thinking the worst. He owed it to them to tell the truth.
Pushing back from the chair, he leaned over and kissed his wife on the cheek. Despite her pallor, she was warm to the touch and for that at least, he was grateful. She might look like death, but she felt very much alive. He had to keep clinging to that fact. Swallowing a sigh, he made his way out of the ICU and headed down toward the visitors’ waiting room.
A television murmured low sounds in the background, but nobody in the room appeared interested in what was on the screen. Tom caught sight of his daughter and son. Brandon and Alex were close by. With eyes downcast, they were all seated in the mismatch of chairs that filled the modest room. He cleared his throat.
“Hi, guys.”
Cassie twisted in her chair and jumped to her feet. A moment later, she launched herself at him. His arms came around her and held her close. “Cassie, how are you, honey?”
“How’s Mom?” she gasped, tears gathering in her eyes.
“She’s doing fine, sweetheart. The doctors operated on her earlier today and she’s holding her own.”
“What does that mean? Is she awake? Can I see her?” his daughter pleaded.
“Um…sure. But she’s still unconscious. I don’t want to frighten you. There’s a heap of equipment around her bed. It looks pretty scary. Are you sure you’re up to it?”
“Dad, I’m seventeen. I’m not a baby. I want to see her. I want to know she’s going to be okay.”
“How come she’s not awake?” Joe asked, his expression solemn.
Tom’s heart broke a little at the shadow of fear in his son’s eyes. Releasing Cassie, he greeted Joe with a hard hug and then stepped back.
“She’s been given some pretty strong medication to help with the pain, buddy. She’s sleeping right now, but she’s okay. She came through the operation and the doctors are keeping an eye on her for the next little while. Don’t worry, she’s in good hands.”
Tom heard the words that fell from his mouth and knew they were said as much to convince himself as they were to reassure his children. He was glad Alex had brought them by, but all he really wanted was to ignore everyone and everything and head straight back to Lily’s bedside. He wanted to hold tightly to his wife’s warm hand and never let go.
Joe pulled away and returned to his seat. Brandon stepped forward and shook Tom’s hand.
“How is she?” he asked quietly, keeping his back to his niece and nephew.
“No change, so I guess that’s a good thing. At least, that’s what the nurses keep telling me. I just want her to wake up and speak.”
“I’m sure they’re right, mate. They do this for a living, remember? You have to trust that they know what they’re doing.”
“Yeah, but watching her lying there with all those tubes and machines and a heap of other junk keeping her alive—it’s killing me, Bran.”
Brandon held Tom’s gaze. “She’s made of stronger stuff, mate. Remember how she was when Cassie was taken? And even before that. The crap she went through when Alex and I split up—she’s as tough and resilient as anyone I know. It all worked out in the end. She’s going to pull through, Tom. I’m sure of it.”
Tom stared at Brandon and his chest grew tight. He was grateful for Brandon’s reassurances, even though his brother knew no more about Lily’s chances than he did.
“Thanks for bringing Cass and Joe by, Bran.” His gaze encompassed Alex who stood and moved over to where they were. “I really appreciate it,” he added.
“That’s okay,” Alex replied. They’ve been bugging me all evening to be allowed over here. It was wearing on them. I don’t know how many times I explained to them that their mom’s visitors were restricted in the ICU, but they wanted to be here.”
She smiled softly and Tom’s lips lifted in response. The simple action felt good. It had been awhile since he’d smiled.
“I can understand how they feel. I want to be here every
Pushing back from the chair, he leaned over and kissed his wife on the cheek. Despite her pallor, she was warm to the touch and for that at least, he was grateful. She might look like death, but she felt very much alive. He had to keep clinging to that fact. Swallowing a sigh, he made his way out of the ICU and headed down toward the visitors’ waiting room.
A television murmured low sounds in the background, but nobody in the room appeared interested in what was on the screen. Tom caught sight of his daughter and son. Brandon and Alex were close by. With eyes downcast, they were all seated in the mismatch of chairs that filled the modest room. He cleared his throat.
“Hi, guys.”
Cassie twisted in her chair and jumped to her feet. A moment later, she launched herself at him. His arms came around her and held her close. “Cassie, how are you, honey?”
“How’s Mom?” she gasped, tears gathering in her eyes.
“She’s doing fine, sweetheart. The doctors operated on her earlier today and she’s holding her own.”
“What does that mean? Is she awake? Can I see her?” his daughter pleaded.
“Um…sure. But she’s still unconscious. I don’t want to frighten you. There’s a heap of equipment around her bed. It looks pretty scary. Are you sure you’re up to it?”
“Dad, I’m seventeen. I’m not a baby. I want to see her. I want to know she’s going to be okay.”
“How come she’s not awake?” Joe asked, his expression solemn.
Tom’s heart broke a little at the shadow of fear in his son’s eyes. Releasing Cassie, he greeted Joe with a hard hug and then stepped back.
“She’s been given some pretty strong medication to help with the pain, buddy. She’s sleeping right now, but she’s okay. She came through the operation and the doctors are keeping an eye on her for the next little while. Don’t worry, she’s in good hands.”
Tom heard the words that fell from his mouth and knew they were said as much to convince himself as they were to reassure his children. He was glad Alex had brought them by, but all he really wanted was to ignore everyone and everything and head straight back to Lily’s bedside. He wanted to hold tightly to his wife’s warm hand and never let go.
Joe pulled away and returned to his seat. Brandon stepped forward and shook Tom’s hand.
“How is she?” he asked quietly, keeping his back to his niece and nephew.
“No change, so I guess that’s a good thing. At least, that’s what the nurses keep telling me. I just want her to wake up and speak.”
“I’m sure they’re right, mate. They do this for a living, remember? You have to trust that they know what they’re doing.”
“Yeah, but watching her lying there with all those tubes and machines and a heap of other junk keeping her alive—it’s killing me, Bran.”
Brandon held Tom’s gaze. “She’s made of stronger stuff, mate. Remember how she was when Cassie was taken? And even before that. The crap she went through when Alex and I split up—she’s as tough and resilient as anyone I know. It all worked out in the end. She’s going to pull through, Tom. I’m sure of it.”
Tom stared at Brandon and his chest grew tight. He was grateful for Brandon’s reassurances, even though his brother knew no more about Lily’s chances than he did.
“Thanks for bringing Cass and Joe by, Bran.” His gaze encompassed Alex who stood and moved over to where they were. “I really appreciate it,” he added.
“That’s okay,” Alex replied. They’ve been bugging me all evening to be allowed over here. It was wearing on them. I don’t know how many times I explained to them that their mom’s visitors were restricted in the ICU, but they wanted to be here.”
She smiled softly and Tom’s lips lifted in response. The simple action felt good. It had been awhile since he’d smiled.
“I can understand how they feel. I want to be here every
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