Broken (Edited edition)

Surgery

I sit out in the hallway as Nona goes in before Mark's surgery.  He's had surgery before, so he wasn't scared.  But I was scared.  Nurses and Doctors walked by his room as if it's just another day, another patient.  But he's my guardian, my father!  And they act as if nothing could go wrong.  But several things could go wrong.  I stop thinking about it when Thomas walks over to me.  He hands me a cup of coffee, and sits down in the chair on the other side of the hall."  How you holding up?"  He asks, and I look up at him.  I lift my shaking hands to show him, show him the deep purple bags under my eyes."  As you can see, I'm not holding up well."  I tell him, and bounce my knees up and down.  He smiles softly at me, and tries to calm me down."  Hey listen, they just need to fix him up and he'll be out in an hour.  Everything's going to be fine, the doctor's know what they're doing."  He says, and I stand."  And what if they don't huh?  What if they mess up?  What if they kill him?"  I ask, giving him the ugliest look I can.   He sits straight up in his chair, and I start dry-heave.  He stands, and puts his arms around me.

I pull myself away from him, and run into the closest bathroom.  I start to get sick, and Thomas rubs my back slowly.  After I've finished getting sick, he picks me up."  I'm sorry."  I whisper, and he just holds me.  I lean my head against his shoulder, and he walks me around the fourth floor for awhile.  He keeps a smile on his face, and I feel him rub my back.  Nona comes out in the hallway a few moments later."  Okay, we go to waiting room."  She says, and Thomas carries me down to the elevator.  I rest my head on his shoulder, as we grow farther and farther from Mark.  I feel hollow without him, and shut my eyes.  As we ride the elevator down, Nona starts to play with my hair."  Poor baby, it's going to be okay."  She says, and I start crying silently.  A nurse behind Thomas looks at me concerned, and I hug Thomas tightly around the neck.  I take in a sharp breathe, and feel the tears rush down my face.  Thomas clutches me to him, and the nurse behind him starts to wipe my eyes.

"Don't cry darling, don't cry."  The nurse says, and gives me a smile.  Thomas tries to hush me, but I just continue to cry.  My chest starts to hurt a lot, and my lungs hurt."  She's having a panic attack, set her down."  The nurse says, and Thomas does as she says.  I fall onto the floor, and scoot into the corner of the elevator.  I cover my face with my hands, and continue to sob.  She stops the elevator and holds my hand."  Take deep breathes, and I want you to tell me something.  Tell me what you enjoy the most."  She says, and I can't even speak I'm crying so hard.  Finally, I'm able to speak, but I stutter while trying to say it."  M...M...Mark!"  I cry, and she hugs me softly."  That's her adopting father."  Thomas says, and the nurse nods."  What's he in the hospital for?" 

"Small Bowel obstruction."  Nona says, and Thomas nods.  The nurse wipes my eyes, and gives me a smile."  I know every doctor in this hospital, and they are all able to operate better than most doctors I've worked for.  Your Dad is in the best hands if you ask me."  She says, and I stare at her as she continues to wipe the tears.  I collect myself, and take in deep breathes, and she lets the elevator continue to the bottom floor.  She helps me to my feet, and gives me a tissue from her pocket.  I wipe my eyes slowly, and grab Thomas' jean pocket.  He pats my head, and the nurse leaves us in the elevator.  Thomas takes me into his arms after getting off the elevator, and hugs me so tight I almost can't get breathe down.  He smiles softly at me, and kisses my cheek softly.  He doesn't speak, he just hugs me against his chest.  He sits down in one of the chairs, and lay my head against his chest.  He smells like Mark, and has that warmth that Mark has.  My eyelids grow heavy, and I shut them slowly.

"I'll always be there for you."  "I don't like seeing you sad."  "Sometimes I can't help it."

I wake up, and there's something different.  One, I'm being carried now.  Two, I'm not in Thomas's arms anymore.  Three, there are people talking.  I slowly open my eyes, and look up to see Wade holding me."  Yeah, she fell asleep after her little panic attack."  I hear Thomas say, and I squirm.  Wade struggles to continue to hold me, and sets me down on the ground."  Morning sweetheart."  He says, and I lean into him."  You sleep okay?"  He asks, and I nod a little bit."  What time is it?"  I ask, and I see Nona check her watch."  Almost midnight."  She says, and she yawns into her cup of tea.  I rub my face against Wade's leg, and notice a second person.  He's a bit taller than wade, fluffy brown hair, wearing sweat pants and a gray T-shirt."  Hello."  He says, extending his hand out to me."  Lyca, this one of our close friends Tyler."  Wade says, and I shake his hand.  Tyler gives me a wide grin, then his face grows serious."  That's his normal face, resting bitch face."  Wade says, and Nona smacks his arm."  Child present."  She says, and I wipe my eyes.

