Friends For Life

Chapter 3 - Sleeping Beauty

 "Doctor?" Haley's dad speaks up his voice shaky. "Please tell me my baby is okay."

"Haley made it out of the surgery well, her heart is still beating." Haley's dad lets out a sigh of relief but Sheila doesn't look so relieved.

"But.." Sheila presses on.

"But, I'm afraid, she has slipped into a coma." he says quietly but loud enough for us to hear.

"Oh my gosh." Mr. Anderson whimpers trying not to cry.

"It is not for certain how long she will be asleep but the main thing is she's alive." The doctor says with a reassuring tone. "Now when Haley wakes up there are somethings you should be aware of." at this Haley's dad looks up with terror written on his face.

"What do you mean things? You said she was okay."

"She is however we don't know what kind of damage the accident did to her. Now she may be fine, but you need to prepare yourself. Most patients in this condition have severe damage, but we won't know until she wakes up."

"I thought that kind of thing only happened in the movies." Mrs. Anderson said.

"No, I'm afraid not. Haley's head injury was pretty severe so there's no telling what kind of damage was done. If you would like to see her she's in the room she was assigned when she first arrived. Excuse me." He said slowly walking away from us and towards one of the nurses.

 This can not be happening. She might lose her memories? What if she forgets me? No, I'm her best friend, she couldn't forget me. I don't think I could survive if she forgot me. I feel a warm pair of hands rest on my shoulders, i turn around and come face to face with my mom. I smile in attempts to show her I'm okay, but really I'm not.

Sheila gets me to sit down and brings me some water. I hold my mom's hand and keep thinking of Haley and what's going on in her head. The idea of losing pops in my head and I feel like I wanna throw up. If I lose her I don't think I'll survive the rest of my life...

I felt a shift next to me making me look up to see Mrs. Anderson sitting in the seat to the left of me. I stare everywhere but at her because of my loss of words. She puts her hand on mine and I feel like I'm about to burst all over again.

Here I was worrying about mine and Haley's future when her mom was sitting a couple seats away from me worrying about her daughters life. Feeling guilty I finally look up and find her staring at me with concern and sympathy. She smiles slightly and I smile back hoping it'll raise her spirits the way it raised mine.

 "I- I-" I say not having anything else that would fit this situation.

"Gabby it's okay. I know you're worrying about her just as much as I am." She says keeping a smile plastered on her face.

"Yeah but she's your daughter, me and her were just friends."

"No." she says assertively kind of scaring me. "You were like a sister to Haley, you have every right to feel worried and scared for her." she said patting my back in comfort.

"I just feel... I don't know." I say honestly.

She stays with me a little bit longer but gets up eventually to go eat in the cafeteria. Everyone's gone in to to see Haley, everyone except for me. I'm too scared to go in and see her just lying there sleeping when there's a chance she may never wake up. My mom ended up leaving to go to sleep because she has work tomorrow morning. I've been in the waiting room sitting in the same chair since the doctor told us about Haley. I hear footsteps and look up to see Alex walking up to me.

"Gabby?" He asks walking a little bit faster and I feel tears start to leak all over again. I stand up and feel his arms wrap me in warmth, and I let the tears fall all over again."Shh..." he whispers rubbing my back.