Training the Team (Dougie Hamilton)

Hospital Hell

Monday, September 21

I wake up in the morning from a restless night of sleep and check the time. I slept in today, since I have the day off to see Bella. Whitey and Mark were very understanding of my situation and told me to not rush anything to get back to work. I haul myself out of bed and get dressed, pulling on a Bruins sweatshirt and some leggings. I glance outside at the sky to see that it's raining, almost as if to match my mood. I don't put on any makeup today, but tie my hair up into a messy bun. I eat a small breakfast and pack some food for the hospital in a purse Bella gave me as a birthday gift last year. I shove a portable umbrella in the purse and pull on an old pair of boots. I'm saving for Hunter boots, and I would've gotten them sooner, but I've had to buy skirts and blouses and blazers for the season and not all of us get paid millions of dollars a season. Granted, I'm getting a better salary from the Bruins than I was working on my own, but I still have to pay bills, buy groceries, pay for gas, pay rent, and do other adult things.

I grab my keys and phone and leave my apartment, my purse on my arm. I check my phone in the elevator down to see that Pasta texted me 3 times and called me once, Reilly texted me 5 times and called me 3 times, Bergy texted me once, and so did Tuukka, Nik, Soups, Loui, Looch, Z, Torey, Carl, Krech, and Quaider. And then there's Dougie tallying in at a whopping 15 texts and 7 missed calls.

"Heaven forbid I miss a day of work," I mutter to myself as I leave the elevator and head for my car. I unlock my car and close the door behind me before going through and answering all the guys. Those who only texted me once had texted later, probably after Whitey explained where I was and gave me their best wishes. My tagalongs had texted me worriedly right when they got to work and had seen I wasn't there. I texted everyone back that I was okay and not dead and thank you for the wishes I will pass them on to Bella.

"These kids can't survive without me," I murmur, shaking my head as I start my car.

I get to the hospital and walk inside, the damp soles of my boots squeaking loudly against the tile floor. Nurses smile at me as I walk by, and I don't need directions to the ICU anymore. I find Bella's room and knock softly on the door before opening it. My breath catches in my throat as I see her. Bella's hazel eyes are closed, her dark brown hair braided, which is never a good sign, her skin almost glowingly white in the fluorescent hospital lighting. She's got an IV in, which is mixing with an opaque white fluid that I don't recognize. My mom is sitting by her bed, holding her hand, and she looks up as I enter. My dad is sitting next to her, his face drawn and serious. I pull up a chair on the other side of Bella and look at my sister. This is the first time in years she hasn't woken up when I come in. Her brows draw together in her sleep, her eyes and face scrunch in pain, and she makes a pained sigh and moves her head quickly before curling up even tighter under her blankets. My lip's been under my top teeth since I got in here, and I bite down on it painfully. She's in a lot of pain right now, and I don't know how it's going to go away. She described the pain she felt to me once, after she was diagnosed.

"It- it kind of feels like I have an infection inside my whole body and I'm trying to fight it off. But it's not just an infection, it's almost like being cut internally. It's periods of sharp, stabbing, agonizing pain followed by hot, unnatural, infectious pain. It's my immune system failing and my body attacking itself. It feels just like it sounds, and like it should."

"How's she been?" I ask quietly.

Mom shakes her head, her hazel eyes sad. "Not good. We talked to the doctors, and they don't know what's going on. They say she could have anywhere between a week, a month, or three months to live. But they said it's next to impossible for her to make it to the new year."

My mouth goes dry. "She's lived longer than they ever thought. Bella can do the impossible."

My voice is fierce, but I know I'm only lying to myself. This time is different. We're running out of time that's already borrowed, and it's going to come crashing down on us too soon.