Chapter 5: The Shock

*

One month earlier. I got a call from the hospital during one of my training sessions. The doctors called to inform me that my brother had finally woken up after almost seven months of being in coma.

I rushed out of the gym as I took the first cab I saw to the hospital, I couldn't wait to see my brother, to hear his voice again.

"Are you okay, miss." the can driver asked only then did I realize in was crying.

"No no, I'm fine really. Infact, I'm overjoyed. My brother who's been in a coma has finally woken up?" I said happy with more tears poring out of my eyes.

"Well then, congratulations." The cab driver said and the car fell back into a comfortable silence.

When we got to the hospital I came down to pay for the ride but the cab driver halted me and told me to go on. I insisted but he didn't budge, I smiled, thanked him and ran into the hospital.

I visited this hospital so much that I didn't have to check in to see my brother and half the hospital staff already knew me.

I came to a stop in front of the door, the last time I was here, Charlie was lying there looking like he was sleeping, what if he was? what of the doctors were wrong?

I took a deep breath as I placed my hand on the door knob, I slowly twisted it till I heard the click sound the door usually made and pushed it open.

There he was, sitting there, reading one of the books I left by his side.

"Why the hell are you reading my book Sis" Charlie looked at me accusingly.

I walked slowly to the bed getting a raised eyebrow from Charlie. My hands were shaking as I lifted them up to touch his face. He was real, he was really awake this time.

I wrestled him into a hug as much as he protested and released another stream of tears.

"Hey, I just woke up, get off me. It's not like I died" I cried harder at his statement.

"Fine, I'm sorry for whatever I did. By the way where's Mom and Dad" I chocked at the question.

I don't think the doctors told him anything yet, as I was about to say something, the door pushed open and the doctor came in.

"I heard there was someone running towards room 205. Hello Adira" Doctor Spencer greeted me.

"Hello, Doctor Spencer"I stood up beside Charlie's bed.

"I see, you've finally reunited with your brother" He said going over check something on the monitor.

"Everything looks good over here. Can I talk to you, in private please" The doctor asked. I looked at Charlie who still had a weird look on his face.

"I'll be back soon, now don't fall asleep." I said before leaving the room with the doctor.

"So, would you like to talk here or in my office, I could offer you tea if you'd like." he started.

"Here's fine and I'm good thanks." I answered dryly. He sighed then looked at me.

"Then you should probably sit down for this one." we walked over to the bench outside and sat down but Spencer seemed hesitate and it was making me impatient.

"If you have something important to say, pls spill it out, I want to spend time with my brother." I said impatiently.

"That's the problem, he doesn't have any the left." I felt my heart literally sink in my chest and found it hard to breathe.

I fell on the bench by the wall as I tried to comprehend what the doctor had just said. Suddenly seeing black spots, I slowly began to lose consciousness as images of me and my family flashed before my eyes life a sweet dreams I never wanted to wake up from.

I woke up to the sound of a beeping machine close to me and the heavy smell of hospital drugs around me, I opened my eyes slowly as everything blurred into my vision.

I looked around and realized that I was in one of the hospital rooms, the machine by my side was a monitor with lines going up and down and connected to the wires on my body, there was also a bag of liquid slowly dripping down a tube that was inserted into my left hand, by my other side my brother sleeping peacefully.

I looked at his face and smiled, I was brushing the hair off his face when I recalled what the doctor said...

"...that's the problem, he doesn't have much time left." 

I heard the words echo in my head, I looked down at my brother,

"C-charlie, g-get up, you're gonna catch a-a cold if you don't get up. You should be resting in your bed by the way n-not here, Charlie! Charlie!!" I said shaking him and trying not to cry.

"What the hell Sis, I was just trying to get some sleep here, it's not my fault you passed out." Charlie said holding his head.

I was happy, no, I was really grateful that I still had time with my brother, seeing him sleep like that so peacefully made me think that was exactly how he would look if he really...

"I'm sorry, but I didn't want you to leave me too." I said bursting into tears, my brother stood up and hugged my head against his skinny chest.

"There there, I know you missed me but I'll always be here for you. At your graduations, your wedding, when you have kids, all the way," I felt so guilty but safe at his words.

"Besides, you should be the one by the side of the bed, I'm the patient here then you decide to fall sick" Charlie said scolding me, if only he knew he didn't have much time left.

I cried harder into his chest, hugging him tighter. This wasn't fair, why was this happening to me, why do I have to lose everyone, why do I have so much bad luck around me.

After a few minutes together, the door pushed opened and doctor Spencer walked in. Charlie helped me lay down properly as the doctors went through the clipboard in his hand.

"I can see you're awake. You my dear passed out due to stress and malnutrition, my guess is you haven't eaten a proper meal in quite a while now, am I right?" I looked away to avoid both the gaze of Spencer and Charlie.

Since Charlie got admitted into the hospital, all I've been thinking about is when he would wake up, sometimes I would go days without eating and working extra hours for the funds to keep Charlie in the hospital.

"Right, I've recommended some supplements and a few other drugs for you. Make sure you take them and you young man need to get back to your room, it's time for your next iv shot." Doctor Spencer said playing with Charlie's hair.

"Speck for yourself doc." Charlie said smacking his hand away.

"While we're on the topic of rest and food, how about I pull some strings and take both of you out for dinner?

"No than-"

"Sounds good to me, this hospital food taste like crap, I bet you doctors don't even eat here." Charlie said interrupting me.

"I don't thin-"

"It's settled then, I'll arrange for a day so you can get a partial discharge, is that alright?" Spencer continued ignoring me again.

"Yeah yeah, whatever." Charlie said standing up to go. I held his hand shaking my head, he turned and gave me a smile as he slowly removed my hand and walked away.

Doctor Spencer was about to leave too when I spoke up.

"Is there a way to save him. I'm ready to do anything just to save his life." I asked him.

"I don't think that's a good idea, it a really expensive surgery," Spencer said but when I gave no reply he continues.

"Some of his organs were ruptured and also had a brain injury during the accident, that injury in the brain developed into a tumor over time that we failed to observe while he was unconscious. I'm sorry." He finished.

"But is the surgery possible?" I asked again with no emotion. I heard doctor Spencer sigh again as if he didn't want to answer the question.

"Yes, there's a 30% chance of survival, I wouldn't bet on theses number." He answered.

"How soon can the surgery be done?" I asked.

"Adira, you're not-"

"I said how soon can the surgery be done?" I screamed.

"Calm down, calm down, I'm sorry (sigh) I can arrange for the surgery as soon as the money is paid" he said.

"How long does he have left?" I asked finally. With every word, my heart broke over and over again.

"Medically speaking at least a week and probably a month at most, if the surgery is successful." Doctor Spencer said.

I looked down at the wires attached to my body, I roughly dragged them out of my body, with blood dripping down my hand doctor Spencer rushed towards me.

"Hey, what do you think you're doing, that's not safe!" He shouted at me as he held my hand to stop the bleeding." I drew my hand from him and started walking out.

"I'll be back with the money. Just get ready for the operation by next week." And with that I left the hospital.