Chapter 29- And I wait without you

Every minute felt like days as they all waited for Adrianna to get out of surgery or at least some news. Nothing came. Brax wouldn't leave that waiting room for fear of missing something. No-one really spoke unless they were going to the shop and asking if anyone wanted something. Brax, Heath and Bianca sat next to eachother, now joined by Casey after he found out. He was less than pleased that it had taken so long for someone to tell him but as soon as he saw the state everyone was in, it didn't bother him. Everyone's brains were scattered all over the place.

"Mate you don't have to be here, I'll ring you if there's any news." Brax told his youngest brother. "You should go hang out with Ruby." he didn't think it was a good environment for him to be hanging around.

Casey shook his head. "No way. I'm staying. Besides, Ruby's a little pre-occupied, Charlie showed up today and she was pretty upset."

Brax sighed and rubbed his face with his hands. "Yeah, I know. Charlie Buckton is exactly what I don't need today." It was just his look that she would show up at a time like this, when he was seconds the whole time from losing his mind completely.

"That's my step-daughter you're talking about." Morag warned him.

Brax nodded. "Yeah, I know, but forgive me for being a bit annoyed when she shows up out of the blue and kisses me." he said shortly.

"She just assumed you were still single." Bianca told him. She knew what Charlie did wasn't right, but she could see where her former best friend was coming from aswell.

Brax chuckled humourlessly. "Yeah 'cause she's the only one who would ever look at me twice." he said sarcastically.

"Speaking of which, Ruby told Charlie something... about-" Casey began but Brax cut him off as quick as possible.

He sighed. "I'm sure she did." He had regretted telling Charlie that Adrianna was pregnant. Brax knew he should have just kept his mouth shut, but Charlie... she really knew how to wind him up.

"Congratulations Bro!" The youngest Braxton boy gave the eldest a pat on the back.

Brax was aware that everyone was looking at him. "It's early days yet." Was all he said, though it pained him to consider losing his child. Every moment he prayed that the both of them would make it. Brax didn't know what he would do if he lost them.

Heath quickly changed the subject. "How long has it been?"

He looked at the time on his phone. "Nearly four and a half hours..." Brax told him. Surely they would hear something soon... and it would either be very good news, or very bad. Extremes of sweet and sour.

Roo drew a sharp breath. "And we haven't heard anything yet..." she was getting even more worried.

"That could be a good sign." Brax guessed.

Irene nodded. "I agree with Brax, if something had happened we would have heard by now. Let's just keep our fingers crossed." she said and as if by Murphy's law, Dr. Walker entered the room not thirty seconds later still wearing his scrubs.

His arrival made everyone suddenly very anxious and Brax's heart started beating faster and faster. This was the moment of truth, the moment that could shape the rest of his life. Heath put a re-assuring hand on his brother's shoulder.

"What's happened?" Roo wondered, frantically.

Then Sid did something that lifted everyone's spirits instantly: he smiled. "She's a fighter. The damage wasn't as bad as we'd first thought. Adrianna should be fine."

Everyone released a sigh of relief. "She's really going to be okay?" Roo found it hard to believe.

Sid nodded. "She lost a lot of blood but we gave her some transfusions and stitched the wound up. She's still under anaestethic but Adrianna should be awake by-" he looked at his watch for a moment, "Ten or eleven o'clock tonight."

Brax sighed. Five hours. "That's brilliant." He would never leave Adrianna out his sight again.

"Thank you so much Sid!" Roo nearly squeezed the life out of the doctor who was also her boyfriend.

Alf nodded. "Yeah, we really owe you one. Though you are one of the best, if anyone could save her, it would be you."

Sid smiled. "It's my job." his face suddenly became more serious again. Brax knew what that meant. "Em, Brax, could I speak to you outside for a minute."

Once again everyone in the room looked at hims suspiciously. He was becoming extremely conspicuous. Brax bit his lip and stood up. "Yeah, of course." he said as casually as possible and followed the doctor out of the room to find out whether or not he and Adrianna's child had survived.