“We’ll see if he’s up to having visitors.”
I closed my eyes, praying for all I was worth.
“Nurse, Jesse hasn’t had anything to eat since breakfast,” Janine said. “If I get her a sandwich, is she allowed to eat it?”
“Of course, as long as you make sure she doesn’t eat on her back, so she won’t choke. This is almost full. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
“Thank you,” I whispered.
Considering all the fluid draining out of me, it was annoying to see I had tears left. Nevertheless, they started tracking down my temples again, soaking into the pillow.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Jesse
Two hours later, Janine and I sat together in the waiting room, holding cups of coffee from the vending machine in the hall. A roast beef sandwich and two dark chocolate bars had brought me back to life. I’d forced Janine to eat a sandwich and a few bites of chocolate, too. Sebastian was still in surgery, and my anxiety level increased with each passing minute.
The waiting room was crowded. What tragedies had brought these people here? What lurked behind their tired eyes and hunched backs? Everyone spoke in hushed voices, the atmosphere reminding me of my dad’s funeral, where everyone whispered, especially those closest to me. Did they think I was made of glass and that the very sound of their voices would shatter me? They’d been right. I’d never felt more fragile than I had that day—until now.
My senses were so heightened I could hear each movement of each hand of the clock mounted on the wall, opposite our uncomfortable chairs. The hands inched around in endless circles, measuring life and death.
Janine slid her phone back into her bag. She’d been texting someone, and now she turned her attention back to me.
“My friend Kim will pick up the kitten from the vet’s and keep him at her place for tonight. She has two cats. Robin will feel at home.”
“Thanks for taking care of this, Janine. I haven’t even thought of poor Robin.” I propped my elbows on my knees, burying my fingers in my hair. “Some cat mom I am, huh?”
She patted my bare knee. “You were too busy saving his dad’s life. Are you feeling better now?”
“I am. I was just a bit weak and dizzy, but that’s passed.”
Actually, I’d almost fainted when I’d gotten up after giving blood. Anxious to get news about Sebastian, I’d stood too quickly and my vision had faded to black. However, the nurse knew her donor idiots well and caught me expertly, making me lie down again. She’d wanted to give me an IV, but I refused. Instead, I chugged two bottles of fruit juice to prove I didn’t need an IV to get fluids into me. The last thing I wanted was to be tied to that bed any longer.
After the juice and some food, most of my physical state improved. The only thing getting worse was the knot in my stomach and the tension running from the follicles of my skin to the deepest nerve endings in my core. I had to see Sebastian. I had a visceral need to know he was alright. What if something had gone wrong during the surgery? What if the blood hadn’t been enough? What if he was already dead, and no one had told us?
I was driving myself crazy. I sprang to my feet and walked over to the large window. I’d learned this route so well in the past hours I could do it with my eyes closed.
The door to the waiting room opened, and I turned to see who it was, my neck familiar with this repetitive motion. This time, it wasn’t in vain. I didn’t know Sebastian’s doctor, but when Janine rushed over, I knew this had to be him.
He was in his late forties, with salt-and-pepper hair, and a matching beard. His eyes looked surprisingly alert, considering that he’d had his hands in people’s innards all day long.
“Doctor, do you have any news about my brother?” Janine asked.
The doctor looked down at the papers he held.
“I do.” His voice was a calm, reassuring baritone. “Mr. Wright is out of surgery and has been transferred to the Intensive Care Unit. Everything went well. We’ve repaired thefemoral artery, and my colleagues from Orthopedics set his shoulder. We’re monitoring him closely.”
His gaze moved to me, as I exhaled a breath that came straight from the bottom of my heart.
Janine wrapped her arm around my shoulders. “Thank you, doctor. This is Sebastian’s girlfriend.”
The doctor’s eyes brightened. “Ah, Ms. Nielsen. You donated some of the blood for Mr. Wright’s surgery. How are you feeling?”
“I’m much better now, thank you.”
He must have sensed my shock at his use of my name.
He smiled. “Nurse Bishop informed me that you’re a regular blood donor. I can’t tell you how much we appreciate people like you. Your generosity and selflessness save lives. Doctors can only do so much. I hope you’ll continue to donate, and after this experience, perhaps you’ll spread the word and bring more friends with you next time.”
