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I turn to find the stairs when the elevator doors pop open. Nathan leads me on with Addy, Andrea, and Jack coming in right behind us.
Everyone wears a look of panic. My mind spins with all the possibilities. Is he awake? Is Malcom there with him now? Is he okay? That’s the most important question. Everything else we can deal with later.
The doors open, and I squeeze through them as soon as they’re parted enough. My eyes quickly dart to the signs pointing to rooms 200-210. I take off like a shot, hearing heavy footsteps behind me. Jack somehow beats me to his room, likely due to his long strides eating up the distance.
He bursts into the room, ready to defend Andrew against whatever awaits, but he suddenly stops just as I reach the door. I gently push past him so I have a clear view.
What I find takes my breath away.
A sob tears from my throat as my hand goes to my mouth to cover it. Andrew lies in a hospital bed with bruises and cuts covering his face and arms. Gauze is wrapped around his head, and his eyes are closed. He has an oxygen canula in his nose and wires coming off of him in every direction. He looks every bit like he just survived a horrific car accident.
He doesn’t react to us bursting into his room like Godzilla.
A steady beep, beep, beep from one of the machines is the most beautiful sound I’ve ever heard in my life. He’s alive. Oh, my god, he’s alive. We move into the room, gathering around his bed. Nothing but the steady beep, beep, beep and our hiccups from crying fill the otherwise silent room. He’s alone, and he’s alive.
I take his left hand as Addy and Andrea gather on his right side. When I touch his warm, still hand, I finally collapse into full body sobs. I fold into him, laying my head gently against his chest so I can feel the steady rise and fall of his lungs pulling air in. The THUMP-thump, THUMP-thump of his heart fills my ears.
I’ve never been so relieved in all my fucking life.
Andrea leans over and whispers in his ear, but it’s loud enough to hear. “We’re all here, Brother. All of us, even Charlie. I love you so much.” She sniffs, her eyes squinting closed as her body tenses with a sob she tries to suppress.
Addy cradles the back of my head as she squeezes his right hand. I could have lost him. We all could have, and that’s like a punch to the gut. It’s so powerful we can do nothing but acknowledge it.
“Excuse me. He can only have two visitors at a time.”
I look up to find a young, but tired looking woman in blue scrubs standing in the doorway. Her pretty face looks annoyed.
“Well, tough shit,” I say at the same time, Jack says, “I’m sorry, but we just found out he’s alive.”
He takes the more civil approach and explains the situation, so we don’t get kicked out. I don’t care if she tries. I’m not leaving him. Not now, not ever.
“We really can’t have this many people in his room at once. ICU has much stricter rules than other areas of the hospital. I’m sorry,” the nurse says. I’m sure she’s ready to kick all of us out right this minute. I only tighten my hold on Andrew to feel the steady rise and fall of his chest.
Nathan turns to address the nurse. “I’m Dr. Nathanial Rivers. We’d like to speak to his physician if possible. We greatly appreciate the consideration.” If there’s any hope of protocol being broken, it’s by having a doctor on our side.
“Let me see if I can find him, Dr. Rivers. Still, I really must insist all of you not be in here.” She hesitates, like she can’t decide what to do about all of us.
“We understand the rules. This situation is an exception, I assure you. The on-call physician will understand once we speak with him,” Nathan says in a smooth, confident voice.
I don’t care what this nurse has to say. I won’t leave Andrew, and I’m confident his sisters feel the same way. Nathan and Jack know it, too, which I assume is why the otherwise strait-laced Nathan is laying it on thick with the nurse. I’m sure he’d rather do that than have us get kicked out.
The young nurse only hesitates for a second longer before whispering, “Be right back,” to the room.
I sigh and turn my gaze back to Andrew, taking in his handsome features. He’d look like he was peacefully sleeping if it weren’t for the many cuts, swollen right eye, and the bandage wrapped around his head. I close my eyes, praying his injuries aren’t severe or life threatening.
The room is quiet and thoughtful until Addy breaks the silence. “Well done, Dr. Rivers.” She smirks, and he walks over to wrap his arms around her waist from behind.
“I knew if she tried to kick you three out, security would be called.” He isn’t wrong about that.
A swift knock comes at the door right before it swings open. An older, salt and pepper haired man in a white lab coat breezes in. “Hello, I’m Dr. Pope. Are you Mr. Shaw’s family?”
Andrea immediately steps forward. “Yes, I’m his sister, and so is she.” She gestures towards Addy.
“What about the rest of you?”
“We’re family.” My tone leaves no room for argument, and he seems taken aback by it, but something in my eyes must convey how serious I am. He must decide it’s a fight he won’t win.
He clears his throat. “I spoke to your parents early today and updated them on Mr. Shaw’s condition.”
