@baseballfan8 thank you for the help!
Brantley's POV
I closed my eyes taking a shaky breath when I felt Carson's hand grip my shoulder. I opened my eyes to see the door opening and two tall men close to my age walking towards us. Both were still dressed in scrubs with surgical caps covering their heads. I could hear Caroline's sniffles behind me. The one on the right with a salt and pepper goatee extended his hand out to me to shake my hand.
"Mr. Gilbert," he said gruffly. I could tell the man looked about as I tired as I was. "I'm Dr. Nanda. I'm the neurosurgeon who performed Stephanie's surgery." He gestured to the red headed man beside him who shook my hand as well. "This is Dr. Porter he's the general surgeon."
"Nice to meet you both," I said crossing my arms over my chest anxious to hear what they had to say. "How's Steph?"
"I was able to remove her spleen and stop the bleeding in her abdomen," Dr. Porter said quietly then motioned for Dr. Nanda to continue. I winced a little as Carson's grip tightened. Geez this kid had a grip and I don't think because he was afraid he realized it. "We have her left arm in splint and sling to keep it immobile. It luckily was a clean break considering the impact."
"She has also sustained a traumatic brain injury, which was caused from the impact," Dr. Nanda explained trying to give me a reassuring look. "Plus her car rolling. It caused a vessel to rupture and there was bleeding on her brain. I was able to go in clamp the vessel and stop the bleeding. The brain is swelling and we have placed a shunt in for now to drain the fluid to keep the pressure in a certain range. The next twenty-four hours are critical Mr. Gilbert. We will her monitor closely. But we are very optimistic of her chances."
"What the hell does this mean in English doc?" I grumbled brusquely. I could hear Mama's eyes rolling behind me. I didn't care about the attitude. I wanted to see my damn wife. "Don't bullshit me okay. Because I can guarantee if it was me on that operating table, that feisty little blonde would be climbing the walls for answers."
"Well it means it's touch and go still," Dr. Nanda with a half-smile at my answer. Couldn't help it, was the damn truth. Didn't matter that I was sore as hell when I rolled my truck at nineteen. Stephanie had made sure I was okay then proceeded to smack my shoulder repeatedly for being an idiot. Broke my leg a few years ago, laying my bike down and she had looked me over once she stormed into the ER then raised total hell. Needless to say, they had been more than ready to discharge me. I had broken down begging the nurse to not send me home with her. Just call my Mama instead. Stephanie had shut that down with a low warning growl. To be so tiny she could be fucking scary when she wanted to be. "But I feel like she will make it. I believe in prayer and right now that and her will to fight as gotten her this far. So we wait."
"Can I see her now?" I asked quietly. I needed to see her to make sure she was on the road to being okay myself.
"Yes," Dr. Nanda said nodding his head. "For a minute. We have her in recovery and keeping her heavily sedated. I do have to warn you though. She doesn't look the same. We had to shave her head for surgery and well to be honest, her face looks like she's been in a boxing match. I say this so you can prepare yourself."
"Doc," I barked my impatience to see Steph chipping away at me. "I don't care about her damn hair. She's alive. That's all I care about. Also, what can we do about getting her into a private room."
"Umm....." Dr. Porter said giving me a look. "We will have to see....well..."
"Sir," Carson snapped stepping closer to the pair of doctors narrowing his eyes throwing his shoulders back. "I say this with all due respect but arranging one would be in your best interest. I take it by first glance you haven't figured out just who my dad is Dr. Porter. So, I will give you a pass but I see it registering for you now. Might want to get on it because when I say family is flying in, oh boy do I mean it and if you don't want this place to become a zoo, would be a good idea. Because I can bet good money Dad isn't gonna leave Mama's side for anything. Also, may want to make sure your nurses are professional enough to not turn into fan girl idiots. I can promise my Mama can beat ass from a hospital bed and you really, really don't want to test that theory."
"Easy killer," I said laying a hand on Carson's arm pulling him back a step. Dr. Porter was a shade of pale as Dr. Nanda did his best to hold a chuckle in. "And watch your mouth kiddo before Mamaw gets you."
