I feel the doctor pause, waiting to see if he needs to assist me, but I wave him off. Dropping my hands to the floor and letting my head hang, I pray. I scream and plead, once again, for God’s mercy. I can’t lose Melissa. There’s no other alternative for me. She’s mine, and I won’t let anyone take her.
I pull in a deep breath, holding it while I get my courage back together before picking myself off the floor and walking over to the side of her bed.
And that’s where I stay, holding her hand and caressing her soft skin while I listen to the doctor go on and on about her injuries. I try to understand what he is telling me, but with each word that passes his lips, I realize just how very real this is.
His heavy hand settles on my shoulder, but I can’t look away from her beautiful face, I’m trying to see past the swelling and bruises to glimpse the woman I kissed goodbye hours before.
“… time will tell, Mr. Cage. For now, we will monitor your wife closely for changes.”
I look up when I hear him leaving, the door closing softly behind him, and I sit there in the dim light of Melissa’s hospital room and start singing. At first, it’s anything I can think of that she might like, but after a few songs, I just start the humming familiar melody Adele’s ‘Make You Feel My Love’ over and over. The words start to flow without thought while my thumb rubs in small circles against her wrist, my tears rolling down my face unchecked.
God, what the hell do I do now?
Chapter 12 – Cohen
I don’t like this place. It smells funny, and everyone looks sad. I just want my mommy and daddy. Aunt Izzy told me this morning that it’s okay to be scared and that she was there if I needed a hug. I don’t need a hug. I’m a big boy.
I’ve been sitting here for a really long time, long enough to watch three shows on Uncle Axel’s phone. I hope Daddy comes to get me soon.
The doctors and nurses always run around here like they forgot to turn the oven off. Mommy always does that a lot. Uncle Axel and Aunt Izzy are here watching me, but Nate stayed home with Dilbert and Davey. Aunt Izzy said that Nate is too little to be here. Uncle Beck and Aunt Dee went to go get me some breakfast, but I didn’t want to go with them because I’m waiting on my daddy to come and get me. I’m going to see my mommy soon.
I heard Aunt Izzy on the phone this morning when Daddy called. She didn’t think I could hear her, but she was being loud like Aunt Dee gets when she talks about her silly shoes. She told Daddy that I’m being such a good little boy and that she would take me to him if he really wanted her to. It’s been almost two weeks since my mommy went to sleep and Daddy started sleeping at the hospital with her. I don’t know how long that is, but that’s what Aunt Izzy said. It feels like a really long time.
I miss them, but I don’t tell anyone because I’m being strong like Daddy.
I don’t know why I wouldn’t want to go to my daddy. He makes everything okay. I want to yell at Aunt Izzy when she calls me a little boy. I’m not a little boy. I’m a big boy, and I’m going to use all of my powers to make everything better.
Last night I came to see Daddy and I really didn’t want to leave. My side still hurts, and I’m itchy where they had to tie my skin with little strings after Mommy’s car broke. Mommy would have made it not hurt anymore. Aunt Izzy doesn’t kiss my boo-boos like Mommy does.
Now I’m sitting here in the stinky hospital, waiting on my daddy to come and take me to see my girls. No one will tell me where my sisters are. Aunt Izzy says that they have to sleep in a special clear box like Snow White did so that the germs don’t hurt them while they get healthy. I don’t like my girls sleeping in a box. They need to get better so I can teach them everything I know.
I’m going to teach them how to fight the bad guys, find the best rocks, where Mommy keeps her chocolate, how to paint and color, all the things that make Mommy and Daddy smile, and all the things that make Mommy and Daddy really laugh. Yup, they need to get better so I can teach them everything I know!
I kick my legs some more, letting them swing really fast, and think about how I can make my girls’ box better.
“Hey, C-Man.” I jump when I hear the deep voice, but I smile when I see who it is.
“You scared me, Maddox Locke.” Daddy said that he’s been chasing Aunt Emmy and he’s going to bring her back to us, so I don’t know why he’s here. I don’t like the way he keeps looking at me either. Everyone keeps looking at me like they don’t know what to do with me.
“Brought you something, Cohen.”
I look up and see some red stuff in Maddox Locke’s hand. I can’t wait to get a present. This place doesn’t have anything fun to do. When he unfolds it, I see a cape just like the one the ambulance man cut off of me the other day. I want to smile.
I haven’t smiled since Mommy fell asleep when that truck hit her car. I don’t want to smile. But now I can. I have my power back, and I can help my mommy and my girls.
“Thank you, Maddox Locke.”
“You’re welcome, Cohen Cage.”
He sits down next to me and helps tie my cape around my neck. It feels good to have my magic back. When I didn’t have my cape and my mommy wasn’t there, I got really scared. I didn’t tell Daddy, but I didn’t like being scared.
“You know what’s going on?”
I shake my head at him. “I know Daddy is at the hospital because Mommy is sleeping and my sisters are out of her belly.”
“That’s right, C, and right now your daddy needs to be there for them because they need him real bad. I know you’re really strong so they’re going to need you too, but little dudes can’t sleep at hospitals so I’m going to stay with you for a little while. If that’s okay?”
“Do I still get to see Daddy and our girls?”
Maddox Locke smiles and I smile back, but I don’t know why we’re smiling.
“Yeah, buddy. Your daddy will be out here after he finishes talking to the morning doctor and then we can see about seeing your girls.”
“Okay! Thank you, Maddox Locke. I’m happy you’re home.”