Jo had been rushed into surgery over an hour ago and my headache was finally subsiding from the pain medication the nurse gave me. She had given me 14 stitches in my forehead, an exam to check for other injuries, and some pain meds and sent me on my way to the waiting room. I had yet to call anyone, everyone thinks we’re on a plane right now. I should probably let them know we never made it to the airport.
I reach around in my pockets searching for my phone, eventually finding it in the last pocket I check after taking everything else out of their respective pockets. My fingers shake as I unlock the cracked screen. I call my parents, knowing they can make it here quickly.
“Grayson? You’re supposed to be on the flight. Is everything OK?” My mother answers, I can hear the anxiety in her voice. Being her only child she has always been rather protective of me.
“There was an accident.” I hear her take a deep breath, then there is some shuffling in the back, no doubt she called my dad over to the phone too.
“Are you guys okay? Did the plane crash?” I hadn’t even thought that the plane could have crashed, has it been that long since the plane was supposed to take off?
Suddenly I was afraid of planes, and cars, and all the dangerous things I do everyday. This could have happened any other day. Why did Jo have to be the one that was hurt?
My thoughts were interrupted by my dad’s voice. “Grayson. What happened? Are you okay?”
“It was our car. We were t-boned.”
“You didn’t answer my question. Are you okay?” Their voices were urgent and the seriousness of Jo’s injuries hit me all of a sudden. The wind is knocked out of me and I can’t breath. It never even occurred to me that she might not make it out of surgery. My job is usually done when we transfer the patient to the emergency room nurses. I never know what happens after that, I always just say they make it. “Grayson! Answer us!”
“I am just a bit shaken up. Jo’s in surgery; I think her lung was punctured.” I hear my mother start to cry and I quiet my voice. “I’m scared for her Dad.”
“I know Grayson. You at Grace General Hospital?”
“Yes.” We say goodbye and right before the click I add quickly “drive safe please.”
+ + +
My parents arrive quickly, my mother embracing me before I can say anything. In her arms I feel safe, enough to finally allow my tears to escape my eyes. “I could’ve called sooner, everything happened so fast. I’m sorry.”
“It’s alright. We’re glad you called when you did. Did you call Jo’s dad?” My mother’s voice is quivering, teetering on calm and breaking down; she’s trying her best to keep it together for me. She has always been the strong one holding us all together.
I shake my head no and the shock of being so careless washes over me. Without thinking I smack my hand on my forehead, inciting pain that shoots through my head making me dizzy. Through gritted teeth, “I don’t know how I forgot.”
“Don’t beat yourself up for it, you were just focused on Jo’s safety. I will call.” My dad steps towards me, hugging me before walking away putting his phone to his ear to call her dad.
“Mom. I don’t know what I’ll do if she doesn’t make it out of here alive. We’ve loved each other for so long, I’m not sure I can live without loving her anymore. She’s only been my wife for a day. Our life together was finally going to start after every other hurdle we’ve dealt with and now this? This isn’t fair.”
“Grayson, I know you’re scared. This is just like every other thing, and just like those you will make it through together. I am sure she will have some type of recovery that she will need you to be there for. You guys have been each other’s support for so long, you can do it again. This was your promise to her, through sickness and health. You love her, don’t ever forget it.” I closed my eyes, calmed by my mother’s voice.
I know I need to be there for her, I could never just walk away. I need her to make it through this.
A small hand rests on my shoulder and I turn to find the doctor with a smile on her face. I stand, with tears in my eyes, and ask her how it went.
“Josie is just fine. We were able to repair the lung and the ribs. With some therapy she will recover fully. You can follow me to come see her now.” My dad sees us and catches up as we make it down a long corridor of open doors. “Any questions before you see her?” We all quickly shake our heads no and she leads us in.
Nothing has ever brought me as much anger and relief at the same time as seeing her lying asleep in that hospital room. She looked so bruised and broken, but so peaceful and safe. My emotions were all over the place.
The doctor quietly talks to my parents while I step towards her bedside, picking up her hand and kissing her knuckles like I had in the ambulance. I sit on the chair next to her, not wanting to accidentally hit something that hurts by sitting on the bed with her.
It felt like hours, sitting there quietly, watching her. My eyes studying her face and then studying the way she breathes, the left side of her chest taking much deeper breaths than the right. I looked up again, towards her face, to find her eyes open, tears flowing from her eyes.
Chapter 2 as promised! Like & comment;)
I'm not sure if as a reader you are seeing 2 first chapters but it shows me I have two but it won't let me delete just one so please be patient while I figure out what's going on, thank you,
-Charlie❤️
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The Newlyweds; Saving Us
عاطفية*Warning* This will be cheesy at times;) Grayson and Josie, the most recent Newlyweds in town, are carefree and in love. Excited about their honeymoon, they pay little attention to the roads on the way to the airport, causing an accident in which bo...
