Again

Chapter 31

36 hours later Zac found himself at home.  He'd sat at the hospital for almost 2 days before he couldn't take it anymore.  He felt beyond useless.  

Kayla was moved to a patient room.  Zac, Isaac, Taylor and Natalie were able to briefly see her together before they were advised that only one person  would be allowed to stay with her.  They sat for a little while longer with Zac, in the hallway outside of Kayla's room, trying their best to comfort him before leaving for the night.  The next day, they'd returned and sat with them for a few more hours.  Kayla was being monitored around the clock.  Doctors, nurses, orderlies, and a few other specialists had come in to give them updates almost hourly.  There was no new news, though.  It was pretty much a waiting game at this point.

Taylor and Natalie had brought Zac his truck, in case he needed to leave while no one was there.  No longer able to keep himself from crawling out of his skin at the hospital, he decided it was time for him to come home, and shower, if nothing else.  He'd been surviving off the few bites of vending machine snacks he'd been willing to open, so Natalie had asked him to also try to eat something while he was home.  He didn't make any promises, but he said that he'd try.  

 He pulled into his driveway for the first time since he'd left with the paramedics and Kayla to the hospital.  He got out of his truck and walked around to the back then down the rest of the drive, to the spot where Kayla had been hit.  He looked down and saw the tire tracks.  He was sure the city had been there shortly after he'd left to clean up the aftermath, but there were still small pieces of debris around; shards of glass, a few tree branches, and a few stray pieces of caution tape still hanging from the tree that Kayla had been pinned up against.

He walked over to the tree to examine it.  Placing his hand against the shredded bark of the old tree.  The events rushing back to his memory, flooding his entire body with anxiety once again.  As if the exhaustion had hit him all at once, he felt a wave of tiredness starting to creep over his body.  He shook his head and began making his way to the front door. 

Everything felt different and the same all at once when Zac walked into the house.  He closed the door behind him, and began making his way through the house.  He set his keys on the table next to the door and continued to the kitchen.  He opened the refrigerator and pulled out a water bottle.  Quietly, he made his way over to the island and sat down, lowering his head onto the cool granite counter top.

"Hey," he heard, as Isaac wandered into the kitchen.

Zac jumped slightly, then sat up.  He turned to look at his brother making his way past him and around the island.  He sat down across Zac, "Hey," he finally replied.

"Any news?" Isaac asked.

"Nothing new.  She's still not awake.  Her doctor said they are running tests every whatever number of hours.  Once her something or other is up to whatever number they said or above, then they'll see if the baby is strong enough to survive without keeping Kayla in a coma," Zac answered.

Isaac chuckled, "I'm going to go ahead and blame your current physical state for that incredibly vague update you just offered.  You look like hell man."

"Thanks," Zac replied, dryly, before getting up from the stool he was sitting on, "I'm gonna take a shower.  See how I feel.  Maybe I'll try to eat something before I go back."

"What time are you gonna head over there?  I'll come with you.  I'm sure Taylor doesn't want to leave, but Natalie can't be comfortable sitting for that long," Isaac said.

"Speaking of Taylor," Zac said as he turned back to his oldest brother, "have you talked to him?"

"About?" Isaac responded.