The Save Game

Chapter 4

"Sal! He's awake!" Jackie came running around the corner and bolted into the waiting room that had become her temporary home. "He opened his eyes!" She jumped up and down, laughing with tears streaming down her face.

Sal jumped out of his chair at the sound of his name and met her in the middle of the room. He grabbed a hold of her forearms to steady her.

"Are you sure?" He asked, studying her face.

Jackie nodded, wiping at the tears on her cheeks. "You should go see him." She pulled him toward the door.

"No." Sal shook his head. He did want to see his friend and he felt relief that he was awake, but he didn't want to take Jackie's time away from her husband. He was sure Q would much rather see his wife than Sal's face.

"Please go. He needs some humor in there. I'll just be a blubbering mess and that won't be good for either of us." She pushed him toward the ICU doors again.

"Ok." Sal nodded. "I'll go, but just for a few minutes. You should be the one back there."

Jackie clasped her hands in front of her mouth, holding back another laugh. It wasn't that she thought the situation was funny. It was more that she had been so stressed about where her husband was that the relief was finally pouring out of her and it was coming out as laughter.

She turned back toward the waiting room and sat on the floor with her boys. Her and Brian's boys. She couldn't wait to bring them to see him. She'd had long nights, wondering how she would explain things to them if Brian hadn't recovered. Thankfully, she wasn't going to have to find the words.

Jackie kissed Liam on the forehead and closed her eyes as she pulled Grayson in for a hug.

"Jackie?" Allison's voice pulled her out of her moment of relief. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt. I was in the area and I just wanted to stop in and see if you were still here."

Jackie nodded and pushed herself up from the floor.

"He's awake, Allison." Jackie walked over and hugged her friend.

"Jackie that's great news!" Allison returned her friends hug. "I've thought about you and your boys for so long. I'm so glad things are going to be okay."

"Do you need me to watch the boys so you can go back?" Allison walked further into the room and offered her services.

"Oh, no. That's okay." Jackie brushed the offer off. "Sal's back with him right now. I'll go back when he's out."

Allison glanced down at the mention of Sal's name. She had hoped that Sal wouldn't be visiting yet. After the way they left things, she wasn't ready to see him again.

"You should talk to him." Jackie said. "He knows about Paul."

Allison looked at her friend. She started to say something but closed her mouth.

"He understands what's going on, Allison. Give him a chance to hear it from you."

"He's asking for you, Jacks." Sal's voice startled Allison and she could only stand frozen in the middle of the room with her back to him.

"Do you mind?" She motioned to the boys, looking at Allison.

"Of course." Allison nodded, letting her friend know she'd stay with the boys.

Allison listened as her friend's footsteps got further away, leaving her alone with Sal and the two small boys. She squeezed her eyes closed and pressed her lips together.

"Kinda hard to watch them with your eyes closed." Sal was standing in front of her now.

Allison took a deep breath and then slowly blew it out before she let her eyes open. Sal was sitting in the same seat he had been in the first time she visited him here. He sat with his hands steepled in front of his mouth, as if he were waiting for her to make the first move.