Page 87 of Love Resurrected
Before long they are moving Sadie into recovery and we are on our way to see her. She’s not awake yet, but E rushes to her side, taking her hand in his and smoothing her hair away from her face. It’s a gesture I would often use with Kat.
Tenley stands at the foot of the bed, seemingly unsure as to her role in all of this. For the first time, I realize that it must be hard for her not to be the center of Sadie’s life any longer. Ethan took that title from her a while ago, and now, with a baby in the mix, she will be in third position.
Sadie’s eyes blink open and she immediately asks about the baby. Ethan tells her everything is fine, but Tenley steps in and gives it to her straight. “She lost oxygen for a while, but she’s stable. They have the top pediatric surgeon looking after her. But it’s unsure yet whether losing oxygen affected her brain.”
Sadie cries out and covers her mouth. Ethan leans over and kisses her on the forehead, then gently places Sadie’s hand by her side. He stomps over to the Tenley and pulls her aside.
“Don’t you dare upset her, Tenley. I mean it. Or I’ll forbid you to see her.”
“Back off, Ethan. She wants the truth. Trust me on that. Don’t sugarcoat this for her, it will only make it worse.”
Ethan bows his head, looking ashamed, and rightly so. From what I know of Sadie, Tenley is right. She will want the truth no matter how hard it is to hear. He just can’t see beyond his need to protect her.
The door to the room opens with a light knock and a nurse wheels in a small incubator hooked up to oxygen. “I thought you might want to meet this beautiful little girl,” she says with a smile.
“Oh!” Sadie tries to sit up, and grimaces. I can only imagine how her core muscles must feel right about now. Ethan hits a button and adjusts the bed for her, and the nurse wheels the baby right up to her side. The two share a moment, each tearing up over the sight of their newborn daughter.
I step back and approach Tenley. “You want to go grab a coffee or something? Give them a minute?” She nods in response. I guide her out of the room with my casted hand at the small of her back.
We make it to the hall before she falls apart.
“Ohmigod, Brad.” She turns into my chest, her face buried in her hands. “I can’t handle this. She almost died. The baby is in an incubator. Sadie looks so weak. What’s going to happen?”
I put my arms around her and pull her tight against me. Then I let my own tears fall. The last few hours have been emotionally taxing. Watching Ethan wait to hear how Sadie was, knowing that her life was in danger, not knowing the fate of the baby, and having them both look so frail even now. On some level, it brings back memories of Kat, but more than that, I’m terrified for Ethan. And afraid for Tenley.
I never want anyone to go through what I have.
I take a moment to realize what a mature feeling that is for me to have.
Nessa would be proud.
Baby steps.
31
Tenley
I’m crying uncontrollably into Brad’s chest, and I can’t stop. It’s like the tears just keep coming and coming. And the crazy thing is, Sadie is okay. The baby is okay. They are both going to live. So why am I suddenly so upset now?
Brad murmurs in my ear, “It’s okay. They’re both okay.” His good hand runs from the top of my head to the middle of my back, petting me, again and again. The rhythmic motion is calming, which I appreciate. The front of his shirt is wet from the liquids coming out of all orifices of my face—nose, mouth, and eyes. I feel bad when I pull away and see it, and try to rub it dry with my hand, ineffectually.
He holds my bicep with one hand and rests the casted hand on my shoulder. “You okay?”
I nod and sniffle.
“Coffee?”
I nod and sniffle again. He smiles slightly and motions for me to walk toward the elevators so we can head down to the hospital’s twenty-four-hour coffee shop.
I want to cry again when I see that all they have open are vending machines with black coffee, and then packets of dry creamer. There’s nothing about dry creamer that makes coffee taste good, and it always leaves some kind of greasy film over the coffee. Plus, it doesn’t cool it off. I don’t know how people can drink black coffee straight out of the machine; it’s practically boiling. They are just asking for serious mouth burns.
I shudder, just thinking about it.
“Uh-oh,” Brad says. I look at him, eyebrows raised.
“I don’t see breve latte as an option in the vending machine.”
“Ha. Ha,” I say drily.
