A Different Divergent: Everyday Love

5

Chapter 5

"Surgery?" I mutter under my breath, my heart threatening to beat its way right out of my tightening chest. I can't breathe. Tobias reaches out and grabs my hand and painfully squeezes it until I draw in an unsteady gasp. I don't think either one of us thought that what's wrong with Tyler could possibly be this serious. Lord, please don't let my baby have to have surgery.

"Mommy?" he moans lowly.

"Yeah, buddy?" I ask as I smooth his hair down affectionately. I hate that he's suffering.

"What is sur...ger...ry?" he asks as he looks up at me, his eyes wide with fear.

"I tell you what, Tyler," Zander says, garnering all our attention, "I'll tell you all about what surgery is if you have to have one. Does that sound all right?"

"Okay," he says. He buries his head in my chest and clings to me tightly. He's obviously scared, and he's not the only one.

"Isobel will give him the ultrasound while I arrange for a CT scan," Zander says. "As soon as I get the results then I'll know more, and we'll discuss your options. One thing I need from you two is to arrange for Tessa and Teagan to be brought down so they can be checked for strep. They might need antibiotics, too. Okay?"

"Okay," Tobias says as he gets to his feet. "Hey, I'm sorry about earlier."

"Don't apologize, Four," he says as he slaps his back, understandingly. "You're worried about your son. I would have done the same thing if I were in your shoes. I'm sorry he's hurting but it's best to hold off on all medication until we know exactly what we're dealing with. I hope you understand."

"I understand. It's just hard to see him this way."

"Isobel will be in soon," he says then turns and walks out the door. I watch as Tobias gets his phone out of his pocket.

"Hey, Bridget, it's Four," he says. "Where are you ... Good. Will you please bring them to the infirmary? What Tyler has is contagious, and they need to be examined, too ... Thank you." He sighs as he puts his phone away then runs his hand through his hair, obviously frustrated. "She's going to change the girls then bring them down." It may be way down on my list of concerns, at the moment, but I'm glad she's going to put Tessa and Teagan in proper outfits. I don't want the compound to think that I don't know my colors and patterns. A noise at the door captures my attention and Isobel walks in pushing a familiar-looking machine. She sets it up next to the examination table then looks over at me.

"Does Tyler's jeans have a zipper?" she asks.

"Yes," I immediately answer, wondering the significance of her question.

"He can't wear any metal for the CT scan. It interferes with the results," she says, answering my unasked question. She goes to the bank of cupboards along the wall and opens a drawer then comes back with a set of neon green scrubs. "You can wear these, Tyler. They're just your size." I help him out of his jeans and t-shirt and into the scrubs, and it's the first time I've seen him smile all day.

"You look very handsome in these," I say. "You look just like your daddy."

"Can I keep them?" he asks me. I look toward Isobel and she nods.

"You sure can," I say as I lift him onto the exam table. He lies down and immediately closes his eyes. "Are you tired, buddy?"

"Mm-hm," he says, his eyes fluttering back open. "Can I take a nap?" This is a first. He's never asked permission to sleep before. He usually asks to stay up late.