He'll come through

Chapter 24 - The Longest Day

Chapter 24 

They had adjacent chairs next to Freddy’s bed, and other than the odd catnap, they spent the night in a bedside vigil. Words couldn’t describe how Lilah felt, so helpless, so frustrated... but having Quinn there did go some way to share the load. They didn’t mention all that had happened previously, but she did snap occasionally at him, which Quinn took in his stride.

There was a staff change over, so both were asked to leave Freddy’s bedside.

                “Let’s go get a coffee, something to eat.” He offered in the corridor outside.

                “You may feel like food, but I am worried out of my skin, I can’t imagine anything worse than eating now.”

Quinn cupped her face in both his hands and smiled at her, “I don’t feel like food either love, but that little boy in there needs you, he needs you strong, and he needs you healthy. When he’s better, and he will get better, you’ll need to feed him again, I might be a novice at this parenting lark, but I know for a fact that that will depend on how strong you are. You’re doing this for him, you hear me?” When she nodded he continued, “And even if it tastes like wet newspaper in your mouth you will eat, because the minute you give up, is the minute I give up, and I can’t do that. Ok? Because I’ve only just found him, and I’m not ready to let him go.”

She tried to smile at his earnest face, seeing the same desperation in it as she felt in her own, and despite it all she loved him more, for saying and doing the right things.  Falling into his arms, she knew that the tight embrace that wrapped her tightly against him was a gesture of comfort for them both. 

Eventually Quinn kissed the top of her head, “come on, let’s get some gruel in the cafeteria. I’ve heard about hospital food.”

He led her there by the hand, then filled a tray with bacon, scrambled eggs and some rather dry looking toast, coffee and orange juice.  Then he guided her to a picnic style table near a window.

Each time Lilah stopped eating, Quinn would place his hand over hers, encouraging her to finish her food. As they walked back to the intensive care unit, they bumped into her parents who were frantically searching for them, trying to find out the news.

Instantly Rose relaxed seeing Quinn with Lilah, all the way home she’d been worried about her daughter coping with all this alone. Tony clapped the other man on the shoulder, mimicking his wife’s relief.  All four sat in the waiting room, her parents listening as Lilah filled them in on the events that had led to them being sat there. She’d barely finished when a nurse came looking for them.

                “Hi, I’m Nadia, I’m looking after Freddy now, he’s quite settled, do you want to come and see him?”  She led Lilah and her mother back through to see the little man, and her mother found it as difficult as her father later did to see the defenceless baby looking so ill.

After an hour, her parents left, they wanted to be helpful, getting clothes, toiletries and food for the two who they knew wouldn’t leave Freddy’s bedside.

For hours they’d sat beside him, various doctors came over, talked, digressed, and then moved on. Quinn’s hand didn’t drop Lilah’s and when she looked tired, he pulled her over so her head rested against him, physically taking the pressure that he couldn’t take for her emotionally.  She was half asleep when the doctor’s rushed over again, helping her to her feet; he reluctantly left the room as she wandered sleepily.

                “What’s happening now?” Lilah asked as she paced the room impatiently, there’s been too much confusion and she feared the unknown. Quinn tried to calm her, but she could see that he was as stressed as her. It was only then that she looked at him, that she saw the effect this was having on him. He was still dressed in the combat trousers that seemed to be his work uniform and a t-shirt, he was unshaven, and there had been dark rings under his eyes before he’d realised the full implications of Freddy’s illness. The small canvas bag he’d brought with him was at his feet, all he’d brought with him.