“She’s my fiancée.”
“That’s nice, but rules are rules.” He stood with large, red sausage hands resting on his ample hips.
Thayde’s face was granite as he stood and faced the short orderly.
“If you think I’m leaving her, you’re mistaken.”
The orderly’s chest puffed outward like a cockerel as he began to argue his case. However, he was interrupted when the nurse who had spoken to Thayde earlier entered the room.
“He’s fine, Ernie.” She stood next to Thayde. “I think we can make an exception.”
Ernie eyed Thayde up and down and then shrugged.
“Whatever you say, Nurse Dahl.” He turned on his heels and haughtily left the room. Nurse Dahl smiled and began to check my vitals.
“Ernie’s a wonderful worker, but at times he tends to take his job a bit too seriously. A bit like the janitor who thinks he is the principal of the school.”
Thayde dropped into a chair, exhausted. “Thank you.”
“No problem.” She pulled the used saline bag that hung from my bed and replaced it with a new one. Thayde watched her as she easily made the change. “You look worn out,” she said. “Are you hungry?”
“No.”
“When was the last time you ate?”
“I don’t remember.”
She made her way to the end of the bed, tracing the blanket with her fingertips. “Try. You need to eat.”
Thayde smiled slightly. “Um… two days ago?”
Her jaw dropped and she moved closer to him. “You’ve got to eat!”
He shook his head. “I can’t leave her.”
“She’s not going anywhere. You need your strength.”
“I did this to her,” he continued. “I don’t deserve to live.”
“What do you mean you did this to her?”
“I told her we shouldn’t be together.”
“That wouldn’t do it.”
“I broke her heart. You don’t understand, with us, it’s different.”
Nurse Dahl patted his knee, allowing her hand to linger for a moment before she stood. “I’ll bring you a sandwich and some juice. If you don’t eat it, it’s fine.”
Thayde watched her leave and looked down at his hands. Had she been flirting with him? Granted, I was in a coma, but it wasn’t right. Thayde hadn’t seemed to notice. I knew Thayde often had this effect on women – not unlike Mom’s effect on men. Still, watching the persistent nurse hit on Thayde made my blood boil.
I watched him ease back, resting his head on the back of the chair. His eyes closed briefly then flew open. He was trying not to fall asleep. Slowly, they closed again and this time, they stayed closed.
When Nurse Dahl returned, she sighed when she saw he was asleep. Placing the food on the desk next to his chair, she opened the closet and pulled a large blanket out. A smile crept onto her face and she sighed again in a way that made my stomach turn. When she left, she flipped the light off and closed the door.
“Why didn’t you call us?”
“I didn’t know how bad she was.”
“You should have called us right away.”
“I’m sorry.”
Tammer paced the black and white checkered floor deep in thought. Mom sat in a small Crest Toothpaste-colored chair at the head of my bed, holding my hand. Thayde leaned against a wall with his arms crossed, and stared at his feet. A couple of pastel colored cards stood in a little row on the desk. I assumed they were from my parents.
“How did this happen?” Mom asked Thayde.
In a halting voice, he relayed the story to them. Their faces ranged from shock to anger to sympathy as they listened. When he was finished, Thayde looked so dejected, Tammer actually placed a hand on his shoulder.
“Thayde, I know you’re thinking that once a couple cords they aren’t supposed to experience any heartache, but that’s far from the truth. Morgan has been blessed with infinite power of which she doesn’t have a clue how to control. I’m sure that is what’s been going on. I know she loves you, Thayde. Hang in there.” He squeezed Thayde’s shoulder and started to pace again.
“We’re going to have to teach her all that we know and try to find an Elder to finish her teaching. If she doesn’t get help, I’m afraid that she may not be able to handle all of this. At this point, I’m not so sure she’ll wake up.”
Mom rubbed the back of my hand. “Can you get anything from her?”
Tammer shook his head. “Nothing,”
“Do you think she’s brain dead?”
“I can’t tell, Elan! I get nothing from her.”