The First Summer of Forever

Chapter 36 - Breaking

I felt helpless as I climbed into the helicopter, watching them assess Belly's injuries. I wanted to jump into action too, but I knew I would just get in the way. I didn't have the mental clarity at the moment to be at my best, anyway. One team was taking her vitals as another person assessed her body for injuries.

"She has a head injury, she's losing blood.", one of them said hastily. "Her blood pressure is dropping," another one of the medics said. I prayed to God we got to the hospital in time as I watched them begin to apply pressure to her head where she was bleeding.

A minute later, I heard a slight uptick in the heart rate monitor. "Her pulse is improving, it's working." They said to each other.

Seeing Belly like this- helpless, made me want to spiral. To sink down right where I was and give in to the anxiety. But I couldn't. I had to stay strong for her. I had to fight every cell in my body- resist the natural urges to give into my panic.

I began taking deep, slow breaths the way Cleveland taught me years ago. Every breath began to feel like knives- sharp stabs at every intake of oxygen, but I kept breathing despite the pain. Two of the medics kept monitoring Belly throughout the whole ride, keeping a check on her stats.

One of the medics must have noticed me because he came over to me and started questioning me. "Sir, are you okay?"

"Yes."  I hesitated in saying this next part, because I always felt like it could come off the wrong way.

"I'm a doctor. I think I'm fine, just a little bruised up." I choked out. He nodded in understanding. He had just finished pumping up the blood pressure bulb. "Sir, your blood pressure... it's very high. Understandably, you just went through a very traumatic event, but..." He said, but I cut in.

"I'm... I'm  having a panic attack right now. I've had them since my late teenage years. It will pass." I said flatly. The helicopter was hovering over a landing pad, preparing to land at the hospital.

"Alright, but we need to get you into admissions too."

"I'm not going anywhere until I know the condition of my wife. And... and my child."

"Right, you told Scott she was pregnant. Do you know how far along she is?"

"We are thinking about 5 to 6 weeks, but we've been on a sailing trip for about a month, and we haven't been able to see an OB yet."

"Okay, we'll make sure we let all of the staff know."

I stared at him with a look of pleading- begging. "Can I please go with her? I won't be in the way, I promise." He must have understood because he just nodded his head, and said, "I'll see what I can do."

"Thank you, sir"

"You're welcome, but as soon as we get her settled, I'll need to admit you too."

"Yes, I understand, that won't be a problem." my lips curled in agreement.

"Alright, let's get you two in."

They rushed Belly into the ER. They agreed to let me go back with her and come back to admissions to have me fill out all the paperwork later, although I did give them our identification and insurance cards to start the process.

I followed them as they rolled Belly through the white, sterile corridors and rooms that were all too familiar to me, and my heart was racing again. The sterile smell, the cold temperature, the sound of the bed rolling down the hall, I used my surroundings to ground me. I heard rushed voices and the sounds of monitors and medical equipment as they pushed Belly down the halls.

We reached the ER room and the Doctor and his team of nurses were waiting for us. He looked at me expectedly.

"I'm Conrad Fisher, Belly-Isabel's husband. Sorry, habit. She goes by Belly to everyone close to her."