"You still tired?"  Thomas asks, and I nod."  Yeah."  I mumble, and hold onto Wade's pocket still.  The doctor comes into the waiting room, and asks us all to follow him."  The surgery went incredible well, and he's sleeping the drugs off.  I don't want anyone in his room until he wakes up, so maybe you should just go home for the night."  The doctor says, and we all shake our heads."  No, we wait for Mark."  Nona says, and we nod again in agreement.  The doctor sighs, and looks down at me.  He gives me a look of concern, then leaves."  Could we bring Lyca to the cafeteria?"  Wade asks, grabbing my hand tighter."  Yes, she should get some food in her stomach."  Nona replies, and Wade brings me to the cafeteria with Tyler.  It's really late, so there is not that many people in the cafeteria.    We all grab coffee, and take  a table near the windows.  It's dark outside, so our light comes from the long pole-like lights."  How long did you sleep sweetie?"  Wade asks, and I have to think about it."  It was almost seven or eight when I feel asleep.  So about five hours I believe, I don't know it feels like so much longer."  I tell him, and Tyler continues to look serious."  When did you meet Mark?"  I ask him, and he says in fifth or sixth grade.  Wade goes up to the counter, and buys some food.  A ham and cheese sandwich, and a chocolate bar.  He splits the two of them into three pieces, and we share them all.  The sandwich was delicious, and the chocolate hit the spot.  

"Are you doing okay still?"  Wade asks, and I nod."  Yeah, just had a small problem but it's fine now."  I say, and play with the fork on the table."  What was the small problem?"  Tyler asks, and I shake my head."  I don't want to talk about it."  I tell him, and he nods."  It's okay, I don't want to push you."  He says, and I smile."  It's alright, I have Mark as my dad."  I say, and he grins."  I had a panic attack."  I say and Wade looks at me."  About Mark?"  He asks, and I nod."  You okay?  Those can damage a person really bad."  He says, and I nod."  I'm alright, just really tired."  Tyler pats my back, and I give him a smile.   Once we're ready, we go back up to the waiting room.  Nona takes a cup of coffee that Wade brought up, and Tyler hands Thomas a cup of tea.  Nona wraps her arm around me."  Do not worry, he is fine."  She says, and I smile as she rubs my arm.

Nona kisses my forehead, and I shut my eyes slowly again.  Just as I'm about to fall asleep, the doctor enters the waiting room."  He's awake, and would like to see you all.  But you two have to wear these."  He says, then hands Wade and Tyler masks to cover their mouths.  They put them on, and Wade carries me as we go up to the fourth floor, and rubs my cheek."  Now he's very out of it, but well enough to speak and have visitors."  The doctor says, and grins at Nona.  She just smiles back, then asks to hold me.  Wade hands me over, and Nona holds me close to her."  You like small baby."  She says, and I give her a look.  She smiles, and kisses my cheek.  We arrive to the fourth floor, and walk to his room.  The nurse is helping him sit up by lifting the back part of the bed."  Okay, I'll leave you guys alone."  She says, and walks out the door.  Mark looks over at us, and smiles."  Oh Mark."  Nona says, and puts me down on the ground.  All of them stand around his bed as I stand there behind them all.  I walk out into the hall, and sit down.  His face.  His pale, sweaty, ill looking face made me shake.  He looked like Todd, when Todd died.

"Lyca?  Lyca?"  I hear in the room, then see Thomas' head pop out into the hall."  Hey, what are you doing out here?"  He asks, and I shake my head."  I can't...I I I I just can't."  I say, and hide my face."  Hey, it's okay.  The worse is over."  He says, and rubs my back."  I'm sorry, I just can't right now."  I tell him, and he yanks me off the ground."  What are you doing?"  I ask, and he carries me into the hospital room."  You need to stop being afraid."  He whispers to me, and he sets me down on Mark's bed.  He still has that tube up his nose, his hair is brushed back, and he still doesn't have his glasses on."  Hi...sweetie."  He says, and slowly moves his arm around me.  I start to tremble, and lay down next to him.  I make sure not to touch his stomach, but wrap my arms around his neck.  I press my head into his chest, and he starts to chuckle.    He hugs me back, and the others start to laugh."  I guess she really missed you."  Wade says, and I feel Mark nod."  Yeah, I missed her as well."  I feel him kiss the top of my head, and I hug him tighter.

As he hugs the others, and I rest my hands on his chest."  Okay, visiting hour is over."  The nurse says, and the others start to leave."  She stay."  Nona says, and the nurse looks over at me."  I'm sorry, but I can't do that."  The nurse says, and Mark starts to sit up."  No, she needs to stay.  She has panic attacks if I'm not by here."  He says, and I nod.  The nurse just sighs, and shrugs."  Fine, I can't force you to leave.  But keep quiet about this."  The nurse says to the others, and they all nod.  They leave, and the nurse turns the lights off.  Mark kisses my cheek, and hugs me so tight I feel as if I can't breathe."  I missed you."  He whispers, and I remain quiet."  I missed you too."  I say, and that's how we lay for the rest of the night.