“I will,” I promised. “Thank you, Doctor, and thank you for saving Sebastian’s life. Can we see him? Or at least, one of us?”
I realized I wasn’t family, but if Janine got to see him, I would still be grateful.
The doctor nodded. “You can both see him, but only one at a time, and only for a couple of minutes. Which of you would like to go first?”
I nudged Janine. “You go first.”
Gratitude filled her eyes, and she squeezed my shoulder. “Thanks. I won’t be long. You’ll get to see him, too.”
After she left with the doctor, I returned to my seat. I finally understood the meaning of the expression ‘weak with relief.’ Following hours of tension, my muscles relaxed and I let my head fall back against the white cement block wall. My body went limp.
He was okay. He was alive. I was going to see him in a few minutes. I didn’t have the energy to swipe at the tears sliding down my cheeks. No matter what Janine said, I would never stop blaming myself for his accident. But all that mattered now was that Sebastian was alive. I didn’t consider recovery time or the ordeal that would follow. I didn’t think of anything except thanking God and the Universe for saving him.
I drank some water and wiped my face. When Janine returned, her face was radiant.
I hurried to my feet as she signaled to me.
“Come on, Jesse. I’ll show you to the ICU, and a nurse will guide you from there.”
“Did you see him? Is he awake? How is he doing?” My questions tumbled one over the other.
She nodded, smiling. “He’s okay. He’s going to be alright. He can’t wait to see you. Actually, he’d dozed off, and when I came in, he called your name before he realized it was me.”
She hadn’t said it with any malice. My heart sang with joy. I was the most important person on Sebastian’s mind.
“Thanks for telling me that, Janine.”
We stopped in front of the door to the ICU, and Janine pressed a button.
“Yes?”
“Here to see Sebastian Wright,” Janine answered.
When the door opened, she pushed me toward the nurses’ station and stepped back. “Go and see your man.”
With one last glance at her, I stepped forward.
A nurse welcomed me warmly. “You’re here to see Mr. Wright.”
The hushed conversations and controlled atmosphere in the corridor lent an air of reverence to the area.
“He’s doing quite well after surgery,” the nurse said. “Follow me.”
My heart beat madly, but my steps were filled with determination. I was nervous about seeing Sebastian. I had to keep a straight face, even if he was badly hurt. I had to handle this calmly and remind myself his injuries were temporary.
Following the nurse, I used hand sanitizer, rubbing the disinfectant all over my fingers and under my nails. No one wanted germs in here.
The nurse led me down the corridor to the ICU. We stopped at the door to Sebastian’s room. His name was on the whiteboard, along with information about his care plan and the visitation rules.
My heart tightened as I stepped into the room and saw Sebastian connected to monitors and IV lines. His eyes were closed. He was very pale, but he was still the most handsome guy I’d ever seen.
The nurse touched my arm gently. “He’s still sleepy from the medication and anesthesia. You can sit with him for a few minutes, hold his hand if you’d like, but please don’t touch anything else, and be careful not to disturb the equipment. Keep your voice low and reassuring. I’ll be back in a couple of minutes,” she added with a kind smile.
“Thank you.”
“He’s been asking for you. You’re a lucky woman.”
It was my turn to smile. “I am. Thank you so much.”
