Page 103 of Free to Breathe
“The kind with a sex life,” Corinna replies dryly.
We all laugh before quiet settles over us. Ali’s holding Corinna’s hand so tightly, it’s got to hurt her IV. Phil’s squeezing her shoulder. They don’t want to let go.
I know the feeling all too well.
“I hate to break this up…” I begin when the curtain whooshes open.
“But Corinna’s doctor is on his way up,” a sympathetic nurse finishes for me. “I understand you have a few more siblings who need to come back?”
Phil and Ali lean over to kiss Corinna, murmuring words of encouragement. Soon, they’re being whisked away. “This is harder for them now,” Corinna muses quietly. “Promise me, no matter what happens today, you won’t ignore anything unusual that happens.”
Her words don’t quite make sense, which worries me. Her fucking tumor needs to come out so I know I have my Corinna safely back by my side. I lean over and kiss her before murmuring, “I promise,” just to appease her.
The nurse guides Holly, Em, and Cassidy back, making an exception on the two-person visitor rule because of the time. The girls are trying to joke with Corinna in much the same manner Phil and Ali did when the curtain flies open again.
Only this time, it isn’t just the nurse coming to escort the girls out.
It’s Bryan.
This isn’t the friendly doctor whose visited the farm several times in the last few weeks. This is the surgeon barking out orders left and right to his team. My faith and confidence skyrocket as I see the man behind the mask of geniality come out. It’s like Clark Kent has stripped off his suit and his alter ego is flying around with his cape now. Superman is in the house.
Thank God.
Bryan sits down at the computer at Corinna’s station, clicking through screens before he even says a word to any of us.
The clock on the wall reads a few minutes before six.
“Corinna.” Sharp hazel eyes snap to her. “Are you ready?”
She barks out a laugh. “Sure. I guess that’s what you call it.”
“Are you sure?”
She nods.
He abruptly stands. “Okay. Then there are too many people here. Family, it’s time for you to go. Say your ‘see you laters’ so we can go to work.”
Em comes forward and kisses Corinna on the forehead. I don’t know if the noise in the pre-op has dimmed or if I’ve suddenly clued in, but this time I hear the murmured “This one’s for happiness.”
Cassidy comes forward and kisses her on her cheek and says quietly, “For whatever bravery you need, take it.”
Holly is the final Freeman to kiss her sister. Unlike the others, she can’t control her tears. “Use all my strength. All of our strength. Just get through this. We need you.” She kisses her other cheek, and then the three sisters are rushed out.
Corinna wipes her eyes using the sheet draped over her. “Hey, that’s my job.” I reach forward and swipe my thumb beneath them, forgetting about the hustle and bustle around us. “You have to let me do my job.”
She lets out a watery laugh. “Okay. Think you can manage a tissue?”
I kiss her lips softened by the tears. “Sure, princess.” When I stand, I bump into Bryan.
“I hate to break this up, but it’s just about time. The sooner we get started, the sooner we’ll be done.” In his scrubs, he’s ready to run through a final check with his team.
They’re ready to take Corinna back to the operating room.
Another choked sob escapes her, and I reach over and take her hand. “Can you give us one minute alone, Doc?”
“Just that, Colby. Then we need to do the final check. Until we start wheeling her, you can remain with her.” He steps outside the curtain and pulls it closed to give us an illusion of privacy, even though there’s none.
I’m grateful for whatever we’ve got.
