Chapter 18
FORD
Ihold Brielle’s hand as she lies in the hospital bed, with the sound of monitors beeping in the background. Her eyes slowly begin to flutter open, and I’m quick to swirl my fingers along the back of her hand.
The nurse who was reading her screen gives me a nod.
I’ve been sitting here for what feels like hours, worried and terrified. I’m not even going to comment on how I must look like shit because it’s nothing compared to her ordeal.
“Elle, baby, hey,” I attempt to greet her back into the world again. She woke a few times already, but she was out of it, so I bet she doesn’t remember.
“Ford.” Her voice is dry and groggy. She blinks a few times, and I can tell she is trying to register where she is.
“You’re okay.”
“Where am I again?” She attempts to move but winces in the process.
The nurse touches her arms to encourage her not to move. “Sweetie, you’re in the hospital. I’m going to grab the doctor, okay?” The nurse leaves the room.
“Hospital, oh yeah,” Brielle seems confused, as she should be. “Fuck, why does it feel like I just gave birth or something?”
My lips twitch before I bring her hand to my mouth for a kiss. “You gave birth to your appendix, if that counts?” I do my best to keep this situation light.
She groans at the realization. “That’s what was happening?”
“Yeah, I’m afraid so. You had emergency surgery.”
“I recall something vaguely.” She seems to be taking in her surroundings. “Where’s Connor?”
“Still with my sister, he knows you’re here. Violet will bring him later.”
The doctor and the nurse returning to the room bring a sense of reality.
The woman in her fifties with glasses gives us a polite smile.
“Brielle, you’re awake again. I’m Dr. Thorpe.
” She comes to stand near Brielle’s monitor.
“You gave everyone quite a scare, but the good news is appendicitis is quite a common occurrence, and now with your appendix gone, you never have to worry about getting it out again.”
“How did this happen?” Brielle asks, a bit weary.
“There are many reasons why this can occur, stress and digestion to name a couple. Luckily, your fiancé called an ambulance and got you here in time so we could do a laparoscopic surgery before the appendix ruptured. That means a quicker recovery time too. Within five days you should probably feel like nothing happened. We gave you antibiotics as a preventive matter because you can be more prone to infection now.”
Brielle attempts to move again but whimpers from the pain, which in turn causes me to tense. I fucking hate seeing her this way and wish I could somehow make it better.
The doctor places her hand on Brielle’s shoulder. “Rest. You can start to move around later today.”
“I’ll make sure she rests.” I’m firm, and the doctor smiles at me.
“I’m confident you will have a full recovery,” the doctor mentions again. “You can go home tomorrow; I want to monitor you for one more day.”
“I can’t even move.” Brielle seems horrified.
The doctor laughs in a comforting way. “It feels like that, I’m sure, but I promise as soon as you start moving, it will quickly get better.”
I notice Brielle’s other hand touch her stomach, and she must feel the bandages.
“They say it is minimal scarring,” I tell her.
The doctor nods. “The bandage is bigger than the wound. You have a small incision by your belly button and another one on your side; it will look like a mole.”
“Oh.” Brielle swallows, and I grab the bottle of water on the side table. She must be thirsty. “What does this mean if I ever want to…”
The doctor looks between us and registers the question. “Have a baby, I presume is what you’re asking?”
“Yeah,” Brielle shyly responds.
“You’ll be fine. Some people find removing the appendix actually helps with fertility and others say to monitor for ectopic pregnancy, but in most cases, there are no problems. Speaking of which, we did take out your IUD as a precaution to prevent infections from spreading, so you will need to make an appointment with your gynecologist to get a new one. ”
“Sure. So, how long after recovery can we…”
My eyes grow impressed that my girl’s mind is already there.
The doctor chortles a laugh. “Probably already in a week or two you can resume intercourse. Rest, and I will check on you during my next rounds.” The doctor smiles one more time before mumbling something to the nurse about offering pain medication.
It doesn’t take long for Brielle and me to be alone again.
“I was so fucking worried. Going out of my mind,” I admit.
She squeezes my hand. “Now you know how I felt every time you had a hockey injury.”
Hell. That’s what I’ve put her through so many times. Even worse is I kept her as my emergency contact for most of the last ten years, so she couldn’t escape it. Then again, I never had anything close to this. My injuries were mostly concussions and the occasional sprains.
