Stuck On You novel Chapter 35

“Wow,” I breathed. The other doctor, Dr. Reynolds, checked out everything else on me as Dr. Brown started wiping the gel off of my stomach. Dr. Reynolds picked up the iPad and typed in something. Dr. Brown handed me a tiny picture of the sonogram of my baby.

“You’re looking good, Ms. Campbell. I think we can take the IV out tomorrow,” Dr. Reynolds stated.

“And prescribe you a prenatal vitamin,” Dr. Brown added. I hesitated before I looked to Dr. Reynolds.

“Can I see Hayden?” I asked. She gave me a sympathetic look.

“I don’t want you moving around so much,” she said.

“I can use a wheelchair,” I tried. She thought about it before she sighed.

“Tomorrow; you can see him tomorrow,” she said. I sighed and sunk into my bed defeated. I didn’t want to talk anymore. I looked at the white wall across from me and waited until the doctors left. I handed the picture of the baby to Quinn.

“I’m going to sleep,” I said softly. She pecked my cheek gently before she squeezed my hand one last time and left. I closed my eyes and let sleep take me.

The next day, I woke up groggily. The doctor hadn’t visited me all day. I think she was trying to prolong me leaving the room. I was starting to get anxious. Finally, Dr. Reynolds came into my room and went over my charts. I was practically holding my breath, waiting on her to give me the okay to go see Hayden. Dr. Reynolds turned back to me. “I’ll get a nurse to wheel you down there,” she said.

“Thank you,” I said, relieved. I didn’t know how much longer I could go without seeing him. A little later, I was wheeled beside his still figure on the hospital bed. I hated seeing him like this. I took a shaky breath as I reached over and held his hand. It hurt my side but I didn’t care. Silent tears ran down my face as I watched his still face.

“Hayden,” I said hoarsely. “I need you to come back to me. I love you,” I said. For some reason, I was expecting him to wake up and tell me that everything was going to be okay, but he didn’t. His face was still. He was still. I stood out of the wheelchair on shaky legs and held onto his bed. My legs were weak but I wanted to be closer to Hayden. I needed to be. I held his hand again as my tears continued to fall.

“Hayden, I have some big news for you whenever you wake up. Everyone is worried about you. I’m worried. The doctor said that you might be paralyzed, but I know you. You’re a fighter… so fight. Fight for me and everyone else you love here,” I said. “Please wake up,” I begged softer. I still had hope. I had hope that he would wake up.

“Ms. Campbell, it’s time to go back to your room,” a nurse said, walking in. My eyes grew wide. I didn’t want to leave him. I don’t think I’d ever leave him.

“No, please,” I begged, my tears falling harder. I took a step away from her and closer to Hayden as she approached me. My breathing picked up as I started panicking. I squeezed Hayden’s hand a little more subconsciously. My breathing caused a stabbing pain in my side. I yelled as I leaned over and held my side tenderly.

“Ms. Campbell,” the nurse said again, coming closer.

“No!” I yelled. My side only started hurting even more causing my breathing to become more labored. It became a vicious cycle. When I felt the nurse’s hand on my shoulder, I freaked out; afraid that she would try to pull me away from Hayden. I stepped back into the wall and pushed her away.

“Ms. Campbell, you need to calm down,” she said with a little more force. Two more nurses charged in the door.

“No, please stop,” I sobbed. My crying only made my side hurt worse. Seeing that it was only making me worse, the nurse stepped back. “I’m staying here… with Hayden,” I said weakly.

“Ms. Campbell, we need to get you back to your room,” the nurse said instead. I shook my head.

“I’m not leaving him!” I said. I yelled and squeezed my eyes shut as my side started hurting again. The nurse sat me down in the wheelchair and put something into my arm. I hissed in a breath but kept my eyes closed. I started to feel slower as the medicine started kicking in. It was then that I realized that she sedated me. “Hayden,” I whined weakly before I lost consciousness.

I woke up in a haze. I tried to rub my eye but my wrists were strapped to the railing. I looked around and realized that I was back in my hospital bed. My eyes watered. I wanted to see Hayden. I needed to. I hit the big yellow button that was within my reach and waited. A nurse came in wearing a huge smile.

