AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The doctor’s words were like muddy water in my ears. I heard her but felt as if she were talking about something distant. Someone else.
“We’ve intubated Miss Cunningham and she is on a ventilator. So far she’s responded well, but we’re still in the early stages.”
“She can’t breathe?” Kane was stiff as the surgeon spoke.
Dr. Schaffer pressed her lips together. “Not without assistance.”
“Why?”
“She sustained significant trauma in the chest area. One of her broken ribs punctured her lung. I can’t say for certain if that is the primary cause or if it’s the injury to her cerebrum.”
“What does that mean?” I whispered. “Is her brain . . .” I couldn’t finish the thought.
“At this point there’s no reason to think she won’t regain full function if she overcomes her other injuries.” For the first time, she looked at me mother-to-mother. “Miss Cunningham has multiple broken bones. I’m also concerned about the loss of sight in one eye due to the laceration on her face.” She put her hands in her lab coat pocket.
My legs gave way. Brain injury? Loss of sight? Couldn’t breathe? Broken bones? Punctured lung?
Was there any part of my baby in one piece?
“What’s the prognosis? How soon will she be out of here?” Kane worked his jaw as if he were barely holding himself together.
“I pride myself on being as honest as I can. It’s too early to tell. Our primary objective right now is to monitor any swelling on the brain and to keep her breathing. And I need to know if that’s your wish. To keep her on the ventilator?”
“Absolutely, yes. We want her alive.” Kane said the words I would have if I could speak. If the doctor was asking this sort of thing . . . I squeezed my eyes shut.
It was bad.
A strong arm went around my shoulders.
“We’ve moved her to ICU. I can allow you a couple of minutes to see her, but you cannot go in the room.” Dr. Schaffer motioned behind her.
My feet moved before I thought.
She led us into the bowels of the hospital.
Penelope. I’m coming, sweetheart. Mom is coming.
My eyes burned. Everything became a blurry vision.
Memories of Penelope from the moment she was born until this morning when we’d left the apartment raced through my brain.
I struggled for air.
Everything hurt.
My baby.
Not my sweet baby.
Kane’s mouth moved as he steered me forward. I couldn’t hear.
My cheeks were soaked.
All I felt was soul-crushing pain.
A world without Penelope wasn’t worth living in. I needed her.
Needed to hold her.
