To Love Again

Recovery

Admittedly, this is a filler chapter. I was intending to write one more but my lack of sleep has taken over my brain and no thoughts are coming through! I need a good night's rest and then I'll make it up to y'all in the morning.

Strong and suggestive language used.

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The instant Maine saw Bella's little body having convulsions, for a minute, she panicked. For a minute, she completely forgot being a nurse and her maternal instinct took over. She ran and was about to pick up Bella but then the hard wired medical part of her kicked in before her hands could touch the little girl. Which was a blessing since she knew that during a seizure, one was only supposed to make sure the patient was safe, away from harm. So, as much as the adrenaline was pumping through her veins, she gently reached out and made sure that Bella's thin blanket and favourite stuffed teddy was away from her airway. Then she glanced at her watch to time the length of the seizure.

Richard woke up the moment Maine's warm body left his. He stretched languidly on the lounger as he pulled up his swim shorts. He knew the moment something was wrong. The look on Maine's face was enough to alert him that something wasn't right. He quickly sat up and followed Maine with his eyes. He watched her run to Bella's bassinet and that prompted him to stand up and follow. What he saw made him forget everything else around him except the sight of his daughter's little body shaking uncontrollably. He looked to Maine first and couldn't believe the calmness radiating from the woman beside him. She calmly reached inside the bassinet and pulled away the blanket and stuffed toy from Bella's bassinet and just stood there; looking at Bella and her watch, alternately.

Richard wanted to scream for Maine to do something and he was about to do that when he felt Maine's hand on his arm, catching his attention. He stupidly looked at her hand, then looked at her face, then down to her hand again. Her attention was still focused on Bella but he felt her squeeze his arm, as if saying, 'it's okay'. Oddly enough, that simple gesture was enough to calm his nerves.

Maine felt the instant Richard stood beside her. She felt his presence, his heat and his panic. She felt his anxiety so she reached out and placed her hand on his arm, to reassure him but mostly to stop him from doing what she was about to do earlier, pick Bella up.

It seemed like a lifetime but it was only 1 minute, the longest minute of their lives, until Bella's convulsions subsided. As soon as that happened, Maine reached out to feel for her niece's pulse, noticing that Bella had gone limp meaning she's lost consciousness. Her pulse was weak but it was there.

"Alden, I need you to go call for an ambulance. And then call Jason. Tell him that Bella had a minute long seizure. Let him know we're heading that way." Maine instructed Richard calmly without taking her eyes away from Bella. She was about to pick her niece up when she noticed that Richard hasn't moved a muscle. He was just standing there, his eyes glazed with panic, focused on his daughter. So she did what she thought was best. She yelled in Richard's face.

"ALDEN! GO, NOW!"

That was enough! Richard moved and followed Maine's instructions, reaching for the emergency phone beside the entrance to the pool. He followed Maine's instruction to the tee. He wasn't even sure how but before he knew it, all three of them were on their way to St. Luke's Medical Centre.

Jason and the staff met them by the entrance to the paediatric floor, with each person knowing what to do. Pretty soon, Bella was hooked up to machines once more, getting her little body in a recovery mode.