Getting Her [On going]

13. Nightmares

After one week, Bob finally woke up. For me, it was a miracle, I mean - one whole week! Let me give you a brief recap of everything that had happened within the seemingly short time frame.

I was released two days after and my nights couldn't have been worse than the day before because from that day, Luke didn't stop having nightmares. That first night I woke up to wails and they came from him.

Luke was a terror in his nightmares, he thrashed and fought and kicked till we were both on the floor and he slept off peacefully again like everything that happened in the last five minutes, didn't happen.

It would have been managable if it was just once in a night but no, almost every night since that day, I woke up twice to his wails and my sleep always vanished afterwards. On the first night it happened, I had to tell Dr. Sam and he gave a plausible reason as to why it may have happened.

Shock, fear for his father, he didn't want anyone to be taken away from him anymore - it was sad to say the least. I didn't know what to do because I had never experienced him going through it. Strange thing was, he looked as good as new each morning, like the nightmare didn't happen at all.

Dr. Sam suggested we could give him a sleep inducing drug that could put him to sleep for about five hours but he didn't advise it. I didn't think I could make that call either and even if I could, I didn't want that to happen. Luke is just a kid! He also suggested another therapy where he could meet someone and discuss his fears - I felt it was a better idea but I was willing to wait for Bob to wake up so we could make the decision together.

I was tired and I was also beginning to have bags under my eyes. Shuffling my lack of sleep at night with taking care of Luke in the mornings and preparing him for school, going to work and filling in for Katherine whilst she filled in for Bob and coming to check on Bob at the hospital, made me feel like I was ready for a break.

Prince on the other hand had been a huge support, same with Rachael. Emma called everyday, sometimes speaking with Luke and sometimes, chatting with me. Everyone had been so good to us and I should have been relieved but Bob in a coma, wasn't something I couldn't think about.

Finally, he's awake and the first thing he said when he saw me was "wow, you look like you got run over by a bus."

"Yeah" I nodded, I couldn't even disagree, I was just glad he was back. I came to pat his hands "never, ever, do that again."

He tried laughing and Dr. Sam who had been smiling at the corner, immediately cautioned him.
"Luke will be so happy to know you are awake" I told him "same with Katherine and Emma and Prince... He cut me off "and every one at home. Right?

I laughed "yeah...
"Thank you so much Doctor, you have saved my life" Bob smiled at Dr. Sam genuinely.
"Again...
"Again" Bob agreed. I could see the struggle in Doctor Sam's eyes, he most likely wanted to ask Bob for a chance to treat him. I shook my head when we made eye contact, with Bob just recovering, I didn't want to give him any reason to stress .

"Okay...I'll just excuse you both, I'm sure you have a lot to discuss" he sighed "if you need anything, press the intercom behind you" he told us and shut the door behind him.
"Hey" I looked at Bob as he called "you mind telling me why you have bags? He made a move to sit up and I helped assist him.

"I really don't think you should be sitting up" I told him, making sure not to look at him.
"Alex...he grumbled. I got up to tuck him in very well.
"All ladies have bags Bob."
"Come on...
"Okay" I sighed and sat down, taking his hands and looking at them - they looked a bit pale but I knew that after a while they would regain their colour.

"I've just been stressed out lately" I told him and he lifted my face.
"Because of me? He asked me, his eyes trained on my my every move.
"No...not really. I mean, you are partly at fault but... it's not really why. Luke has been having some nightmares and I... He cut me off again.
"Nightmares...I see... He disentangled his hands from mine and I looked at him in surprise.

"Can I tell you something? He asked me.
"Something? Something about Luke? I asked in confusion, I was surprised by his change of mood.
"Yeah" he replied and got comfortable on the bed, I arranged the pillows to his comfort and he nodded his thanks.

He began as I sat down "you remember I told you I adopted Luke, don't you?
"Yes?
"The first few days after he came into my home, he began having nightmares - they were strange and it was a lot of work for me because it was real and as a man, I didn't know how to handle it.

I mean...before then I had just found out about my lung cancer, I was still trying to come to terms that I had no one left in this world, at least none that I know of. For me, that phase was a time of enlightening, I had to figure out how to take care of a child in his crisis with my own crisis."

"So...what worked? I asked him.
"At first I sang to him, patted his back and hushed him back to sleep and for a while, it worked but not for long. I had to go back to the orphanage and ask if it had ever happened while he was there.

They said he had never done anything like that before, except when he was newly brought into the place. The manager there was a kind old woman and she suggested that a change in scenery may have caused the nightmares.

As a baby, when he was put there, she said he cried in response to that change and had to be pampered. When I took him, he was more grown and couldn't just cry so they came in form of nightmares."

"Okay...but what could have triggered it again? I asked and thought about it.
Then it occurred to me "ahh...his nightmares started when you were rushed into the hospital and I remember he cried so much that day. Could it be..."

"Your guess is as good as mine" he shrugged "kids seem to have a sixth sense for some very mundane things."
"Okay...now that we know the problem, what do we do about it? Not that this issue is anything close to being mundane but what do we do?
"The woman told me to talk to him and assure him that I wasn't going anywhere. Apparently, he faced some things and now has a problem with letting go, he doesn't think he's loved."

"Did that work? I asked him with doubts.
"Well here we are" he shrugged, making me conclude that it did because since then, it's the first time he's had nightmares.
"Okay...Dr. Sam suggested a talking therapy for him too but I didn't want to do it without you" I informed him.
"We'll talk to him together" he assured "right now...I'm starving."

I laughed "Bob...I really don't think you should be eating right now. All that you need to be strong has been packed into one as a drip."
"Really? He looked at me with raised eyebrows "well sue me but man...I'm hungry for your cooking."

I couldn't stop laughing "that's even worse."
"Come on...go already" he urged and I couldn't help but tease.
"Wow...one would think a week without me will make you miss you."

"I have...missed you... But, I can't tell you that right now. Woman, I am hungry! He bellowed as much as he could in his condition as I laughed and got my bag. Then I stooped to peck his cheek and as I walked out the door, I remembered something he said last.

"And Bob?
"What again? He asked in exasperation.
"I missed you too" I laughed and shut the door just as he made a move to throw something at me.

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