Family Discipline

Chapter 21

Eden POV

I was woke up to Tanner of all people crying over me. Now we have a complicated and complex friendship or bond whatever you want to call it.

If I heard right he just professed his love for me, but is it true or only because I'm in the hospital.

Something must of happened because he starts yelling for a doctor. I try to talk but realize very quickly that I can't.

I look up at Tanner and can see the shock and the excitement all over his face.

"Hang in there baby,  doctor will be in here soon. Thank you for coming back to me."

Baby did he just call me baby. Grayson will kill him if he ever heard him say that.

I try and talk again and start to gag on the tubes in my nose and throat.

"Hey, calm down you're okay. Don't try and talk, here take my phone and if you need to say something type it out."

He unlocked his phone and got his notes opened for me and handed me his phone.

I try and hold onto it but my hands wouldn't work. I couldn't keep a grip on it.

"It's okay you've had a really long night. Let me go see if I can find a doctor and your parents."

He kissed my cheek and then my forehead before stepping out into the hall.

I started trying to move different parts of my body, open and close my hand. I was able to move my legs, wiggle my toes and operate my left hand but my right I couldn't get to do what I wanted it to. I got scared and started to panic. I was now alone in this room and the monitors started to go crazy with my fear escalating.

What felt like an eternity doctors and nurses finally flooded my room.

"Ms. Reid I'm Dr. Cox, I'm glad to see you're awake. We are going to run a couple test and see if we can't get this tube out. Can you follow my pen. Okay good. Let's see you wiggle your toes. Can you squeeze my hand? Good now let's try this side. Go ahead and squeeze my hand."

I started to cry because I couldn't squeeze his hand. I wanted my family but they had to stay outside while all these test were being ran.

"We won't worry too much about the weakness in your right hand. You have been through a lot of trauma over the past 24 hours. We will run you up to CT in a bit and see if we can't figure out what's going on. In the meantime why don't we see if we can't get this tube out."

I watch as he reduces the oxygen and waits to see if my vitals change. I'm breathing on my own now so I get cleared to have the life support removed.

"OK Ms. Reid I am going to need you to cough when I pull the tube out."

I do as instructed and then once tube is out I try and find my words. I start to ask questions but the doctor just looks at me confused.

"We need to get her up to CT stat this can't wait."

Why is nothing working? I have no use of my right hand and now when I speak nobody can seem to understand me.

Alex POV

We are down the hall in the waiting room when all of a sudden Aiden comes barreling in.

"She's awake. Dad come on let's go."

Did I just hear my son correctly that my daughter whom my wife and I had to spend hours weighing our options on if we should keep or remove her from life support is now awake.

Faith and I get up and follow Aiden. Mason and Grayson bolted out of the room before I even had a chance to process what was just said."

Before we make it to the room we spot Tanner.

"Mr. Reid, she uh she squeezed my hand and then few minutes later opened her eyes. She's awake sir. She came back."

"You positive she's awake and it wasn't just a reflex."

"No sir she opened her eyes, was able to look around the room. You can tell she is scared and she tried to talk but she can't. I told her to hang in there and that I would come find you and a doctor."

"Are the doctors with her now?"

"Yes sir, they asked for us to wait out here while they perform some test."

I didn't get to respond as I see the door to my daughters room open and a team rushing her to the elevator.

"Wait a minute, that's my daughter. Where are you taking her?"

"Mr. Reid please be patient don't have time to answer questions right now but will get back down to you soon as we know more."

Grayson POV

While Dad was talking to the doctors I was watching Tanner. Something was up and I decided to go for a walk and see if I can get some answers.

"Hey man let's go take a walk and talk. They have a Starbucks next door we can grab a coffee and talk."

"Grayson please"

"No let's go something is up with you and I won't lay hands on you but I want the truth."

"Gray not here and not now I will tell you when the time is right but it's not now."

"I'm not arguing with you Tanner Scott let's go."

"Ugh let's go and get this over with then."

I let my mom know we are going on a coffee run and getting orders for everyone else and we leave.

Tanner starts to open up.

"Look I'm not exactly sure when it happened or how but it did."

"What you taking advantage of my sister Friday night?"

"No the moment I fell in love with her. Look she knows things that even you don't and she's been there at my house when things got bad. You've always been the person I call to come get me or id walk for miles to your house and show up with a busted lip or other bruises. She was there to witness one of the worst. When her friend Adam died I spent countless hours with her. Helped her work through the pain. We have this bond and connection I can't explain. I've had feelings for her for years and eventually realized I was in love with her. I've tried to ignore my feelings for your sake. I know your rule on your sister is off limits to your friends. I didn't rape her Friday night. We were both drunk. We went somewhere out of eye site from you just to talk which turned into making out and then that turned into us hooking up."

"You've been with Eden behind my back for years and you're just now telling me. Why was she even at your house Tanner. Your mom and her pieces of shit boyfriends she brings home is dangerous for you a lot of the times. Why would you ever bring my sister there for her to get hurt?"

"I would never hurt her or let anybody harm her. I would die before I allowed that to happen. There are some things we talk about that we can't necessarily do at your place. You have too many people in and out and no real privacy for us to talk the way we need to. It's not about the sex with her. Yes I know I have a reputation for being a playboy but with Eden it's different. It's real and it's the first real thing I've had. She loves me too she just has to let go of Adam and open herself up to other possibilities."

"Stay away from her Tanner I'm dead ass serious. You're not good for her."

"Gray you don't get it she's the only person who gets me and sees the real me. You don't even know half the shit I've been through. I can be open and honest and real with her. It's not an act or some show I'm putting on because I don't want people to know the truth. She knows everything. You don't get to make this decision. You can be mad and try and keep us apart but you're leaving soon and I'm staying here for school. I'm not leaving your sister. Grayson I do love her more than I ever thought to be possible.