Chapter 15
I was, at last, recovered and healthy. I nearly died with joy when the doctors told me I could leave.. although my dad still hasn't.
the thing that worries me most is that he hasn't woken up yet. the doctors say he's been making slow, yet consistent, progress and on a steep hill to recovery.
I realized that the only clothes Connor and I had were our pajamas from the night we came.
After being released from the hospital, I took Connor home to change out shower. After we'd both packed small bags with a few outfits. Connor and I could not be forced to go to school so we agreed on taking just a few days off.
We also agreed that staying alone in the house at night was too creepy without our dad so I drove us back to the hospital.
For the first time since we came to the hospital, we were allowed to visit my dad.
My heart was racing fast as the elevator slowly climbed up to his floor. When we found his room, I took a deep breath before opening the door.
When i saw what was on the other side, my breath caught in my throat.
There was my dad, lying still in the crummy hospital bed. He had scars and closed cuts on his face and bare arms. He had a tube up his nose and a large white bandage around his head. My father wore a neck brace and a finger splint that had a wire leading to a large machine. Thank god there was a steady beep echoing throughout the room, which meant his heart was still beating.
I stood in the doorway, unable to move my legs as I looked at my father. Unlike me, Connor raced to my dad's side and picked up his limp hand. I saw a few tears roll down Connor's cheek and my eyes began to fill up as well.
I cautiously walked over to the other side of my father's bed.. as if i would wake up him. I swallowed hard before picking up my father's other hand. His large hand was warm in mine and i squeezed his hand- maybe hoping to feel him squeeze back.
I'm not sure how long Connor and I stood like that- holding both out dad's hands in silence. Eventually, Connor and I ran out of tears and out legs got tired of standing. I went over to Connor's side of the bed and embraced him in a big hug.
He buried his his head in my stomach and squeezed my waist.
"I know," I whispered. "I know." I nodded my head.. but I wasn't exactly sure what I knew.
Connor and I both sat on the recliner chair in the corner- squished together. I looked around the room, for the first time noticing how pretty it was- for a hospital room at least.
The walls of my dad's room were painted a baby blue and his room had a sink, mini fridge & cabinets in the corner by the door. next to the fridge- on the opposing wall- was a door (ajar) that lead to the full bathroom. The room's walls were covered in large windows that overlooked the town since the hospital was at the edge of the town. My father's bed was in the middle of the largest wall- the wall directly across from the main door. Machines were surrounding the top section of his bed. The recliner chair that Connor and I were sitting on was brown leather and in the corner next the bed. Across from the recliner, there was a flat screen hanging in the corner. Underneath the TV was a coffee table with magazines stacked on it.
It took me a moment to realize that this was a long-period room- the kind that my mother would've stayed in.
I began wondering how long my dad would be here; how long Connor and I would have to stay at home, alone.
Tears filled my eyes as they wandered back over to where my dad was laying. I decided to turn the TV on to distract myself a bit.
When Connor got up to go to the bathroom, I stepped over to my dad's bed again. I knelt down by the side of the bed, instead of sitting in the chair.
"Daddy," I whispered. "Please get better. You have to. I know you want to be with mom, but we need you here. Please get better, Daddy, I need you."
I didn't continue because Connor came out of the bathroom.
We decided to put in a movie and buy a few things from the cafeteria downstairs to snack on.
By the time we purchased the snacks & got back upstairs, there was a doctor checking up on my dad.
"Hello," the doctor gave a sympathetic smile. It felt really weird because I used to know every doctor when my mom was in the hospital, and here I was standing face-to-face with a man I had never seen before. "I'm Dr. Simon," he continued.
I cleared my throat. "I'm Ava, and this is my brother, Connor."
"Nice to meet you, I'm just checking up on your dad and he's doing fine at the moment. Have a nice day you two," The doctor gave us another sympathetic smile before walking briskly out of the room- the door naturally slamming shut behind him.
Connor and I plopped onto the recliner and popped in a movie. We munched on the chips we bought, and drank the little sodas. I thought a lot during the movie- as it was more a movie for Connor's age and I was quite bored. I started to think that maybe everything would turn okay... Hopefully it would.
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A/N: thanks guys so much for reading- hope you enjoyed this chapter! my birthday just passed and now i'm a year older :) stay tuned for a new chapter soon + vote & comment my story. I hope you enjoy!!
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