Love You Enough

Lucky

Lindsey sat by her bedside all night long while Christine watched Leo. He held her hand and listened to the rhythmic sounds of the machines she was hooked up to. He warmed up the room a little and turned down the lights like she would have wanted it. He would stroke her hair softly, praying she would wake up. He asked about the baby often not only because he worried but because Stevie would have wanted to know. The hospital was top of the line, having ultrasound machines and dopplers to listen to the heartbeat. The sound is unlike anything he had ever heard and relief washed over him. The baby was doing amazingly well despite her addiction and how he had found her.

The terrible mistake Carol Ann had told him about was playing on his mind. How did she know something like this would happen? Was she the cause? The doctor came in to speak with him at some point, waking him from sleep. The tall older male introduced himself as Gregory Adler and he had been practicing medicine for almost 25 years, specializing in addiction and drug overdose. Lindsey was impressed with him as well as with his initial bedside manner. Dr Adler invited him to sit at the table with him and go over charts.

"We have discovered the cause of her overdose." He said, opening the folder. "Tuinal capsules"

"Tuinal? Like Christmas trees? Rainbows, nawls..."

"Yes, they go by many names. It's a street drug that is clinically used to put people to sleep. With her history of recreational drug use, I would say this wouldn't be a stretch for her"

"No, she wouldn't take those things"

"There was no cocaine in her system"

"She was bleeding from her nose when I found her"

"It's unusual but she could have opened the capsules and taken the drug as she would cocaine."

"That's not like her"

"Drugs can change a person"

"I know my wife" Lindsey says, raising his voice.

"I'm sorry, Mr Buckingham. I only know what the charts tell me. We won't know anything more until she wakes up and we can ask her questions."

"Is she okay? I mean, considering"

"She's given us a little scare but she is stable and should make a full recovery. We will have to watch her and have her monitored even when she is discharged"

"Will the baby have an effects?"

"Only time will tell. The fact that she is still pregnant with no threat of miscarriage is very promising but that is all I can offer. She's very lucky"

"Thank you. That makes me feel a little better"

"She could be awake in the next few hours. The nurses have tapered off her medication to keep her under and she's already received the last of it"

"So it's a waiting game?"

"Unfortunately. She may wake up feeling disoriented, stiff, sick or even more tired. I will have a nurse check on her in intervals to make sure her needs are attended to" Lindsey simply nods and the doctor leaves them alone.

"My angel, I was so afraid of losing you. I can't wait until you open your beautiful eyes and you can tell me what went wrong. Our babies are both safe, honey. Our little one growing inside of you and our little guy at home. Christine, she's taking great care of him. When you wake up, I will have her bring him up to see you. Wake up, baby. Let me see you" He kisses her hand and strokes her palm. Her face looks so peaceful, he thinks. She looks like she's sleeping rather than fighting for her life. She makes everything so effortless and this heartbreaking event, the kidnapping of their son, was the only thing that got her down and proved difficult for her to overcome. He fell asleep again, his head in her lap.