Stronger Together: A Story of Love, Strength, and Family - A Drew and Rick Story

Chapter 1- Rick comes home from deployment / Bus accident

Drew's POV

I was on break, sitting in a room on the phone with Rick. " Yeah, I brought you a case of Atomic Palm Rip-Its. Yeah, I thought you'd miss it more than you miss me " says Rick.

"Come on Rick, you know I missed you," I say back. "I missed you too, You know what else I've missed? A real apple, not those Styrofoam pieces of crap the army tries to pass off as a real apple," Rick says, as I laugh.

" There's already a dozen of them in your kitchen,'' I say. "I can't wait to meet Azrah too," "I can't wait for you to meet him either. He's doing pretty good in the NICU though," "That's good, I forgot, was he born premature?" "Not really, he was born like 2 weeks early, but the only reason he's in the NICU is because of some underlying stuff they found after he was born that didn't appear on ultrasounds," I reply. "Oh,"

2 hours later

There was a call and Molly answered it and said that there was a bus accident with injured soldiers being brought here. As I heard soldiers being said, my eyes went wide and I looked at Krista.

Soon after, soldiers were being brought in and I grabbed TC and we took Rick's gurney into a room and tried to see the damage that was done to his leg, to see if we could save it.

3 hours later

Everything from the time when soldiers were arriving to now had been a blur. Now I was sitting with Rick in his trauma room after I had kicked everyone else out of the room so it would just be the two of us. "I'm sorry for what I said earlier when Dr. De La Cruz was in here," "Don't be, it's okay. That was just the drugs in your system. I'm going to be here no matter what, okay?" "Okay," I leaned over and placed my forehead on his. "I love you," "I love you too. Can I ask a better question now?" "Go ahead," "Is Azrah stable enough to where I can see him down here?" Rick asks.

"Possibly, I can see what I can do. I know Scott wants to get you upstairs soon, so seeing Az may have to wait till after you're out of surgery," I reply. "Ok, whatever you can do, do it. I want to see him," "I'll go find Scott and talk to him," I left the room and found Scott in the break room. "Hey, can we hold off bringing Rick upstairs for a little longer?" "I don't know how much longer we can, why?" Scott asks. "He wants to see Azrah for the first time so badly, I can see it's breaking him to pieces,"

"Ok, I can give you two an hour but that's it, no more. I really need to operate on his leg, he's going to probably lose it either way," "I know, but thank you," "No problem,"

I ran upstairs and checked with Azrah's team and they agreed to let me take him downstairs to see Rick since he was doing really well and was only needing oxygen at night. The nurse helped me get him into the rolling bassinet and then got the portable monitor setup. I unplugged the I.V. pole and went to the elevator and back down to the ER after I told them I'd be back in an hour.

I saw Krista as I walked out of the elevator and motioned for her to come over to me. "Where's Jordan?" "In a trauma room, why?'' "Help me sneak Az into Rick's room without her seeing. I know he's not supposed to be down here, but I'm pulling strings for Rick's sake since he wanted to see Azrah so badly," I tell Krista. "Ok, she's in Trauma One so go on the opposite side and then straight to Rick's room," Krista says. "OK, cover for me?" "You got it,"

I brought Azrah into the room and carefully handed him to Rick. "Wow, that's a lot of hair," "Yeah, exactly the same thing I said," I say sitting on the edge of the bed.

We sat for an hour, and then it was time for Rick to head to surgery. "Ok, we're going to take you up to surgery now Rick," Scott says coming into the room. "Ok," Rick says, handing me Az. "We'll still be here when you get out," I say, kissing him for the first time since he'd left and been home. "Love you," "I love you too," They started wheeling Rick out, and I stopped Scott, "Thank you for that hour, I think it was really needed," I told Scott while pushing Az's bassinet. "You are very welcome, I saw how much you both needed it and how much Rick needed to be able to see Azrah,"

We reach the elevator and say our goodbyes, and Krista and I watch as the doors to the elevator close. As the doors closed, Krista grabbed my hand and squeezed it. "Thank you," I say. "Welcome,"

We walk back to the front of the ER and go into the break room and I sit on one of the recliner chairs with Azrah.

