Page 84 of Flowers in Your Hair

“Absolutely. We have them settled in a family room down the hall, and I’m sure they’ll be able to give you more info.”

I nod, feeling a little numb. If I'm feeling like this, I can’t even imagine how Andrew, and the rest of the family is feeling. Our shoes slap against the shiny flooring as we follow Zoey down the hall. Patient rooms flock us on either side. Some with patients, signified by a door being closed. Others empty, the doors open, showing the pristinely cleaned rooms with untouched bedding. “Do you guys need anything? Water? Juice?”

Marley and I share a look, checking in with each other. We both shake our heads. “No, but thank you.”

“If that changes, there’s a button on the wall you can press.” We nod, and reach a room at the end of the hall. The placard hanging from the ceiling reads Family Room. Zoey stops in front of the closed door, gesturing to the room. “Here we are. Like I said, if you need anything, let me know.” She steps around us, heading back toward the nurses station that we passed along the way.

I take a long, deep breath as Marley opens the door. Heads swivel to see who’s entering, every face tearstained and tired. Beau is the first to react, rising from the brown leather couch against the far wall.

This room is much more welcoming than the other, with warm colors, and comfortable looking furniture, rather than the plastic waiting room chairs.

Beau strides over to Marley, his arms wrapping around her waist, head tucking into her shoulder. He softly sobs, and the sound is like a knife to my breaking heart. I hear Marley quietly shushing him, softly soothing his pain.

Nikki is enveloped in Richards arms, holding a tissue to her eyes. Jason and Thomas sit side by side on the couch, nodding softly at me, both their eyes red and hollow. Jason jerks his head in the direction I need to be.

Andrew is in a recliner against the farthest wall, tucked into the corner of the room. His head is in his hands, and he’s unmoving. He’s completely unaware of my presence, but my legs automatically go to him. I’m pulled to him, aching to comfort him, however I can.

When I reach him, I run my fingers through his curly hair, sinking to my knees at his feet. Cupping his face, I lift it so he can see me. “Andrew,” I whisper.

His eyes are squeezed shut, puffy and red. When he opens them, his beautiful brown eyes are haunted. “Josie,” he rasps. I nod, sliding my hand from his face to the back of his neck. “You’re- how-” he whispers, voice breaking. “I’m so sorry, oh god, I forgot my phone, I… I forgot about you,” he cries.

“Hey, hey,” I soothe, letting him wrap his arms around me, pulling me up to sit in his lap. “It’s okay, I’m okay. Shhh,” I whisper. His cries shatter me to pieces, and all the strength I’d tried to muster up crumbles at our feet.

His pain is so raw, and trying to carry that pain is impossible. I hold him, letting him cry into my shirt. Andrew tries to speak, to tell me what’s happening, but the only words I can pick up are Gramps, fall, and surgery.

Moments later, I hear the door open, and hushed voices begin to fill the room. Andrew lifts his head off my shoulder, and we turn to see who it is. A man in a white coat and pale blue-gray scrubs stands in front of Richard and Nikki. I slide off Andrew’s lap, letting him stand from the recliner. I use my thumbs to wipe away his tears, and take his hand, walking us over to the rest of the family.

The doctor begins to update us on Earl’s condition. “Earl had something called a subdural hematoma, or more commonly known as a brain bleed. In his case, it was minor, but a brain bleed is still extremely serious.”

We all listen carefully, soaking up every word. He continues, “Typically people get brain bleeds after a fall, or injury to the head. From other bruising to his elbows and lower back, we can make an educated guess that he fell sometime, possibly earlier today, and hit his head on a wall, or the floor. What we did to fix the issue, is we performed a craniectomy. Essentially, this is a procedure to help relieve swelling to the brain. Once the swelling goes down, we’ll replace the portion of the skill we removed. The bleed has been controlled, and will resolve on its own. We will keep him intubated and sedated for a few days to help restrict his movement and aid healing. He should make close to a full recovery if he remains stable, and follows the treatment and therapy plan. All in all, he’s a lucky guy.”

A collective sigh of relief escapes from all of us. Richard asks a few follow up questions, but I’m not paying much attention anymore. Andrew is stepping backwards to the recliner. I follow, well, more so I am dragged with him.

He sinks into the leather, pulling me down with him. I land in his lap, and let him pull me in close. He holds me like that, not speaking, not crying, just holding me, for a long time. The doctor leaves, and shortly after, Zoey stops by to let us know he’s in recovery, and we can see him shortly. I listen to everyone’s hushed conversations, making sure to stay on top of potential information that Andrew might need to be aware of.

Out of the corner of my eye, I notice Marley and Beau sitting next to each other on the couch. Beau is leaning into her, his arms wrapped around her waist, head resting in the crook of her neck. Her cheek rests on the top of his head, and she strokes his hair softly. I think he’s asleep, with the way his eyes are shut, face so deeply relaxed, but I can’t tell for sure.

Andrew, on the other hand, is completely knocked out. His head is resting back against the cushion of the recliner. Our feet are kicked up now, the recliner pushed back so we’re almost flat. He’s sound asleep, but still has his arms around me, holding on to me tightly. I wouldn’t move, even if I wanted to.

36

ANDREW

Asoft hand shaking my shoulder wakes me.

“Andrew, honey, we can go see Gramps now.”

Josie.

The events of the day, or is it night now? Flood back into my memory. My eyes flutter open. Josie is still resting on my chest, but sitting up, shaking me awake. “Hey you,” she murmurs. Pressing a gentle kiss to my cheek, I sink into the feel of her touch. She’s grounding me more than anyone ever has.

She sits us up in the chair, kicking the footrest down. She scoots off me, standing and stretching. “I have to go to the bathroom, but I’ll be right back, okay?” I nod, still a little dazed. My eyes are crusty and swollen, burning from dryness.

A look across the room reveals Jason and Thomas sitting on one of the couches, Marley and Beau on the other. Beau is completely wrapped up in Marley, seeking out her comfort the way I did Josie’s.

I stand from the creaking recliner, stretching my arms over my head. Jason jerks his head, beckoning me over. I head over, sitting on the couch next to him.

“How are you holding up?” he asks.

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