The Transplant ✔️

46. Surgery

Jobe's POV:

Surgery: easy; fasting: that was another story. Pre-op care had to be the worst thing ever. Not eating for God knows how long was the worst thing in the world. Not eating was worse than wearing this ugly blue scrub gown, which by the way, hid nothing to the imagination. The only good news is that I got to share a hospital room with Jolie as we waited for surgery.

Jolie's mother and brother had stayed with her most of the early morning. They had arrived around midnight, due to a nonstop drive they had made from Kay View. But they were ushered out of the room due to preperarions for surgery. I wasn't expecting to see my father show up, and good thing because I would have been waiting for a let down. He probably wouldn't show up at all, if I knew him. Oh, but I bet if I told him I wanted to check out different law schools in the area, he'd take a private jet here and be here in seconds.

"Hey Jobe." I looked over on the hospital bed next to mine, where Jolie sat, waiting for the nurse to check the monitor.

"Yeah?" I answered.

"Are you ready for this? I know you agreed to do this, and it feels silly even saying this, but you don't have to go through with it. What your doing may change your life, and I want you to know that you have a choice."

She was, in fact, silly for saying this. I'd never back down from this surgery; her life means more to me than my own, and this surgery needed to happen. I wanted her to be cured, and being able to cure her was a miracle I wasn't going to pass up.

"I'm all in, Jolie. I'm not going to back out and I'm not going to let you suffer any longer. I wish I could take away your pain for myself, but since I can't do that, I'm doing the next best thing. So please, Jolie, don't ask me again because the answer will be the same. They can carve out any of my organs as long as it makes you better."

There was a tear in her eye, her blue eyes hidden with a veil of despair. She looked away from me and cradled herself in the bed to try and hide her face. The nurse left us alone as Jolie spoke again, still looking away.

"The surgery might not work. I'll just keep getting weaker and weaker, and there's nothing I can do about it. It was a risk I was willing to take, but I never expected you to feel so protective over me, and so caring. I never wanted it be like this. I thought we'd keep hating each other, then I'd have the surgery, and then we'd continue on with our separate lives. But now, I'm left with this guilt that if this transplant doesn't work, it was all for nothing, and that I made you suffer for nothing. This surgery could be it for me, you know? I'm just so sorry, for everything. I'm sorry that we met like this, I'm sorry that I fell for you, I'm sorry that I kissed you back, and I'm sorry about this transplant. Please forgive me for everything. Please forgive me, if...if I die today."

I don't know if it was the medicine that was making her speak like this, or if she was having some premonition, but she was breaking my heart. I couldn't look at her for a few seconds, tears streaking my face. I had never cried so much for someone because I never needed someone like I needed her. I was in love with her, and thinking of her dying was the worst possible thing. Since my mother died, I stayed so closed up, promising never to love someone, in any way, ever again. I broke that promise by falling in love with Jolie, and having her say she might die sealed a pain in my heart so large, I couldn't move for fear of dying myself.

I finally found my voice, careful not look at her so she didn't see the tears that were falling on my face.

"You don't get to die on me; I won't let you. I need you here with me, Jolie, and I will not let you die. You might be a pain to deal with sometimes, especially when you speak like that, but you're my pain to bare with; Heaven can wait its turn for another hundred years. I haven't even..."

"Even what?" I could hear her bed sheets moving, knowing that she must have turned to face me.

Tears or not, I had to look at her. It was a face of the girl I had to fight for. No matter how different we are, no matter how we met, or what happens after today, I was going to keep doing everything I can for her. Jolie Drake was everything I had been waiting on for so long, when I didn't even know what I wanted. She was it for me.

"I haven't had a chance to love you yet."

"Alright, who's ready for surgery? It's just about time to start." Our doctor interrupted the conversation between Jolie and I, with the worst timing of the century. Even so, there were no regrets of what I told her, regardless if she didn't have a chance to reply. I knew if anything bad happens during surgery, I would never have regrets on telling her what I did. My words to her were my rock, standing tall and never wavering in the waves of the ocean.

I extended my hand to Jolie, repeating that everything would be okay. I held her petite hand as we were wheeled out of the room by a few nurses, closing my weary eyes as Jolie squeezed my hand back. If holding her hand would be my last good memory, I would be appeased.