Her vanilla scent, while swallowed by the sterile smell of antiseptic, is still there. Faint, but there, and that is like a channel of energy flowing into my body.
Dr. King smiles before stepping out of the room, closing the door with a soft click to give us some privacy.
"Hi, baby," I murmur, pressing another kiss to her fingers. "I'm here."
I reach one of my hands up and brush a stray, red curl away from her beautiful face. Even now, even pale and bruised and broken, she's still so damn beautiful it makes me ache.
"I'm not going anywhere," I promise her, then huff a laugh. "You'll be lucky to be let out of my sight after this."
I wait. I know she's not going to say anything or move, but I still wait, my hand on her face, careful of the wires.
My finger brushes against her cheekbone, "You were quite sneaky with those papers. I'm sorry you weren't able to give them to me your way. I had to snoop through your purse to find them."
I sit back in the chair and take her hand again, my thumb brushing against the diamond engagement ring and wedding band.
I should upgrade these in honor of our fresh start. My eyes trail to the wedding date on my finger, her name tattooed across my chest, feeling as though it's buzzing.
"Thank you," I croak, my eyes stinging as the tears threaten to escape. "I'll never take this second chance for granted, baby. Never. I promise. You just focus on getting better, and I'll handle everything—just like you've been for so long. I'll do a good job. Not as good as you, but those are big shoes to fill. But, I promise—I will take care of everything. Just... come back to me. Please..."
I sniff and am unwilling to let her hand go, so I use my shoulders to brush away the tears falling from my eyes.
"Atlas," my dad says as he stands in the doorway, his face relieved when he sees Wendy.
Dr. King stands next to him, but says softly, "Just a couple of minutes. Visiting hours are almost over. Atlas, they'll bring in a cot for you to sleep in if you wish."
"Yes," I say instantly, nodding. "Please."
"Hi, sweetheart," my dad says, stepping close on the other side of the bed. He gently lays his big hand in her hair and smiles, shaking his head. "You tough girl."
"The toughest," I rasp, pressing another kiss to her fingers.
"I'm gonna head home. We'll bring the boys by tomorrow to see her, but I'll let them know she's okay—"
"I'll call them," I cut him off, glancing up at him with a shrug. "I promised them."
My dad looks at me in a way he hasn't in quite a while—he looks proud of me. That fills me with warmth. He nods once before bending to press a kiss to Wendy's head, and then comes over to do the same to me.
"Everything will be okay, son. Alright? Don't worry about work or anything but Wendy right now."
I nod, not taking my eyes from my wife's face. My dad quietly exits the room, turning the lights down on the dimmer by the door before he goes.
The only sounds in the room are the machines' beeps and my breathing. I pull my cellphone out of my pocket and see that it's almost ten, the boys should be fast asleep, but I know they're not.
I know they're waiting for me to call.
So I do.
Liam picks up before the first ring is even done. "Daddy?"
I squeeze my eyes closed. The sound of his worried voice calling meDaddyhits me right in the chest.
"Hi, son," my voice is thick, and I swallow to clear my throat. "Is your brother with you?"
"I'm right here, Daddy!" I hear Noah chirp, his voice stressed and wobbly. "Is Mama okay?"
I smile and give a watery laugh, "She's going to be just fine."
Liam sighs in relief, but Noah cheers, and I hear his small footsteps running and calling for my mom. "She's okay, Mom-Mom! She's okay!"
