Page 79 of Lorna's Savior
“How did it go?” Andy had everyone move back as they transferred her from one bed to the other. The doctor didn’t speak until it was complete, then he studied Andy and shook his head.
“Surprising well. I don’t know what it is, but the healing from her first two surgeries are like energized or something. It’s amazing how her skin seems to take over and begin healing immediately. I only see one more surgery for the thighs and buttocks, then she’ll be good to go.”
“What are the chances of scarring?” Ronnie asked as she laid her hand on her friend’s feet.
“If she keeps this up, I’d say she won’t have any. Her skin is perfect.”
“Doctor?” Sunshine spoke, then asked him what he thought of an armlength of ingredients. He gave his response to each one, then asked why she wanted to know. “If my son, and Lorna’s best friend are correct, Lorna uses those ingredients every day.”
“Twice a day.” Andy nodded. “She puts it on after her shower in the morning, and again at night before she goes to bed.”
“Then that’s why she’s healing nice and fast with minimal-to-no scarring. It’s those ingredients. You’ll have to tell me where you get them.”
“I make it,” Sunshine said proudly, and handed him a card. “You can order the stuff online. It’s all natural, organic, and herbal. We grow everything ourselves.”
“I’ll check it out,” the doctor said, and took his leave. The four studied the woman in the bed, and Andy pulled up a chair and took her hand in his.
“When was the last time you ate?” Ronnie frowned at him. “Or showered?”
“I have to be here for Lorna.”
“Yeah, and what are you going to do when she wakes up and kicks your smelly ass out of here?”
“It’s not that bad.”
“Son, yes it is. Let me take you back to your place. Your mother and Ronnie can stay here to keep an eye on Lorna.” The tone of Levi’s voice brooked no argument. Before he left, Andy told Ronnie to call him when she woke up.
Ronnie took Andy’s seat and sighed. “I know he loves her, but he needs to take care of himself, so he can be strong for when Lorna wakes up.”
“You are a good friend.” Sunshine said as she sat on the end of the bed. “Can you tell me exactly what happened? All Brian said was that Andy needed us. Andy told us some things, but I don’t think he told us everything.” She told Ronnie what Andy had said, then Ronnie filled in all the blanks. By the time Andy returned, Sunshine knew the entire story.
“Where is her mother, now?”
“Shipped to a different hospital two towns over,” Andy said as he entered the room. He looked and smelled a whole lot better. And he held onto two bags from a local restaurant.
“Nothing for me,” Ronnie said as she held up her hand. “I have to get back to work.”
“I noticed you have scrubs on, do you work here in the hospital?” Levi asked.
“No,” Ronnie laughed. “I’m a veterinarian. My patients can’t tell me where their pain is.” She laughed and left them.
Andy shook his head, and passed out the to-go containers he and his father had picked up on the way back to the hospital. “You’ll stay at my apartment?”
“If you have the room.”
“I do, I’ve been staying in Lorna’s,” he admitted and explained about their living arrangements. When visiting hours were over, Andy sighed deeply and bent down and kissed Lorna’s forehead. “Rest. I love you, but I have to leave. I’ll be back first thing in the morning.” He kissed her again, then squeezed her hand. When he rose, he wiped a tear from his eye, and led the way out of hospital. His parents followed him back to his apartment.
In the elevator, Sunshine asked, “If you come home every night, how come you don’t shower?”
“Because, this is the first time I’ve been home since it happened. When I arrived at the hospital this morning, they told me I had to go home at the end of visiting hours.”
“Oh,” they said, and stepped off the elevator. They looked up and Andy sighed in relief when he saw his two brothers, and two sisters standing outside his door. He quickly went to his door and opened it, then opened Lorna’s door.
“Which one do you live in?” Ren asked.
“That one is mine, and this is Lorna’s. I’ve been saying here. There’s room between the two for everyone.” They settled in Lorna’s and Sunshine took over making coffee, while Levi grabbed Mac to go back to the store down the block. They had found no edible food in either apartment. Once the meal was underway, Sunshine and Andy answered all the questions the family asked.
“How do you know so much?” Andy frowned at his mother.
