We both jumped when the same nurse from earlier came into the waiting room. She had no news for us. She just needed my permission to give Georgia a transfusion and to ask what our religious preferences were.
“Religious preferences? For what?” I asked.
“Just in case ma’am,” the nurse answered politely. I sank down on the floor while Jake talked to the nurse. Their conversation was a muted blur.
Bethany had come back in. She’d been taking up a seat in the corner. I could see the horror in her face over what her son did. It was mixed with genuine fear over Georgia’s condition. She was tortured, just like us. She stood up anytime she heard the sound of shoes squeaking on the linoleum.
It wasn’t until the sun rose high above the windows of the waiting room that the doctor finally came in and addressed us. We all stood at attention. He looked past us as he spoke. “She’s awake now but won’t be for long. Her little body has been through a lot, and she’s going to need a lot of rest.”
“But how is she?” I demanded.
“It wasn’t a direct hit, just scattered buck shots. Miraculously, none of it hit any major arteries or vital organs. There were a few fragments that narrowly missed her spine, but we got them out. She lost a lot of blood during all of this, so we gave her a transfusion.” I couldn’t believe we were discussing my little girl in terms like these. “Barring any unforeseen circumstances, and even though it’ll take a little time, it looks like she’s going to make a full recovery.” Jake caught me before my knees gave out, and I almost fell to the floor. We’ll keep her for a few nights in the ICU under observation, just to make sure everything stays as it should.”
Full recovery. Georgia was going to be okay. She was going to live. “Can I see her?” I asked eagerly.
“Yes, but only for a few minutes. And just one person, please. Also, I don’t want her upset because you are upset so stay calm in front of her. We need her relaxed and comfortable. She’s a little loopy from the pain medicine, but you can go in.”
I bolted past the doctor and left him explaining something to Jake. I realized I didn’t ask what room in the ICU she was in, so I found a nurse I recognized from earlier, and she pointed the way. When I got into the room, there was a white curtain pulled around the bed; on the left was an IV drip and a dozen flashing and beeping machines.
I pulled the curtain back, there in the bed, looking so tiny and frail, was my little girl. She was pale, dark blue circles around her eyes, but she was alive and she was going to be ok. I had to keep reminding myself of that or I was going to break down right in front of her.
I put my hand over hers and felt the place where her IV was connected to her hand.
Her eyes fluttered open. “Hi, Mama.” Her voice was weak and scratchy, but it was the best sound I’d ever heard.
“Hi, baby girl.” I felt the tears coming, but I held them back and showed her nothing but calm confidence.
“What happened?”
“You had a little accident, baby girl, but you’re okay now. You’ll be home very soon.”
“Is Daddy here?”
I suddenly realized how much that word meant, and exactly who it referred to. There was only one man who fit that description. “Yes, baby girl, he’s here. You can see him after you get some rest.”
“Wanna hear a secret, Mama?” she asked me, her eyes now closed.
“Sure, baby.” I lay next to her on the bed, careful not to squish any of the wires or tubes. “Tell me a secret.” I held her to my side without moving her. I needed her to feel me there, to know she wasn’t alone as she drifted off to sleep.
“Jake lets me call him Daddy when you aren’t around.” Even with her eyes closed she was smiling.
“Oh, does he?”
“Yeah. He says I can call him Daddy in front of you only when you say it’s okay.” I leaned down and kissed my sweet girl on her cheek. “Is it okay, Mama?” It came on a shallow breath. She was asleep before I could answer.
I smoothed down her hair and whispered to her, “You get some sleep now.” I was finally coming to accept that there were some things in life that were just meant to be. Not all of them are good. But Jake being Georgia’s father was meant to be.
Two souls who bonded because of love, and love alone.
My parents didn’t choose me. They ended up with me after my mother got pregnant. They’d never wanted children. They reminded me every day what a burden I was to their drugged-out lives. I never felt anything even close to love.
Then, Nan came and showed me that someone could truly care about me and love me for who I was and what I was. She took me in because I was her flesh and blood, but she loved me because she wanted to, not because she had to.
Then, there was Jake and Georgia. They had chosen one another. It hadn’t been all that long, but they already knew they wanted to be a family, and regardless of what my feelings were initially, they knew it was meant to happen.