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Chapter 65: Piper

Author: Stephie Walls
last update Last Updated: 2022-10-26 14:22:23
Returning to Moby's room, it's after eight o'clock and he's nowhere around. A nurse informs me he moved to another room down the hall. Pointing me in the direction, I find him propped up in bed, eating what the hospital might describe as breakfast, watching television.

"Hey, babe," he calls out in much better spirits than I've seen him in the last couple of days.

"Hey! They gave you food. That's great."

"I don't know if you can call soup for breakfast food, but it's not coming through an IV so I'll take what I can get." I look at the liquid cautiously. "They're still afraid I'm going to choke, so we're starting with liquids. I was told there's noodles in here too but someone lied."

"Did you sleep well?" I inquire, hoping he had a better night than I did.

"I'm not sure you can call it sleep so much as napping since there's a nurse in here every hour checking my vitals. Every time the blood pressure cuff inflates it wakes me up. But I did the best I could with what I had. What
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  • The Siren Song Series   Chapter 66: Piper

    When Renee texts me, I jump up to make sure I don't look as bad as I feel in the bathroom mirror. Sadly, it's worse than expected. Not having showered since yesterday morning, very little food, and a sob fest has me looking like a total disaster. I inform Moby I'll be right back but his parents and Brooks are walking in the door, so I don't worry about him missing my presence. I race down to the first floor, stepping onto the sidewalk in front of the hospital. Renee pulls up in her yellow Volkswagen Bug grinning from ear to ear. She rolls down her window and calls my name in question. I confirm walking toward her. She leans out of the car to hug my neck. I'm not much of a hugger, but this girl is infectious. She's young, cute as hell, and obviously a naturally happy person. I see why Moby thought I would like working with her."I hate to have to run off so fast, but maybe I can stop back by before I go home on Sunday. Do you think you guys will still be here?""I hope not, bu

    Last Updated : 2022-10-26

  • The Siren Song Series   Chapter 67: Moby

    "Now, Moby, before you get yourself worked up into a tizzy, this is all a misunderstanding." My mom has no clue. She is sorely mistaken if she thinks she's going to manipulate her way out of this one."What were you thinking?" I snarl in my parents' direction."Son, calm down." My dad will forever defend that woman. It doesn't matter if she's right or wrong he's going down with her. He would have ridden the Titanic to the bottom of the ocean with her. Maybe that's why their attitude toward Piper surprises me so much."Don't tell me to calm down, Dad. You would be irate if one of us let mom sleep in her car." I hear the beeping on the machine monitoring my blood pressure, and I know my pulse is rising, but I can't stop the anger."Why didn't Piper speak up?" "I don't know, Mom. Maybe she didn't feel like she could when you basically threatened to leave her behind yesterday. Or maybe her only priority was me and not her fucking swimsuit or her impromptu vacation." I hope the w

    Last Updated : 2022-10-26

  • The Siren Song Series   Chapter 68: Moby

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  • The Siren Song Series   Chapter 69: Piper

    Before the doctors even start to speak, I get the feeling this is the day of reckoning, as if today, we find out what the rest of our lives will hold. Every free minute I've had I've been on my phone reading what I can about strokes-what to expect after, the intense therapy, the long-term effects. It's a lot. I'm preparing myself for it, but I don't think Moby has any idea. I haven't had the heart to tell him he isn't just going to wake up next week and be able to walk and have use of his arm and hand again. His speech is getting better each day, but it all takes time and work.Dr. Ryan speaks for the group. "You've had a stroke, we already knew that, but we didn't know why, and I still can't say with one hundred percent certainty, but we have a pretty good idea." She erases the whiteboard in the room, taking a marker in hand, she starts drawing what appears to be a neck and brain. The squeaking of the dry erase marker is eerie in the quiet of the room. "There are two major blood

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  • The Siren Song Series   Chapter 70: Piper

    When Moby's parents return from some fancy lunch in Mt. Pleasant, he fills them in on the events of the day. His mom seems disappointed they won't be doing the stent but instead of questioning it, I ignore her. She pulls me aside to apologize for her oversight the night before and had I not known Moby coerced her it might have felt genuine. Nate on the other hand, his apology feels heartfelt. As the atonement is wrapping up, the cavalry arrives. This room seemed large when we first arrived but slowly adding the Wrights, the Coopers, and my Fish dwarfs it. My parents won't be far behind, but they had to wait until the business closed to make the drive."What's the word, Mo?" Joey pushes his way to the front of the group. I'm surprised we haven't heard more from him while we've been gone but should count my blessings he's been all right. I was worried he'd never leave Moby's side.I listen from the corner of the room as Moby offers what there is to tell which isn't much. It's weir

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  • The Siren Song Series   Chapter 71: Piper

    The rest of the week feels like Groundhog Day. Over and over. The movie, not the actual day. Each day is more of the same. People poke and prod Moby; we hang out in his room watching TV, the therapists come around and do their thing with him, then we're alone again. Our friends were here for a couple days, but they all had to go back to work, as did my parents, and Moby's. Alyssa pops in the room, "Hey, guys! Want some news?" She's beaming. I hope that's an indication she has something positive to share. "Absolutely." I don't care if Moby wants news or not. At this point, I'd take any form of entertainment. I'm going stir crazy sitting in the confines of this sterile torture chamber. The only time I leave is to go get Moby or myself something to eat or drink. It's against the rules for him, but I don't care. If he can eat soup, he can eat ice cream. And yes, that's my professional medical opinion."You guys may be getting out of here in the morning. Moby crosses over the twenty

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  • The Siren Song Series   Chapter 72: Moby

    With the caseworker's help, we make the decision to try to get insurance approval for Peace close to where we live. It's an in-patient rehabilitation facility near Healing Wings. Piper can come after work or maybe at lunch without having to drive to another county. It ranks the best facility in the state for the care I need. The caseworker is trying to get approval from the insurance carrier today. If all goes as planned, we will leave tomorrow-Piper in her car and me in another ambulance. I argued to ride with her but the caseworker, who's name I can't remember, pointed out if I'm able to ride with my wife and don't need the medical attention provided by an ambulance, it's unlikely the insurance company will agree I need full-time physical therapy.It irks the shit out of me we have to play fucking games to get an insurance company to say it is or isn't okay for me to do this or not. To think it's in some clerk's hands whether I receive the therapy I need even though the doctor h

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  • The Siren Song Series   Chapter 73: Piper

    Walking down the halls of the third hospital in our tour around the state, I have to say this is, thus far, my least favorite. The lights seem dim; the walls need a fresh coat of paint, there are no people in the halls, it's unnervingly quiet. Nothing about this place screams life, and I inaudibly wonder how many people simply come here to die. It doesn't even have the typical sanitized smell-it's musty, like old people.I peek in the open doors as we follow the attendant pushing Moby's wheelchair to his room. Maybe it's simply because people who have strokes are typically elderly, or considerably older than Moby, but everyone I see looks like a wax statue. There's no color in their skin; no movement in their bodies; no one is visiting with them. They're just all old. Decrepit. Waiting to perish.I can't leave Moby here. There's no way I can leave my bright, vibrant husband to die inside these walls. His spirit will never make it here, not for any length of time much less the four

    Last Updated : 2022-10-26

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  • The Siren Song Series   Chapter 105: Piper

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  • The Siren Song Series   Chapter 104: Piper

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  • The Siren Song Series   Chapter 103: Piper

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