Selfless

37

"We have your pancakes Cora!" Sam chirped as he and Kat came into the room. "Yay" I breathed out with a smile since my stomach was killing for some food. I tried to lift my hand to grab the take out box from him but my hand moved maybe an inch before it fell back onto the bed.

"Oh." I whispered and looked at Colby feeling the tears form in my eyes. "Hey, it's alright. Let me help you." He said softly and grabbed the box from Sam and started cutting the pancakes up for me. I watched him carefully as he smiled at me softly, "okay, open." He said and brought a piece of pancake up to my mouth, I breathed out a laugh and opened my mouth so he could feed me a piece of pancake.

I hadn't eaten in so long that this was the best tasting thing in the world. I gasped and looked at Colby with wide eyes causing his face to drop, "what is it? Are you okay?" He asked with concern as I smiled, "these are good." I said quietly and opened my mouth again.

"Would you be dancing right now if you could?" Colby asked with a laugh as he brought another bite of food to my mouth, "absolutely." I said and looked at Kat who was holding Mia, "has the morphine kicked in?" She asked as Colby continued to feed me, "I think so." I said and moved my head a little to see if the pain had gotten any easier to handle.

I was happy to say that the pain was dulled slightly,

"these are good." I repeated as Colby smiled at me as he brought another forkful to my mouth, "I'm happy you like them babe." He said as Sam chuckled, "Everyone is in the waiting room. Are you up for different visitors right now?" He asked and massaged my right hand. "Sure." I said quietly.

I wasn't sure how long I would be able to stay awake or socialize but I was really excited to see everyone. "Alright anyone in particular you want to see first?" He asked as Kat put Mia in the crib. "No." I whispered and opened my mouth again for more pancakes.

"Alright, we will send some people in, stay strong for us okay Cora?" Sam asked and gently put my hand back on the bed. "Will do." I said and smiled at them as they left the room, "love you Cor!" Kat yelled before the door closed again.

"You doing okay?" Colby asked and carefully brushed my hair from my face. "Yeah, can I have some water?" I asked quietly. He smiled and nodded, grabbing the cup and bringing the straw to my lips. Once I was done drinking he pulled the cup away, "sorry." I whispered and looked at him as he frowned, "sorry for what?" He asked and I frowned,
"It's like you have to take care of two babies." I whispered and bit my lip.

"Don't do that, I'm more than happy to help you. I'm here to support you through this. Now open." He said and held another forkful of food up for me. I sighed and opened my mouth as Jake and Tara came in.

Tara was holding a teddy bear that was more than half her size, and Jake was holding a big bouquet of sunflowers.

"Guys.." I whined as they came up to me, "these are for you Coraline." Jake said and set the flowers on my bedside table, "that's not my name." I said with a laugh, "I know but didn't she have hallucinations from a brain injury or something?" He asked as they sat next to the bed. "No! She was in an alternate universe in her dreams because the house had a small door." Tara said and set the giant teddy bear on the ground, "Cora literally has nightmares every night." Jake said as Tara rolled her eyes, "she has nightmares because of her PTSD dumbass!" She said as I looked at Colby.

He smirked as I giggled slightly, "you guys are crazy." I said and opened my mouth for more food. "What would it take for you to feed me like that Jake?" Tara asked as I leaned my head back onto the pillow as Colby packed up the trash from my meal. "I don't know, brain surgery probably." He said and Colby chuckled, "I see why Sam sent you guys in." He said and grabbed my hand, massaging it and bending my fingers.

It was pretty painful but I knew he was doing what the doctor said.

"Why? Because we are incredibly hot and funny?" Tara asked and flipped her hair back, "more like you are crackheads and he didn't want to deal with you guys." He said as Tara gasped, "that's rude COLBY." She said as I breathed a laugh, "you guys are really entertaining." I mumbled feeling the fatigue start to hit me from the morphine.

"I mean you can just admit that we are your favorite friends and move on." Tara said and laughed, "mhmm" I mumbled and closed my eyes, trying to relax and ignore the pain that was still shooting through my head. It wasn't as bad as before but it was still there, that's for sure.

"You good baby?" Colby asked and stopped massaging my hand to bring it to his lips. "Yeah." I whispered and opened my eyes and gave him a smile.

"How's my favorite patient!?" Meghan said and came in, "awwww you got flowers. Ugh, I wish someone would get me flowers." She said and looked off into the distance longingly, "Jake can you give her a flower for me?" I asked and he chuckled, "are your arms broken?" He asked and Colby rolled his eyes, "dude." He hissed with annoyance.

I just laughed, "not broken, but try and get one to work I dare you." I said as Jake lifted my arm.

"Oh damn." Jake said as he dropped my hand making it flop against the bed. "Just give her a damn flower for me." I said and he nodded, grabbing the bouquet and pulling one of the sunflowers out for Meghan. "See? This is why you're my favorite." She said and took the sunflower from Jake. "I'm not going to be your favorite nurse in a minute here though..." she said and set my chart down on the table along with her flower, "oh no why?" I wimpered as she stood next to Colby, "I have to stretch you out again." She said with a frown then pushed the blankets off of me.

She lifted my leg and bent it a couple times which sent pain through my whole body. It wasn't nearly as intense as last time, probably because of the morphine but I still cried out in pain as Colby held my hand.

"Almost done, you're doing great." Meghan cooed as Mia woke up crying. Tara hopped up and grabbed her so Colby could still comfort me.

"Thanks Tara." I whispered as Meghan walked to the other side of the bed to do the other leg.

"You're so strong baby girl, she's almost done." Colby said as I wimpered in pain. I kept my eyes closed and breathed a sigh of relief when she brought my leg back down and covered my legs with my blanket.

"I brought a stress ball and I want you to try and squeeze it for me." She said and put a small purple ball in my hand, I tried to squeeze it but my hands wouldn't cooperate. "Come on Cora you can do it!" Jake cheered as Tara lifted one of Mia's hands to wave at me, "wooo yeah! Go Cora!" She cheered as Colby chuckled, "you're doing great babe, keep it up." He said and squeezed my other hand. I finally was able to tighten my hand around the ball for a second but my head throbbed with pain as I groaned and collapsed fully into the bed.

"That was good, one more with the other hand, this time though just hold Colby's hand. Just tighten your grip on it." Meghan said and grabbed the ball from me before it could fall onto the ground.

"Come on baby girl, you got this." Colby whispered as I took a deep breath and internally begged my left hand to just tighten around Colby's.

I wanted to rest.

I was really exhausted now.

"I...I can't." I whispered and breathed heavily. "You can do it Cora, I'm not leaving until you do it." Meghan said and I frowned, "I'm tired." I whispered and she shook her head. "I know you are, but you have to try to push past it, you can do it." Meghan said as Jake and Tara cheered off to the side.

Colby looked me in the eyes and smiled slightly, "come on baby, you can do it." He whispered as my hand tightened around his for a couple seconds.

The room was spinning as I let my arm relax. "So good Cora, here drink this." Meghan said and held my water cup up. I took a few sips then rested my head against the pillow again as I let out a deep breath.

I was tired and in some pain, but I was super proud of myself.