Page 92 of Fortunate Miracles
“Evening Jake. I heard you had a very busy day today. We’ll all be able to talk to you soon. I bet Summer can’t wait for you to open those eyes.” She changes his IV bag and checks him over. “I have the list from Leigh. I usually read a book at night. Do you think he’d be interested in my reading to him?”
“He wasn’t a prodigious reader before the accident, but his nurse, Mal, in Virginia, read to him all the time.”
“I might try it then. Call and check on him if you’re worried, but I expect him to be fine.”
“Thank you.” Once she leaves, I watch Jake for a few minutes before getting up. “Ready to go?” I ask Zander.
“Ready, darling.”
I gently kiss Jake’s cheek before we leave for the night, waving goodbye to Faith as we pass. Traffic isn’t too bad since rush hour is over. When we arrive at the hotel, Zander offers to order pizza, so I grab a shower.
We eat on the couch, then I crawl into bed. “So, I was initially thinking I could stay with Ray this week if the procedure worked, but I’m not comfortable doing that now.”
“Neither am I, darling. I’ll stay here with you. We can take our work with us to the hospital and keep up to date there, like we did before.”
“Thank you. Really. That’s a load off my shoulders.”
“Of course. I’m going to hop in the shower.”
Giving him a smile, I turn on the tv and call Seb. We talk for over an hour before hanging up. Zander starts a movie, but I fall asleep before it’s over.
Chapter 46
Summer
By Thursday morning, Zander and I have a routine. Continental breakfast, drive to the hospital, talk to Jake, see Ray for an hour, schoolwork, lunch, schoolwork, dinner, hotel, and repeat.
I’m sitting in the armchair beside Jake, my feet up on an additional chair with his bed lowered beside me. Zander is using the couch and coffee table to work, with sports playing quietly on tv. My phone is on the bed, playing the hits from before the accident softly in the background while I’m working through precalculus.
Every night, the guys and Jaxon email me their notes from classes that day. Bay and Alex take the extra step and send me class notes and “Summer notes,” as they call them. They’re a lifesaver. I still end up calling one of them after school to check my work, but I’m not failing class. I miss my friends, but we talk every day.
I’m just about to close my books for the day when Jake moves his arm. I freeze and turn to the monitors. His heart rate's a little faster. Then he wiggles his toes. Oh my gosh! “Zander,” I whisper as I get up. Turning to him with wide eyes, I say, “he’s waking up. Get the nurse.”
Zander jumps up and rushes outside as I quickly gather all my things and stuff them into my bag. Leigh and Zander come back into the room quickly. She checks the monitors and Jake. “He’scoming around. Gather your belongings and step outside, please. Dr. Crosby will be here in a second.”
I help Zander get his belongings, then we go into the hall just as Dr. Crosby arrives. “You can use the room next door. Leigh will be in as soon as she can to update you,” she smiles, before slipping into the room.
We go into the room on the left as I drop my bag on the coffee table and sit on the couch. “He’s waking Dad. This is it.” I swear my heart is going to beat right out of my chest; it's thumping so darn fast. My whole body feels like I've been electrocuted. I'm hyper, acutely aware, nervous, excited, and scared all at once.
Zander sits beside me and pulls me into a hug. “It is, darling. I’m ecstatic for the two of you. Let’s wait to get an update before calling Ray, since we don’t know how long before he’s coherent.”
“Good idea,” I nod. Zander turns on the tv as we settle in to get more work done. I text everyone an update, and that I’ll let them know when he’s fully awake. I decide to practice SAT questions to keep my mind occupied, but I’m not absorbing much. A run would be great right now, but then I’d have to leave Jake, which I can’t, so yeah, I’m restless.
Seb calls right after school. “Sunshine. This is so exciting! Is he awake? Did you talk to him? Does he remember you? Is Ray better now?”
Chuckling, I smile to myself. You can never have too much Seb. “Don’t know. No. Don’t know. No. The doctor and nurse are with him now. We’re waiting for an update.”
“Oh cool. I’m so happy for you guys. Wish I was there with you.”
“Thanks, and me too,” I reply as Leigh enters the room. “Gotta go, Hurry. The nurse just walked in.”
“Call me later. Bye Sunshine.”
I hang up and look at Leigh expectantly. “How is he?”
“Almost awake. He’s moving around and mumbling. Dr. Crosby is expecting him to wake fully within the hour. She will ask hima series of questions to determine what he remembers, and I’ll update you again after she talks to him, okay?”
“Thanks, Leigh,” I smile as she leaves.
