Lightning made his choice. And with it the doctor left. Lightning stood there. Alone. He could hear his heart.. his breathing.. he felt sick to his stomach.. he hoped he made the right choice... he fell into the chair behind him.. the world seemed frozen.. all he could think of were memories.. Meeting Sally.. falling in love.. their long drives.. dates.. their wedding.. fights... love shared.. his world was coming apart.. his phone rang. All he could hear was his heart.. beating.. loudly.. a nurse came to check on him.. he didn't even notice her. He just stared into nothing. Blankly. The nurse snapped her fingers in front of him. He came to. "What!?" He yelled as he was startled. The nurse gave him some water and mentioned, "We have a private waiting area that we can take you to. We need to open this room up for other patients.. I'm sorry...". Lightning sighed. He left the room and followed the nurse. He sat there. He was the only person in this area.. he teared up.. he cried softly.. his phone rang again. He looked at the screen. It was Flo.. he sat there debating to answer it.. he did though.
He sounded stuffed up and sick almost. You could tell he's been crying. He was trying to hold it together.
"Hello?"
Lightning where are you?
"Flo I'm.. im at the hospital. Im waiting for whatever happens I guess.."
Where. We can come to you.
"We?.."
Just ramone and I right now honey. Cruz called. She was worried.
"The private waiting rooms.. I'll have to open the door for y'all.."
Be there in a few minutes!
She hung up. Lighting put his phone away.. he knew he needed to contact Cruz.. he pulled it back out and just sent her a quick text.
Gonna be here a while.. you all can stay at the house. Make yourselves at home.
He put his phone back away.. he cried. He went to the door to wait for Ramone and Flo.. they came and he let them in.. he looked aweful.
They all sat down. Lightning didn't speak. He cried quietly to himself.. Flo sat beside him. She didn't exactly know what was wrong yet. But she was scared to ask. And Lightning didn't seem ready to talk.. she held Lightning. Like a mother cradled her baby.. she had a good heart..
A few hours past. Lightning's stomach rumbled. Flo offered to grab him some food. But he was to sick to really eat.. eventually Cruz came. She sat with them a bit. Still no news... Lightning was getting nervous... few more hours passed. Cruz left eventually. Ellen wanted to see Lightning. He didn't deny her. She came and sat with him to. No one yet knew what happened. Flo finally asked... "Lightning?... What has happened to her?.."
Lightning closed his eyes. He tried to think of words.. "Sally has organs failing.. her uterus is slowly thinning and the baby is dying..". The three in the room gasped a bit. Flos eyes teared up to cry.. Lightning continued.. "The doctor made me choose...". Flo didn't understand yet. "Choose what?" Ramone and Ellen listened in. Lightning sighed and started to cry a little.. "Between Sally or trying to save them both with no promise either will live.."
Flo started to cry... she almost didn't care to know what choice he made. It was his choice. His wife... his baby... lightning lost it... he cried hard.. Flo held him in her lap.. he was broken... Ellen cried.. she wished she could be more here for him... She left the room quietly.. A few more hours went by. Lightning fell asleep in those horrid chairs. Flo and ramone let him sleep. Flo stayed with him. She didn't want him to wake up alone.
Shortly He woke up slowly. He was tired. His face red from crying. He saw Flo in the corner of his eyes.. she stood up and gave him some water. "Need to stay hydrated.. are you gonna sleep here tonight?" Lightning yawned a bit and shook his head.. he was so tired.. he answered Flo softly, "I don't know..". Flo tried to smile.. "You should shower. Get some rest? Wanna stay with us tonight?" She offered. "I'll cook you up something easy on you?" Lightning looked at her. He took a deep breath to keep from going over again.. he rubbed his eyes. Lightning wanted to get his choice off his chest.. "Flo..". Flo looked into his blue eyes. She could feel his pain.. she loved Sally like a daughter.
