He's my teammate

08 - I'm Losing Her

April 2024

Levi had spent almost every day at her bedside for an entire month. Which wasn't including the time he had spent with her before he had transferred her home, to Hoorn. As painful as it was to walk the halls that he walked while visiting both of his parents during their final days, it had gotten easier since he was now so close to home.

Still walking into the room to see her sleeping frame and listen to the near-silent beeps and pumps of the machines that were keeping her alive, it wasn't easy. Especially since the room, she occupied was down the hall from the one where their father had spent his final days. Levi had done his best to make the room feel homier, bringing in things from home; blankets, pictures, and anything else that could mask the hospital feel.

"Morning." Levi said to his sleeping sister. "I went by the coffee shop this morning; they were closed." He crossed the room and opened the blinds and letting sunlight illuminate the room. "Les must have slept in again today, seems fitting since it's Thursday." He smiled, remembering all the times they had stopped by the coffee shop and gotten to know the owner. Who, as it turns out, was a fan of 'wet t-shirt Wednesday'. "I had to settle for the coffee vending machine down the hall." He held up his Styrofoam cup, frowning at its contents.

Finally, his eyes fell on her face and the emotion disappeared for a moment, along with some of the color. It had taken him a while to get over the image of the tubs coming from her mouth, especially since deep down he hoped that one day she would just return his greeting. However, it wasn't just the tubes that had started to make the image of his sister hard to bear. After weeks of being in a coma, his sister had lost weight. Her muscle mass had started to drop, and her skin had gotten paler in contrast to the pale green hospital blanket. If it wasn't for the monitors and machines, he would have believed she was dead because that's how she looked.

"Levi." A male voice came from the doorway which tore his attention away from his sister.

"Dr. Andrews." Levi smiled politely. "We've got to stop meeting like this." Dr. Andrews smiled, letting out a breathless, unamused chuckle.

"I will say it's been hard to watch what you're family has gone through."

"She's all I have left." He said, almost as a warning to the doctor. "How is she?"

"I'm sorry, but there's been no change." Levi turned back to his sister, and reaching forward he grabbed her hand.

"She's going to wake up." Levi said and Dr. Andrews took another few steps into the room. "She has to."

"You know I remember when she tore her ACL and her MCL."

"You referred her to a specialist in Amsterdam." Levi commented and the Doctor nodded. "Ultimately saved her career. No one else believed her that there was something wrong, not until you."

"I can't take the credit; all I did was make a phone call. Your father was the one who pushed so hard, he was a very stubborn man."

"That he was." Levi agreed.

"If I remember correctly, stubbornness runs in the family." Levi snorted, chuckling as he nodded in agreement. "There is something I'd like to talk to you about today."

"I know." Levi nodded, his smile fading but he didn't take his eyes off his sister. "I know what today is. I just wanted to see her first."

"I understand. I have reserved a room down the hall, I'll be there when you're ready." Levi tore his eyes away from his sister long enough to give the doctor an appreciated smile.

He waited until the doctor was gone before he finally turned back towards his sister. Slowly he lowered himself into the chair beside her best, never letting go of her hand. Today marked three months since her accident, which meant it was time for the conversation that Levi was dreading the most. There had been other conversations, but three months was the deadline that he and Dr. Andrews had agreed upon.