A Little Danger Never Hurts

Chapter Twenty-Six: Time Heals All Wounds

Chad

One week. One extremely, long week. She's been in a coma for a week and the doctors still say that they are not sure if she will wake up. They explained to me that the intense trauma her brain endured during the accident resulted in this and that it is normal. They told me that the chance of her waking up is still uncertain. I ask them each day and each day they give me the same answer.

"Chad," my father's voice breaks me out of my thoughts. I'm sitting in the chair on the side of her bed, my head resting gently my hand. I look over at him and find him standing there with coffee. Mr. Carlson is sitting on the opposite side, holding her hand with his head on the side of the bed, completely asleep. Eric is on the floor in the back, his head resting against the wall as he sleeps.

"How about we leave them be for a bit? Come to the hotel and take a shower. I'll bring you back in a bit," he says.

"I don't want to leave her. She might wake up," I say.

"Come on. We'll be back soon."

I look back at Rowan and then stand up. I place a kiss to her forehead and follow my father out of the room. He hands me a cup of coffee once we exist the room and I gratefully take it. I didn't get any sleep last night and now that it is morning I know won't be getting any sleep.

"We'll come right back, right?" I ask him.

He nods his head, "Promise."

.....

After taking a shower for the first time since the incident I change into some new clothes my dad brought for me. I'm ready to go within in an hour but the second I sit down on the bed and feel the comfort of something besides a chair, I'm passed out.

When I wake up I don't know what time it is. I find my father sitting on the other bed watching television. I sit up and run my hands through my hair.

Rowan.

"Shit, what time is it?" I ask him.

"Five in the afternoon. You've been out for a while. You needed the sleep though."

"No, I need to go back to the hospital! You should have woken me up!"

"Calm down! I told the nurse to call me if anything happened. You needed to rest. We will go back now."

I quickly stand up and throw my sweatshirt on, practically running out the door. My dad follows me out in silence. He's been trying to get me to go back home and back to school but I told him I won't do that until Rowan wakes up.

When we got back to the hospital I wasn't surprised to find Eric and her dad in the room. Val had brought Warren back to go to school, even though he had begged to stay here. She promised to bring him this weekend. Mr. Carlson wants to transfer her to the hospital closest to our home but it's too expensive and too risky. The doctors said if she wakes up then they would consider it.

"Any changes?" I ask while taking the seat by the end of the bed.

Eric shakes his head and gets up, leaving the room. After the second day of change, Eric stopped talking. As mad as I am at him, I'm worried for him. He has barely eaten. Josie keeps trying to get him to go out and get some fresh air but every time she talks to him he stays silent.

Mr. Carlson gives me a brief nod before following Eric out of the room. I move to the seat where he was and then take her hand gently in mind. She doesn't move at all and I can hear myself begging her to wake up.

"Rowan, you have to wake up. Your brother is going insane. He stopped talking. Do you know how shocking that is? He never shuts up."

No response.