“I bet those hurt.” She stretched, trying to see the staples in Piper’s head.
“Those probably would have hurt, but she was asleep when they put them in, so she didn’t feel it. Her head will probably be sore when she wakes up though.”
Lucy paused, “Is she gonna wake up?”
Her question sent me into a tailspin. My chest grew tight and I couldn’t breathe, The room felt like it was spinning so fast, I couldn’t focus my eyes on any one thing.
“Whoa, whoa. You okay?” Brody reached out and grasped my shoulders.
“Yeah, I just feel a little woozy,” I panted.
“Come sit here, by the window,” my mom said, jumping up as JoAnn reached behind them and cranked the window open slightly.
I leaned my arm on the windowsill and rested my head on it, taking slow, deep breaths of the fresh air that blew inside. The conversation behind me turned into mumbles as I blocked it out, concentrating on nothing but breathing.
“You okay?” JoAnn gently rubbed my shoulders.
I looked up at her and cracked a small smile. “I think so. This day has just been … overwhelming.”
“I’m sure it has.” She sat down next to me. “I think we’re gonna get going—if you don’t need anything else?”
“No, I’m good.” I pulled her in for a hug. “Thank you for coming. It means so much to me.”
She squeezed back, tight. “Oh, honey. No problem, I wish there were more we could do.”
“I think we’re gonna go too.” Mom walked up. “I need to get Lucy home to bed, it’s been a long day for her.”
I hugged my mom and scooped Lucy up in my arms, covering her face with kisses. “I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?”
“Okay, Mommy. If Piper wakes up, tell her I’m not mad at her for getting her blood on my floaties.”
I chuckled. “Okay, baby. I’ll tell her.”
Mom, Lucy and JoAnn made their way to the door, Brody walking behind them. “Thanks for all your help today,” I said as I softly rubbed his arm.
He looked surprised. “I’m not going anywhere, I’m just walking them out.”
“Oh,” my eyebrows shot up, “you’re staying for awhile?”
“Or for the night.” He laughed. “I’m not leaving you here alone.”
I didn’t argue, I was glad he was staying with me.
The next morning, my back was screaming at me and my neck was sore. Sleeping on a hospital couch was never comfortable. Ever. I cracked my eyes open as soon as the sun filled the room and peeked at Piper who looked the same. I sat up and stretched, a white blanket slipping off my lap. I didn’t even have to think hard about who covered me.
I looked over at Brody, sleeping on a chair with his feet propped up on the end of Piper’s bed. His hands were locked and resting on his stomach, while his mouth hung open. I didn’t even remember falling asleep last night; the last thing I remembered was him asking me if I needed anything to drink.
Slipping quietly into the bathroom, I washed my pale face and pulled a new toothbrush out of the package that was sitting on the counter. I knew who put that there also.
“How’s our girl this morning?”
I hurried out of the room and saw Dr. Wagner standing next to Piper’s bed. Brody was sitting up, rubbing his eyes with his palms.
“Good Morning.” I walked up next to them.
“We’re gonna take our all-star patient for another CT scan, and we’ll make our further decisions based on that, okay?”
I nodded, still in a daze as a nurse came in and swiftly unhooked Piper from her machines before wheeling her out the door.
“That was fast.” Brody yawned.
“Yeah, we need good news on this scan.” I hugged myself, suddenly cold from nerves.
He tilted his head and brushed my cheek with the back of his hand. “Think positive, I have a good feeling about this one.”
I closed my eyes and leaned into his hand slightly.
“You wanna take a shower?” I snapped my head up, trying to keep from making physical contact with him.
He sighed. “Yeah, I’ll go quick.”
I paced the room nervously while Brody showered, praying over and over for Piper’s body to have begun healing itself already.
The door opened a little while later, Piper’s bed rolling through it. The nurse smiled as she pushed her into the room and hooked her back up to her machines.
“It’ll be just a few minutes.” She offered on her way out the door.
I already knew that, but didn’t bother responding.
Brody came out of the bathroom, freshly showered but wearing the same clothes.
He looked down at himself and shrugged. “Sorry, it’s all I got.”
I laughed. “Have you seen me? Trust me, I’m not judging you.”
“You look brave,” he said softly. “You look like a woman whose heart has been ripped open and is bleeding out all over the place, but you’re so damn concerned about everyone else, you haven’t even bothered to take care of your own wounds.”