Dougie kept shaking his head, tears slipping down into the pillow.
"No surgery... no..."
His hand stayed locked around Twony's sleeve like letting go would make everything disappear again. His stomach still ached in sharp waves, and each wave made him flinch and curl tighter under the blanket.
Chloe stepped closer slowly, keeping her voice soft and steady so she didn't overwhelm him.
"Hey, baby... look at me for a second."
Dougie's eyes flicked up briefly, still panicked.
"I need you to listen to me, okay?" she said gently. "I know you're scared. That makes sense. But this pain you're feeling—it's not going to just go away on its own."
She paused, careful not to rush him.
"I've had something like this before. I waited too long... and it got a lot worse. I don't want that for you."
Dougie's breathing hitched. He tightened his grip on Twony again.
Chloe nodded toward him, acknowledging his fear instead of pushing it away. "You're not being forced, okay? Nobody is going to trick you. But the doctors believe surgery is the safest way to stop the pain and fix what's wrong."
She softened her voice even more.
"And you won't be alone. I'm here. Twony is here. And I'm going to call Grace and your mom, Theresa, so they can be here too."
At the sound of familiar names, Dougie's crying slowed just a little, like his mind was trying to grab onto them for safety.
Chloe continued, steady and calm. "When you wake up, you'll see us. We'll all be right there."
A nurse nearby gently added, "And we'll take care of you the whole time while you're asleep. You won't feel anything during the surgery."
Dougie swallowed hard, still terrified, still unsure.
His AAC device flickered again, quieter this time:
"Stay... Twony..."
Twony squeezed his hand gently. "I'm staying right here, buddy."
Chloe nodded. "We're not going anywhere."
The room stayed calm and dim, the chaos of earlier replaced with steady voices and warm presence. Dougie was still scared—still hurting—but the world around him had finally stopped feeling like it was falling apart all at once.
he had a choice of surgeons dr carlock or dr spears or dr miller he chose dr spears
Dougie lay still for a moment, breathing unevenly as the names were explained to him. The hospital had made it clear: he could choose who would perform his surgery, as long as it was medically appropriate and available.
Twony stayed close, his hand resting lightly on Dougie's shoulder so he could feel something steady.
Chloe leaned in again, speaking gently. "Okay, baby... listen. You've got choices. That's good, right?"
A nurse held up a simple card with pictures and names to make it easier for him to process.
Dr. Carlock Dr. Spears Dr. Miller
Dougie stared at them, blinking through tears. His stomach twisted again and he let out a small cry, curling slightly.
"Hurts..." his AAC said softly.
"I know," Chloe whispered. "You don't have to rush. Just pick the one that feels right."
Twony rubbed his shoulder in slow, steady circles.
