Total pages in book: 107
Estimated words: 100750 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 504(@200wpm)___ 403(@250wpm)___ 336(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100750 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 504(@200wpm)___ 403(@250wpm)___ 336(@300wpm)
“Will he regain consciousness?” Pearce asked.
“Yes, if all goes as planned, Grayson will be coherent by the afternoon,” Gilbert said.
“Great,” Pearce said with a half chuckle. “He’s going to be pissed he missed March Madness.”
Reid and Gilbert groaned.
“Let’s not tell him right away,” Gilbert suggested.
“Makes me appreciate the lack of television in the ICU,” Reid added.
Luther chuckled. “He’s going to be pissed off, that’s for sure, but he’s neither a UConn nor San Diego State fan, so maybe he won’t be that mad.”
“That’s what we’ll say when he figures out that he’s missed some time,” Gilbert said. “We’ll play it off like the game wasn’t worth watching.”
“I like the way you think,” Pearce added.
They sat there another hour, watching the clock and Sydney’s phone. When the screen finally lit up, she waited for a couple of rings, the fear of not knowing clear in her wide brown eyes. With a shaky hand, she picked up the phone and answered. Everyone at the table waited with bated breath for her to show some sort of recognition on her face. When she hung up, she had four sets of eyes studying her.
“Well?” Gilbert said before Sydney could open her mouth.
“Surgery was successful.”
Everyone exhaled in relief.
“The new heart started beating as soon as the arteries and veins joined. It was like this heart was meant for Grayson.” Sydney sobbed at the end, and Gilbert brought his wife into his arms. He held her and shed his own tears.
Reid, Pearce, and Luther found that they were crying as well. Reid would never admit this to anyone, but there was a time when she thought this day would never come, or it would be too late. The longer Grayson needed the machines to stay alive, the more his body deteriorated.
They cleaned their space, thanked the overnight workers for accommodating them for hours, and headed toward the ICU. Once Grayson was out of recovery and back in his room, Sydney and Gilbert would stay with him until he woke; then Reid and Pearce could go in. Luther said his goodbyes, kissed his daughter, and headed home to get a nap in before he had to go to work. He told them he expected a text later, letting him know Grayson had woken up, and said he’d happily share the March Madness news when the time was right.
Now, they waited.
Back on the floor, they sat in the waiting room, with the television muted and next to other family members who were waiting for visiting hours to start. There was an unwritten rule that you didn’t ask about others in the unit, but after being there for so long, it was nice to talk to people. Reid had learned about a couple of the others staying on the floor. One woman had had a kidney transplant. Her daughter, who didn’t have a great relationship with her mother, was the donor. Reid thought the situation was a bit odd but kept her thoughts to herself. Another woman had severe pneumonia and needed constant monitoring.
When Sydney and Gilbert finally got the call, they were out of there like their asses were on fire, leaving Pearce and Reid to wait. Anxious, she ran her hands over her pants and told Pearce she couldn’t sit there any longer.
He followed her out of the room and directed her to the coffee station, even though they’d drunk enough through the night and really didn’t need any more. Pearce guided her to the end of the hallway, where a large picture window and bench were. They sat and stared out the window.
Clouds covered the sky and blocked the sun from shining through as it rose. Reid focused on the orange ball of fire and tried to recall the last time she’d watched the sunrise. She needed the sun, and wanted to feel its warmth on her face. Reid leaned forward and cast her eyes upward, in hopes of seeing a ray or two.
Nothing.
Resigned, she rested against the wall and sipped the stale coffee. “You know, someone should man the coffee station.”
“I’m sure they have someone who’s supposed to do it, when they aren’t covering a million other things,” Pearce said as he leaned against the glass. “Freaking clouds,” he muttered.
“At least it’ll be somewhat warm out.”
“As much as I’m ready for summer, I’m not ready for the humidity.”
“Nope,” Reid agreed. “Not to mention, summer’s going to look a lot different this year. Grayson won’t be able to go to the lake. I mean, I guess he can go to the lake, but he won’t be able to go out on the boat or in the water.”
“I’ll probably stay in town during vacation this year,” Pearce said.
“He won’t want you to.”
“I know, but it’s the right thing to do.”
Reid nodded. She, too, would change her plans to stay with Grayson. “Can I ask you something?”