Drowning in the Waves

Ch. 34: Hurt Heart

Chapter Thirty Four

Penny’s POV:

Walking out of the hotel, we got into the car. Colton and I drove in silence as tears streamed down my face, one by one. I’m so grateful for Colton being supportive so far. He did say how much Aunt Claire was like a mother to him, this must be equally as hard for him.

We pulled up to the hospital Trevor texted me saying she was at. We both sat in the car in silence for a moment, dreading going in there, not wanting to see my aunt in that condition.   

Taking a deep breath, I got out of the car and wiped my cheeks. I was going to see her, I told myself. This all felt like deja vu from when my parent’s died, the only difference was they were killed instantly and they wouldn’t even let me see their bodys.

Colton took my hand in his reassuringly, “I’m sure she’ll be fine, she’s a tough one,” Colton said in a weak voice. I nodded not able to speak.

The automatic doors opened for us, like a gladiator about to meet their doom. The smell hit me at once. It smelled like disinfectant and that weird hospital smell. I scrunched my nose and walked over to a desk.

A lady about 35 was sitting at the desk. She had a round face with freckles that ran across her nose. Her pretty blue eyes were coated with little eye makeup. She didn’t look up when we approached her.

“Hi,” I said clearing my throat, “I’m looking for Claire Carter’s room?”

She typed on her keyboard and glanced at me and Colton, “Only family’s aloud to see her,” She said.

I looked up at Colton, “She’s my aunt and his best friend’s mom. Can you please make an exception? He grew up in her house,” I said pleading with the woman. She glanced back at us again.

“Only you can see her. He has to stay out here,” She said not even considering Colton. I looked at Colton with sad eyes but he just nodded.

“Thank you, where is Claire’s room exactly? I’ll stay here but she really needs to see her,” Colton said pointing to me. I didn’t want to do this alone. Not alone. Not again. Tears started to spill out of my eyes again.

“Go through this door, down the hallway, turn at the first left. She should be in that hallway, her room number is 36,” The lady said pushing the automatic door’s button.

I let go of Colton’s hand and walked through the double doors, looking back at him just as the doors were closing shut. I wiped my cheeks again and set down the hall, determined to see my aunt.

Taking the lady’s instructions, I found myself at door with the number 36 on it. I knocked softly and walked into the room to find three chairs pulled up around the bed. Uncle Ben slouched over sleeping with his legs propped up on the bed, Trevor with his arm propped up to support his head, sleeping, and Gavin slouched over a lot like his dad but on his phone. He glanced up tears streaking down his face.

He got up, walked over to me and gave me a big hug. Both of us stood like that for a while, in each others arms as we cried. Finally pulling apart Gavin said quietly, “The doctors said she has a concussion, 7 broken ribs, a broken shoulder and collarbone and a collapsed lung,”

For the first time since I got in the room I looked at my aunt laying on the bed. I almost crumpled to the floor at the sight of her. My heart shattered once again.

Both of eyes were swollen and black, her bottom lip on the right side had a cut and deep purple around it. She had several cuts scattered around her face. There was a tube that went into her nose and three IV’s going into her arms and wrist along with a heart rate monitor that made a beep for every heart beat. Her arm was swollen and in a sling that looked awkward due to all of the tubes. The rest of her body was covered with a white blanket.

I choked back a sob. Was this what my parent’s looked like or was it worse? Is she going to live? The heart monitor start to deep faster and faster and Gavin ran to get a nurse as Trevor and Uncle Ben awoke from the sudden noise.

A whole bunch of nurses were in here within 30 seconds followed by Gavin with tears streaked down his face again. They shoved us out of her room and told us to wait in the hall or the waiting room. Only Uncle Ben was a loud to stay in the room. We leaned against the wall for what felt like hours and hours, but was only a few minutes.

Uncle Ben came out and all of us got up and looked at him expectantly. He dropped his head and shook it. His two boys went up and hugged him. Not knowing what to say or do or even feel. I cried while walking back to the waiting room knowing that she hadn’t made it and that I now have lost two mom’s within the last two months.