couples_therapy || 44.5. Smile
44.5. Smile (from Week 43)
Co-written with paramedically
[Follows THIS and THIS]
“Two minutes, ma’am and that’s only because we’re waiting on the OR to give us the green light.”
Ali had been so sparking with adrenaline by then that she nearly decked the big burly male nurse who not-so-graciously admitted Ali into the ER bays where Andrew was apparently waiting to be taken up to the operating room to have his appendix taken out. Two minutes. She could work with that.
There was a flurry of nurses and hospital aids wafting around the scene, but Ali had no problems nudging them out of the way. She forced her way into the throng to reach Andrew’s side and took his hand between hers with a reassuring, yet tearful smile. “Hey, sweetheart…” she said softly, leaning over him so he could see her face. The nurse wanker had warned her Andrew was drugged up and groggy on some pain meds, adding the smirking disclaimer that he might not even know she was. Ali had just flipped the guy off and didn’t wait for further instructions. Even if Andrew didn’t remember she was there, it didn’t matter. She was there and she would still be there when he woke up later.
Andrew was already in a surgical gown and one of those highly unattractive green surgical caps. Heart monitor, pulse monitor and oxygen all hooked up and ready for the surgery. Next step would be anaesthetic to knock him out. He was aware of what was going on, though it was fuzzy. But not fuzzy enough to assure he wasn’t petrified. He didn’t want to be cut open but his medical knowledge was enough to know it was the scalpel or nothing. Ruptured appendix could kill him quickly if it wasn’t removed. Then he felt the hands around his and heard her voice. He met her eyes groggily with a faint smile. “Ali…” He tried to grip her hand back, but it was impossible. Tubes and lack of strength from being ill just prevented it, so he settled on just tucking his fingers against hers. “I’m sorry.”
Ali had to briefly look up at the ceiling, her brown eyes welling up. When she looked back she nervously adjusted the collar of his gown to just give her something to do. “I will slap you, Connor,” she said, a tiny laugh escaping her. “No more apologies. That’s a rule.” She leaned over and kissed his forehead, her lips lingering there longer than was probably necessary. “It’s going to be okay, love. I’m here and I’ll be right here when you wake up, okay? Then I’ll still be there after all that. You’ll be about ready to tell me to piss off I’ll be haunting you so much.”
“Never,” Andrew said hoarsely, watching her through heavy-lidded eyes. He put his hand up and brushed his fingers weakly through her hair. “Get some sleep…” he added in a mumble and his blinking became slower and harder to fight.
There was a pointed clearing of a throat. “That’s two minutes, miss. We have to take him now.”
Ali shot the nurse a fierce glare, but pushed her luck just a little further and pressed a kiss to Andrew’s lips. “I’ll bring you jelly beans,” she told him helplessly, not sure of what else to say. It’s what he had brought her after Jamie’s birth and one of the first things they had shared. It had cheered her up right when she was fearing she wouldn’t get out of the dragging depression. They were more than just jelly beans.
“So you can eat all red ones?” Andrew murmured, opening his eyes just a little to smile at her.
“That too,” Ali agreed with a tiny laugh. She had to let go of his hand and step out of the way when the nurse pulled the gurney back to wheel it away. She put her hand up to brush the tears off her cheeks, not even wanting to stop and think why she was crying. He was just going for an appendectomy! She would see him in just a few hours.
Right before he was wheeled away, Andrew reached and grabbed Ali’s hand. “I love you,” he told her but then had to let go as they pushed him out of the bay and out of her reach.
Ali didn’t get the chance to say anything in return before he and the flurry of staff were gone. She put her hand to her mouth and watched the empty space where the gurney had been. He loved her. He loved her and he said he loved her. No, it was the drugs. He was practically off his face…
… wasn’t he?
Of course he was. Not to mention exhausted from hours of puking and likely scared shitless about facing surgery. There was no way he meant to say it or that he would remember it when he woke up. Ali drew a shaky breath and cleared her throat.
