Read Online His Bundle of Love / the Color of Courage by Patricia Davids - Free Book Online
Authors: Patricia Davids
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talk. It’s been helping you breathe, but I don’t think you’ll need it much longer. I know you have a lot of questions. Let me get something for you to write on.”
Something to write on? No, that wouldn’t do. They’d find out how stupid she was. They’d laugh at her. They always did.
The nurse started to turn away, but Caitlin grabbed her. Fearfully, she patted her now flat stomach and waited with dread crawling inside her.
The woman smiled in understanding and grasped Caitlin’s hand. “Your baby is here in the hospital, and she’s being well taken care of, so don’t you worry. We have to concentrate on getting you well enough to go and see her. Okay?”
Caitlin relaxed in heartfelt relief. Her baby was here. She had a little girl, and she would be able to see her. Everything was fine. Just like the voice had promised.
The nurse returned followed by a short, bald man in a white coat. “Welcome back to the world, young woman,” the doctor said. “Do you remember what happened?”
Caitlin shook her head, ignoring the pen and paper the nurse laid on the bed.
“I’m not surprised. You’ve been in a coma. We’d just about given up hope that you’d wake up.” Like the nurse, he used a small light to check Caitlin’s eyes.
“Mick never gave up hope,” the nurse said. “He’s been in to see you nearly every day. You’re lucky to have a guy like that. Every minute he isn’t with you, he’s upstairs with your baby. He has the makings of a great dad.”
Caitlin frowned as she tried to make sense of the woman’s chatter, but the doctor drew her attention when he asked her to follow the movement of the light, then to move her hands and her feet. At last, he straightened. “I’m going to remove the tube in your throat. If you have any questions, go ahead and write them down.” He indicated the pad beside her.
Caitlin shook her head. Any questions she had could wait until she could speak for herself.
Caitlin winced as they peeled the tape off her face. When the doctor pulled out the tube, she choked and gasped for air. The nurse put a mask over her face. Quickly, her breathing became easier.
The doctor straightened, and stuffed his stethoscope in his pocket. “Your throat will be sore for a few days, and you’ll be hoarse. Let us know if you have any trouble breathing.”
“Thanks,” Caitlin managed to croak.
“Start her out on ice chips, then sips of clear liquids. Let me know how she does.”
“Yes, Doctor.” The nurse disappeared out the door.
He patted Caitlin’s shoulder. “You’re a very lucky woman.”
She didn’t feel lucky. She felt like a lab rat who’d tested a new poison and found it hadn’t quite killed her.
The nurse came back with a foam cup and offered Caitlin a plastic spoon full of ice. Taking it gratefully, she held the cold moistness in her dry mouth, letting it melt and spread to every corner before she chanced swallowing. It was as painful as she expected but the ice felt so wonderful on her dry tongue that she took a second spoonful eagerly.
“This is so exciting,” the nurse said. “I just phoned Mick. He’s on his way—he’ll be here shortly.”
Waiting until every bit of the marvelous ice had melted, Caitlin swallowed her second spoonful, grimacing at the discomfort. “Who’s Mick?” she managed to croak.
The woman’s eyes widened. “You don’t remember him?”
Caitlin shook her head, puzzled by the woman’s obvious surprise. Pointing to the ice, she asked, “Can I have more?”
The nurse gave her another spoonful. “Are you positive you don’t remember Mick O’Callaghan? Think carefully.”
“No. Who is he?”
“Your baby’s father.”
Caitlin choked on her piece of ice.
Chapter Five
“I’ m telling you, I don’t know anybody by that name.” Caitlin tried to hide her exhaustion. Her throat burned from her efforts to talk. She knew her own name; she even knew who the president was, but she didn’t know anyone named
Something to write on? No, that wouldn’t do. They’d find out how stupid she was. They’d laugh at her. They always did.
The nurse started to turn away, but Caitlin grabbed her. Fearfully, she patted her now flat stomach and waited with dread crawling inside her.
The woman smiled in understanding and grasped Caitlin’s hand. “Your baby is here in the hospital, and she’s being well taken care of, so don’t you worry. We have to concentrate on getting you well enough to go and see her. Okay?”
Caitlin relaxed in heartfelt relief. Her baby was here. She had a little girl, and she would be able to see her. Everything was fine. Just like the voice had promised.
The nurse returned followed by a short, bald man in a white coat. “Welcome back to the world, young woman,” the doctor said. “Do you remember what happened?”
Caitlin shook her head, ignoring the pen and paper the nurse laid on the bed.
“I’m not surprised. You’ve been in a coma. We’d just about given up hope that you’d wake up.” Like the nurse, he used a small light to check Caitlin’s eyes.
“Mick never gave up hope,” the nurse said. “He’s been in to see you nearly every day. You’re lucky to have a guy like that. Every minute he isn’t with you, he’s upstairs with your baby. He has the makings of a great dad.”
Caitlin frowned as she tried to make sense of the woman’s chatter, but the doctor drew her attention when he asked her to follow the movement of the light, then to move her hands and her feet. At last, he straightened. “I’m going to remove the tube in your throat. If you have any questions, go ahead and write them down.” He indicated the pad beside her.
Caitlin shook her head. Any questions she had could wait until she could speak for herself.
Caitlin winced as they peeled the tape off her face. When the doctor pulled out the tube, she choked and gasped for air. The nurse put a mask over her face. Quickly, her breathing became easier.
The doctor straightened, and stuffed his stethoscope in his pocket. “Your throat will be sore for a few days, and you’ll be hoarse. Let us know if you have any trouble breathing.”
“Thanks,” Caitlin managed to croak.
“Start her out on ice chips, then sips of clear liquids. Let me know how she does.”
“Yes, Doctor.” The nurse disappeared out the door.
He patted Caitlin’s shoulder. “You’re a very lucky woman.”
She didn’t feel lucky. She felt like a lab rat who’d tested a new poison and found it hadn’t quite killed her.
The nurse came back with a foam cup and offered Caitlin a plastic spoon full of ice. Taking it gratefully, she held the cold moistness in her dry mouth, letting it melt and spread to every corner before she chanced swallowing. It was as painful as she expected but the ice felt so wonderful on her dry tongue that she took a second spoonful eagerly.
“This is so exciting,” the nurse said. “I just phoned Mick. He’s on his way—he’ll be here shortly.”
Waiting until every bit of the marvelous ice had melted, Caitlin swallowed her second spoonful, grimacing at the discomfort. “Who’s Mick?” she managed to croak.
The woman’s eyes widened. “You don’t remember him?”
Caitlin shook her head, puzzled by the woman’s obvious surprise. Pointing to the ice, she asked, “Can I have more?”
The nurse gave her another spoonful. “Are you positive you don’t remember Mick O’Callaghan? Think carefully.”
“No. Who is he?”
“Your baby’s father.”
Caitlin choked on her piece of ice.
Chapter Five
“I’ m telling you, I don’t know anybody by that name.” Caitlin tried to hide her exhaustion. Her throat burned from her efforts to talk. She knew her own name; she even knew who the president was, but she didn’t know anyone named
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