Mistakes of our past | Rhekker

Chapter 42- Test of patience

It had been two months since Connor was shot, Ava was back in surgery working her normal shifts but spending every spare minute and lunch break in Connors ICU room. Claire was dropping in regularly with Russel to visit Connor, sharing long nights together as they waited for him to wake up. Bring with her old photo albums and stories of Connors childhood.

"The Blackhawks won their game on Saturday, 4 to 2" Ava told him, taking a mouthful of her salad. She'd switched from her protein chicken salad to a new bacon and walnut one.
Ava received no response, as expected, but continued to read the headline from the weeks papers.
"There was an earthquake in Afghanistan, I check, none of your friends were involved, thank god" Ava shook her head.
"Will and Nat are trying for a baby as well, Nat told me not to tell anyone, but I mean, who are you going to tell" Ava said, her voice trailing off slightly.

The room was silent as Ava chewed her salad, swallowing hard.
"You should really wake up soon, I'd hate to see that Porsche get dusty in your absence" Ava told him in her classic Bekker wit.
Feeling her sprit weaken at Connor still remaining silent, Ava returned to her salad, catching an all to familiar metallic scent from her hand.

"Good memories Ava, come on"
Ava closed her eyes and thought about her life with Connor.
"Their first date in the park, the soft circles he made on her ankles with his thumb, all the early mornings they spend in bed together talking about the most bizarre things."

Ava felt her stomach turn a bit

"The way he held her when the first got together, which such warmth and love. The sneaking around they did, kissing each other passionately in closest and empty OR's"

"The way he held her after she came out of hospital, keeping her and Sophia close while they watched mamma Mia."

Ava exhaled painfully as a bout of nausea came over her.
"What is wrong with me" she muttered to herself.
"Ava" Claire smiled down to her, bring her away from her thoughts.
Claire wrapped an arm around Ava's shoulder, giving her a squeeze.
"How's our favourite Rhodes doing?"
"Still no change, but his brain activity's good, they think it has to do with all the talking" Ava explained.
Claire's eyes were drawn around the room, on the wall Ava had blue tacked Sophia's drawings to the wall. There were eights, one a week for the past two months; all depicting a happy family in different scenarios.
"Her work is certainly, abstract" Ava joked, catching Claire looking at Sophias work.
Ava and Claire's relationship had grown over the last few months, Claire and her had been spending every free minute they had in Connors room.
"I'm worried about him Claire, it shouldn't take this long for him to recover, she should be out of the coma by now" Ava sighed, running a frantic hand through her hair.
"Don't worry about it Ava, Conny was always a late bloomer, to learn to walk, ride a bike. He always took his time" Claire tells her, comforting her.
Ava nods at Claire information, knowing she shouldn't be so quick to loose hope.
"I'm going to run to the bathroom, I'll be back in a minute" Ava told Claire, setting her salad down.

Leaving Connors room Ava held her stomach that was still turning.
"Okey Ava think, if a patient comes in, female 31. Complaining of nausea, vomiting, change in appetite and irregular insomnia. I would check stress levels, partner in the hospital, that would account for the insomnia but not the nausea. So than I would call for blood tests, check glucose levels and hormones" Ava stopped thinking about what she had just concluded to.
Going to the storage room Ava swiped herself in, they kept pregnancy tests in the hospital in case a patient didn't consent to a blood test. Promising to pay the hospital back later Ava headed to the doctor lounges bathroom.
Setting a timer on her phone Ava waited.
"Never thought I'd be back here again" Ava thought, turning her back from the stick.
"Without Connor and potentially pregnant, again" Ava rested her head in her hands reflecting on what her life had become. This certainly was not the original plan, not that she didn't adore Sophia with everything in her being, Ava had always wanted to have children.

One minute

Maybe when Connor wakes up he'll be happy that theirs a baby on the way, if their is. He loves Sophia, and he didn't seem angry when I joked about him naming the next one, he almost seemed hopeful.

Two minutes

I'm not doing it alone this time, at lest, I have Hank and Sharron. And Connor will wake up

Three minutes

I always wanted two children, maybe this is a blessing.

Ding

Turning back to the counter Ava eyes trickle down to the stick below her. Tears for in her eyes as she gasped for breath, wiping them away.
"Hey Ava i was just wondering if you wanted to get some coffee..." Claire's voice trailed off as she comes into the bathroom with Ava. Seeing the scene before her, what Ava is holding, her face hardens.
"You selfish bitch" Claire spits at her before storming out.
Ava lets out a sob, already feeling emotionally overwhelmed at the day. After practicing some grounding techniques that Daniel showed her Ava steadied her breathing, wiping the tears from her face. After analysing herself in the mirror Ava runs a hand through her hair, jousting it a bit. Walking back into the cubicle Ava bins the pregnancy test and exist the bathroom without looking back.