'Ms Kaylee Bell and Mr Zachary Knight are to be appointed legal guardianship of Scott Knight if something would ever happen to the parents, Jenna and Patrick Knight.'
They say everything can change in the blink of an eye.
It did for me.
Yesterday...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
I clutch my bag to my chest and hurry down the hall towards the waiting room where I've been told my family is. I turn the corner and see my parents, Zach's parents, Shane and Scott.
"Kay," Mom runs towards me, and wraps her arms around me. "Oh my god."
"They haven't told us anything yet," Dad says, his voice strained. He looks older, more worn than I remember. His hand rests on my shoulder, a comforting weight. "We're still waiting."
Scott walks towards me, and raises his arms and I bend down to lift him up.
"It's okay, Scott," I whisper, trying to reassure him as much as myself.
He nods against my shoulder, his grip tightening. "Whewre Zach?" Where is Zach?
Tears build in my eyes, and I struggle to find the right words. "Zach is... he's being taken care of," I say, my voice breaking slightly. "The doctors are doing everything they can for him."
Scott nods, tears welling up in his own eyes. "I miss him," he says, his voice cracking.
I nod, trying to keep my tears at bay. Shane comes to stand by me and strokes Scott's hair.
"He's going to be okay," Shane tells me, his voice steady and reassuring.
I look at him, my eyes filled with confusion and fear. "What even happened?" I whisper, struggling to understand. I'd just been with Zach, and now he was in a hospital, fighting to live.
Shane releases a loud breath, his face a mixture of anger and anguish. "Drunk driver," he says, the words are bitter.
"I can't lose him," I whisper, my eyes going to Zach's parents. Josie's face crumples, tears streaming down her cheeks as she clings to her husband. Joel's expression is a mask of stoic determination, but his eyes betray his deep worry.
"We won't lose him," Shane says, his voice steady. "Zach's a fighter. He's going to get through this."
The door opens, and a doctor enters, his expression neutral. "Zachary is stable, but he's not out of the woods yet," he says, looking at each of us. "The next 24 hours are critical. We'll be monitoring him closely."
"Can we see him?" Joel asks, his voice quivering.
"Yes, but only a few at a time, and keep the visits short," the doctor replies gently.
Joel and Josie nod, and I step aside to let them go in first. As they walk down the hall, my parents, Scott, Shane and I sit in the waiting area.
After what feels like an eternity, Zach's parents return, their faces a mixture of relief and exhaustion. "He's resting," Josie says softly, hugging me. "You can go in now."
I nod, taking a deep breath as I walk towards Zach's room. The sight of him lying there, pale and still, with tubes and wires attached to him, is almost too much to bear. I sit beside him, taking his hand in mine, feeling the coolness of his skin.
"Hey, Zach," I whisper, my voice trembling.
I sit there for a while. As I hold his hand, I feel a small squeeze, almost imperceptible, but enough to give me a glimmer of hope. I squeeze his hand, and lean forward to kiss his forehead. As I watch him, a tear falls from my eye and I wipe it away.
"I love you, Zach. Please come back to me," I whisper, and hand gives another faint squeeze, and my heart leaps. I take it as a sign that he can hear me, that he's fighting to come back.
The nurse enters the room, checking the machines and adjusting the IV. She gives me a kind, sympathetic smile before leaving us alone again.
I lean back in the chair, still holding his hand, and close my eyes for a moment. The exhaustion is catching up with me. I feel another squeeze and fall asleep.
Suddenly, I feel a stronger squeeze on my hand. My eyes snap open, and I see Zach's eyelids flutter. My heart pounds in my chest as I lean closer.
"Zach?" I say, my voice filled with a mix of hope and fear.
His eyes slowly open, and he blinks a few times, trying to focus. A weak smile forms on his lips, and he whispers, "Hey."
Tears of relief and joy stream down my face as I gently brush his hair away from his forehead. "You scared me," I whisper, my voice choked with emotion.
He nods slightly, his grip on my hand tightening. "I heard you," he says, his voice barely audible. "I love you too."
I can't hold back the tears now, streaming freely as I smile through them. The relief washes over me in waves, and I lean in to kiss his forehead again.
The nurse returns, alerted by the change in the monitors. Her eyes widen in surprise and delight as she sees Zach awake. She quickly checks his vitals, nodding with satisfaction.
"He's doing well," she says, smiling warmly at both of us. "I'll call the doctor, but for now, just keep talking to him. It's clearly helping."
I nod, turning my attention back to Zach. His eyes are closing again, exhaustion pulling him under, but his grip on my hand remains firm. I continue to whisper to him, talking about Scott and telling him how much I love him.
The doctor arrives, performing a thorough check and confirming that Zach is stable and on the road to recovery.
"He's a fighter," the doctor says, patting my shoulder. "He'll need time, but he'll make a full recovery."
I smile, feeling a sense of peace come over me. As the hours pass, I stay by Zach's side, holding his hand and watching over him as he drifts in and out of sleep.
