Chapter 51
Shane was sitting in the hospital room and staring at his little sister. They had their moments where they fought and hated each other, but this was still his baby sister. He hated seeing her like this. It had been 2 weeks since the shooting had happened, and Stephanie had not opened her eyes. The doctor said it didn't have to be medical, it could be that Stephanie thought that Paul was dead and so she didn't want to open her eyes, her mind and heart were fighting her body, telling it to give up because the man she loved was gone, even though Paul wasn't dead. Shane told his little sister that often, but until she heard Paul's voice she wouldn't believe it, and at the moment that was impossible because he was still on a ventilator, just like Stephanie. Paul was also in the Intensive Care Unit. Shane knew that everyone was worried about the couple, especially since little Aurora wanted her mommy and daddy badly. The little girl was screaming every night she was laid in her crib for her mommy and daddy. She wanted her special story or her special blanket.
Their mother was currently watching her little granddaughter, well her only granddaughter since Shane only had boys with his wife. Linda said she didn't have a problem with keeping an eye on her, but she wanted to make sure that her daughter and son-in-law were well protected at all times. Nobody knew what was going to happen next, but Sable was in custody at the moment and she was not happy at all to be in the jail on lock up and charges of murder for hire and conspiracy to commit Capitol Murder. Shane was glad this was one situation that conniving little scumbag couldn't use her looks to get her out of trouble, she was being held in a place where all female, married, guards were working and there was constant vigilance and they weren't allowed to communicate with the prisoner. If she tried to talk to them they were to give her warnings and if she didn't listen, she got pepper sprayed, which satisfied Shane to no end because he knew she wouldn't listen, so he was wondering how many times she got sprayed. That stuff burned and it hurt, he was glad she was the one suffering, even if his sister and brother-in-law were also suffering.
Stephanie could hear her brother talking to her, telling her everything was fine and that she needed to fight back and come back to them. She heard him talking about how Paul was in another room and if she woke up and started working towards not being too sick and dependent on the machines then both she and Paul would be moved to a special room that was built for husbands and wifes to be able to share a room and a bed and be comfortable together at all times. They had learned it actually speeds up the healing process because both of them are more comfortable and encourage each other, they don't wear themselves out attempting to get to their spouses room to visit, because they are always together, always working together and making sure neither gives up.
Stephanie could hear Shane explaining everything, but it didn't matter. She had seen the bullet shatter the kitchen window, see the first bullet rip into her husband and the second hit her, mainly because her husband had already hit the floor, unable to protect her any longer but it didn't matter to Stephanie because she didn't think she would be okay if Paul wasn't around to help her. She wasn't sure how she would handle being pregnant and caring for their daughter.
Stephanie sighed inside of her mind. She knew that Shane had to be lying about her husband being alive and in another room, but it didn't matter. She was a mother and as much as she hated the thought of not seeing her husband alive ever again, he had to get back to reality, for her daughter. Then her mind went into full blown panic mode, is her unborn child still alive? Did she lose her poor innocent baby that was depending on her to keep it safe and alive? She was replaying every conversation she had heard from her brother, and even the ones she overheard between everyone who had ever been in her room, not once did she hear anything about the innocent child that was growing in her womb. If she had lost Paul, she needed that child, because somewhere inside of her, she knew it was a little boy she was carrying and she wanted her to make sure that little boy survived, another small piece of the man she had probably gotten killed.
Paul was sighing as he took a long sip of water. The tube had finally been removed from his throat. He was waiting for the stupid wheelchair so he could talk to Steph, make her open those beautiful eyes of hers and make her realize that they were all right and everything was going to be all right. The doctor didn't like the idea of moving Paul into the room in a wheelchair, but they had no choice. If he got Stephanie to wake up then they would be moved to that husband and wife room and he needed that, he needed to lay in the same bed as his wife every night and he needed, more than anything, to know she was all right.
Paul sighed again, this time in relief, as a wheelchair entered the room, being pushed by Shawn. Paul slipped into the chair and nodded as they headed down the hall to his wife's room. As he was pushed in, he felt like screaming out in rage. Stephanie was so pale, a tube in her mouth, down her throat, was pumping air into her lungs. He also noticed the tell tale bump on Stephanie's abdomen showed where their child was growing, and the monitor that was there was showing them all that their baby was alive and still kicking, a fighter just like his mama and his papa. Paul motioned Shane out of the way and Shane moved the chair he had been sitting in. Shawn moved the wheelchair so Paul was right there, where he could touch her, and he locked the wheels before leaving the room with Shane, giving them some privacy.
"Hey there baby." Paul whispered in her ear, leaning down and clasping her hand tightly. "I believe it's time for you to wake up so they can put us in the same room and I can make sure you are getting better. We have to get better for the baby inside of you and our princess at home. Please Steph, please come back to me."
