Chapter 48

                                    

                                          
"Your mother always visits you. She calls me when I'm home with the kids. She's always making sure I'm alright. To see if I'm doing well. Like every day I'm not moments away from falling apart. And of course, I lie and say that I'm doing fine." I spoke out loud to myself as I sat in Nathan's all too familiar hospital room.
"When, really, I'd kill myself to hold you one more time." I looked down at his hand in mine as a tear fell down my face. Knowing if he was awake right now, he would wipe it away from my cheek. "And it hurts to miss you, but it's worse to know that I'm the reason you can't come home." I breathed.
"You can finally breathe on your own now. The doctors say that's a good sign. Every day is a struggle without you. I don't sleep anymore. Rose asks about you every day. Which doesn't help. I'm running out of excuses to tell her." I continued softly. Even if he couldn't listen to me it felt like a type of therapy to talk about everything to him.
Every day Cathy read him his favorite books and talked about Rose and Finn. At first it only made me feel even more crazy and emotional talking out loud to him. But it started to grow on me and slowly helped me come to terms with everything and gradually heal.
"Finn can finally stand on his own now. It's only a matter of time before he can walk. I hope you're awake to see it." I smiled weakly. I continued to sit in silence for a few moments before I felt his hand move.
I was frozen my eyes rooted on his hand in mine before I felt Nathan weakly squeeze my hand. "Nathan?" I breathed. Not being able to comprehend what I was feeling and seeing. Only able to stare with wide open eyes.
My heartbeat increased it felt like some kind of explosion of energy within me. I stood up in my chair not letting go of his hand as my other free one cupped his bruised face. "Baby, it's okay. I'm here. Wake up, Nathan. Please." I begged impatiently waiting. I kissed him softly before waiting for anything else to happen. But nothing else did.
I reluctantly pulled away from Nathan rushing out the room to find the nearest doctor. "He-He moved. He grabbed me. His- His hand grabbed mine." I began hysterically making the doctor reach out to grab my elbow trying to console me.
"Please, you have to check on him." I said making him nod. "Alright." Nathan's doctor placed his clipboard on the nurses desk. It was clear to the doctor that he was doubtful. Despite his doubts, he examined Nathan. I anxiously followed him back inside and waited as he opened and shined a light in Nathan's eyes.
I crossed my arms as I brought my hand to my mouth biting at my nails as he continued his assessments and checked his vitals. I started at the young doctor puzzled as he pulled away turning to me. "A patient in a coma may look healthy and appear as if they are sleeping, but they are unable to respond to people and things around them." The doctor began making me shake my head.
"No. No, listen to me! H-He moved! I felt it!" I beamed with tears in my eyes. "A patient may exhibit some movement. However, they don't have control-" He began again making me step closer in irritation. "Stop! Stop calling him a patient! His name is Nathan!" I sobbed making the doctor reach out for me again to calm me down. I pulled away harshly.
"Please, you have to do something! He's trying to wake up." I pleaded throwing my hands around until I heard a door open. "What's going on?" I heard Lee walk inside. He noticed I was emotional quickly coming to my side.
"Gen, it's going to take some time." Lee began making me cry harder bowing my head. "His brain needs time to heal." Lee held me stepping closer as I cried burying my face into his chest. His hand rested on my head as he rubbed my back trying to soothe my heartache. I gripped his shirt as my knees buckled struggling to hold myself up.