Will You Love Me?

Chapter 27

It was a quite morning in the Cumberbatch household. It was the day of Emma's surgery and things have never felt more tense. You and Ben didn't sleep a wink, just held on to each other in the darkened silence. This was the scariest thing either of you have had to go through, especially when Emma had no idea what was to come.

It was very early in the morning when Ben's parents came over to make sure Nate would get to school and to watch over Conner. In the meantime, you made Ben and yourself some coffee while he woke Emma. Actually, Ben didn't have the heart to wake her this early in the morning, so he just picked her up and wrapped her in a blanket.

When he came downstairs, you were standing ready at the door with two coffees in your hand and talking to his parents. Wanda and Tim immediately went over to him and Emma and gave her soft kisses on her head, attempting not to wake her. "I'll come by tonight to check up on Nate," Ben whispered to Wanda. "I'm sure he'll want to see Em, so I can take him for a while, then bring him back."

After a few more moments of goodbyes, you and Ben were off to the hospital. Emma slept the entire way, but when Ben started unstrapping her from her car seat, that's when she woke up.

"Daddy?" She sleepily mumbled. Ben shushed her and wrapped her in his arms. "It's alright, baby. Go back to sleep." She buried her face in his neck and whined a bit. "What's wrong, sweetie?" You asked. "Sleepy," she told you. Ben rubbed her back, then put his free arm around you as you all walked into the hospital.

The surgery didn't start for another hour, but they immediately took her back to get her prepped. You helped her into the hospital gown, as Ben talked to Dr. Levi about the surgery. He said it should take no more than eight hours, depending on what they find and how serious it may be. The recovery time would be about two weeks in the hospital and a recommended three at home. She won't be able to get herself excited, play, or anything within that time because it could cause even more serious damage.

While that conversation was going on, you were having one of your own with Em. "Why'm I here, mommy?" You smiled at your little girl and told her, "So the doctors can make you less sleepy. You know how you can't play with Nate?" She nodded and you continued, "Well, they're going to fix that, too." It was comforting knowing what good would come out of this, but at the same time, it's very unpleasant to think about the surgery and what can happen during.

Ben came back into the room a moment later and told you what Dr. Levi had told him. He sat next to you and watched Emma look around at the animals on the wall. "Daddy," she said, pointing to a lion, "big kitty!" Ben laughed and told her, "That's a lion, baby, remember?" She tilted her head to the side and said, "Oh."

"Do you remember what lions say?" You asked her. She nodded and said, "Raw!" You and Ben both laughed a bit. She started doing that to all the animals on the wall, until she got bored and climbed into Ben's lap. She was always fascinated by his hands because they were so big, so she started comparing their hand sizes. "Big, big hands, daddy," she told him. Ben held out his hand as she placed hers on his palm. "Small, small hands, Emmy," he playfully mocked. She giggled, then turned to you. She held out her hand and compared yours as well. "Now you and daddy," she commanded. And that's all you did for the next half hour. Why that was more entertaining than the blocks and toys on the floor, you had no idea.

The anesthesiologist came in about ten minutes before Emma was due for surgery. He was a young, handsome man that you couldn't help but find just little attractive. Ben clearly caught this and immediately turned into tough husband mode.

"Hello, I'm guessing you must be Emma," the young man greeted with a smile. He looked to you and Ben and said, "My name's Joshua and I'll be Emma's anesthesiologist." You shook his hand and said, "My name is [Y/N]." Joshua's eyes, Ben noted, lingered on you for a tad too long. Joshua turned to him and Ben tightly shook his hand and said (nearly three octaves lower), "Benedict."

Despite the situation as to why Joshua was even here in the first place, seeing Ben get all jealous and protective made you snicker. Nevertheless, Joshua got the message and started tending to Emma. "Alright, Emma, I'm here to make you go to sleep for a little while. Sound okay to you?" She looked over to you and you gave her a comforting smile and a nod. She looked back to Joshua and said, "Mommy says okay." The three of you laughed and Joshua started prepping the shot.

"Daddy?" Emma asked. Ben, still holding her in his lap, asked, "Yes, sweetheart?" Joshua turned back around to face her, while fiddling with the shot. She curled up to Ben and said, "Lamb, daddy." Ben pulled over his bag that he packed his laptop and a book in and pulled out her lamb. Of course he remembered to bring it along.

"Alright, Emma," Joshua said, "this won't hurt, I promise." Emma still whimpered a little bit, as she hated shots. You started to rub her back, while Ben kissed her head. "Count to ten," Joshua suggested. You and Ben both helped her count and, before she knew it, the shot was done. "Great job, Emma!" Joshua praised. Looking to you, he said, "We have to take her back into the room now. You're allowed to take her back there, but I'm afraid you can't stay."

This was it. You took a sharp intake of breath and nodded at him. Ben took your hand in his free one and stood up with Emma in his arms. Joshua lead you into the room Em would be staying in while she recovered. "Just set her on the bed and we'll get her into surgery as soon as you leave," he informed you. Ben set her down and you both sat on either side of her.

"Alright, you," Ben said, trying everything in his power not to break down and cry, "you be a brave girl for mummy and daddy, alright?" You were having a tough time keeping it together, as a few tears started coming down. Seeing this, Emma held out her lamb to you and said, "Take lamb, mommy. He makes me better when I'm sad."

You looked in awe at your little girl and took the lamb. "Thank you, honey," you said. You leaned over and pressed a kiss to her head and cheeks. "I love you so, so much. You're our brave little girl." Ben had to cover his mouth from letting out any loud sobs, but he was definitely crying now. He quickly wiped away his tears and hoarsely said, "We should go. The sooner they get her in, the sooner she gets out."

You and Ben started to stand up, which made Em nervous. "Why you going, daddy?" She whimpered. Ben leaned over and kissed her head and cheeks several times. "We'll be back baby, I promise. You're going to go to sleep and we'll be right back here when you wake up. Oaky?" Her lip started to quiver, but she nodded. A few years escaped her eyes and Ben quickly wiped them away. "I love you, baby girl." After one more kiss, Ben took your hand and started walking out. You could hear Em call for you, and then start crying. You and Ben weren't even halfway down the hall when he pulled you into a huge hug and started crying.

You held on to each other and cried until you could tell Em had finally fallen asleep. Ben started kissing your neck, up to your face, then to your lips.

"It will all be fine," he told you. "She'll be fine."