't stirred in the last four hours since the nurses brought him into the room after his operation. She sat on the hospital bed next to him-- the same hospital where they fell in love; the same hospital where she learned their family had grown a little bigger. She covered her mouth and sobbed. Why was their love so hated? 

She took his hand into hers and intertwined her fingers with his limp ones. She watched his chest move upward and downward as he slept. Sabrina leaned toward him and kissed his forehead. 

"I need you to wake up for me, Lisha." Sabrina wiped away a fleeting tear with her free hand. "Madeline and Nathaniel need you to wake up. They need their daddy. I need my husband."

Hearing a knock at the door, Dr. Sawyer peeped her head inside the room. A smile graced her lips. "There's my favorite patient."

Sabrina glared at Dr. Sawyer, then turned her attention back to Elisha. "I know I shouldn't be out of bed, but--"

"You just want to know how Mr. Brysen is doing," Dr. Sawyer said, interrupting her. She walked closer to Sabrina and placed her hand on her shoulder. "I may be a doctor, but I'm still human."

Sabrina turned toward her and glared into her green eyes. The emerald green scrubs she wore made them glimmer. "Do you have any news about my brother?"

Dr. Sawyer nodded. "Edward is fine, Sabrina. He'll be getting out of here soon, that's if he follows my orders, like the way you need to."

Sabrina turned toward Elisha and stared at him. Every nerve ending in her body pulsated with a dull ache. She closed her eyes. This wasn't her fault. She was finally able to admit that to herself. She was finally able to stop placing unnecessary blame on herself that other people caused because of lust, greed, and power. 

Elisha didn't deserve this. He didn't need to fight every damn day of his life to ensure his happiness wouldn't be taken away from him. Instead, this man put his mind and body in situations that overstressed it, depressed it, and regressed it. That bastard of a father of his and Amber's didn't deserve the comfort of sitting inside a jail cell awaiting trial. He needed to be laying in a body bag alongside Kevin.  

"Dr. Sawyer," Sabrina turned toward Dr. Sawyer and mustered a smile. "Can I have five more minutes with him? Please."

She smiled, seeing a tear slide down Sabrina's cheek. "Sure. After that, you need to rest. Your body went through a traumatic experience that it needs to heal from."

Sabrina nodded while wiping away the fleeting tear. "I know."

Dr. Sawyer sighed. "Mr. Brysen is stronger than you think. He'll pull through this. But like all things, you need to give him time."

Sabrina nodded. I know he's strong. I just want Elisha to wake up."

"He will," Dr. Sawyer replied. "Don't lose hope, Ms. Ellis."

"I won't," she sobbed.

"I'm going to go check on your brother. I hope to see you in your own room," she said. Dr. Sawyer walked out of the room, pulling the door behind her. 

Sabrina rested her head against Elisha's and sobbed. "Come back to me."

"I never left, beautiful," Elisha said tiredly. 

Sabrina sat up and glared into Elisha's steel-blue eyes. He mustered a smile, then closed his eyes.  "Elisha, how are you feeling?"

He nodded, then opened his eyes. "I'm okay, Sabrina."

She smiled, then pressed her lips against his. "Don't scare me like that again."

He placed his hand on her stomach and caressed it. "Is Nathaniel okay?"

She nodded. A tear slipped down her cheek. "He's fine."

"You need to be in bed, beautiful," he said, staring into her brown eyes. "You need to rest."

"I know I do, but I needed to see to you first."

He took her hand into his, pulled it to his lips, and kissed it. "I'm okay."

She smiled. "I love you, Elisha."

"I love you too."

Sabrina kissed him one last time, then stood from his hospital bed. Making her way out of the door, she glared at him. Jonah wasn't going to get away with just a slap on the wrist. She was going to see to it that he suffered for what he did to her and Edward's mother, to her and Madeline, and to his own son. He wasn't going to show his face again. Sabrina was going to see to that. 

She walked out of the room and down the hall. It was a good thing that their rooms were on the same floor, she thought. It would have been hellacious trying to go up and down in the elevator without losing the little dinner she had on her stomach due to morning sickness. 

As she walked inside her room, she saw Edward sitting on the couch. He smiled, seeing her enter the room. 

"How's my sister and my nephew doing?" He pulled her into his embrace. 

"We're doing okay, Edward," she answered. "How about you?"

"I'm busting out the place tomorrow," Edward replied. "Dr. Sawywer said that my scans came back good. I just can't go back to the force yet."

"You've got to heal, big brother."

"And you need to do the same." Edward sat back on the couch and watched her climb into the bed. "How's my brother-in-law doing?"

"He's awake now."

Edward smiled. "That's good. I'm going to sneak in there before Dr. Sawyer puts an APB out on me."

"Edward," Sabrina said. A frown pulled her brows downward. "Do you think Captain Alders will give me a moment of his time?"

"He should," Edward replied. "You're Detective Brysen's soon-to-be wife. He'll hear you out."

She nodded. "I need him to do me a favor."

"Is this regarding, Jonah."

"It is."

"Sis--"

"Edward, that man needs to fucking rot for what he did to all of us," Sabrina said, interrupting him. "He doesn't need one moment to breathe in or see the privileges he has."

Edward glared at her and nodded. "You're right."

"I know he has several charges being charged against him, but do you think those are enough to keep him away from society?"

"I not sure, sis, but I see your point." Edward sat back on the couch. "I'll call Captain Alders tomorrow and see what we can devise."

"Please," she said. "I don't want him anywhere near our family ever again."

"You ain't said nothing but a word, sis."