“She’s . . . she’s okay?”
He doesn’t say anything for a long moment. He just looks at me with his expressionless eyes. “I’m going to be honest with you, Mr. Cage. Your wife is lucky to be alive. She’s suffered extensive head trauma and has three broken ribs, a broken arm, and a broken leg. There was some internal bleeding that we were able to get under control rather quickly. Her head injury is the most important thing we’re monitoring right now. We need to make sure we prevent the possibility of a secondary injury that could arise from here on. Your wife was unconscious when she arrived, and at the moment, we have her placed in a medically induced coma. We’ve discovered significant swelling of her brain as well as slight bleeding. So, like I said, that is our main concern right now. Our neurosurgery team will be monitoring the pressure in her brain with a bolt that was already placed and that will help guide the therapy as needed. We’ve started her on a medication called Keppra to prevent any seizures. I can only tell you that she’s in good hands, Mr. Cage. We will be able to tell you more in the coming days, as the next twenty-four hours are the most critical.”
My mouth opens, but no words came out. Trying to process all the medical vomit he just spewed all over me is taking too much energy. I grasp on to the only thing I can—knowing she’s alive and that the rest will fall in place. I keep picturing her beautiful face telling me that she loved me earlier today. Or was it yesterday?
Silently, I nod my head and wait for the doctor to take me to my wife. With every step, I beg God to let me take her place.
CHAPTER 11
Greg
I thought I knew what it was like to live a nightmare.
When I lost Grace, I felt a pain that I hoped never returned.
When Cohen was kidnapped, I felt a hopelessness that crushed my soul.
When I saw my little girls, so achingly small, fighting for each breath, I felt a fear I’d never known I could possess.
When I walk into Melissa’s hospital room and see her hooked to machines, bruised and battered . . . I feel a little piece of myself die.
I’m living a nightmare that I can only pray I wake up from.
It’s hard to put into words how you feel when you see the love of your life like that. I watch her chest rise with each breath, giving me the reassurance that she’s still with me, but looking at her so obviously broken has my knees buckling before I had make it more than five feet into the door.
I feel the doctor pause, waiting to see if he needs to assist me, but I wave him off. Dropping my hands to the floor and letting my head hang, I pray. I scream and plead, once again, for God’s mercy. I can’t lose Melissa. There’s no other alternative for me. She’s mine, and I won’t let anyone take her.
I pull in a deep breath, holding it while I get my courage back together before picking myself off the floor and walking over to the side of her bed.
And that’s where I stay, holding her hand and caressing her soft skin while I listen to the doctor go on and on about her injuries. I try to understand what he is telling me, but with each word that passes his lips, I realize just how very real this is.
His heavy hand settles on my shoulder, but I can’t look away from her beautiful face, I’m trying to see past the swelling and bruises to glimpse the woman I kissed goodbye hours before.
“ . . . time will tell, Mr. Cage. For now, we will monitor your wife closely for changes.”
I look up when I hear him leaving, the door closing softly behind him, and I sit there in the dim light of Melissa’s hospital room and start singing. At first, it’s anything I can think of that she might like, but after a few songs, I just start the humming familiar melody Adele’s ‘Make You Feel My Love’ over and over. The words start to flow without thought while my thumb rubs in small circles against her wrist, my tears rolling down my face unchecked.
God, what the hell do I do now?
CHAPTER 12
Cohen
I don’t like this place. It smells funny, and everyone looks sad. I just want my mommy and daddy. Aunt Izzy told me this morning that it’s okay to be scared and that she was there if I needed a hug. I don’t need a hug. I’m a big boy.
I’ve been sitting here for a really long time, long enough to watch three shows on Uncle Axel’s phone. I hope Daddy comes to get me soon.