Under the Viaduct, H. Anderson [top young adult novels .TXT] 📗

bullet missed your subclavian artery by about five millimeters. Had it punctured that artery, you would have bled out in minutes. As it was, you were minutes away from dying due to blood loss without the artery being damaged. We transfused two units of blood. I removed the bullet and repaired your shattered clavicle using a few metal plates and screws. I project that you’ll regain full function of your arm and shoulder barring any unseen nerve damage.”

Dr. Bennet reached over and pressed on Blayne’s left hand. “Can you feel that?”

Blayne nodded.

“Wiggle your fingers for me.”

Blayne complied.

The doctor nodded. “You’re getting antibiotics now. As per your request as we wheeled you into the operating room, you’ve been given no narcotics. Your surgical site should still be numb for a few more hours thanks to the nerve block, but it’s going to be flaring with pain when that wears off. Are you still refusing narcotics?”

“Yes. I don’t want any narcotics.”

“Okay. I’ll write an order for ketorolac, it’s like a super ibuprofen, NSAID. That should take the edge off, at least. Do you have any questions for me?”

“When can I get out of here? And when can I go back to work?” Blayne asked.

“I anticipate that I’ll be able to release you sometime tomorrow. As far as work goes, you will not be able to do any moderate to heavy labor or lifting for about six weeks. You’ll be in that sling for about two weeks and probably need some physical therapy. Hopefully your work can accommodate that.”

Blayne sighed. “I hope so.”

After the doctor left the room, Tammy, Kaylee’s nurse, said, “I’d better get you back to your room before the neuro team does their rounds.”

“Okay,” Kaylee said. “Thank you so much for bringing me down here. Can I have just a couple more minutes, please?”

Tammy smiled and nodded.

Allie patted Blayne’s hand. “I guess you won’t be signing to me for a few weeks. You’re going to have to shave soon or I won’t be able to read your lips, either.” She bent over and kissed his cheek then whispered, “Thank you for saving my friend.”

“Thank you for being there when we both needed you.”

Allie winked at him then left the room with Tammy.

“I need to tell you something,” Kaylee said.

“I don’t like the way you said that.” His voice trailed off, and his eyes closed for a bit longer than a normal blink.

“Well, the reason I was at your apartment was to tell you that Mama C… I went to check on her and she was worse. Much worse.”

“Is she…” Panic rose in his voice.

“She’s alive,” Kaylee hurried to say. “But it doesn’t look good. I called an ambulance. They brought her here, and I went straight to your house. I haven’t seen her since then. She’s in the ICU.”

Blayne let go of her hand and grabbed the side rail to pull himself up. His face paled, and he fell back against the bed. “I need to see her.”

“I know.” She caressed his arm. “Get some rest first. It’s too early in the morning to be visiting, anyway. We’ll sneak down later.”

“That’s right,” he mumbled, eyes closed. “I forgot it was practically the middle of the night.”

Kaylee put her tired, achy muscles to work one more time to stand and brush his lips with hers. “I love you, Blayne,” she whispered.

His lips twitched to a smile. “Love you, too. So much.”

She brushed his hair back and stared at his sleeping face until Tammy came back in to take her back to her room.

The rattling of Mama C’s labored breaths filled the otherwise silent room. Kaylee gripped the door to steady herself. As soon as the neuro doctor had said she could get up and walk around, she’d headed to the MICU to see Mama C.

It was late afternoon. Allie had gone to her nursing clinicals and Blayne was sleeping when she’d peeked in on him.

A nurse stood at the bedside, trying to get Mama C to drink some water. “It looks like you have a visitor, Mrs. Watson.” As the nurse slipped past Kaylee she whispered, “Try to get her to drink something.”

Kaylee nodded and moved into the room. She leaned over Mama C so she could see into her eyes. “Mama. It’s so good to see you.”

The old woman’s eyes widened. “What happened,” she paused for breath, then continued, “to you?”

“Don’t worry about me. I’m fine. I just took a tumble down some stairs.” It wasn’t a complete lie. “They tell me you aren’t doing so great.”

“It’s my time to go, dear.” She patted Kaylee’s hand.

“No. No,” said Kaylee. “There has to be more they can do than just give you oxygen!”

Mama C coughed then took several minutes to catch her breath before responding. “I don’t want them to, Kaylee. You listen to me, okay?”

Kaylee nodded, fighting back tears.

“If my heart stops, don’t you dare let ‘em pound on my chest. You tell ‘em just let me go be with my…” Another fit of coughing cut her off. It sounded like her lungs were full of gunk. An alarm started beeping, and the nurse came back in.

Kaylee looked at her questioningly.

“It’s her oxygen. Every time she has one of these coughing spells, her O2 drops.” She laid a hand on Mama C’s arm and shook her head. “She’s refusing to be intubated or even to have CPaP.”

Mama’s eyes pleaded with Kaylee. “I want to go be with my Daniel and Gene. I want to see my Savior.”

“How can you believe in God after what has happened to you?” Kaylee spit out before thinking.

Mama C narrowed her eyes. “How do you know?”

“I dug a little into your past.” Kaylee looked away from her.

“Nosy college girl.”

Kaylee let out a sound that was half laugh/half cry. “How can you still believe?” she asked again.

Mama C grabbed her arm with a strength that belied her condition. “God is my only hope. He’s the only way back to them.”

“Mrs. Watson, you need