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Open Your Eyes
Maia
I’mtiredofthishallway. I’ve walked it approximately three million times in the last seventy-eight hours. Here I am, walking it again because I’m filled with so much anxious energy, I don’t know what to do with myself.
Things are better. Thank God for that. The swelling in his brain went down, and the doctors said the scans he’s had have looked good. There’s no guarantee what we’ll be dealing with when he wakes up, but they aren’t monitoring that stuff anymore. And as of this morning, he’s no longer being sedated, and they were able to pull out the breathing tube. Now we’re just waiting for him to wake up.
And it’s killing me. I haven’t left the hospital since the night of the accident. I wouldn’t know what time it is if it wasn’t for the giant clock in the waiting room that I check a hundred times an hour. Until I can’t stand it anymore. Then I get up and start pacing the hallway like a zombie. Right now, I’m not even paying attention to what’s in front of me. My eyes are on the floor as my mind spins.
I need him to wake up.
Hands on my arms stop me in my tracks. I look up and see Vince. He pulls me to him and I collapse against his chest. A moment later, a hand slides into mine. I turn to see Leigh, who gives me a soft smile. Nick is next to her. The four of us turn toward each other, standing together as we have so many times over the last couple of days. We stand in silence for several minutes, the weight of everything settling between us. No words do it justice.
Meredith and Hank walk back into the waiting room. Meredith gives me a slow nod, our silent communication that I can go in—and he’s still not awake. I nod back and turn in the other direction when I hear a soft cooing. I turn to see Harper in my mother’s arms.
My heart melts as I extend my arms. “Hi, baby.” I hold her close and kiss her head. It’s been hard being away from her these last couple of days, but I feel like this is where I’m supposed to be.
One more tight squeeze and I hand her to Vince, then make my way to Braden’s room. Like always, I stop outside the door and mentally prepare myself. At least the swelling all over his body has gone down, and without all the tubes and with less monitoring, he looks more like himself now.
I walk in and take my place in the chair beside his bed. Grabbing his hand, I start talking. Mostly because I don’t know what else to do and I’m tired of silence.
“Hey. So, Harper is out in the waiting room. I kind of want to bring her in, but I don’t know what she’d do.” I’ve spent the last three days being positive and upbeat, but the heaviness in my heart can’t hold it anymore. “She needs you, Braden. Please wake up. Come back to us. Please, Braden… please.”
I squeeze his hand tightly. Shock grips me as he softly squeezes my hand back. Then there’s a low groaning noise.
I stand up, staring at him as his body shifts and he continues to groan.
“Braden…?”
