Forget Me Not

Chapter Three

It was exhausting. A day after the crash, Dr Smithson confirmed Nathan's brain had reduced its swelling and he went back to surgery. Arthur got round to calling Nancy who assured Victoria that all was well with Aurora and to just focus on Nathan for now. There was no fear there, Victoria only left Nathan's side when he was called away for surgeries or for any checkups. His vitals remained strong, something which Dr Smithson said was extremely encouraging. As for brain damage... There was uncertainty. Dr Smithson had said it was fifty per cent either way right now.

Nathan's second surgery was a success. His skull was fitted back in, his brain was reducing and the next step would be to wake Nathan up, see if he would breathe without support. They were reducing his pain medication currently, inch by inch. Victoria would stay up as long as she could, fall asleep at Nathan's bedside then Arthur would move her to a chair in the corner so she could recline a bit better. He went to call Nancy a few times and his work to book holiday time off, go to the cafeteria to get sandwiches and coffee which neither of them ever touched and talk to the nurses and doctors about Nathan's condition. Arthur seemed to hold Victoria together and although she rarely spoke, she appreciated it so much, more than she could ever tell him.

"Mrs Carter, Mr Miller, we would like to take Mr Carter off the breathing machines. His body functions seem to be working well after his surgeries, none of his vital organs has yet failed. We need to take things further and see if Mr Carter can breathe by himself." Dr Smithson said two days after Nathan's second surgery.

"What if he doesn't breathe on his own?" Victoria asked in a trembly voice as she fiddled with her wedding band.

"We will have to put him back on the machine and do some further tests if so. There is no reason we can see that should prevent him from breathing on his own."

"When do you do it?" Arthur asked. His hair needed a good wash, he looked tired and stressed, he hadn't slept as far as Victoria could tell. She had noticed him drinking coffee lately none stop. Victoria too needed a good shower. She had put her unwashed hair in a ponytail and she knew she had been neglecting not only herself but her baby too. But she couldn't eat. Food turned her stomach.

"We do it today." Panic gripped Victoria and her heart seemed to fail her.

"Today? But... But..."

"We really can't delay any further," Dr Smithson said. "I'm sorry. We must do this today. We'll do it after my rounds, so in an hour." Dr Smithson left and there were no words for what Victoria and Arthur felt as they took hold of a part of Nathan and just held him. Held him for the hour that Dr Smithson did his rounds. When he called back, he brought with him two nurses and another doctor. Dr Smithson told Arthur and Victoria to stand back from the bed. They did so, standing in a corner of the room. Arthur took Victoria's hand and they held on as they watched. The doctors and nurses busied themselves with his machines then started to remove the tube. Victoria had to look away, she buried her head in Arthur's arm, squeezing her eyes tight shut. Arthur moved his arm to wrap an arm around her shoulders so she could breathe in the scent of faint Lynx deodorant and cheap, nasty coffee from his sweater.

The moment was tense and awful. The silence seemed never-ending. Eventually, there was a collective sigh and the steady beat that showed Nathan's heartbeat on a machine beeped loudly.

"Mrs Carter, your husband is breathing fine," Victoria turned around at Dr Smithson's words with tears in her eyes. Nathan's chest was indeed rising and dropping, showing his steady breathing. The only thing was how harsh his breathing sounded. "That's normal, he had a tube down his windpipe for a while." Victoria and Arthur approached the bed as the nurses and doctor left, leaving Dr Smithson. Nathan looked a lot less scary with just an oxygen mask.