Driving Force

chapter 20

Cameron Santiago POV

"So, Fleming." Mal says capturing everyone's attention in the waiting room. "Are you and Madison a thing?"

"Mal!" Sonnet says lighty slapping Mal's arm.

"What? We are all thinking it." Mal defends herself and I shake my head.

"You don't need to answer her question." I turn to face Jessie next to me.

"It's fine." She smiles. "We just became good friends and I think it will stay that way for a little while."

"Well, you have a good effect on her. Your smartness is transferring over to her. She was actually enjoying solving calc problems once she started to understand them" Mal says which causes everyone to smile imagining a passionate Madi.

"That's all her. She has a brilliant mind." Jess says.

"She's lucky to have you in her life." Christen smiles as she continues to snuggle into Tobin's side.

"And I am lucky to have her in mine." Jess blushes.

"Guardian of Madison Marshall?" A doctor comes and interrupts. We all stand but Dawn walks in front of everybody.

"That would be me." She says.

"Would you like to go somewhere more private," the doctor asks looking at all of us.

"No, it's okay. They are all going to find out anyway."

"Okay, well Madison's swelling has gone down significantly and the clot has resolved on its own as we hoped it would. We are going to take her off the sedation that has her in a coma and are going to take her off the ventilator as well. Unfortunately, her seizures have been increasing in frequency. We hope that once she wakes up we can see the extent of brain damage if any, but as of now her brain activity is normal."

"So you are saying, she could be having multiple seizures a day and that will become her new normal?" I ask the doctor wanting to see if I understood correctly.

"Yes, even with an increased dose in her medication she is having a lot more than she usually does."

"So, does that mean she has to think of quitting soccer?" Dawn asks.

"That is a very high likely probability, but let's not get ahead of ourselves and see how she is when she wakes up. A nurse will come get you when everything is done. I have to go see other patients but if you have any questions or concerns just tell a nurse and she will page me." She says and walks away after we thank her.

"Soccer is what keeps her going." Jessie turns and looks at me in desperation.

"I know." I sigh and sit on the chair behind me. I rub my fingers on my forehead. "I know."

"Her health comes first. We will figure out how to help her and seek many other medical opinions on her condition." Alyssa says not too far from me. 

"Alyssa is right." Dawn says. "We don't even know Madison's current condition until she wakes up. We will take it step by step."

"We have to just be there for her now. We can't get her frustrated or upset. One thing at a time." Ash says sitting next to me. "Let's sit and wait until we can see her again."

"I'm going to go for a walk actually." I say standing back up and am met with concerned eyes.

"Cam-" Ash starts but is cut off.

"I'll go with you, if you don't mind." Jessie says and I nod as we make our way to the elevator.

"I should have picked up her symptoms sooner. This should have never happened. I should've pushed harder for her to get scans done." I blurt as we reach the end of the block the hospital is on.

"Don't do that to yourself. It's already too late to change anything. I can even blame myself for not telling you sooner, but I'm not because that's not going to help anything. She hid things well and didn't want to scare anyone."

"Is it bad that I'm angry that she didn't mention anything?" I say hating I am feeling that way toward an injured Madi.

"Not at all. You have a right to feel the emotions you feel right now."

"I really hope she's okay when she wakes up. I don't know what I would do if there's extensive damage or if she isn't the same as she once was."

"I hope so too." Jessie whispers and I can see tears form in her eyes as I turn to her words.

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by the lack of updates these past few days from the fandom, i'm guessing everyone is back at some form of school ahaha. online and hybrid classes are a whole lot more of extra work than just going to lecture and taking an exam but anyways,
best of luck to you all and if you need anything message me.
~AK