him.
I looked up at Mark, and I couldn’t take it anymore. I fell to my knees and started bawling.
“Why, why, why…?” I sobbed.
Both Mark and Daniel joined me on the floor, wrapping their arms around me as I continue to sob. They said nothing, but their touch offered the support I needed while I broke down.
Finally, Mark broke the silence when my sobs died down. “We have to believe the surgeons will do their job. Let’s get you changed into these scrubs so we can go and wait in the waiting area, okay?”
I nodded then slowly started taking off my clothes, piece by piece, while my brothers stayed close. They bagged up my bloody clothes, and then we were ready to unlock the bathroom door and head to the waiting area.
“We have to let her parents know.” I ran a hand through my hair, tugging at the ends.
“I already notified them. They should be here soon,” Daniel replied
We headed to the waiting room to see he was right; her parents were huddled together in the corner, crying.
Instantly, I clammed up, thinking the worst.
“Did something happen?” I wheezed out.
“Oh, no, we haven’t heard anything yet. Sorry,” Nat’s father apologized. “I can’t believe this happened. What happened, Josh?”
“It’s a bit of a long story, sir, but I’ll try to give you what I know.” I looked to the doors to the surgery unit.
We all sat down and told Jim and Rita what we knew about Robin and the texts Natalie had been receiving. Both Jim and Rita took in the information yet were shocked to hear this was Robin’s doing.
“She was such a lovely girl,” said Rita. “We always included her in family functions. Oh, my God!” She broke down in Jim’s arms again.
With nothing else to say we all sat in silence, waiting and watching the OR doors.
Six hours later, a surgeon finally called out, “Natalie Sirano?”
We all stood up, and the surgeon walked over to Jim as we gathered around. My pulse was racing.
“We were able to get the bleeding under control. The bullet missed her heart by mere fractions of an inch. She is lucky to be alive; however, the bullet shattered her clavicle and scapula. There may be permanent damage, but only time will tell. She is in recovery right now, and when we move her to a room, you’ll be allowed in, but only a few at a time. She needs her rest. I’ll have the nurse come and get you when she is settled.”
We all breathed a huge sigh of relief. Then I sagged into my chair and looked up with a silent thanks.
Chapter 20
Two years…
I was in so much pain I could scream. This was definitely not my cup of tea. I thought Heaven was peaceful; instead, my chest hurt like it was on fire. What gives? I could smell antiseptic, too. This was a horrible place. I wanted a refund. I wanted to yell.
A warm hand tucked into mine.
“Come on, sweetheart. Open your beautiful eyes for me. I need to see you again. Please, just open those eyes,” came a familiar voice.
I felt the brush of lips across my hand.
“Natalie, come back to me, baby. I miss you.”
It was a struggle to open my eyes. Why were they so heavy?
“Just give her time, man,” said another familiar voice. “She needs the rest.”
I heard a sigh then felt more stroking on my hand.
I wasn’t sure how much time passed, but I finally opened my eyes and saw dark hair lying next to my hand, and even though it was blurry, I saw someone else sitting in the corner, sleeping.
I gently lifted my hand to stroke the hair, surprising him.
He looked straight up and at me. “There she is. Hey, baby. How you feeling?”
I tried to talk, but my voice felt really scratchy. I to clear my throat, but I can’t get much out but a squeak.
“Here’s some water, just small sips ok.” He offers the straw to me.
I am finally able to say something, “I hurt.”
“I know baby, I’ll get you something more for the pain.”
Mark grabs my foot, good to see you awake kiddo, you scared us all. He walks over
I looked up at Mark, and I couldn’t take it anymore. I fell to my knees and started bawling.
“Why, why, why…?” I sobbed.
Both Mark and Daniel joined me on the floor, wrapping their arms around me as I continue to sob. They said nothing, but their touch offered the support I needed while I broke down.
Finally, Mark broke the silence when my sobs died down. “We have to believe the surgeons will do their job. Let’s get you changed into these scrubs so we can go and wait in the waiting area, okay?”
I nodded then slowly started taking off my clothes, piece by piece, while my brothers stayed close. They bagged up my bloody clothes, and then we were ready to unlock the bathroom door and head to the waiting area.
“We have to let her parents know.” I ran a hand through my hair, tugging at the ends.
“I already notified them. They should be here soon,” Daniel replied
We headed to the waiting room to see he was right; her parents were huddled together in the corner, crying.
Instantly, I clammed up, thinking the worst.
“Did something happen?” I wheezed out.
“Oh, no, we haven’t heard anything yet. Sorry,” Nat’s father apologized. “I can’t believe this happened. What happened, Josh?”
“It’s a bit of a long story, sir, but I’ll try to give you what I know.” I looked to the doors to the surgery unit.
We all sat down and told Jim and Rita what we knew about Robin and the texts Natalie had been receiving. Both Jim and Rita took in the information yet were shocked to hear this was Robin’s doing.
“She was such a lovely girl,” said Rita. “We always included her in family functions. Oh, my God!” She broke down in Jim’s arms again.
With nothing else to say we all sat in silence, waiting and watching the OR doors.
Six hours later, a surgeon finally called out, “Natalie Sirano?”
We all stood up, and the surgeon walked over to Jim as we gathered around. My pulse was racing.
“We were able to get the bleeding under control. The bullet missed her heart by mere fractions of an inch. She is lucky to be alive; however, the bullet shattered her clavicle and scapula. There may be permanent damage, but only time will tell. She is in recovery right now, and when we move her to a room, you’ll be allowed in, but only a few at a time. She needs her rest. I’ll have the nurse come and get you when she is settled.”
We all breathed a huge sigh of relief. Then I sagged into my chair and looked up with a silent thanks.
Chapter 20
Two years…
I was in so much pain I could scream. This was definitely not my cup of tea. I thought Heaven was peaceful; instead, my chest hurt like it was on fire. What gives? I could smell antiseptic, too. This was a horrible place. I wanted a refund. I wanted to yell.
A warm hand tucked into mine.
“Come on, sweetheart. Open your beautiful eyes for me. I need to see you again. Please, just open those eyes,” came a familiar voice.
I felt the brush of lips across my hand.
“Natalie, come back to me, baby. I miss you.”
It was a struggle to open my eyes. Why were they so heavy?
“Just give her time, man,” said another familiar voice. “She needs the rest.”
I heard a sigh then felt more stroking on my hand.
I wasn’t sure how much time passed, but I finally opened my eyes and saw dark hair lying next to my hand, and even though it was blurry, I saw someone else sitting in the corner, sleeping.
I gently lifted my hand to stroke the hair, surprising him.
He looked straight up and at me. “There she is. Hey, baby. How you feeling?”
I tried to talk, but my voice felt really scratchy. I to clear my throat, but I can’t get much out but a squeak.
“Here’s some water, just small sips ok.” He offers the straw to me.
I am finally able to say something, “I hurt.”
“I know baby, I’ll get you something more for the pain.”
Mark grabs my foot, good to see you awake kiddo, you scared us all. He walks over
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