“Hello Ms. Campbell, did you need anything?” she asked.

“Yes, please take these restraints off of me,” I said.

“I would need to get an okay from your doctor,” she said.

“Then get it,” I snapped. I was in no mood to amuse anyone right now. I was pissed and sad and upset, and I just wanted to go back to Hayden. I was surprised at who walked into my room next. My eyes widened. “Dad?” I said unsurely.

“Quinn called me. Are you okay, Jobear?” he asked, coming to my bedside. Those words again: are you okay. They brought tears to my eyes every time because I wasn’t okay. I was far from okay. I was being restrained in the hospital, the man I love is in a coma, and I was pregnant. I was not okay. A lump rose in my throat so I just shook my head as my eyes watered.

“Hayden,” I choked out as my tears fell. “Hayden’s not doing well at all, dad. He’s in a coma and I don’t know when or if he’ll wake up,” I sobbed. He sighed and kissed my forehead gently.

“I know honey, I know. The doctors told me. I made sure that they’re putting the best doctors and nurses on his room. He’ll wake up, I just know it,” he tried to comfort me. “What about you, honey? Are you okay… physically?” he asked. I shrugged.

“Dad, I’m pregnant,” I said softly.

“And Hayden… oh goodness. Sweetie, I’m sorry,” he said. I knew what he meant. He was sorry that this was happening now; with Hayden in the state that he was in. “Hayden will wake up; I’m sure of it,” he said again. The nurse came back and took the restraints off of my wrists.

“The doctor will be here in a moment,” the nurse said. I just ignored her. I was too busy thinking about Hayden.

“Why did they have you in restraints?” my dad asked. I puffed out a breath.

“I wouldn’t leave Hayden,” I said simply.

“Have you seen an OBGYN yet?” he asked. I nodded. “Did they give you prenatal?” he asked. I nodded.

“Dad, they took care of all of that yesterday,” I said.

“I’m sorry, but I’m worried, Jobear. You’re only 19 years old, and you might have to-” he stopped himself, but I already got the message.

“I might have to go through this alone… without Hayden,” I finished in a whisper. He sighed and looked away from me briefly.

“I’ll be here for you. If… that happens, you can move in with Cindy and me and we can hire a nanny,” he started.

“Dad, stop,” I begged.

“Have you told your mother?”  he asked.

“Are you kidding? I’m pretty sure she would smite me or something,” I said. My dad laughed.

“She’s your mom. She’s going to want to know,” he said. I sighed and covered my face with my arm. I didn’t even want to get into that right now. All I wanted right now was to wake up next to Hayden and realize that this was all a dream. “I’ll call her if you don’t want to,” he offered. That was the best idea I’d heard all day. I nodded. He pulled out his phone and dialed her before he put her on speaker. It rang a few times before she finally picked up.

“Hello?” she answered. My dad sighed.

“Mary, it’s Peter,” he started.

“What’s wrong?” she asked, snapping to attention.

“Jordyn got in a car wreck. We’re at the hospital right now,” he explained.

“Oh my gosh! Is she okay?” my mom asked. I could hear her getting more worried by the second.

“She’s fine, but her boyfriend got the worst of it. He’s in a coma and they aren’t sure when he’ll wake up,” my dad explained. I looked away from him and swallowed to keep the lump from rising up in my throat.

“Her boyfriend?”

“He’s a really good kid."

Look, Mary, I don’t really know how to tell you this other than bluntly,” he started. “Jordyn is pregnant… and the father of the baby is lying in a coma,” he said. I took a stutter breath, trying not to cry again. My mom was quiet on the other line for a few minutes. I knew she would react this way. She didn’t believe in sex before marriage, and she knew I wasn’t married.

“This is your fault, Peter,” was all she said after a while. The all ended. I sighed and ran my hands down my face.

“She’s only going to make everything worse,” I muttered.

“Let’s get you out of here so you can go see Hayden,” my dad said softly. I gave him a light smile.

“Thank you,” I said hoarsely. It took some convincing on his part but they finally released me. My dad tried to convince me to go home and get some rest but I refused.