Cowgirl Up 2 (Sequel) ✔️

Chapter Twenty Five

A man with brown hair that had highlighted streaks through it approached our gathered group.
He was dressed in green Doctor scrubs and I felt my heart drop to the very bottom of my stomach.
He scanned the waiting room and when his gaze landed on Jaxon, he looked relieved.
Jaxon shot to his feet and the rest of us scrambled up after him, anxious but terrified to hear what was going on.
"We've moved him into the Ward."
The Doctor guy explained to Jaxon.
"Brilliant."
Jaxon answered, the relief audible in his voice.
The Doctor's gaze swung over the rest of us curiously.
"Oh!"
Jaxon looked like he finally remembered that everybody wasn't in the loop.
"This is his girlfriend, Bailey."
He explained, placing a hand on my shoulder.
The Doctor guy with his sparkling hazel eyes, grinned and extended his hand to me.
Feeling a blush warm my cheeks, I gripped his hand.
"I'm Doctor Edwards."
He explained.
"We've heard your name several times pre and post surgery."
My blush flared, yet my heart melted.
Blayze managed to think of me amidst all this?
"This is his little brother Heath."
Jaxon placed his other hand onto Heath's shoulder.
"How're ya doin' son?"
The Doctor greeted, shaking Heath's hand.
"Okay."
Heath answered.
"And Isaiah and Lukas Harley."
Jaxon finished, gesturing to Grandpa and Uncle Lukas.
"Good to meet ya Doc."
Grandpa greeted, shaking his hand.
"We've known Blayze for the last ten years."
Uncle Lukas explained as he too shook the Doctor's hand.
"He's an unofficial adopted member of our family."
Naww!
"Aha!"
The Doctor nodded.
"Well I'm pleased to tell you surgery went well. He suffered a collapsed lung also and we had to inflate it."
The Doctor explained, his gaze swinging to include us all.
Collapsed lung?
I've never had one, but I assume it's probably painful.
The wince that Grandpa, Uncle Lukas, Jaxon and Heath all gave told me that yes, it meant ouch.
"He required some fairly deep stitching that also had to be done internally, along with a few cracked and a few more broken ribs."
The Doctor told us.
"We're gonna have to keep an eye on him and watch for concussion, but I'm happy for you to see him."
Oh thank god!
"Lead the way then Doc."
Jaxon urged.
With a smile, Doctor Edwards turned on his heel and led us through a large set of dark blue double doors.