He continued.. "I.. I chose..". Flo smiled and hugged him tightly again.. he was about to leave when the Doctor came in.. "Mr.McQueen..". Lightning almost ran over to the man.. he asked. "How is she?" The doctor smiled. The doctor was sweating.. "She'll be fine. I got her steady again. She will probably wake up in a few hours if she's not to aweful tired. I'll have to treat her three times a week. Treatment takes four hours..". Flo came up. The doctor stopped.. Lightning spoke, "She's fine. She's with me..". Flo spoke up, "Its Been a lot more than four hours?" The doctor nodded and continued, "I went ahead and performed a d and c.. the baby's heart rate dropped to 65.. and...I'm sorry.. you told me to save your wife.. she will live." Flo gasped a bit. Lightning's eyes teared.. Sally was going to wake up and hate him... Lightning replied.. "Okay.. when can I see her?" The doctor answered "Anytime now. If you need to rest I'm going to ask you have someone she knows Wait with her to wake up.. she's going to be upset.. and I'll have to explain what happened. If you want I can tell her it was my choice to save her.. it would be what I usually done anyway." Lightning took a deep breath.. "No. I'll be there. And no she needs to know I did." Lightning braved up. The doctor nodded. He took Lightning and Flo to the room they had Sally in.
A machine next to her was filtering out her blood. The doctor checked on her. Flo felt sick upon seeing Sally like this. The doctor spoke up "I'll be putting her on the waiting list for a transplant. She'll need one after this. This machine just fixes this now. But in time she's gonna need a transplant. Call me out or.. in?.. when she wakes. I'll explain it to her..". Lightning nodded. He sat down in the chair in the corner.. Flo stared at Sally. "Is she gonna hate me?.." Lightning asked the cafe owner.. Flo looked at Lightning.. "She loves you... I don't think.. I don't think she will hate you.. she just might be upset for a bit.. she's just gonna be hurt..." she brushed Sally's hair back..
Lightning sat there. Flo spoke up, "I'll get you something to eat." She left. Lightning stood up and walked over to Sally... he put his hand in hers.. "Sal.. I'm sorry.. please understand...". He paced around the room. His phone rang.. Tex.. the race this weekend... he answered,
"Tex, things aren't good right now.. I need a favor.."
Cruz called. I wanted to know if Sally was alright?
"Yeah.. she'll be okay.. I can't come to the races this weekend.. things are bad right now.."
Tex sighed,
If you need the time. But Cruz won't like it.
"I'm sorry. I'll tell her then. Have strip fill in for me?"
I can. How is the future racer?
Lightning's heart broke.. out of stupidity he posted this to the internet! How dumb now.. he was going to have to tell the world he killed his child!?.,
"Didn't make it..".
The phone conversation became quiet...
Lightning.. take the time you need...
Lightning hung up. He cried again...
Flo brought him food. He barely smacked on it.
Hours went on. He fell asleep a few times. Startled and waking himself up. It was late at night. An entire day. Sally slept longer than the treatment. The doctor came in and unplugged the one machine. "We want her to wake up and see how she's doing before we decide if we will be doing three day treatment in a row or every other day. This is hard on someone's body.. she is just tired. Don't worry." The doctor left. Another hour went by. He kept falling asleep.
Finally Sally started to wake up. She felt aweful in pain.. she felt warm liquid down her pelvis. Her body was to weak to even check why.. her arms could barely move. She saw Lightning. He was barely awake.. she woke up more after a few minutes. Realizing where she was! "Lightning!" She yelled. It scared him he fell out of the chair.. he stood straight up! "Sally?.." he began to walk up to her but stopped himself. He was somewhat scared of her.. of her reaction.. Sally yelled panicked, "The baby! Lightning what happened!?" Lightning's eyes.. she saw his pain.. his hesitance.. "What happened!?" She sat up. She was afraid. Lightning was frozen.. he swollowed hard.. "Sally.." he began. Sally didn't want to hear anything after that time he had.. She yelled "No? No! Everything's fine!? Right!?" The doctor and a nurse came in. They could hear her from outside. Sally's face was filled with emotion. "Why are you just standing there Lightning!?" The doctor came over and spoke up, "Please calm down. What is it. What's goin on?"
