It Begins In A Hospital

Chapter 22

Ethan POV

Dr. Rinaldi walks down to the recovery wing with me, and she waits with me as I talk to the doctor who performed Avery’s surgery.

“She suffered from severe bleeding due to tearing in her lower abdomen. The surgery went successfully, although she had multiple blood transfusions and she went into shock and suffered cardiac failure. She’s resting now, the anesthesia probably won't wear off for a while, not until morning. She’s expected to make a full recovery,” He says.

“Am I allowed to stay with her? Her parents were notified but they life a couple hours from here, and they’re on their way, but they won’t stay the night. I’m her fiance, we just got engaged this afternoon, please, can I stay?” I can barely breath, I ask so quickly.

“Of course. The chair is the best we can do, but you can stay because you’re the next of kin. Her parents are allowed to visit until midnight, standard for all traumas,” The doctor says before walking away.

Dr. Rinaldi says a few things, and leaves me alone with Avery. She’s hooked up to a ventilator and all I can hear is the sound of air rushing in and out of her lungs, paired with the beeping of the heart monitor that lied and told me she was dead only hours before. Theres a big clunky recliner looking chair in the corner of the room, and I pull it closer to her bed. I sit down and pull my legs up into the big cave of the chair. Its uncomfortable and I think it needs more cushion, but I sit anyway, ignoring the sound the plastic made when I moved, and I leaned forward, resting my head on the bed that Avery lie in. She was up so high, or this chair was just short, but I was comfortable enough to keep my head there without disturbing her. Hoping she was dreaming good things, I reach across the bed to hold her hand, the ring I had just placed there had been removed, now laying in a plastic bag on nightstand on the other side of the bed. I get up and remove the ring from the bag and slide it back on to her finger, and then take my original position with my head on the mattress. The steady beep of the heart monitor is one I’m too familiar with, and holding Avery’s hand, I let my eyes close and I drift off of to sleep.

I wake up a few hours later, the sun just peeking into the room, slowly but surely. I look up at my girl, laying completely still in the bed, my hand still resting over hers. I stand up and kiss her hand, and head outside to the nurses station.

“Any change, Avery Smith?” I ask.

“No, she should be waking up soon; the sedatives should be wearing off shortly. We’ll check on her when she does, but her wounds have been re-dressed, and she’s doing well,” The nurse tells me as she turns to answer the phone. She hangs up shortly after, and I lean over the desk once more.

“Miss, do you know if Samantha Kahn still works here? Psych floor? She’s my cousin,” I ask.

“I don’t know, but I can call and ask,” She smiles.

I thank her as she picks up the phone and asks a few questions.

“She’ll be right down,” The nurse says, and turns and goes back to work.

“Thank you so much,” I say and turn back to Avery’s room.

I go and sit by Avery’s bed and wait for Sam to come down. She stands in the doorway, breathlessly.

“I came as fast as I could, what happened?” She asks as she crosses the room to me.

“We went to the movies to celebrate our anniversary and there was a robbery and she was shot. She’s going to be fine, but I don’t speak with my parents anymore and her family isn’t allowed to visit for a couple more hours, and I just got scared and needed someone,” I say.

“Its okay Ethan, I’m here,” She says as she pulls me into her and I cry into her shoulder.

“I thought I was going to lose her,” I sob, “Her heart stopped.”

“Ethan it's okay, she’s okay, you’re okay, everything is going to be okay,” She runs her hand up and down my back.

“I asked her to marry me,” I say with short, raspy breaths.

“Oh my god Ethan, that’s wonderful!” She exclaims.

“No, what if this is a sign that we shouldn’t get married, oh my god, no,” I panic.

“Ethan, no, this is a sign that, if you two can get through this, that you’ll be able to get through anything, together. Look how far you’ve come since the last time the two of you were in this hospital. You two were meant to be together, and I think this is just a test of your strength,” She says calmly.

              "You think so?" I ask.

              "Yes.  You're going to be okay, Ethan," She assures me.

              "Thanks, Sam," I say again.

              "Of course. I have to get back to work, but just page me if you need me. You're going to be okay. She's going to wake up soon, I promise. Her stats are good. Sleep is just a natural way for the body to repair itself. Love you, little man ," She says as she ruffles my hair and leaves.

        

             I sit by the bed again, and hold Avery’s hand again, running my finger over the small stone. I wish I made more, so I could have bought her a better ring. I hope we'll be able to out enough away so I can give her her dream wedding. It'll be so nice.

             And as I'm thinking about our wedding, her heart monitor starts beeping again.

I updated, my lovelies!