“Yes, Amy.” The doctor’s voice was patient. “We need to prepare Alessia for surgery anyway. Please don’t speed and have an accident. Your sister is going to need you after her operation, and I don’t fancy having to care for both of you. Your sister is hard enough work,” he joked.
I sucked in a breath. “I’ll be careful. I promise, but can you—” My mv voice broke. “Can you tell her I’m coming?”
I don’t know why that was important, but it was.
“Of course.”
The call ended just as Mrs. Cole appeared again, some sneakers and a coat in her hand. I slipped them on quickly.
“Micah.”
“Two minutes,” she promised as she ripped my coat up like I was a child. “Have you told Alexei?”
I paused. Honestly, it hadn’t even entered my mind. My hand shaking, I made the call.
“Hello?” he answered on the second ring, sounding breathless. “Hello, Amy, can you hear me?”
Barely, the background noise was loud. It sounded like he was shopping.
“Yeah.” Suddenly, this felt like a mistake, and I stumbled over my words.
“Is something wrong?” His voice was sharp. “Has something happened?”
“They have found a heart for Alessia.”
I heard his sharp intake of breath. “OK, OK, Amy. That’s a good thing. Get to the hospital as soon as you can, and I’ll meet you there, OK?”
“You are coming?”
“Of course, I am coming. My place is by your side, Amy. I am your husband.”
Until that moment, I didn’t realize I needed him. Tears stung my eyes, and I blinked them away. “Thank you, Alexei. I need you there with me. I am so scared.”
“It’s going to be alright, Amy. Just get there, and I’ll be there as fast as I can.”
“Thank you,” I whispered, but the line was already dead.
Hours went by,and then some more.
Time dragged and then seemed to stop altogether, and no one came. Every time the waiting room door opened, I lifted my head, my heart exploding with the hope that it was either the doctor or my husband.
It was always neither.
Micah was the only one who came to check on me, always asking how I was in a soft, almost gentle voice, his arms full of snacks and water. I thanked him every single time and put them on the chair next to me. Untouched.
Eleven hours after my sister had been taken down to surgery, I had a stockpile of food and drink that could last me a week, and still no one came. Without meaning to, I glanced at the clock on the wall above the door and frowned.
It had been less than two minutes since I had last looked. How was that possible? It felt like at least three hours. My muscles screamed as I shifted position after sitting with my legs curled up under me for so long, but I ignored the pain.
Pain was good. It brought me back to reality. Placing my feet firmly on the floor, I dropped my head to my hands and tried to regulate my breathing. It was taking too long. The doctor said no more than eight hours, and it had been half a day already.
Something was wrong. I could feel it in my chest, which was strangely tight, like a metal band was slowly squeezing the life out of me. That’s how it felt, like I was being constricted to death. Was my sister dying?
The thought made a wet sob rip its way out of my throat. We had always been close. Was the fact that it felt like I couldn’t breathe because she couldn’t. Was Alesia losing her battle?
“I love you.” Her last words rushed through my mind, as the room around me blurred. “Remember that, Amy, whatever happens, I just want you to be happy.”
I had cut her off. Pressing my lips to her head. “Hush now, that sounds too much like goodbye, and I won’t have it.”