4 hours later

"I know I should have asked this a while ago, but how are you holding up?" Jordan asks. "Honestly, I don't even know, I practically don't know what day it is. From the time the ambulances started showing up till when I kicked all the soldiers out of Rick's room has been a blur and I've just been rolling with the punches, I guess. But I'm glad he's back," I say. "It'll get better," "I know, Thankfully Krista got my head in a better place, so I'm not as stressed out now. We just have to take it one step at a time now," "Yup, let us all know if you two ever need help, we all care about you two, and are willing to help out in any way possible," "Thanks Jord," "No problem. Also, did you sneak Azrah down here?" "Maybe, it was at Rick's request, he wanted to see him before he went in for surgery and Scott allowed us to have an hour before taking Rick up," "That was nice of him," "It was, and I thanked him for it, it was really needed," I say to her.

"And hopefully his surgery is done soon," I say to no one in particular. "I hope so too," Krista says. "Thank you for talking some sense into me," "That's what friends are for, plus I think you needed that push," "Yeah. you're probably right,"

Another hour passes

Rick was finally out of surgery and Scott said that everything went well and that he was just waking up, so I could go see him.

I went up to the floor he was on and walked into the room. "Hey," "Hi," "Are you in pain at all?" "Not really, it's numb currently, though I should take some pain meds anyways," "There's a pain button in your right hand," "OK,"

"I don't think I've said it yet, but I'm glad you're back," I say. "Me too,"

"Do you need or want anything?" "The last 12 hours back," "Yeah, I kind of want that too," "Besides that, did any of my stuff make it here?" "Yeah, I grabbed it all and put it in my car while you were knocked out from the meds in the ER," "Ok, do you have my phone at least?" He then asks. "Yeah, here," I say, grabbing it out of my pocket. "Thanks,"

"Anything for you. Ok, it is currently shift change, so I am going to go upstairs and get the updates on Az and see when he can be discharged and then I am going to go home, drop your stuff off, shower, get food and come back. Is there anything specific you'd like?" I ask. "An apple, but I can wait for that. But I would like some actual food that's not hospital food," He says. "I can make that happen. I'll see you in a bit," I reply, kissing him.

I walked out of the room and went up to the NICU and got the updates on Azrah and then found out that he could get discharged tomorrow if he passed all the tests.

I then went downstairs to walk out of the ER and stopped in the locker room to change. I walked in and TC, Topher, Jordan, and Krista were in there. I then heard my phone ping with a notification. I grabbed my phone and it was a Words With Friends request and an 8 Ball Pool challenge request.

"I haven't even left the building yet and he's already pinging my phone with game requests," I say, rolling my eyes. "Didn't he just get out of surgery?" TC asks. "Yeah, though it was my fault I guess because he asked for his phone," I replied. "I send you good luck," TC says. "Thanks, I'm gonna need a lot of it. Also, Az is hopefully getting discharged tomorrow," "Yay,"

I changed and then went home to drop off Rick's stuff, showered, threw clothes for Rick in a duffle bag, and then put the bag and car seat in the car along with stuff for Az and myself. I then drove to Walmart and bought Rick some snacks he had requested besides an apple. I then drove back to the hospital and went to the NICU first to drop off Azrah's stuff and then went to the floor Rick was on.

"I'm back," I say walking into Rick's room. "Good. What did you bring?" "I brought food, snacks, and clothes," "Nice," "I also talked to Scott and he said that I can write orders for medication for you too," "Cool," "Scott also said that the day after tomorrow, I can take the wrap off and look at your incision and replace the gauze and all that," "Ok, I'll remind you to push pain medications through my I.V. when you do that,"

I sat on the couch in the room and kicked my shoes off. "You don't want to lay with me at all." Rick says, with a loopy smile. "You and I both know that both of us together will not fit on the hospital bed," "Right, too much muscle between the two of us," He says laughing. "Oh my god, shut up, you're such a dork," I say, laughing as well. "Love you too,"