Goddamnit.
Word Count | 828
Co-written with paramedically
[Follows THIS and THIS]
“Two minutes, ma’am and that’s only because we’re waiting on the OR to give us the green light.”
Ali had been so sparking with adrenaline by then that she nearly decked the big burly male nurse who not-so-graciously admitted Ali into the ER bays where Andrew was apparently waiting to be taken up to the operating room to have his appendix taken out. Two minutes. She could work with that.
There was a flurry of nurses and hospital aids wafting around the scene, but Ali had no problems nudging them out of the way. She forced her way into the throng to reach Andrew’s side and took his hand between hers with a reassuring, yet tearful smile. “Hey, sweetheart…” she said softly, leaning over him so he could see her face. The nurse wanker had warned her Andrew was drugged up and groggy on some pain meds, adding the smirking disclaimer that he might not even know she was. Ali had just flipped the guy off and didn’t wait for further instructions. Even if Andrew didn’t remember she was there, it didn’t matter. She was there and she would still be there when he woke up later.
Andrew was already in a surgical gown and one of those highly unattractive green surgical caps. Heart monitor, pulse monitor and oxygen all hooked up and ready for the surgery. Next step would be anaesthetic to knock him out. He was aware of what was going on, though it was fuzzy. But not fuzzy enough to assure he wasn’t petrified. He didn’t want to be cut open but his medical knowledge was enough to know it was the scalpel or nothing. Ruptured appendix could kill him quickly if it wasn’t removed. Then he felt the hands around his and heard her voice. He met her eyes groggily with a faint smile. “Ali…” He tried to grip her hand back, but it was impossible. Tubes and lack of strength from being ill just prevented it, so he settled on just tucking his fingers against hers. “I’m sorry.”
Ali had to briefly look up at the ceiling, her brown eyes welling up. When she looked back she nervously adjusted the collar of his gown to just give her something to do. “I will slap you, Connor,” she said, a tiny laugh escaping her. “No more apologies. That’s a rule.” She leaned over and kissed his forehead, her lips lingering there longer than was probably necessary. “It’s going to be okay, love. I’m here and I’ll be right here when you wake up, okay? Then I’ll still be there after all that. You’ll be about ready to tell me to piss off I’ll be haunting you so much.”
“Never,” Andrew said hoarsely, watching her through heavy-lidded eyes. He put his hand up and brushed his fingers weakly through her hair. “Get some sleep…” he added in a mumble and his blinking became slower and harder to fight.
There was a pointed clearing of a throat. “That’s two minutes, miss. We have to take him now.”
Ali shot the nurse a fierce glare, but pushed her luck just a little further and pressed a kiss to Andrew’s lips. “I’ll bring you jelly beans,” she told him helplessly, not sure of what else to say. It’s what he had brought her after Jamie’s birth and one of the first things they had shared. It had cheered her up right when she was fearing she wouldn’t get out of the dragging depression. They were more than just jelly beans.
“So you can eat all red ones?” Andrew murmured, opening his eyes just a little to smile at her.
“That too,” Ali agreed with a tiny laugh. She had to let go of his hand and step out of the way when the nurse pulled the gurney back to wheel it away. She put her hand up to brush the tears off her cheeks, not even wanting to stop and think why she was crying. He was just going for an appendectomy! She would see him in just a few hours.
Right before he was wheeled away, Andrew reached and grabbed Ali’s hand. “I love you,” he told her but then had to let go as they pushed him out of the bay and out of her reach.
Ali didn’t get the chance to say anything in return before he and the flurry of staff were gone. She put her hand to her mouth and watched the empty space where the gurney had been. He loved her. He loved her and he said he loved her. No, it was the drugs. He was practically off his face…
… wasn’t he?
Of course he was. Not to mention exhausted from hours of puking and likely scared shitless about facing surgery. There was no way he meant to say it or that he would remember it when he woke up. Ali drew a shaky breath and cleared her throat.
Goddamnit.
Word Count | 828