Black Friday (Maggie O'Dell) by Kava Alex

Author:Kava, Alex [Kava, Alex]
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Publisher: Mira
Published: 2010-07-31T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER

41

Henry Lee sat next to his wife’s bed, staring at the tubes connecting her to a half a dozen machines. The biggest tube that came out from under the covers at the foot of the bed held his attention. Yellow and red fluids pumped through it, mixing into a spiral of pink. It nauseated him whenever he let himself think that fluid was actually being pumped out of Hannah.

He watched the tubes because he couldn’t quite look directly at her. She was bloated beyond recognition, thin lips shoved apart by more tubes down her throat. Her eye-lids fluttered and sometimes he caught her looking for him. Did she know he was here? He grabbed her hand and squeezed.

“That’s good.” The nurse noticed as she came into the intensive care room. “She’s going to be a little uncomfortable as she starts to notice the tube down her throat. We’re easing back on the morphine so she’ll wake up.”

“Uncomfortable?” He didn’t like the sound of that. He didn’t want her to be in pain. He stood and wrapped Hannah’s hand in both of his.

“It’s okay.” The nurse recognized his angst. “We need her to be a little more awake and alert so when we pull the tube out she’ll breathe on her own. Otherwise heart patients want to sleep and let the machine continue to do all the work for them.”

“But she’ll be in pain?” He wasn’t satisfied.

“Uncomfortable.” The nurse corrected him. “As soon as we get it out, we’ll be able to increase the dose again. It won’t take long.”

Hannah was staring up at him now, eyes blurred but she looked like she was trying to tell him that she hurt. Though her arms were poked with needles and tubes she was attempting to reach up to her throat, glassy eyes imploring him to help her. It killed him to see her like this.

“She’ll be okay,” the nurse said. “I’m going to need you to step out of the room while we take the tube out.”

He didn’t move. He didn’t want to leave her. Her eyes kept pleading with him. How could he leave?

The nurse put a hand on his shoulder.

“It’ll only be a few minutes. I’ll come get you just as soon as we’re finished.”

He tried to keep his face from wincing or showing his concern. No, it wasn’t just concern. Who was he fooling? It was fear…pure and simple. He could not lose this woman. Losing a daughter was one thing, like cutting off one of his arms. But Hannah? That would be like ripping out his own heart. You can survive without an arm. It’s tough as hell but you find a way. Without Hannah? No, he’d never be strong enough to survive without her.

“I’ll be right here, Hannah. The nurse is going to take good care of you.” Then he added as if he needed to hear it out loud, “You’re going to be just fine.”

He walked out of the room, his knees so weak he had to put his hand up against the wall to steady himself.

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