A Million Reasons | K. Danvers ✔

[61] Tenterhooks

• July 02, 2017 •

Ava was beyond inconsolable.

Even though she annoyed Zach daily and kept telling him that she wouldn't care whether he existed or not, the truth was far from that. She definitely cared a lot for him and even though she might never admit it, he was very important to her.

He was both a caring brother and a trustworthy friend and over the years she had gotten so used to his presence that even thinking about losing him was intolerable.

The fact that he wasn't supposed to even be there at the time of the explosion had he not come to pick her up made her feel terribly guilty. Even though she wasn't responsible for the explosion nor for Zach turning up at the Metropolis Trade Center because she hadn't even known he would be joining her for lunch, she still felt that it should have been her instead of him.

Zach had just achieved the milestone of getting qualified for the Olympics, a long-held dream of his, but the future had turned bleak for him because right then there was no knowing whether he had even survived or not.

"Ava, honey, he's going to be alright. He... He must have survived... Don't lose hope please," Morena tried to reassure her while Jonah had gone to where the paramedic vans were located in order to ask what hospital the injured were being taken to. 

They were all panicked but Jonah understood that not cooperating at that moment would only make it harder for the people there to do their job. So he simply asked for the hospital in order to go there and check for himself if his son had survived or not.

He came back and took both Ava and Morena to the car, face set in a hard look because deep down he too was very anxious. But he was holding himself together for his family. Ava was already in a very bad state and Morena was in tears too upon seeing her daughter like that and having to deal with the uncertainty of whether her son was alive or not.

The hospital was crowded when they reached as victims were still being brought in. When he went to the information desk, he was told that there was no way to identify the survivors and priority was being given to treating them first.

However, he could check the mortuary to see if his son had been among those who had been dead when brought in or had died during treatment.

It was no doubt the toughest moment of Jonah Smith's life.

On one hand, his heart was urging him that Zach couldn't have died but on the other was the mortuary filled with countless people who had suffered in the explosion. Countless people who were each someone's son or daughter, a brother or a sister, all very important to their loved ones yet no longer alive.

He decided not to tell his wife and daughter about what the staff at the information desk had said. Instead he had to face that terrible time on his own, looking through the dead bodies and constantly hoping that his son wouldn't be one of them.

Most of the dead bodies were charred due to the severe explosion, most crushed under debris and it was almost impossible for him to identify. Resigned, he stepped out, the anxiety only increasing with every passing minute.

When he reached his family in the waiting room, Morena's frantic eyes locked with his as if she had sensed where he had come from. The dread on her face indicated that she was bracing herself for tempestuous news yet at the same time hoping that it won't be true.

He shook his head to let her know that he hadn't found Zach yet. Beside Morena, Ava held her hand in her hands and was slightly shaking, still held tightly by her mother. He sat down beside the trembling girl and placed his hand on her shoulder in a soothing gesture.

Yet they knew that nothing could soothe either of them until they could have a certain answer to Zach's survival and well-being.

"Zachary Smith!" They looked up as they heard a nurse call out, "is there anyone here for Zachary Smith?"

Jonah had stood up immediately, "yes. I'm his father."

She nodded, "Mister...?"

"Jonah Smith."

She noted down hastily on the clipped form she was holding, "Mister Smith, your son is in a critical condition. He survived the explosion but was partially crushed by a heavy weight, possibly a slab or some other heavy part of the collapsed building."

Ava's hazel eyes were wide in shock and Morena too was quite worried to hear that. Jonah was trying his best to assure himself that at least Zach was alive as he inquired further from the nurse. 

"We want you to sign this form before we proceed because there is little chance of his survival despite the treatment he should be given. Even if he does survive, he might be subject to paralysis. I do not intend to baselessly worry you or your family, but it would be futile to give you false hope."

Jonah took the form, eyes skimming through the words that stated they would not hold the hospital or the doctors responsible if the patient couldn't survive. Such forms were given only if the survival chance was very low or the surgery was very risky.

"How is he right now? Is he conscious?" Morena asked and the nurse turned to look at her.

"Yes. He gained consciousness but he has suffered from severe muscle and nerve tissue damage," she explained, eyes flickering in sympathy, "we have given him painkillers for now to stabilize him. But the more we delay the surgery, the more difficult it will become for him."

Hearing that, Jonah quickly signed the form and handed it back to her, "if there's anything else you need us to do, any other procedure, let us know. But don't delay the surgery. Please."

She nodded, "we'll let you know."

"Can we meet him once before the surgery?" Morena asked, wanting to see him because they were so uncertain of what the future held for them.

"Of course, but we have a one attendant at a time rule for the ICU where he's being kept. There's a Miss Danvers with him right now and..."

"Kara's here?" Ava stood up, holding onto Morena's arm.

"Yes. We will ask her to step out so that you can meet him," the nurse remarked, "but you will have to take turns and manage it within the time the Operation Theater is set up."

Jonah wanted to meet Zach but then he looked at Morena and Ava. He took in a deep breath and said, "Ava, you can go first."

She shook her head, "I don't think I'll be able to meet him. I... I'll break down again and he'll get worried..."

"Morena..."

She nodded, "Zach is your son, Jonah. You should go see him first. I'll stay with Ava until you come out and then if there's time, I'll see him too."

He could see that Morena wanted him to go so he agreed as well. The nurse led him to the ICU and asked him to wait outside as she went in first to tell Kara to go out so that he could meet Zach.

***