Continuing Story Part 36

The doctor came in and before he sat down, he shook Drake’s hand, and then sat in his chair. He told them that the surgery had been a success. He had been able to relieve the pressure from Dahlia’s brain, and she was doing fine. He expected the pressure to keep releasing throughout the next several hours, and that she was still a little groggy, but in about an hour they could go in to see her, but only one at a time, since this was a brain procedure. He didn’t want her to get overly exhausted, so keep the visits short.

Everyone got up and started hugging each other and patting each other. They each took turns shaking the doctor’s hand and telling him what a good job he had done, and that he was the best in the world. The doctor said that he had to get back to work, and that each of them could now return to the lobby, or go get something to eat and come back in a bit.

With saying this, the doctor walked out of the door, leaving the door open for them and they followed him and all went to the lobby, but no one wanted to sit down. Excitement filled the air, and suddenly everybody was famished. They made arrangements to meet at a local restaurant and so the ones that were driving, piled everyone in and off they went to celebrate.

Drake did not go directly to the restaurant, but went back to the house, to get Drew, who needed to know how the surgery went and to be a part of the celebration. When he entered the house, it was quiet, but he found Drew in the living room, sitting in one of the chairs watching out the window.

Drake went to him and told him the success of the operation and Drew grabbed a hold of his brother and wept and muttering congratulations. He started to say that ever since he messed up, causing so much grief and pain for Dahlia and the others, that this would have been a fair punishment, if something had gone wrong with her, but Drake told him to be quiet, to not talk like that. He in no way blamed Drew for anything, it was the illness, not Drew. Now let’s not talk like this and instead celebrate. I have come to get you and you are going with me to meet the others for lunch. Drew didn’t fight it, and dropped his pity party, and the conversation was left alone for good.

They met up with the others, and they each ordered. This was a place no one came to often, so the ones seated next to the blind ladies, helped them to decide what they wanted to eat. In no time at all the food was delivered and everyone dug into their plates. They had all pretty much ordered the same things, hamburgers, fries, and shakes.

Each were exclaiming how good the food tasted, that they had not had this good of food in a long time from a restaurant, but deep down inside, they all knew it was such a relief of the stress from the operation, that even a bowl of soup would have tasted fantastic.

As they ate, they talked about Dahlia and then they moved on to the topic of the wedding, and then the discussion was brought up about food. No one had the time to even think about the menu, because they all wanted to get back to the hospital, but they promised as soon as Dahlia was home once again, the menu was going to be the first on the to do list. After all, the wedding was coming up in a month and a half, and there was a lot of preparations that needed to be done yet.

Ralph and Rachel decided for this celebration of good news, they would pay for everyone’s bill, and so the others left the tip for the waitress. They stood up and walked out the door, and it was such a wonderful thing to see if you were a passer-by on the outside looking in, plenty of smiles and happy faces.

They drove back to the hospital and they all went into the main lobby. No one was in there now, and even the television was off. The receptionist saw them coming in and told them what room number Dahlia had been moved to and that they could each go in and see her, but to keep it short, doctors orders.

They wasted no time and went to the elevator, and pushed the number three button that would take them to the medical floor. Drake and Rachel were the first ones to enter the room, and the others remained in the small sitting area for their turns.

When Drake looked at Dahlia, his eyes got very big. He was not prepared for the bandages and gauze that was wrapped around her head. Her face was swollen and pale. Her eyes were closed and she was lying very still. Rachel walked over to her and laid her hand over Dahlia’s arm, and she felt warmth, and she turned to Drake and said it is alright Drake. She has been through a big ordeal, and she is just resting.

Drake walked over to her and stood next to Rachel and just watched Dahlia sleeping. Although her face was swollen, he still thought she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Dahlia never stirred and so the two of them turned around and walked back out of her room, giving a chance for the others to visit.

With the looks that were on Drake and Rachel’s faces, the others became concerned that not everything was alright. They stood up and went over and began to ask questions, but Rachel assured them all was alright, that they were not expecting to see her in the condition that they saw.

One by one, each went to pay a visit to Dahlia, and the last visitor to pay a visit was Ralph. He had heard so much through the chatter of all that had seen her, that he wasn’t sure what he was in for, but he walked into the hospital room and saw Dahlia lying there. She just looked like she was asleep.

He slowly walked over to the bed and looked down at her. He was relieved that she did not look as bad as the others had said. He walked then over to the chair and pulled it up to the bed and sat down. Then a nurse came in and took Dahlia’s vitals and checked the IV to make sure the drip was going at the rate it was supposed to be, and she smiled at Ralph as she started to turn around and leave, and said Dahlia is doing fine, don’t worry, she should be waking up anytime from the anesthetics.

He was watching out her bedside window and then would glance back at Dahlia, thinking how fond he had become of her over the months, and Drake had made an excellent choice in his wife. He would be happy to have her in the family.

The doctor poked his head in then , and was just checking the reports of what the nurse had written, and then nodded to Ralph and turned back around to walk out the door. A stirring came from the bed and for the first time there was movement coming from this life.

She was coming around, and he sat up straighter in his chair. He knew that she could not see him, but he wanted her to know that she was not waking up alone, so he reached out and touched her arm, to let her know someone was there with her.

The nurse was walking by and peeked in and saw that she was stirring and so she was going to go catch the doctor and let him know she was waking up. Ralph coughed and a few tears were coming down his face, as he was so glad this part of her life was over, and from here on out, it was only going to get better.

Ralph spoke to her, hoping that she could hear him, and the tears continued to fall. He was telling her that she had come through the surgery just fine, and that she was going to be alright. She was a real trooper and had been such a great patient. She stirred some more, and then a few noises came from her mouth. Yes, she was definitely waking up.

He began to remove his hand from her arm, and her eyes opened up and she was blinking them rapidly. She stirred some more and then took her hand and laid it over his arm, and she spoke.

She told him with a groggy and soft voice, it hurts, it hurts. Ralph sat closer to her and tried to understand what it was that she was saying, and so he leaned in close and said I am sorry, I could not hear you, can you tell me again what you said? Dahlia repeated herself again, it hurts, the light hurts my eyes, cover my face.

Ralph’s mouth dropped open, and his heart began to race. She said the light hurts her eyes, the light hurts her eyes! Oh my gosh, the light hurts her eyes. He jumped up and patted her hand, and told her to stay right there, that he was going to go get the doctor.

He went out her door quickly, looking both ways for the nurse, and then found her and told her what Dahlia had said. The nurse in reply went to get the doctor and Ralph almost ran to the waiting room where all were seated. He poked his head in the doorway, and with a big grin on his face, he said, she said the light hurts her eyes!