My heart was pounding as I followed Grace into Josh’s room. The curtain was partially pulled around him and I could hear the beeping and whirring of all the machines. Taking a deep breath, I dropped Grace’s hand and walked around the curtain. My hand flew to my mouth and fresh tears tracked down my face as I looked at him lying in the hospital bed. A tube was coming out of his mouth and there was a drip in the back of his hand. His head was bandaged and there was still black from the smoke on his face. He was wearing a hospital gown, and the sheets were tucked up around his chest.
There was a chair to the side of the bed and when I glanced at Grace, she motioned for me to sit down. Her face was pale and I watched as she made her way around to the other side of the bed, picking his hand up in hers. Standing up, I leaned over him. Brushing a piece of hair off his forehead, I bent my head and brushed my lips across his cheek.
“Hi baby,” I whispered. “It’s me, please wake up.” I watched his closed eyes, willing them to open. He looked like he was sleeping, and I supposed in a way he was, it was just a sleep no one knew when he would wake up from. I sat back down and held his hand, my thumb stroking over his skin. The machines beeped around him and the ventilator that was breathing for him made regular whooshing sounds as it forced air into his damaged lungs.
After a while of sitting in silence, a nurse came in to check on his vitals, and Grace left so Robert could come see him.
“You can talk to him,” the nurse said kindly as she wrote down his blood pressure reading on a chart at the end of his bed. “He might be able to hear you. Are you his wife?” she asked as I saw her looking at Libby’s ring on my finger. I nodded and she smiled. “Your wife is here Josh,” she said, looking up at him. “It looks to me like you have a very good reason to wake up, and pretty soon as well—I’m guessing she’s not going to be too happy if you miss the birth of your baby.” She smiled over at me and I burst into tears. “Hey, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you honey,” she said, coming over and putting her arm around me.
I shook my head. “You didn’t, I’m just all over the place,” I told her between sobs.
“That’s understandable. Maybe you should try to get some rest—you look exhausted, and you have to look after yourself,” she said, her eyes sliding to my bump.
“I can’t leave him,” I said adamantly.
“I’ll let you in on a little secret: that chair you’re sitting on, it reclines into a bed. I’m sure I can find you a pillow and a blanket,” she told me with a wink.
“Thank you,” I said sincerely as she nodded and left the room. Turning back to Josh, I squeezed his hand. “Please wake up, I need you—we both need you.” My hand dropped to my bump, and I smiled as I felt the baby move. “The baby’s kicking,” I told him, lifting his lifeless hand and placing it where the baby was moving. “See, I’m not the only one who wants you to wake up. Please wake up, please,” I begged, watching for signs of life but getting none.
The rest of the night crept by slowly. The kind nurse had returned with a pillow and a blanket, setting the chair up for me at the side of the bed. It was pulled close enough to Josh that I could still hold his hand, and I managed to get a couple of hours of broken sleep. The nurse had also allowed both Robert and Grace to stay, and they sat on the opposite side of the bed. Grace held his hand and Robert talked to him on and off about work and the Dallas Cowboys, anything that might encourage him to wake up. The nursing staff came in and out throughout the night, checking on him, but there was no change. My heart felt heavy, and I was desperate to see him smile at me again.
As the morning light began to filter through the blinds, I stretched my arms and yawned. My back was killing me and I climbed off the chair, leaning over to kiss Josh’s cheek before I padded toward the door in search of a bathroom. I didn’t want to leave Josh even for a minute, but I had to pee. Glancing over my shoulder at Grace and Robert, I saw that they had fallen asleep on each other, Josh’s hand still encased in Grace’s. If I was quick, I could be back before they woke up.
As I opened the door into the hallway, I saw Brody lying on a row of chairs outside the room, his long legs curled up so his body could fit across.
“Brody?” I asked, gently shaking his shoulder.
