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I turn and begin my vigil by my mother's bedside, taking her hand in mine.
I know she can't hear me, but I talk to her anyway, telling her all about what happened between Jon and me, leaving out the more graphic details (although I'm sure she'd be pleased to hear them) and telling her that I'm going to give Jon a chance so that I can either be with him or cross him off my list. I wish she was better and could offer some motherly advice, but that will come – hopefully as soon as she's better and back home.
My father returns about fifteen minutes later. He holds up a bottle of my favorite iced green tea and I'm glad that he thought to bring some for me. I turn back to my mom and tell her I'll be back later. I kiss her cheek and squeeze her hand and then leave.
"Here, sweets," my dad says, handing me the bottle of green tea. "I'll sit with her for a while. You can go home whenever you want, but I'm staying."
"I'll stay, too."
He goes back in beside her, taking the chair I vacated and I return to the family lounge and take out my laptop and message Marina.
INDIA: I'm here. Mom is still sedated, but they should start withdrawing the drugs tomorrow once they do another scan to see if the swelling's gone done.
MARINA: Oh, poor you! You must be so scared. Take it easy and let me know when she comes out of it and how she is. How are you holding up?
INDIA: I'm fine. Jon brought my stuff from the airport. I won’t be going in to work tomorrow.
MARINA: Oh, that's good. He doesn’t need you tomorrow or probably for a few days. That man works you too damn hard. Take a few days off. If you're up to it, you can come to my party on Saturday and meet my latest conquest for you.
Damn. I forgot about Marina and her damn dating app match. I don’t want her to know what happened between Jon and me in Washington. She'll kill me.
INDIA: I don't really think I'll be up to meeting some new man, Marina. My mom is seriously injured.
MARINA: Of course not. It's entirely up to you. Play it by ear, of course. I think you'll really like this guy, though. According to MATCHED, he ticks all your boxes. Things like your mother's fall make it all too clear how short life is and how things can change in an instant. Don't put off things that are important because there may not be a tomorrow.
INDIA: Of course you're right. But at the moment, meeting someone new is the last thing on my mind.
MARINA: As I say, play it by ear. We can always reschedule the date.
INDIA: Okay. Deal. If I don’t feel up to the party, I'll cancel.
Marina says goodnight and I sit and read my Facebook feed, losing myself for a while in the mindlessness o
f social media while I wait to spell off my father at my mother's side.
I spend another couple of shifts with my mom before I finally crash on the sofa when they turn the lights off. My dad has a recliner in the ICU room with my mom, so he sleeps at her side. I wake frequently as the doctors and nurses move around the hallways, visiting with patients and checking their stats.
When the sun rises, the bright light peering in from beneath the blinds at the family room window, I sit up and stretch. My neck is sore from the hard arm of the sofa I slept on, but at least I got some sleep.
I go to the washroom and am thankful that Jon brought my suitcase so I can brush my teeth and change my underwear. After I've freshened up, I slip in to my mom's room. My dad must be in the bathroom or maybe down at the cafeteria.
A nurse comes in while I'm there and checks on my mother. She smiles at me.
"She had a good night," she says with a smile. "They'll probably reduce her sedation today to see how she does."
"Thanks," I say, glad that the nurses are so good and attentive – not only to my mom's needs, but also her family's needs.
When my father returns, he has two cups of coffee in his hand and he looks like he's brushed his hair.
"I bought a toothbrush down at the gift shop and washed my face. I feel like a new man with the caffeine. Here," he says and hands me one. "I got you one. One Splenda, right?"
"Thanks. I need some," I say and take the cup. "You can sit with her for a while. I'll go and get some breakfast."
I trade places with my dad and leave him, taking my laptop and cup of coffee and head to the cafeteria.
Gradually, over the course of the day, my mom's stats improve.
Jon texts me to let me know that the staff meeting went well and that if I want him to come by, he'll be here in fifteen, but I put him off again.
