Filed to story: Katy and Brayden Cooper Novel
Relief washes over me so much that I feel my knees weaken. My lips quiver, and tears of joy blur my vision. “Thank you,” I whisper, my arm shooting out before I can stop myself and I grab his hand tightly. “Thank you so much for saving her.”
He pats my shoulder gently. “You can rest now and see her in about an hour if you want.”
I nod, finally releasing his hand and dabbing at the tears streaking my face. And then I notice Braydon has been standing behind me the whole time. I thought he was still slumped asleep on the chair.
“Thank you,” he says softly, directing it toward the doctor as well. The man nods with a tired smile before disappearing back through the glass doors. I watch him go, exhaling shakily, and pressing a hand to my chest. The surgery was successful. Allie will wake up soon.
I turn back to Braydon, my relief spilling into a huge smile because if anyone has endured the full share of my tears and emotions, it’s him.
“She’s gonna be okay,” I say, my voice filled with joy.
He smiles, his eyes still heavy from sleep, and he leans back against the chair. “I told you,” he says. Then, with a yawn, he adds, “Is it too early to say I’m starving?”
I run a hand through my hair. “Have you been holding it in because of me?”
He shrugs. “Can’t really be stuffing my mouth while you look like a sad Victorian widow.”
I tilt my head slightly with a small grin. “How do you even come up with these things…or jokes?”
“I don’t,” he says casually. “They just… come to me.”
I can’t help but marvel at him. Even when he’s tired, even when I’m a mess of panic and tears, he somehow manages to be both goofy and grounding. I probably would have completely sunk into despair before the surgery ended if I hadn’t called him and my brain knew I needed him here.
The best part is that he doesn’t minimize the situation. He’s empathetic, truly understands how serious everything is, but he also knows how to ease the tension.
“I owe you big time,” I say. “Don’t worry, if you ever end up in the hospital, I’ll return the favor.”
He lifts an eyebrow, one corner of his mouth twitching. “Did you just try to joke?”
I shake my head, a little defensively. “No, I didn’t.”
Like the doctor said, Allie wakes up about four hours after surgery. Mrs. Katherine, her mom, has arrived, so she signs all the forms and goes in to see her first.
Braydon has returned to campus to get me some clean clothes and to refresh. Sean still hasn’t responded so I’m left alone outside Allie’s recovery room, shifting nervously from foot to foot, waiting.
I can hear her mom crying through the door of her room and every sob twists my chest, making it feel like it’s being squeezed too tightly. My stomach churns with fear and I whisper quick prayers in my mind. I hope Allie isn’t in bad shape. I hope my best friend will be okay.
Time crawls, my watch ticks slowly and everything seems dull. I pace a few steps, then stop, pressing my back against the wall.
Another hour drags past before Mrs. Katherine finally emerges, her face pale and her eyes rimmed with red.
She beckons me over and I swallow hard.
“How is she?” I ask, my voice barely a whisper.
Mrs. Katherine shakes her head, her eyes watering, and my stomach twists into knots. I freeze for a heartbeat, watching her for some kind of sign that Allie’s better than her face is showing. But there’s none.
Finally, I gather enough courage to step forward. My hand hovers over the door handle for a moment before I exhale, almost holding my breath, and gently push the door open. I step inside slowly, and then close the door behind me.
My steps are small, and almost hesitant as I draw closer to her bed. I blink back tears because one of us has to be strong and it’s me. But the second I reach her side, it all crashes over me and I burst into tears.
Allie is lying on the bed, pale and still, an oxygen mask covering her nose and mouth. Clear tubes run from her arms to the IV bags hanging beside her bed, and the monitors near her head beep slowly. She looks fragile so unlike the vibrant, laughing, unstoppable Allie I know.
Clutching her hands gently, I lower myself onto the chair beside her. Her eyes are open, blinking slowly, but unfocused and staring at the ceiling. My throat aches. God, I hate seeing her like this. I hate that my funny, fearless Allie is lying helplessly in a hospital bed.
“You’re so strong,” I whisper, my words breaking through my tears. “You… you did good, Alls.”
Her fingers twitch in my hands and I cup them softly, holding them close. That small motion tells me she can hear me and relief floods me. I stay there for what feels like hours, murmuring everything positive I can think of, reminding her she’s going to recover, and that she’s not alone.
Finally, her eyelids flutter close. I gently release her hands and quietly leave after staring at her for a few minutes. Outside, her mom is still waiting in the same spot I left her, her purse clutched tightly to her chest. I take a shaky breath, stepping closer.
“You should try to rest,” I tell her quietly. “I’ll watch over her tonight.”
She shakes her head immediately. “I’m fine,” she says softly. Then she reaches out, her hand trembling slightly as it finds mine. “Thank you Katy for calling me immediately.”
I nod. “It’s the least I can do. Allie’s a sister to me.”
Mrs. Katherine exhales shakily, biting her lip as her gaze drifts toward the closed door. “My baby looks so fragile and broken in there,” she whispers. “My heart…” Her voice trails off, breaking into a tremor. “I’m so scared.”
I step closer and wrap my arms around her and for a long moment, neither of us moves. We just stand there, holding on-two people clinging to the same fear. When I finally pull back, I try to smile, even if it feels forced.
“Allie’s way stronger than you probably remember,” I tell her. “She’ll be up and talking in no time.”
All day, Braydon has been the one keeping me from falling apart. Now it’s my turn to be that person for the woman who needs it most right now.
Mrs. Katherine sniffles, pulling a small handkerchief from her bag. “I heard the police talked to you,” she says, her voice still trembling.
I nod. “Yeah. They just asked a few questions about Allie and the car.” I hesitate for a second before adding quietly, “They said her brakes failed.”
Her eyes widen, and she lets out a hiccup that turns into a sob. I rub her back gently as her shoulders shake.
“She must have been terrified,” she manages between sobs. “I should have changed her car when she asked.”
The guilt in her voice makes my heart ache.
“It’s not your fault,” I tell her, leaning closer so she can hear the firmness in my voice. “Don’t think like that.”
She nods, but her tears keep coming and I stay with her, rubbing her arm until her breathing steadies. It takes almost twenty minutes before she finally wipes her eyes and exhales shakily.
“I’ll go get some air,” she whispers.
I nod, watching her walk down the hallway until she disappears around the corner. I sink into one of the seats, every bone in my body exhausted. For a moment, I just stare at the blank white wall across from me, zoning out to the quiet beeping sounds echoing from nearby rooms.
When I finally blink out of it, I remember that I forgot to tell Braydon to get my toothbrush. I groan softly, fishing my phone from my pocket to text him. But before I can, a notification lights up the screen.
SOFIA FROM CLASS: Did you already submit your application to Blackrock? I heard there are too many submissions this year, so the link’s closing in 36 hours.
I stare at the message and my throat burns…not from panic, but from disappointment. It’s not like I can do anything about it now. Three grand doesn’t magically fall from the sky, and I’m not the kind of person who gets miracles out of nowhere.
With a sigh, I swipe the message away. Then I open my chat with Braydon and start typing about my toothbrush instead.