I try to grasp his words, try to make sense out of what he said, but the darkness pulls me under and nothing I can do will fight it off.
My last thought is that I won’t get to see Lyla again or hold our baby…
Chapter 42
Lyla
“Family of Thomas West.”
My heart is tripping over itself. My pulse rate is so high that I’m instantly dizzy when I stand up. Luckily, Dad notices and grabs my arm.
“You’re here for Thomas?” the doctor says curtly. I nod, unable to find the words.
I feel so numb. I don’t know how I’m even functioning. I feel cold and frozen to the bone.
“We have Mr. West in a room. He needs surgery and plasma, but we’re at a standstill right now.”
“A standstill? I was told he needed this surgery to save his life.” I ask, my voice sounding foreign even to my own ears.
“Are you aware that Mr. West has a rare blood type?”
“Uh, no. I guess not.”
“Mr. West’s O negative and sadly, we don’t have enough on hand. We’ve given him what we have, but he’s lost a lot of blood. It’s a sheer miracle he’s made it to the hospital.”
“I thought O was a universal blood? Can’t you just give him any type? I can donate—”
“All of us can,” my dad interjects. If I was ever worried he didn’t like Thomas, I’m not now. He’s been driving the hospital staff crazy—which I’m thankful for because I can’t breathe enough to think of what to do.
“It’s not that simple. O negative is the universal donor, it’s the most valuable blood there is. That said, a person with O negative blood can only receive O negative.”
“So order some. Hospitals have those blood bank things, right?”
“We’re contacting local banks and those farther away. The problem is, Mr. West needs the surgery now. We can go ahead, but without the available supplies for a transfusion…”
“His mother and father will be here, but are probably a couple hours out. I don’t know what type they are, but they’re his parents…”
“That doesn’t necessarily mean they will be a match,” the doctor says.
“So, you’re just going to let him die?” I cry, feeling as if the world is falling in on me. “I can’t lose Thomas! I can’t!” My knees buckle. I don’t even want to imagine a world without him. I can’t do it. I just can’t. Dad takes my weight as I struggle not to succumb to passing out. It’s just so much effort to keep breathing right now.
“I assure you, Mrs. West, that we’re doing everything in our power to sustain your husband until we have the necessary supplies. He’s in the best place possible right now. If we can’t get what we need relatively soon, we’ll look at alternatives. I promise we will do everything we possibly can.” I’m in too much shock to correct him about calling me Mrs. West.
“I’ll donate to T,” King says and I crook my neck to look at him. I didn’t even realize that he was standing beside me.
“I was explaining to Mrs. West, less than seven percent of—”
“I’m O negative. Do your fucking tests and let’s get this shit started instead of you standing there playing with your dick talking down to Lyla and scaring her even more than she already is.”
“I wasn’t—”
“I said let’s get the fucking tests started.”
The doctor looks like he’d rather have King escorted out. Instead, he nods. “I’ll have a lab tech sent out to escort you back,” he grumbles, clearly wanting to say more—but wisely not doing it.
“Will it be enough?” I find myself asking, holding my breath as I wait for the doctor to answer.
“It will be close, but with what we had, it should give him a fighting chance.”
“I want to see him before his surgery.”
“Mrs. West I don’t think—”
“You’ll let her see her man before this surgery. If you don’t, trust me when I tell you, you’ll regret it,” Dad interjects.
“You can have five minutes,” the doctor barks, clearly exasperated. I don’t ask twice. I walk toward a nurse—who seems much friendlier than the doctor. She pats my hand.
“Right this way,” she says under her breath. I don’t look back. I just keep going because I desperately need to see Thomas and make sure he knows I’m here and need him to hold on.
I turn back, and before I can question myself, I hug King.
“Thank you so much for doing this,” I tell him shakily. “I don’t know how to repay you.”
“Don’t have to thank me. It’s what you do for family,” King says and I hug him again.
“I’m glad you think of me as family,” I whisper, my voice full of gratitude. Then, I quickly follow the nurse out before the doctor decides to stop me.
Chapter 43
King
I don’t know why I’m fucking doing this to myself. I shouldn’t be here. I don’t belong. As it is now, I’m standing at the door to T’s hospital room, looking at the people in his life, worried over him. People that love him. I’m looking at a life that is not mine—will never be mine. You would think after all of these years it would roll off me like water on a duck’s back. Instead, it twists inside of me, wrapping around parts of me that are empty—parts that will never be whole.