Betrayal

Chapter 37

Warren

I stare at the rain as it hits the windows. It's coming down hard. The sound of it is soothing, along with the thunder.

I've just finished my last surgery of the day. Spinal cord repair. Long and tedious, but a success. I take my coat off and hang it over the back of my chair, loosen my tie, and sit down.

It's been four days. They've felt agonizing. I'm not sleeping well. I keep dreaming of Ali and waking up in a cold sweat. Mostly of her face. Sometimes just her body, her and I making love. There's a deep aching in my stomach. My chest keeps aching.

My guilt has been overwhelming. I keep going back and forth about telling Rebecca. I know it'll lift this weight off of me. I don't know if she'll leave me or want a divorce. Every time I look at her, or look at our kids, it kills me. What I've done. And still thinking about Ali makes me feel as if I'm still cheating.

I don't want to think about. I leave my office and take the elevator up to the 10th floor. I go to Dominic's room. I stop abruptly as I step in and gasp. He's awake. His eyes are open. I practically trip over my feet rushing to the bed.

His eyes move and he looks to me, but he doesn't speak. I touch his face.

"Dominic. Hey, Dom."

There's drool on his chin that I wipe away with my thumb. His eyes are dazed. There's a panicked look on his face. He's disoriented, I can tell.

"He's only just woken up," the nurse says quietly. "His doctor should be in in just a moment."

I only stare at his face. There are tears pricking my eyes that I quickly wipe away. I can't get an even breath in.

"It's dad, buddy. I'm here. You're okay. You're awake. Fuck, you're awake."

I fumble with getting my phone out and text Rebecca with shaky hands to let her know he's awake. He's been out for a week and finally, he's awake. He's back. There was such a deep fear in me that he might not wake up at all. And just seeing him with his eyes open elicits such an emotional response in me.

The doctor comes in. Dr. Howard. I watch as he checks his vitals, not leaving his side.

"We'll monitor his brain activity, Warren. Do some x-rays. He's going to be disoriented for a little bit. But his vitals look good. Let him wake up some more and we'll see what he does."

I wipe my tears away and nod, then thank him quietly. I want to hear him speak. Hear his voice, hear him call me dad. Know he's going to be alright and somehow not have any lasting effects from what he's been through. I know that's a long shot. But it happens to some people. They're just the same as they were after an accident such as this.

He squeezes my shoulder as he leaves the room. I hover above and beside of him. His eyes are hazy on mine. I force a smile and whisper to him that he's going to be alright, I'm here, repeating it more than once. I tell him his mother will be here soon, too. So many people have come to visit him and have been thinking of him. He's a fighter, he's tough, he's going to be just fine.

Rebecca and Lola burst into the room. They're all over him, crying and smiling and speaking to him the way I was. I sit aside and watch. The shock has worn off somewhat. I think again of how he could end up now that he's awake. Will there be substantial damage from the bleeding in his brain? Will he be able to talk? Or will he have to relearn to do all of those things?

It all calms down to the point that we're sitting quietly, happy he's awake. But I notice Lola is staring at her phone, typing quickly, then at times holding it to her ear.