Stay With Me

Chapter 10

It's been a week and Nina has made no progress. Ive not left her side once. I just want to see her smile again, hear that laugh of hers. I want her to be awake for our first Christmas together, which is next week.

"Ian are you sure you don't want to go to the house and rest for awhile?" Michaela asks.

Nina's mom only leaves when she needs to get rest at home or to do laundry. She's at Ninas side as much as I am.

"No, I just want to be here with her." I say.

"Okay. Well at least let me take your clothes and wash them for you. Ill bring them back in a few hours." She says.

"Thank you, really." I smile at her.

"Just call me if she wakes up or anything." Michaela says and leans over to kiss Nina on the cheek.

"Alex said he was stopping by after practice." She says before leaving.

"Wait, Julie..heard from her?" I ask.

Julie got to leave to the hospital 3 days ago with only a broken collar bone and bruised up. She hasn't came by yet to see Nina.

"She will come when she's ready. Her mom said she's blaming herself for this and I told her to tell her it's not her fault." Michaela says shaking her head.

"Of course it's not. It's the asshole who hit us." I say getting frustrated.

The guy who hit us was drunk driving and had no license.

"I'll be back later. I'll have my phone on me." Michaela kisses my cheek and leaves the room.

I look back at Nina and squeeze her hand a little.

"Paul and Phoebe told me to tell you to get better soon. They miss you back in Atlanta. Phoebe said the baby's been kicking like crazy." I tell her.

"And Candice, she wants to fly up and be with you. So maybe she will be here and she can talk about girl things with you." I laugh to myself.

"I can do that too.." I hear Julie and turn around to see her walking into the room slowly.

"Julie hey." I stand up.

"Hey." She looks down at her feet and then back up at Nina.

"I can't..I.." She starts crying and I walk over to her.

"Julie it's okay." I hug her.

"No it's not! My best friend is in a coma! What if...if she never wakes up! It's not fair!" She cries and I bring her out into the hall to calm her down.

"Julie none of this is your fault. That bastard who did this is locked up for good. He's paying for what he did. Nina, she's strong. We know she will wake up. We just have to give her time. She will though. I promise you." I tell her and wipe her cheek.

"Ian, she loves you so much. I'm so sorry." She says.

"I know she does. Which is why I'm not leaving till she wakes up and I see that smile again." I say and Julie smiles.

"You love her so much too." She says and I nod.

"I do. So much." I smile.

"I'm glad she has someone like you." Julie says.

"Come on, go sit in there with her and talk to her for awhile. Hold her hand. I do so if I say something she likes maybe she'll squeeze my hand. She hasn't yet but I'm not giving up." I say and she nods. She walks into the room and I close the door a little and take a seat in the chair across from the door.