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“No, I’m staying,” I tell him, turning to claim the seat to my right.
“Okay.” My brother nods, following Henna out of the waiting room moments later.
——
Ispend the next fourhours in the waiting room of the emergency room. While Chuck and Tina have been able to distract me with some small pockets of conversation, I still haven’t been able to shut my mind off. It’s like it’s been playing the worst-case scenario over and over in my head for hours. The more time that passes, the more anxious I become. To the point that I feel seconds away from crawling out of my own skin.
I keep waiting for the doctor to walk out and say she didn’t make it. People die in surgery. It happens every day. Even when you think there’s nothing to worry about. I’ve seen the worst-case scenario play out right in front of me. I’ve lived it. And I don’t want to ever live it again.
By the time the doctor finally does make an appearance, I’m so convinced I know what he’ll say I can barely stand to listen.
I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop. The inevitablebutthat always follows. Only it never comes.
According to him, Peyton’s surgery went flawlessly, and while she will have a long road of recovery ahead of her, he sees no reason why she won’t make a full one.
The better the news, the heavier my chest feels. The weight crushing down on me by the second, making it harder and harder to breathe.
I don’t know why, or what drives my actions, but one minute I’m standing next to Peyton’s parents and the next I’m in my car, speeding away like my life depends on it.
