Page 17 of Bound by Affliction
“We wean her off the ventilator and the medications to keep her sedated. It’s not immediate. It could take days for her to comeout.”
I just have to pray that she does come back to me. There is a fear there though that this will change her as a person, and I hope with everything inside of me that it’s nottrue.
“Is there a chance she won’t come out?” Asking that question kills, but it needs to be answered and that fear I had with my mother becomes stronger, stranglingme.
His face is that mask again, and I hate it. “Yes. There’s always that chance. The longer she’s out, the lower the chances because there will be no medication in her body. If that happens then she would be in a full out coma. But she’s a very strong woman, a fighter; always keep that inmind.”
“More waiting,” Aaron says, wrapping his arms around his wife. His eyes are tired, and I swear I’ve seen new lines develop on hisface.
“Yes, but talk to her. As the sedation comes off, hearing your voice may help to bring her backquicker.”
Who knows if this is true, but I’ll continue doing what I’ve been. She has to come back to me. That smile can’t be goneforever.
After the doctor finishes, Aaron takes Stella down to the cafeteria leaving me for a bit. My face itches from all the hair stubble. I normally keep it cleaned up, but just haven’t cared to worry about it. Now that it’s bothering me, I’ll have to do something aboutit.
“What do you think of my new beard? Should I keep it or shave it?” Her body lays there limp, and I delicately put her hand in mine. “It itches the hell out of me so I’ll give it another day, so maybe you should wake up and seeit.”
While I know they’ve just started lowering the medication, one can hope. Without it, there’s nothingleft.
“Oh, your dad’s moved on to telling me I smell like a sasquatch’s nuts. I think it’s a step up from flies, but I’m not too sure at this point. That shower of yours in here is small as hell. I’m surprised a child could fit in it. But it’s done the job for the mostpart.”
Inhaling deep, I look into her face wanting her to see me so damn badly. “You’re going to need to wake up here in the next couple of days. I mean, I can’t keep reading to you all the time. Right? You’ll get sick of hearing my voice at somepoint.”
I pull out another letter, exhaling deeply and keeping that thread of hope inside megoing.
“Hi,Green.
So your real name is Ty. I kinda like that, but I now get why you have Green and I don’t blame you for not knowing your way around a club when you first started. How would you? I’d have no clue, and my best friend’s family is in one. I couldn’t imagine going at it with absolutely nothing behind you. Well, I guess you didn’t, but I’m assuming from thename.
And I know enough from Bristyl that you can’t talk about the club or what happens. It is what it is, and I fully understandit.
I wish I knew something about cars and bikes to talk to you about, but I have no clue and I’m not going to pretend I know something I don’t. I could Google and give you all this fake stuff, but that’s not me. I think it’s great you know your way around engines and you like working at BannerAuto.
Who knows, maybe one day you can teach me to change a tire or my oil. It can’t be that hard,right?
Can I tell you I’m a bit jealous you go to a strip club? It sounds stupid and if you were in front of me right now I’d never say it out loud, but writing it in a letter seems easier. X, as you called it, I’m not sure I want to know more about it in your nextletter.
My parents are having a barbecue this weekend, and I don’t want to go. I love them, don’t get me wrong, but all their friends will be there and then they’ll talk about setting me up with one of their kids. Yes, I know I was on a dating website and this sounds dumb, but I don’t want to get set up with my parents’ friends’ kids. It seems too close, and I’m not sure why I have that feeling. But I don’t want it, and someone there will tell me about their nice son blah, blah, blah… No thankyou.”
“You knowI never told you that I wanted to kick those guy’s asses for even coming near you, but I would’ve.” I wipe my face and heave in a breath. “Whatever the fuck thatmeans.”
Grasping her hand, I kiss the top. “Baby, you need to wake up for me. You hear me? Time to show me those beautiful browns.” We sit this way together all night, never seeing those chocolatesopen.
* * *
“Brother?”Jacks’ voice pulls me out of a sleepless daydream as he steps into the room and up to me. Immediately, I glance over to Leah, who’s still asleep. It’s been twenty-four hours andnothing.
“What’s goin’ on?” I say, rising from the chair and raising my arms, stretching my back on ayawn.
“Breaker and Tug gotta get back to their women, but I’ll still behere.”
“Go home. I got this. Besides, there’s nothin’ you can do here. Hell, there’s nothing I can do here, but I appreciate ya stayin’ and havin’ my back. But really, Jacks, go back and see everyone. If something happens, you’re only a phone call away,right?”
He eyes me wearily, rolling this around in hishead.
“Another night and then I’ll decide.” He holds out a bag. “Food, razor, and other shit you need to look like you’re human and not the walkingdead.”
“You say the sweetest things,” I joke, feeling a small bit of the rope around my heart release, but it’s not much. It’ll stay tight until Leah wakes up and ishealthy.
