“In most traumas, they don’t immediately know names, just the condition of the patient,” I say, even though, as an ER nurse, she likely already knows this. I grab her tighter. “Hang on, Liv. We are almost there.”
Theo turns, and we’re heading toward the ER parking lot. He swings into a parking spot, and we jump out.
Liv starts running, and we follow behind.
“I’ll meet you guys inside,” I call after them.
Although my ankle improved earlier, the adrenaline rush from the last hour is running out, and my ankle begins to throb. I get to the doors slowly and walk inside. Liv is by the nurse’s station, talking to someone she seems familiar with. I walk up, and she turns to me. Her eyes are still blank but filled with tears as before.
“They’re evaluating him in one of the trauma rooms. He’ll head down to get a CT scan soon. They can’t give us any more than that because of patient confidentiality.” I kind of figured that out, but I just nodded. “Let’s find a place to sit and wait. Are his parents on their way?”
“I…I have no idea.” She gets a little frantic and grabs her phone to call them just as a woman in her early fifties runs to the desk asking about Brodie.
Liv gets up quickly and runs over to her. I see them embrace, and she looks toward the waiting area straight at me. She turns straight back to Liv, and they continue talking. My friends make it over to me and find seats as the waiting room quickly starts to fill up with family and friends waiting on any news about Brodie.
Liv walks back over to me and is joined by Ainsley, Val, and Emma. The girls embrace as they walk, doing their best to offer support. Brodie’s friends are here too. Everyone looked grim and anxious to get an update. The time ticks by, and after what feels like forever, the ER doctor and surgeon come out to speak with Brodie’s mother. Liv tenses next to me. She doesn’t stand to go with them but sits frozen, eyes locked on the conversation. I struggle to listen to the chit-chat around me. I don’t know Brodie and don’t want to eavesdrop, but for Liv’s sake, I want to know what’s going on.
I hear them explain the emergency surgery he needs and its risks. Brodie’s mother sobs, her body shaking with each breath she takes. A family member guides her from the room. A nurse soon returns, advising us to go to the second-floor surgical waiting area. Part of me feels like I should leave. I barely know Liv, and I certainly don’t know Brodie. But it’s physically painful to think of leaving her. I couldn’t walk away right now if I tried. The next couple of hours pass in a haze. Everyone is emotionally and physically exhausted. Every once in a while, I hear a hushed murmur or someone stands to stretch, but otherwise, the room is quiet. The silence is broken when a tall man about the same age as Brodie’s mom runs over agitatedly. He wants to know exactly what’s happening and who is taking care of his son. He causes quite a commotion as we all sit there watching this transpire.
Liv looks at me and whispers, “His dad is remarried and lives in Houston. He’s a neurosurgeon and quite full of himself.”
I nod in response, thinking; hopefully, this is the change we need to hear some news soon.
After another painfully long hour, a man wearing blue scrubs accompanied by a female in similar attire exits the operating room doors and asks for the family of Brodie. It’s as if time stands still. You could hear a pin drop as Brodie’s parents stood and walked toward them. Their hushed voices are too faint to make out. But everyone’s gaze is laser-focused on the conversation happening in the room.
The surgeon speaks, and almost immediately, his mom raises her hands to her mouth, and a sob escapes before she cries out, almost crumbling to the floor. His dad shakes his head as if he didn’t hear something right and then begins asking spitfire questions, not allowing a moment to pause for an answer. The surgeon listens patiently and offers a few answers. His dad puts his hands up to his eyes and lowers his head. The surgeon touches his shoulder and says something to them before walking toward our group. As he gets closer, Liv pulls her hand from me and stands.
The surgeon stops at our group and says, “Is there a Liv here?”
I look at Liv as she stares at him, stunned and unable to speak. I give her a gentle nudge from the side.
The surgeon begins to speak, “Brodie is awake and is asking for you specifically. He wants to see you.”
Liv gasps, and I let a breath out that I didn't realize I was holding in. I bring Liv’s hand to my lips and place a gentle kiss on it. She squeezes my hand quickly and looks down at me. Her eyes are red, and tears are about to fall.
“I have to go,” she breathes.
I release her hand, and she steps away from me. Without saying the words, we both know this is goodbye. I see her slowly walk away, following the doctor. She falters when she gets to the door, and I almost think she’s going to stop. But she just straightens her shoulders and continues. I guess this truly is goodbye, at least for now.
ChapterNine
Liv
They saythat if you love something, you should set it free. As I stand to follow the surgeon that leads me away from Dax, this is the phrase that runs through my mind. I think about all the possibilities that could have been. Is what I’m feeling for him love? It’s only been a couple of days. How could that be possible? But I know I haven’t felt this way before about anyone. The feelings we shared in that short time were electric. A wave of shame washes over me as I realize I have never even had feelings like this with Brodie.
We were friends for so long that our romantic relationship fell into place. More out of convenience than because of love. As I amble behind the doctor, our relationship flashes before me, and the truth of it all stares me in the face. He was a good friend, but the spark was missing—the ovary-flipping, skin-tingling, panty-twisting lust that I naturally have with Dax. The man I apparently just set free. When did I become Brodie’s crutch? His enabler. Someone who was there for him when he fell into self-destructive behaviors. Like now. But how can I walk away? The guilt would wreck me. It’s wrecking me now.
I follow the doctor down a long hallway, and he pauses in front of the door.
“He asked for you as soon as he woke up from surgery. I’m not sure how much he remembers what we told him. It’s going to take a while for him to come to terms with the fact that he is now paralyzed.”
Paralyzed. The word shocks me to my core. The world seems to stop as the meaning of what he just said sinks in.
“He’s paralyzed?” I hear my trembling voice say.
“Yes, I’m so sorry. We can talk more about what this means for him tomorrow. I know he just wants to see you. I’ll give you both a minute.”
He turns and walks off to the nurse’s station, leaving me alone in the hallway. I close my eyes and take a deep breath before putting my hand on the cold door and pushing it slowly open. The dim overhead lights glow from behind his bed, casting a little light over his still body. The only sound I hear is seemingly endless wires and tubes running from under his sheets and a steady “beep” from the machine next to him. His skin is pale, and his eyes are closed. My heart beats faster as I stare at my past lying motionless in front of me. The door clicks shut behind me, and I flinch, scared I’ll wake him, but he doesn’t move. Slowly I walk into the room and pause at the side of his bed.