Lighting looked down at the floor.. Then Sally spoke to the doctor, "Tell me what happened? What about the baby?" The doctor nodded and answered.. "let me check things down here okay?..". The doctor lifted the sheets and gown.. he put them back gently. Then he bent over Sally and looked her in the eyes and gave her news.. "Your kidneys were failing. Well they still are. We had few treatment options but.. made some choices and got you hooked up over here. You need these treatments three times a week for a while.. later on a transplant..". Sally asked more "The treatment is safe for the baby right?" The doctor sighed and glanced at Lightning.. he answered Sally.. "Not this kind.. a baby almost never survives. But your body had started to miscarry.. I had to remove it for your safety and survival..". Sally became distraught! She slapped the doctor across the face. The doctor stood up and away. Lightning stepped forward.. "I made that decision Sally." Sally's eyes widened. Her face.. she was amazing and stunned. Sally with such anger asked her husband to confirm it.. "You chose to take away our baby?..". Lightning frowned. He tried to explain.. "It was save you or I might lose you both?!.. Did you want to die?" The doctor spoke up.. "I'll leave you two a bit..". He and the nurse left. Sally glared angerly at McQueen. "You mean to tell me that man asked you if you wanted to try and save us both and you said no!?" Lightning heard that and it hurt. It wasn't like that!.. Lightning replied, "That's not exactly what happen Sally... I had to choose?! I can't lose you both? We can always try again okay?.." he walked over to touch her hand. She pulled away. "Go." She said harshly.. Lightning thought for a moment. "Stop Sally. Stop being so stubborn?.. I had to do what I thought was right!?" Sally rolled her eyes and cried.. he tried to hold her.. she pushed him away.. "Sal please.?..". Sally took a deep breath.. someone knocked on the door and slowly entered. It was Flo.. "I heard yelling.. they'll sedate her if she doesn't calm down.. Sally dear..". Flo can over to her and hugged her. She let Flo in.. Lightning frowned a bit. Sally cried to Flo. "Did you know what he was going to do!?" Flo looked at Lightning as she answered, "No.. Girl he had a hard choice. It's okay. You can survive and make more babies okay?..". Sally looked at Lightning with such anger.. "Go!" She ordered loudly.. Flo and Lightning locked eyes.. "Fine." He said.. and with that he left... Flo knew she was just stressed and hurt. She didn't mean it..
Lightning basically stomped out the room. The hospital.. he walked outside. He noticed his mustang wasn't taken like he expected it to be. He stomped over to it and harshly opened the door and sat inside. He started up and slammed the door. He yelled. He beat the shit out of the dash and wheel.. he took a deep breath. It was really early in the morning.. not even daylight. He started it up. He revved it up and sped off. He needed a drive. He needed to race around a bit. Where was Doc when you needed him...he raced over to Willy's butte. He ran the track multiple times. Pushing himself harder with each lap. Each turn. He about landed in the tulips a few times. Daylight came. He was still out there. Sheriff watched idling in the distance. He called someone to come out to him. A few minutes later a bright yellow race car jumped over his mustang and landed in front of him. Skidding to a stop and forcing him to stop or hit it. He chose to stop thankfully. He opened the door as did Cruz. He yelled at her, "Get out of my way Cruz!" Cruz replied "Your angry.. you can use that!" Lightning rolled his eyes "Stop!? You seriously don't know! I'm not doing this! What's the point of it!?" Cruz knew he was just mad and taking it out on her. Which was fine. She was use to this a bit from him. From when she trained him before. Lightning yelled, "Racing is shit! You know your just gonna crash and lose everything they ever once told you you are!?" Cruz nodded listening. "You know I won't be there this weekend right!?" Cruz nodded again. She understood. Sally needed him more than she did. Lightning sighed. He calmed down a bit.. "I'm sorry.." he apologized. Cruz smiled a bit. "Your cool.. don't worry." Lightning took a deep breath..
he went back to the hospital. To Sally.. he came in slow.. Sally stared at him.. he frowned as he entered the room. "If i made the wrong choice.. I can live with that if your here.." he said. Sally looked downward. She was broken.. he walked over to her. He cautiously sat beside her. She didn't push him away this time. Flo smiled and sat down in the chair.. Lightning wrapped his arms around Sally.. she cried loudly into his embrace.. it made Lightning cry quietly. He brushed her hair and held her tightly... it'd be okay.. they could heal together. They sat there for hours. Doctors checked on them back and fourth. They'd decide Sally needed every other day treatment. 3 times a week. Until they found a transplant doner. This would be one the saddest things the media heard in a long time once word got out... Sally was the strongest woman Lightning had ever seen.
So hard to write these last two chapters. So here's the choice. Sally and Lightning are heart broken. Especially Sally. Lightning had chosen her over the baby. Part of her hated him. She's stuck in a hospital for hours weekly. Reminding her of his choice.. when they could have both lived possibly..
Does Sally treat Lightning cold and distant for a while? Pushing him away. She still loves him. She's just hurt. This choice could send Lightning into a dark place for a little bit. But he isn't a lost cause and he loves Sally.
Or...
Does she understand. It's hurts but she understands his choice. She numbs the bit of hatred she has for her husband. And wants to get better and try again soon as possible. But Lightning has a lot of guilt on his shoulders which can be testing.