Page 35 of Married to a SEAL

“We’re taking you into emergency surgery,” a man’s voice said from above him. Eyes peered down at him, but that was all Patrick could see with the man’s glasses, surgical hat, and mask blocking all other features. Briefly, he noticed the people hustling around him all were wearing scrubs.

“We’ve got O+ standing by,” a woman’s voice said.

“I already scrubbed in!” a voice called out as he was pushed into the middle of the OR. “Let’s open the wound and stop the internal bleeding. Show me the chest x-ray.”

Someone came rushing over with the x-ray films.

“He’s awake. We need to sedate him immediately.”

Patrick opened his mouth, trying to talk, nearly gagging on all the tubes in his mouth. He wanted to rip the mask from his face and ask what was happening.

How badly he was injured.

How the rest of his men were.

Strangely, he couldn’t feel as much pain in his side anymore. Maybe they’d given him drugs.

He could hardly feel anything at all.

“We’ve administered anesthesia.,” the man who’d been speaking to him before said. “I know you can’t talk right now, but I’d like you to count to ten in your mind. You’ll awaken again after surgery.”

“His pulse is dropping!” a voice called out.

Patrick tried to count the numbers silently in his head, but he was too sleepy. Too exhausted. If he could just rest a moment he’d feel better.

“We’re losing him!”

Someone ripped open the rest of his fatigues, spreading cool gel over his chest.

“Clear!”

Slowly, his eyes slid shut again.

---