"If you will follow me Mr. Gilbert," Dr. Nanda said smothering a laugh and motioning for me to follow him. I turned to look at the boys.
"I'll be back soon," I reassured them. I could see the worry in both of their eyes. "Y'all stay with everybody and I will find you okay."
"Yes sir," the both said with a sigh. I knew they were just as anxious to see her as I was. I nodded at Dr. Nanda to lead the way. I followed him through a series of doors. The scent of disinfectant making my nose twitch. Damn I hated hospitals with a passion. Unfortunately, between my dumbass and our two rowdy boys Steph had been in the ER with one of us more than she would like over the years. Just hated it was her now. I'd swap places with her in a heartbeat. We reached a room and Dr. Nanda stopped turning to look at me. Dr. Porter had graciously disappeared for now. Lord, if he just knew where Carson got his bossiness from. My oldest was mild compared to my wife. Man was in for it for sure when Stephanie woke up.
"She's in here," he said giving me a somber look. "We are keeping her sedated for now but never hurts to talk to her letting her know you are here. You can stay with her until we get the room ready. I'm headed to take care of that right now and then will step back out to let your family know."
"Thank you," I said let out a deep breath and holding my hand out to shake his quickly.
"Of course," he said nodded his head. "She's in there and I will be back soon."
I nodded then closed my eyes trying to get my nerves in check. Gripping the door handle tight opening it, I stepped quietly into the room shutting it behind me with a click then turned to look at Steph. I almost hit my knees. I stumbled closer dropping down in the chair beside the bed.
"Oh sweetheart," I murmured reaching over to gently pick up her bruised right hand being careful to not jostle the IV line. I softly stroked my free hand over her bruised face as tears welled up in my eyes. Dammit, I should have just got her to go with me this weekend like she wanted to. I had thought I had been doing a good thing to give her some time away from the boys since they had been giving her fits lately. If I hadn't suggested it, she would have been with us and not laying in a damn hospital bed.
I swallowed the lump down in my throat at the sight of her shaved head with the bandage around it. Her hair would grow back I know. I could hear her freaking out now. Wasn't going to be nowhere near the level of temper tantrum she was going to pitch over her car though. I made a mental note to get Eli to go check it out for me once Stephanie was settled in her room. No way in hell I was leaving her until I saw my favorite blue eyes open.
"Baby, I love you," I murmured lifting her hand up kissing her knuckles softly. I blinked trying to keep the tears in my eyes in. "I'm right here. Not going anywhere until I see those eyes I love so much. Stephanie Lynn, you rest now and come back to me. Dammit woman, I can't make it without you."
I lowered my head to rest on our joined hands letting the tears I had been trying to keep in for boys slip down my cheeks. My chest heaved with sobs as I tried to get it under control before someone came back in. I wasn't sure how long I sat there. The beeps from Stephanie's monitors keeping me company. Lord, I wasn't sure how the boys were going to handle seeing her like this. I never heard the door open until a I felt a hand on my shoulder. I jerked my head around to see the same red headed nurse from earlier giving me a soft smile. I wiped a hand over my face blinking my eyes at her.
"Mr. Gilbert," she said quietly. "They are about to come and move her upstairs to room 1423. It's part of the private wing with its own waiting room. I figured it would make things easier. My name is Allie, I've requested to go with her if that's okay."
"Yea," I said nodding. "Sorry. I..umm.."
"It's okay," Allie said shaking her head. "I understand. Been a long night. Well day now, for y'all."
"Yes, it has," I murmured. "Wasn't expecting this when I stepped off my bus headed to VIP. My boys?"
"They are out in the waiting room with your family," Allie said stepping around me to start getting Stephanie ready to move. "If you want to go out and get them, I will stay with her the whole way. I promise."
"Yea," I said nodding my head and pushing to my feet. "I'll get them and meet you there. Thank you, Allie."
"No problem at all," she said kindly. I leaned over to kiss Stephanie's lips softly.
"I love you sweetheart," I whispered. "I'll be back soon."
