Page 129 of Never Stop
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
Easton
Idon’t know how many times I glanced at the clock and then my phone to see if the time was still moving forward or if the damn thing was broken. People brought me food and water. They brought flowers and set them around the room. I felt as though everyone was trying to stay busy even though we were all confined to the hospital. None of us wanted to leave.
Just in case.
“Is everyone here?” I looked up to see Dr. Simon in the doorway.
“Doc,” I said and stood to move to him in a rush.
“I have some news, but I figured I’d tell everyone since you had a large group of people the other day.”
“The others are just in the waiting room down the hall. I’ll go get them,” Avery said and left.
While we waited for him to get Bailee, Gary and Brooke’s parents, I tried to read Dr. Simon’s expression. I wanted any sign of what he was going to tell us. Of course, I couldn’t get a read on him because he wasn’t smiling or frowning but looking around the room at the flowers as though to bid his time during the awkward silence.
“We’re here,” Bailee said.
Everyone gathered into the small room.
“Brooke did well. I was able to cut the nerve and remove the entire tumor.”
Sighs of relief could be heard around the room, but I was waiting for the final blow. “And her hand?” I asked.
Dr. Simonfinallysmiled. “I woke her up before coming in here and she was able to move her fingers and make a fist.”
My mother reached me and wrapped me in her arms while everyone else hugged each other. I felt my breath leave my lungs in a relieved rush—a fucking miracle relieved rush. “Thank you,” I whispered.
“I want to keep her here as long as possible. Once she goes home she’ll be in a lot of pain since she won’t be getting the morphine drip. And given what her body has gone through, she’s going to be in a world of hurt.”
