I ___ you

Oxygen

Harry is tightly holding my hand as the doctor tells me that he's not going to hook me up to oxygen.

"I think that I'm going to make you an ultrasound appointment so that we can make sure that your stomach has not shrunk but I am going to schedule it for two days from now so that we can also check on things like how your body is responding to the food." He says.

My mother nods and the doctor continues, "Mrs. Young we have an open one room apartment if you would like to stay there." My mother looks very worried and asks to speak to the doctor in the hallway.

"Why do you think she wants to talk to him outside?" I ask Harry once they leave. I flip back over onto my side so that I'm facing Harry.

"Well doesn't she need to go back to work soon? It might be about that" he says.

"I didn't even think about that" I admit. I shudder at the idea that once my mom leaves, I can't see her again until my heart and immune system are stronger.

"Hey listen Gracie," Harry says, "it doesn't matter whether she leaves or not, I'll stay here with you." I nod and smile at him, starting to doze off again when my mother and the doctor walk back in.

"Grace honey I have to leave" my mom says, "I have to go back to work and I won't be able to come back. But I have a little surprise for you."

"What is it?" I ask.

"Well I talked to Dr. Fitz and he says that after you get your ultrasound as we can make sure everything is okay, you and Harry can move into the vacant apartment because you still won't have to be in contact with anyone else." She says. Dr. Fitz smiles and I look at Harry who is smiling at me.

"That sounds nice" I say, "thank you."

"I trust that Harry will be good at caring for you for the time being since I can't." She says.

"I will ma'am," says Harry, "I'll take care of her."

My mom leaves soon after and Harry climbs back into the bed with me.

"Harry" I say.

"Yes" he says as he gently helps roll me on top of him so that he can hold me.

"Are you sure that you want to stay because you don't have to and I don't want to hold you back and I can be okay on my own and I'm really sorry that I roped you into this and I-" he puts his finger across my lips to silence me. He wraps his hand around my small one.

"There is nowhere that I would rather be right now. You are going to be okay and we're going to get through this" he responds.

I slowly drift off to sleep in his arms and I feel safe.

The next day, the nurses help me shower. It takes all the energy out of me but I still have to use the feeding tube and stay awake for it.

The doctor hooks me up and leaves me sitting on Harry's lap again. Harry takes out the hair dryer and blow drys my hair for me.

"Can you braid it?" I ask him.

"Can you tell me how?" He asks. I do my best to explain it and he tries his best. It ends up looking okay and I'm satisfied.

I lean back onto him and start to feel sick.

"I think I'm gonna be sick" I croak out. Harry pushes the call button on the hospital bed and Dr. Fitz must have been nearby because he was there in seconds.

"Help me sit her up so that she doesn't choke" he says to Harry. They sit me up and one of the nurses that came in with the doctor holds a small bucket out in front of me. I puke into it as Harry rubs my back.

"Good girl," he says, "it's okay, you're okay."

After that they disconnect me from the tube and the doctor makes Harry hold me still as they pull it out of my nose.

"Can you hold her for a second" the doctor asks Harry.

"Of course" he says. He picks me up princess style and leans down to me kissing my forehead.

"Take her over and sit down with her on that couch" one of the nurses tells him. He walks over and sits down, still securely holding onto me.

"You're okay" he whispers to me as the nurses change the sheets and the doctor leaves to get a second one. "I got you. You have to stay awake for me. Okay? Just stay awake please" he says.

I feel myself choking on the air and struggling to breathe. I try to sit up but I can't. Harry notices and yells for help. One of the nurses comes over just as Dr. Fitz and another doctor run towards me. The nurse gives me water to drink and I take it, drinking it quickly. I don't feel like I'm choking anymore and I stop coughing feeling completely drained.

"Harry bring her back over now" Dr.
Fitz says. Harry carefully moves me back to the bed. One of the nurses puts something different around my ears and into my nose and it's oxygen.

The doctors are talking as one of the nurses puts something into the computer and Harry holds my hand tightly and runs his other hand aggressively through his hair repeatedly.

"We're going to do the ultrasound now" says Dr. Fitz.

"Harry you can't come with if you want to be allowed to be with her and be near her" one of the nurses says. Harry nods and plants a kiss on my forehead and lets go of my hand as the nurses put a mask on my face and wheel me out of the room on my hospital bed.