Page 37 of Compelling Urges

“So am I,” Cooper replied.

Chapter 28

After hounding everyone in the ER, they finally found someone who could tell them that Bodhi had been taken to surgery and that the surgeons were working to save his leg.

Ivy began to cry again, and Cooper felt like he might hurl. The idea of Bodhi with a leg missing?He’d hate living that way!Cooper thought to himself.Surely with medicine as advanced as it is now, someone doesn’t lose their leg from a simple scratch—well, a big, deep scratch that needed stitches no doubt.

Then he thought of the number of times the beaches had been closed over the years due to polluted water, and things started looking a lot grimmer. He knew that swimming in the Children’s Pool in La Jolla was almost always prohibited due to bacteria levels from the harbor seals who’d taken up residence there. They had basically turned the small cove that was protected by an old seawall into a disgusting seal toilet. Windansea wasn’t usually a problem though.I guess it just takes one bad microbe in the wrong place, he groaned to himself.

Ivy made another call to Maui to update Bodhi’s parents and reported back to Cooper, “They’re getting on the next plane out. I guess it’s a night flight, and they’ll be here in the morning.”

“They’re really nice people. I’m sorry you never met them before, but you’ll like them,” Cooper assured her. “I’m glad they’re coming. Bodhi’s never said much, but I think he’s missed them.”

They sat for what felt like hours—even though it wasn’t actually—waiting and waiting for some news, when a nurse came into the waiting room asking for Cooper Houston. He sprang up like a jack-in-the-box when he heard her call his name. She indicated that they should follow her to the nurses’ station.

“Mr. Monaghan’s medical records list you as his emergency contact, so I’m glad you’re here. He’s being moved upstairs to a room now, and you’ll be able to see him. He’s had his wound cleaned and fixed up by the surgeon, but there is still a great danger of further infection because whatever hit him…”

“It was a surfboard,” interrupted Cooper.

“Yes, well, it actually cracked his tibia, and the worry is that the bone will become infected. If that happens, it’s gravely serious.”

Ivy grabbed Cooper’s hand and tried to keep herself from crying again.

Dragging his other hand through his hair, Cooper asked in a shaky voice, “So, what’s happening with him now?” He felt some measure of relief to hear that Bodhi still had both legs—for now at least.

“He’s getting massive amounts of antibiotics as well as pain meds. He’s pretty out of it, but you can certainly talk to him. Just don’t expect much of a response, and please don’t say anything that will upset him.” She gave Cooper a serious, no-joke look. “Does he have family nearby?” she asked.

Speaking up finally, Ivy announced, “We’rehis family. We all live together—in Del Mar, California. But his parents are flying in from Hawaii and will be here in the morning.”

The nurse eyed them and looked like she was about to ask how they were all family, and thought better of it. “He’s on the sixth floor,” she said. “Room 606. Good luck. I hope he gets better quickly.” She gave them a weak smile, pointed them toward the elevators, and left.

Cooper wound his arm around Ivy’s shoulders as they made their way down the long corridor. Neither knew what to say until they were inside the elevator. “I feel so guilty,” Ivy moaned. “Why didn’t we insist that he needed to get that thing looked at right away?”

“Bodhi wouldn’t have listened. You know that. He wanted to get home and forget about the shitty day he’d had, and he wanted to play as much as you and I did.” He kissed the top of her head. “Don’t beat yourself up about it, honey. But… just so you know… I feel horribly guilty too.” The elevator dinged and they were let out into another shiny hallway where they looked for a sign that would direct them to room 606.

Once they arrived on Bodhi’s floor, they had to sign in at the nurses’ station. After not getting any pertinent information from anyone, they both steeled themselves, trying to find a way to look positive for Bodhi.

It turned out he’d been admitted to a glass-walled room in the intensive care unit. The vision that greeted them as they entered his open door deflated every bit of upbeat thinking they could muster.

Bodhi lay hooked up to an IV and several monitors that seemed to be measuring all of his vitals. An oxygen canula was attached to his nose, and his face looked gray. Worst of all, he still seemed to be shaking.

“Bodhi?” Ivy asked softly. “Are you awake?” She reached out to stroke his hand.

No response.

“Hey man, we’re here for you,” Cooper announced unnecessarily. He turned to Ivy and said, “Oh, for crying out loud. There’s something about facing this kind of situation that makes me dumb. Put me in a courtroom and I’m the great orator. Stick me in front of a beloved friend who’s suffering, and I turn into a bumbling idiot.” He tried to laugh at himself, but it turned into a groan. Then he dragged a couple of chairs up to the bed. Looking at Ivy, he saw fresh tears streaking down her face. “Come on, babe. None of that,” he whispered, wiping her cheek. “We’re supposed to cheer him up.”

“Cooper, I’m afraid I’ve been mean to Bodhi. I hate myself!”

“What are you talking about? How have you been mean to him? I haven’t seen anything like that from you.”

A fresh sob bubbled up, and Ivy covered her face with her hands. When she composed herself, she answered, “I should have been honest and told him that I still love him instead of stringing him along. It’s like I’ve been punishing him.”

“Is it true? Are you back to lovinghim?” Cooper’s face turned red, and he looked at her with narrowed eyes.

“Of course I love him,” she whisper-shouted. “In some ways, I never stopped.”

Cooper’s face twisted in agony. “Where does that leave me in this scenario?”

---