(REALLY short chapter! So sorry!)
Chapter 10 – Present:
7 weeks. That's all there was to it. 7. Straight. Weeks. No sound. No movement. No acknowledgement of my existence from the still boy. So now I sob. I keep my face buried in his chest, one arm slipped underneath his back and locking with my other hand, my other arm draped over his stomach. Everyone's losing hope. Even Conner- even his family. It scares me…
Because his life is in their hands. Not mine.
Mitch's heart monitor was fine, steady and paced as it always had been. Beeping in time with his heart. His hair was all fixed, his facial muscles the same as they always had been. His hair had a musky scent to it from being dirty for the longest time, and overall, I was staining his gown with tears. I just wanted to sob- I didn't want to leave anymore. If I left, who's to say he won't die? I don't want to take that chance anymore. 7 weeks and counting- 4 weeks is the usual amount of time for a coma to last! That is… if it isn't a vegetative state.
His heart monitor skipped a beat.
I took in a sharp breath, going silent as I listened to the beeping even out again, as if it'd never happened at all. I didn't breathe. Why…? I took a slow breath as I sat up and grabbed a tissue, wiping at me eyes as more tears built in them. I just stared down at Mitch. I broke down again. I can't do this Mitch…
His heart monitor skipped again.
I lifted my head once more, staring intently at his face, worried. Why? I gently placed my head back to his chest, staring at his face as my arms rested over top of him. I just stared, tears still rolling down my face, but now I was surely calming down. I turned my head the other direction, staring down towards his feet as I closed my eyes, listening to his heart. I could feel his chest just barely rising and falling with each breath, his breathing slow and steady. Even if he never woke up, as long as he was here… here, just breathing… that would be enough for me… My own heart began to time itself with his, in a rhythm of a sort. They weren't in sync, but it was like a little melody in a way. The heart monitor and Mitch in sync, while I was there keeping a pace in the background. Just little things… just the little things are what calm me nowadays- things like this. That's all I need. Once again his heart monitor skipped a beat, but now it was like those little irregularities you hear in a song. The things that artists randomly throw in there to keep someone's attention. I sighed softly, comfortable.
Then, from nowhere, a weight was pressed to my head, beginning to softly stroke and smooth out my hair, whatever it was: moving. It felt like a hand.
"What are you doing?" I slowly pulled up, looking back to the sleepy, now confused looking face as Mitch- Mitch- yawned. I just stared, dumbstruck with the last of my tears falling from my chin. "Jay-rome… What're you doing?" He continued, his voice slurred as he closed his eyes and got comfortable again, turning to lie on his side, still facing me. He didn't move after that. Neither did I. I just decided to sit there for the longest time, unsure of what to do. Eventually, I decided to slowly reached out and poke Mitch's right cheek. His eyes fluttered open, as if he hadn't woken up, and a lazily smile spread across his face, half asleep. "Jay-rome… what're you doing?" He giggled giddily, turning the other way and once more, not moving. So again, I sat there, just completely blown away by the fact that Mitch moved. Not only moved, but spoke. After 7… weeks.
I quickly pressed the call nurse button, standing and gently grabbing Mitch's shoulders, causing him to look up at me, seeming dazed as he lied on his back, smiling lazily again, his eyes only halfway open as he softly hummed. I smiled, more tears starting to form as he reached up, poking my lips repeatedly and causing me to softly chuckle, taking his hand and stopping him. A nurse soon showed up, quickly coming over to the other side of the bed.
"He woke up." I choked out- stating the obvious.