Blayze's hospital room was dim.
The only light came from a bar light over the head of the bed, high up on the wall.
Machines, tubes and wires were attached to his tanned body and the machines beeped and made sucking noises rhythmically.
He didn't look at peace in his no doubt drug induced sleep.
His brow was creased and his lips slightly parted.
"Don't be afraid to chat among each other and to him."
Doctor Edwards told us.
"I'm happy for him to wake up. Then I'll be able to run some more ob's."
We all nodded.
Wordlessly.
Wasn't that ironic?
"I'll be back in fairly soon. Come get me if there's any problems."
Doctor Edwards told us, before he turned on his heel and left the room.
"Go on."
Jaxon nudged me forward.
With tentative steps, I slowly approached the right hand side of the hospital bed, Blayze's left side.
Tear's pricked at my eyes as I took in his face that didn't seem peaceful.
He normally looks so peaceful in his sleep.
The way the machines beeped and sucked had my heart twisting.
Was this the way he'd felt when I'd been laying in hospital beds recently?
If so, I certainly owed him an apology.
Or did he owe me the apology for getting back at me?
Slowly and carefully, I slid my fingers between his, attempting not to jostle the needles and tubes.
Almost immediately, Blayze's fingers tightened around mine.
"Talk to him!"
Jaxon urged, his voice almost anxious.
I opened my mouth, but no words would come out.
I stood frozen as Blayze's hand tightened even more on mine.
Blayze's other hand, his right one, twitched on the mattress and then clenched into a fist.
His head turned first my way to the left, the light blue tubes under his nose standing out against his tanned skin.
Then he turned his head back to the right, a mutter of something I couldn't understand making its way past his lips.
Blayze's left hand clamped down on mine and I winced, but couldn't pull my hand out because his grip was too tight even in his sleep.
His deep blue-green eyes snapped open as he turned his head back my way.
He froze, his hand still gripping mine.
"Hey."
I whispered, reaching my left hand out to gently touch his cheek.
He blinked not once, not twice, but three times.
"You're okay."
I whispered, feeling a little breathless.
It was quite obvious he was stressed.
His eyes were tight and his brows creased, plus his grip was still firm on my hand.
He said something, but it was muffled through the mask thing that was covering his nose and mouth.
"Relax."
I cooed, gently stroking his cheek with my free hand, in an effort to relax him.
He spoke again, but I still couldn't understand it thanks to the mask.
"What's up Goober?"
Grandpa greeted, from the other side of the bed where he was seated on a chair.
Blayze snapped his head to the right to get a look at his other visitors.
Obviously his hearing hasn't been affected then.
He spoke again, but we still couldn't understand him.
"We can't work out what you're sayin' coz of this."
Uncle Lukas told him, pointing to his own face.
Blayze pretty much went cross eyed as he looked down at his own face.
With a roll of his eyes, he lifted his right hand and grabbed the mask.
He yanked it off his face, actually snapping the elastic that went around the back of his head.
"Blayze!"
I scolded.
What if that mask is important?
What if he's actually meant to use it?
"Maybe we should get that Doctor..."
Heath noted, the concern audible in his voice.
"I'm fine."
Blayze denied, tossing the mask onto the floor.
His voice was croaky and raspy, very unlike him.
"What're you all doin' here?"
He asked, his gaze taking in all of us.
"Oh gee I wonder?"
I muttered with a roll of my eyes for emphasis.
The others laughed.
But not Blayze.
He seemed to legitimately not understand why we were all here.
Uh oh...
Is this the concussion the Doctor was worried about?
"Blayze..."
I started slowly.
His deep blue-green eyes turned to look at my face.
I swallowed thickly.
"Do umm... Do you understand why... you're here?"
I asked tentatively.
He rolled his eyes.
"Of course I know. Shit went to fucking hell in the Steer Wrestling."
Relief hit me like a bucket of ice cold water.
"What I wanna know is why you guys all high tailed it here?"
He explained, nodding to me, then Grandpa, Uncle Lukas and Heath.
Heath scowled and folded his arms across his chest.
"Oh gee that's a challenging one!"
Uncle Lukas stated sarcastically.
"You guys didn't needa come."
Blayze denied.
Grandpa scowled at him.
With a scoff, I yanked my hand out of his grasp.
"You're an arse!"
I snapped and turned on my heel to go and have some space.
All this effort, all this freaking out and he says we shouldn't be here?!
What kind of a jerk move is that!
"Babe wait ow!"
I turned around quickly, my heart lurching into my throat, to see that Blayze was now sitting up.
And clutching at his side with a pained expression on his face.
Shit!
"Lay back down ya dickhead!"
Jaxon scolded.
"Blayze, lay down."
I seconded, walking back towards the stark white bed.
He flopped backward, raising his right arm to place his forearm over his eyes.
"My name's not Zeus."
He gritted through an extremely tightly clenched jaw.
I rolled my eyes even though he wasn't looking at me.
"In this case I'd go with Zuke."
That dog is trouble and stubborn.
Thinking of the dogs, my heart clenched.
Not one of us was home.
I hope they're ok...
"I'll go get that Doctor."
Jaxon announced and headed for the door.
"I don't need a fucking Doctor!"
Blayze snapped, his arm still over his face.
I rolled my eyes.
Typical.
"You'll shut up and behave yourself."
I told him, linking my hand with his that was laying atop the mattress.
"Okay."
He muttered eventually.