His eyes flew open and he stood up. “Savannah!” he exclaimed. “Is he awake?” I shook my head, my eyes dropping to the floor. “Hey, look at me,” he said gently. I slowly raised my eyes to his and he gave me a small smile. “He’s going to be okay.”
“You don’t know that Brody,” I said, my voice breaking.
“I know he loves you, and if he can come back to you, he will.” He paused and pulled me into his arms. “Don’t give up on him Sav, he needs you,” he said quietly before kissing me on the head.
“I can’t give up on him Brody, we need him too. I don’t want to live without him,” I said as tears rolled down my cheeks. Composing myself, I took a step back and looked him up and down. “Are you okay? I’m sorry you went in there after me.”
He waved his hand. “I’m fine, just needed some oxygen, and I cut my hand,” he said, holding up his bandaged hand, which I hadn’t noticed before.
“Thank God.” I was relieved no one else was hurt because of me. “Did Mom and Dad go home?”
“Yes, and Mason and Lib. They’re all coming back this morning though.” I nodded my head and glanced back toward Josh’s room. “Get back to him Sav,” Brody said, his eyes following where I was looking. “I’m okay out here until Mom and Dad arrive. I’m going to go check on the girl anyway.”
“Is she okay? Who is she?”
He shrugged his shoulders. “I have no idea. She was in one of the empty stalls, and she was already unconscious when I found her. The nurse wouldn’t let me stay with her overnight so I sat out here…” He trailed off and sighed, dragging his hand through his hair. “I think she’s in trouble Sav. There are bruises and cuts that didn’t come from the fire. I feel like I need to help her.”
I reached up and hugged him. “You’re a good man Brody Parker. Go sit with her—she’ll be scared if she wakes up alone.”
“You’ll be okay?” he asked, his voice full of concern. I nodded, not wanting him to worry about me. He kissed me on the cheek and walked off down the hall. “I’ll come check on you and Josh in a bit,” he called over his shoulder.
After quickly finding a bathroom, I used the facilities and raced back to Josh’s room, only to find everything how I’d left it—Grace and Robert still asleep, Josh still motionless in the bed. Sighing, I sat down beside him and waited, his hand encased in mine.
The rest of the morning passed by in a blur of nurses, doctors, and visitors. My parents arrived and were allowed to visit Josh. My mom fussed over me and tried to make me leave the room to get a sandwich from the cafeteria, but I of course refused. Just after midday, the doctor came in and asked us all to leave the room while they removed the breathing tube. Reluctantly, I stepped outside and nervously paced up and down the hallway. After what felt like forever, the doctor called us back in and I went straight back to his side, picking up his hand.
“We’ve removed the breathing tube and he’s breathing on his own. There is no reason he shouldn’t wake up, it’s just a waiting game now. His vitals are good and his lungs sound clear,” the doctor said. “Talk to him, he can probably hear you.”
“Thank you,” Grace said, throwing her arms around Robert, the relief evident in her voice.
The doctor nodded and walked to the door. “Press the buzzer when he wakes up and I’ll be right in,” he said before leaving the room.
Breathing a sigh of relief, I promptly burst into tears. My dad was sitting next to me and his arm went around my shoulder. “It’s okay sweetheart, he’s going to be okay.”
I nodded, wiping my eyes. “I know.”
“I brought you some fresh clothes and I spoke to the nurse—there’s a room down the hall where you can freshen up. Why don’t you take a break Savannah? Have a shower and get something to eat?” my mom asked. I knew she was concerned about me, but I didn’t want to leave Josh. What if he woke up and I wasn’t there?
“Mom,” I began to say, before being interrupted by Grace.
“I think your mom is right Savannah. Take a shower, grab a sandwich. Josh is going to want you to take care of that baby you’re carrying.”
“But what if he wakes up?” I stuttered, feeling like they were ganging up on me.
“Then we’ll come get you sweetie, I promise. Please Savannah, I’m worried about you,” my mom begged.
