Let Love Live #3
“No, I’m fine. Just wish the doctor would get here already.” We all sit in a row of chairs, facing the door waiting for it to open.
When another hour passes with no news, dread begins to consume me. Teetering on the edge of the unknown, where a life without my sister is a black nothingness on the other side, I reign in my fears, not wanting to lash out just yet.
If I had anything to offer to the God who’d already taken my career, my parents, my hopes and dreams and crushed them, I would give Him anything He wanted just so I could still have Rachel in my life.
As if in slow motion, the door creaks open and we all stand. Out of a combination of instinct and necessity, I reach for Dylan’s hand when Dr. Young walks into the room. Maddy and Reid do the same and we all stand before him, a wall of fear and concern.
“Everything went extremely well,” his words are muffled, but unmistakable even from behind his sea-foam green surgical mask. “Please sit.” He pulls a freestanding chair up to the row of chairs where we were just sitting.
“We’ll be right outside,” Dylan explains, pulling Maddy and Reid with him to give me the privacy he thinks I need.
“No,” I shake my head, “stay, please.” Dylan looks at me with such tenderness; it almost makes the gravity of the situation seem a little bit less. As they’re about to leave, I add, “You guys should stay, too. You’ve been here waiting the whole time.”
With Dylan sitting right next to me, Dr. Young goes over the progress of the surgery offering what he’s sure will be a very good prognosis.
“Can I see her?” My voice wobbles in relief and immeasurable gratitude.
“I’m afraid she won’t be ready for visitors for a few hours. She’s in recovery now and then we have to make sure she’s stable before we move her. You could come back–”
Knowing what he’s going to suggest, I cut him off. “No, I’ll wait. Please come get me when I can see her.” Dr. Young stands and nods, agreeing to take me to her no matter what time it is.
After he leaves, Maddy and Reid stand, making sure there’s nothing else they can do for us before they leave to pick up Braden. “Thank you, both, so much for coming.” They let us know they’re never more than a phone call away, if we need anything and then they’re gone.
When it’s just me and Dylan in the room, I collapse into a chair, letting the weight of the last twelve hours fall away.
Tears of relief burn in my eyes as I hang my head in my hands.
“Come here.” Dylan pulls me into a tight hug, his arms banding around me, taking away some of the pain that had built up in my heart throughout the day.
When the tears turn into a full-blown cry, his hand combs back my hair. With a calming touch and soft words, I relax into him, so thankful that I have him with me. “Thank you for being here,” I mutter against his tear-stained shirt.
With his lips pressed to the top of my head, he says, “Nowhere I’d rather be.”
We stay like that for a long time, both of us eventually dozing. When a nurse comes in to get me a few hours later, she lets me know that I can finally go and see Rachel. Like the pillar of support he’s been all day, Dylan tells me he’ll be right here waiting for me when I get back.
“Now, I don’t want you to be too shocked,” the nurse whose nametag reads Diane, tells me as we stop outside of Rachel’s ICU room.
“She’s heavily sedated and very swollen.
I know it doesn’t look like she’s doing well, but even in the short amount of time she’s been up here, she’s improved.
Take five minutes, hun, but then let her get some rest.” Diane offers a sincere smile and opens the door for me.
Fear clogs my throat, making it almost impossible for me to speak.
Though she’s right here in front of me, I can’t battle back the terror of almost losing her.
With soft footsteps, I approach her bed.
“Hey, Rach.” I hold her hand in mine, immeasurably thankful for its warmth.
“You made it,” I whisper against her skin, a single tear tracking down my cheek.
“You get some rest. I’ll be back in the morning.
” Careful not to disrupt the IV in her hand, I give her one more kiss and tell her I love her.
When I get back into the waiting room, I catch the tail end of Dylan’s phone call to Reid, telling him that Rachel is fine and that we’ll be heading home soon.
He collects the bag that Reid brought in earlier. On the short elevator ride down to the main floor, I rest my head on Dylan’s shoulder, exhaustion taking up residence in every square inch of my body. “What’s in the bag?” I ask through a huge yawn.
“I wasn’t sure how long we’d be here, so I asked Reid to stop at my place and grab a few things in case we stayed the night.” It’s a simple gesture, one I’m sure he didn’t even have to think about twice. But to me, it means so much.
Pulling his face to mine, I say against his lips, “I’m so lucky to have you.”
“No,” he kisses me softly, filled with more emotion than an innocent kiss should ever have, “I’m the lucky one.”