FORTY-NINE
♛Cameron Dawson♛
I don't get to say goodbye or kiss her good luck before she's being wheeled into theatre, leaving me behind to watch the panicked nurses rush around her. I stand in the hallway where she's disappeared through and feel an overwhelming sense of hopelessness wash over me.
I only turn around when I hear frantic yells from behind me. When I glance over my shoulder, I see Olivia running up to me while her face is arranged in a scowl.
"You!" She yells, pointing a finger at me when she's up close. "This is all your fault!" She shouts, her face red and rage evident. "You... you're the one who taught her to race." Olivia rams a fist into my chest but her words manage to hurt more. "You- you..." her hands fly around in frustration while she tries to find her words but soon enough she's bursting into tears. "I can't lose her."
I embrace her in a hug, one that silences her rage and accusations but brings about a wave of sobs that make her body rack up and down. I rest my cheek on her head, the tears in my eyes not willing to fall. I wish I would cry. It would make me feel better.
Olivia and I push all resentment and dislike for each other aside as we cry for the one girl we both love and care for so deeply. No more words are uttered and no more anger is present. The only things we both feel is sorrow, so much sorrow that I almost want to bash my head against the wall to make it go away.
As we stand in the hallway, I wonder if Harley will ever be returning out from it.
****
Seconds turn to minutes, minutes turn to hours. It's like time crawls, sardonically torturing us. Olivia stays slumped over in her chair, her head rested in her hands. Her cries stop for a little before they come back but I don't shed a tear.
I feel numb. Like everything is falling apart and I have no way to put it back together. My girlfriend is in theatre, fighting for her life and Frank- the bastard who caused this- is still running around. I stare straight ahead and wonder what news they'll tell us when the doctor walks out of those doors.
Will he say he tried his best? That there was nothing more they could do?
My hands itch to break something.
I can't lose Harley. She's the only person who has seen me for me and accepted me like that, allowing me to embrace it. She's the reason I wake up every morning, the reason I love the colour blue. Harley is my oxygen and I'm afraid that without her I'll be as good as dead.
Footsteps are heard before Caleb and Audrey rush in. I stand to my feet the minute I see them and Audrey immediately takes me into a hug. Her words are one big blur that I don't manage to make out. She pulls apart for just a second and Caleb is soon wrapping his arms around me.
I can feel the sympathy radiating from his body and I just want this to be over.
"I'm so sorry man." He says and I nod, turning back.
"You must be Harley's mom?" Audrey asks Olivia and she nods.
"Yes. You are?"
They both introduce each other and after Olivia tells Audrey what the doctors said over the phone- that Harley has a good chance of not making it- Audrey's waterworks break loose too. Caleb is holding her immediately and soon enough Mason And Samantha are zipping towards me as well.
Mason's eyebrows draw together in worry. "What happened?" He asks, pulling me in for a brief embrace. I shake my head, my eyes glancing around. Now isn't the place or time to discuss this.
"The cop I was telling you about." Is all I manage to push out and understanding passes through his eyes.
"Cameron!" Samantha says before Mason can say anything more. "I'm sorry."
I want to yell at them to stop saying sorry because it won't make anything better. It won't miraculously heal Harley, it won't give Frank what he deserves. It's a bunch of meaningless words.
"Have any of the doctors spoken to you?" Mason asks and I shake my head.
"They're still in the theatre. They'll let us know when they're out."
"I don't understand what happened." I hear Audrey mumble to Caleb and I feel the need to tell her. But I don't. I can't. And I doubt she'd really want to know.
I feel my legs weakening and I sit down, closing my eyes tightly and resting my head in my hands. Images of her racing run through my mind and images of her smiling before she'd press her lips against me. The guilt that claws its way up my throat is unbearable and I almost pass out. But there's too many thoughts running through my mind for that to happen.
So I just sit there.
Waiting.
Wondering.
Hoping.
****
Two hours later and I'm still sat in the same hard chair along with everyone else, waiting for some form of information from the doctors. Harley is still in theatre and I think I'm about ready to pull my hair out. I can't cry, I can't scream, I cannot do anything.
Olivia's occasional cries become background noise and Mason and Caleb's words of reassurance go unnoticed while I try and keep it together. Audrey's eyes are red raw and I wonder how a tough girl like her can be so soft the next.
"Excuse me, are any of you Miss Anderson?" A voice suddenly says as a short man steps into the room. His chocolate skin is beaded with sweat and his bald head shines from light in the room. I spring up from my chair with everyone else and Olivia steps towards him, holding her hands up to her mouth.