Sighing, I rubbed my hand down my face. “Okay…” I said hesitantly. “But if he wakes up…”
“You’ll be the first know,” she promised.
I nodded and stood up, kissing Josh on the lips now that the tube was gone. “I’ll be right back baby,” I whispered against his lips. “I love you.”
After a quick shower, I left my hair wet, piling it on top of my head in a messy bun. Managing to find a vending machine on the same floor as Josh’s room, I grabbed a few random snacks and quickly walked down the hall, swinging the door to Josh’s room open.
“Savannah!” my mom exclaimed. “You’ve only been gone 10 minutes—I wanted you to have a real break.”
“I don’t want a break!” I shouted. “I want to be here with Josh. Would you sit in the cafeteria if it was Dad lying here?” I asked, my hands on my hips.
“Hey, what’s with all the shouting?” Josh croaked from behind me.
“Josh!” I cried, moving to the side of the bed and throwing my arms around him. I pulled away slightly and kissed his lips. “Are you okay?” I asked, my eyes wide as I waited for him to answer.
“I am now,” he rasped, reaching up to kiss me again. “Are you okay? I couldn’t find you in the stables—is the baby okay?” he rushed out, his hands reaching for my bump. His voice was scratchy and I knew it must be hurting him to speak. Reaching for his jug of water, I poured him a glass and handed it to him.
“We’re both fine. I wasn’t in the stables, I’m so sorry you went in there thinking I was.”
He took a long swig of the water, the relief evident on his face. “Don’t be sorry, I’m just glad you weren’t in there.” He pulled me to him again and kissed me, not caring that the room was full of people. “I love you,” he said quietly against my lips.
“I love you too.” I stepped back so his parents could hug him, watching as his eyes kept flicking to mine. He smiled, and the relief I felt knowing he was okay, knowing I wasn’t going to have to live without him, was overwhelming. I’d known I loved him before the fire, but knowing he’d risked his life to save me made me realize what we had was truly special, and I knew not everyone got to experience a love like ours.
The doctor was paged, and after checking Josh over, he told him he would be monitored for the next few hours then if everything was okay, he could go home. Shortly after, everyone left to go get some rest. Finally alone, Josh moved over in the bed and motioned for me to join him. Eager to feel his arms around me, I climbed in next to him and he pulled me back against him, my back to his chest. His hands came to rest on my bump and he kissed my neck.
“When I saw the stables on fire and your mom said you’d gone to check on the horses, I panicked. I was so scared I was going to lose you…” He trailed off and his arms squeezed me tighter. “When I got into the stables, it wasn’t too bad to start with, and I was sure I’d find you. I opened the stalls as I went, freeing the horses, but the farther I got toward the back, the less I could see, and the smoke was getting thicker.” I lay in his arms listening to him, the tears streaking down my face. “Brody followed me in, and I saw him carrying someone in his arms. I remember feeling so relieved that he’d found you, then he shouted that it wasn’t you and I began to lose hope as the flames got more intense and the smoke unbearable. I heard a cracking noise and the next thing I remember is waking up here.”
“The roof collapsed, and Dad and Mason pulled you out. I thought I’d lost you Josh. I never want to feel like that again. If I had lost you…” My voice broke and I started sobbing.
Leaning over me, he wiped away my tears with his fingers. “You haven’t lost me, and you won’t lose me. We’re going to get married and have this baby and be a family, and we’re going to be so happy. I’ve wanted this for as long as I can remember, and nothing is going to keep us apart.”
I nodded and turned my head, capturing his lips in a soft kiss. “I can’t wait. I want it all, and I want it with you. It’s always been you.”
He smiled and pulled me back against him. “Sleep now baby, you look exhausted.”
I nodded, finally allowing myself to relax in his arms. I’d been waiting for my happily ever after with Josh since I was 15, and as I closed my eyes, wrapped tightly in his arms, I fell asleep knowing the rest of our lives started right then.