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I bite my tongue to keep from telling him that that’s not very reassuring.
“Look after her.”
The professor turns to Reef, who nods solemnly. “You know I will,” he replies.
Finally, the professor turns and gives me one last look before walking out of the door. A sense of loneliness washes over me as Cove closes the door behind him and I’m left in the small operating room with him, Reef, Bhodi and Tami.
“Do you want to sit down?” Tami asks me, gesturing to a small but comfy-looking chair in the corner of the room.
I shake my head, unable to find my voice. Tami nods understandingly and turns back to Bhodi, continuing her work.
I wander over to the bed and take in his injuries. His face is bruised and cut, and his shirt is stained with dried blood. I reach out to touch his hand, but it’s cold and lifeless. Panic grips me and I look up at Tami.
“Is he okay?” My voice is barely above a whisper.
“I’ve placed him in a coma. We’re doing everything we can to help him heal.”
“Will he wake up?”
Tami hesitates for a moment before answering. “We can’t say for certain. It’s up to him now. We’ll keep monitoring him and doing everything we can. But he’s a fighter. My best fighter in fact. He’s tougher than tough.”
I nod, tears pricking at the corners of my eyes. I can’t lose him. Not after everything that’s happened.
“We’ll stay here with him,” Reef says, coming to stand beside me. “You should get some rest.”
I shake my head. “I don’t think I can.”
“You need to take care of yourself too,” Tami adds kindly. “You’ve been through a lot today.”
She’s right, but I don’t want to leave Bhodi’s side. I’m scared that if I do, he’ll slip away from me forever. But eventually, exhaustion catches up with me and I sink into the chair in the corner of the room.
* * *
I’m plagued by underwater nightmares, tinted with a greenish hue. I wake sweating and cramped, throwing off the blanket someone must have draped over me and needing to stretch my limbs.
I try to shake off the lingering feeling of dread as I rise from the chair, my eyes adjusting to the dim light filtering through the curtains. Bhodi is still out of it on the table where we left him last night, and I don’t know if it’s wishful thinking on my part, but his colour looks a little better this morning.
I let out a sigh of relief as I approach Bhodi, cautiously checking his pulse to confirm that he’s still alive. A wave of gratitude hits me as his pulse beats strong and steady.
Reaching out, I gently brush a strand of hair away from his face, feeling the weight of his head in my hand. His skin is cold and clammy, and I wonder if he’s caught a fever.
Maybe I’m just worrying myself for no reason. Tami knows what she’s doing, she’s bound to have been checking on him throughout the night.
“Bhodi, I need you to come back to me,” I whisper. “I can’t lose you.”
“Morning, Malia,” Reef’s voice startles me and I jostle against the table, wincing. I hope that Bhodi didn’t feel that. “How did you sleep?”
“Fine,” I lie, tearing my gaze away from Bhodi but unable to meet Reef’s eyes.
“It’s early. You could go back to sleep. There’s a bed in the next room. You’ll have to share with Cove, but it’s better than the chair.”
“Thanks. But I’m alright.”
“Okay. If you change your mind, the offer’s there. And if you need something to help you sleep and keep the nightmares away, I can speak to the doc.”
It’s pointless to ask how he knows, Reef’s always been uncanny at seeing me, so I just nod my thanks and give Bhodi’s hand a squeeze. There’s no response from him.
As Reef leaves the room, the weight of the situation bears down on me. Despite the doctor’s earlier reassurances, I can’t help but feel a sense of helplessness. I know I need to be strong for him, but the exhaustion is weighing on me both mentally and physically.