“Well, you’ve paid me back in full. That was fucking scary. I don’t ever want to think what life would be like without you in it.”
Brielle looks at me strangely. “Now you’re freaking me out. The doctor did just say that it was a standard procedure, right?”
“She did. Doesn’t mean I didn’t go out of my damn mind.” I offer her the bottle of water that I forgot was in my hand. I bring the bottle to her lips, and she slowly takes a sip, then I set the drink to the side.
A laugh accompanied by a whimper comes from Brielle. “Wait a second… I don’t remember so clearly, but wasn’t I in a towel and nothing else?”
I grin to myself, more because I love how she is doing her best to be in positive spirits. “I found you on the bathroom floor, and yes, you had a robe on, nothing else. I was so concerned and in shock that I didn’t even think to at least get more coverage, so some paramedic got an eyeful.”
“Hope he was hot.” She’s taunting me.
“You must be feeling better if you can throw that line at me, knowing damn well it makes me insane.”
She moves her head against the pillow, looking at me from a different angle. She still looks weak but nothing like last night when we brought her in. I don’t even think she realizes that she was in and out of consciousness for a good part of the night; they gave her a lot of painkillers.
“I’m trying to forget that the last few days have been a complete disaster.”
My heart aches again. This is a time when she should be celebrating. She has worked so hard, and if I’m honest, made the most sacrifices. This isn’t fair in the slightest.
“I’m sorry, Elle.”
I can faintly make out that she shrugs a shoulder. “Not your fault.”
“Still.”
“Fiancé, huh?” She attempts to keep her face neutral, but I see the line of her mouth twitch.
I lean back in my chair, a little bit proud, not of my move but for the fact that, for a little bit anyways, I got to play the part of her future husband again. “You’re more than my girlfriend, and it was the easiest explanation.”
“You really are getting bold.”
“Only when it comes to you.” She smiles lazily before she yawns. “Get some rest. I’ll go grab you some real food, and I think you deserve some fresh flowers or a teddy bear from the gift shop.”
She nods once before her eyes close again. I watch her for a few moments, taking in the view of my sleeping angel before I leave her room.
After stocking up on food supplies and a few gifts from the hospital shop, I make my way back to Brielle’s floor.
Alone in the elevator, I reflect that the last time I saw Brielle in the hospital as a patient was when our son was born.
I wasn’t there at the start. I had to drive down from a game that I was supposed to have.
Brielle’s mom was with her, and although her mother was kind enough to acknowledge that it was a special moment for us, she only let Brielle and I have a few minutes together.
Brielle was in pain then, but I dare say nothing compared to last night, which is why I felt like the earth was shattering.
When the doors of the elevator open, I walk out and turn the corner. I feel like I’m stepping out into déjà vu because there by Brielle’s door are her parents, and for some godforsaken reason, my own father.
My body instantly tenses, and my face hardens.
Why they are all here is a surprise, or maybe it shouldn’t be.
I called Brielle’s parents when she was in surgery because it’s the decent thing to do.
It’s what I would want if Connor was ever in a similar situation, but having everyone here is kind of the last thing Brielle needs.
Throughout the years, we’ve all kept our distance from one another.
Respecting everyone’s roles, yet in no way becoming a tight family unit.
As much as I hate to admit it, even shitty parents can become amazing grandparents, and that’s what they all are to Connor.
The only time that we really all come face to face is Connor’s birthday once a year or the occasional hockey game that Connor may play.
But here we are now, and I can’t read anyone’s expression.
Brielle’s parents, Kerry and Jim, are the first to step forward. Her mom is soft in features, and her temperament is much like Brielle’s, which means she is the least of my concerns.
“We were worried,” Kerry mentions.
It’s understandable. “I can imagine. Sorry, I was going to call again when Brielle is settled. Have you seen her?”
“Not yet.” She holds onto her husband’s arm.
“Strange timing, huh?” Jim’s face is solidified, and accompanied by his dark polo and peppered hair, then he isn’t exactly the picture of peace.
I set the bag of food on a chair nearby. “What does that mean?”
“Jim,” Kerry nearly scolds him.
He shakes off Kerry’s hold. “No. Just when Brielle finally gets everything she’s waited for, he has to come right in and screw it up for her again.”
“What the hell? How is appendicitis my fault?” I’m quick to defend.