"Yes, that would be me."
The man shakes her hand. "I'm Dr Philips. I was the surgeon during Miss Harley Anderson's procedure." His brown eyes then glance at the rest of us. "Can I... speak to you for a moment in private, please?"
Olivia nods her head vigorously and follows him around the corner, me trailing their footsteps without permission. Dr Philips turns to me and raises a brow.
"I need to speak to Miss Anderson alone please sir."
I'm about to snap at him when Olivia rests a hand on my arm, "It's alright doctor."
The doctor glances at me briefly before turning back to Miss Anderson and holding up the clipboard, looking through the papers. I try and gauge his reaction- trying to notice the sympathy or happiness in his features.
"Her surgery went well." He starts and I feel my hope slowly build up. "However, she's broken her left arm, has a few stitches on her arms and torso and legs and, of course, a few bruises and grazes on her face. Luckily the break is clean so there's nothing to worry about there, it will heal in a few weeks." Dr Philip says and I almost start to cry with joy when I see the forlorn look on his face. "But, since she's lost a lot of blood, she's currently in a coma."
I freeze.
The world suddenly stops spinning and my ears ring.
"When will she be out of it?" Olivia asks desperately, sniffling once again.
"Well we cannot say for certain. Most of our comatose patients wake at spontaneous moments. It really depends on when her body feels ready. Until then we'll have to wait and hope for the best."
Hope for the best. Like that's going to help.
"I'm deeply sorry that you have to go through with this. We offer counseling to families who have a loved one in such a condition." The doctor tries to comfort but it's a futile attempt.
"When can we see her?" Are the only words that escape my mouth from the last few hours. Dr Philip looks to me.
"You can go now. She's in room thirty-four, just down the hallway and to the left."
"Thank you Doctor." Olivia says, shaking his hand before he stalks off. She then turns to me and I can see the vulnerability in her eyes, the fresh tears.
"I... I need to go outside for a while before I go see her." Olivia says and I nod. She reaches out to touch my arm, her hands trembling. "Go to her. I'll talk to everyone else."
She drops her hand and walks away, leaving me with the difficult task of dragging myself to the room. The door of room thirty-four taunts me as I stand in from of it, preparing myself for the image that lies behind. I lift a shaky hand to the doorknob and twist it open, stepping into the room that's filled with a constant beeping noise.
My eyes fall onto her. Her body is as white as the sheets, as dull and as bleak as the situation. Her eyes are closed shut, a horrendous bruise around her one eye. Her lips are swollen and the gash over her head that was pouring with blood has being bandaged up. Her left arm is in a cast, resting by her side and there are numerous tubes connected to her as her chest rises and falls steadily.
I stare at her for just a second, not being able to recognize her.
I gingerly take a step forward and I reach for her cold hand, taking a seat on the chair beside her bed. My eyes trail over her features- her beautiful freckles, her plump lips and pointy nose. I wonder if I'll ever get to see her stunning hazel eyes alight again.
I feel tears stream out of my eyes silently, running down my face and I sniffle. "Olá hermosa." I mumble out, feeling stupid for talking to her. I expect her to sit up and smile but she doesn't do that. "I'm sorry." I whisper. "I'm so sorry I've dragged you into this mess. I'm sorry you've landed up in a coma and I'm so sorry I've made you live your life in fear for a second time."
The weight feels heavy on my chest.
"I know I don't deserve you and that I'm not worthy of your time but please," I beg, the salty tears flowing faster. "Please wake up. I... I can't do this without you. I need you Harley." My voice cracks. "I love you."
I watch as she doesn't respond before I burst into sobs, my chest heaving up and down as I rest my head on the corner of her bed. I squeeze her hand tightly, wishing it could wake her up and I press a kiss to her grazed hand.
"Te quiero mucho." I utter, my heart crying out as the tears fall one by one.
•••
Don't forget to drop a vote if you enjoyed the chapter please :)
Sorry for missing the update that was scheduled on the 26th. I genuinely lost track of time since school has ended. Anyway, we now have 7 chapters left before the story ends and I can't believe it.
I hope you enjoyed this chapter even though it wasn't the happiest- very far from it actually. If there was one thing I absolutely loved about this chapter it was the fact that Cameron cried. It's such a social construct that men have to be "strong" and not cry so to see Cameron showing an emotion like that because he loves Harley (gaaaahhhh) I think is really beautiful.
Please don't hate me for whatever happens hereafter...
Updates will go back to normal. (Saturday updates)
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