Logan felt alone. His vision slowly unfocused into one sterile white blur. It was like a trap door had opened and his entire world had just dropped from under him. The room began to spin and he found it harder to breathe. Realizing that he was about to pass out, he mentally counted backward from ten and took deep breaths while the doctor continued.
"Ten, nine."
"She has a unique neurological condition that I have never seen before. It led to some… complications in the pregnancy."
"Eight, seven."
"She is in a coma and it doesn't look good."
"Six, five."
"Your child was too underdeveloped to survive."
"Four, three."
"There is no way to predict the long term effects on her if she pulls through. She might have anything from slight memory loss to crippling brain damage."
"Two, one."
"I'm sorry. And as requested all records of her being here have been erased."
"Thank you." Logan replied with a dead look in his eyes.
"Anything for Eyes Only… would you like to see her? Mind you, she is in pretty rough shape."
"Yes." He fumbled in his pocket for a slip of paper. "Can I use that?" He pointed to the doctor's pen. Giving a fake smile, Dr. Gibbs handed it to him. Quickly Logan jotted down some numbers. "Could you please contact these people?"
"Are they her next of kin?" What last hope Logan had was trampled by the words 'next of kin.'
"Something like that."
"Alright we will get right on it." He motioned to the door, "She is through here."
The trip through the passages of hospital hallways did nothing to sooth him. The sight of an elderly woman who had been badly burnt in a fire greeted him as he crossed the threshold from the waiting room. Everywhere he looked the maimed, the dead, and the terminally ill waited for him. All of this suffering was basking in a false cheerfulness that was almost sickening.
Even after all of the horrors that he had seen, nothing prepared him for Max. She was lying on a hospital cot with some flimsy covers pulled up to her chest. A blue surgery gown was the only clothing that covered to her neck. In both of her arms were numerous IV's pumping her full of painkillers and bundles of wires snaked from under her sheets into various Life support devices. She was hooked up to a respirator, whose incessant hissing provided depressing music.
The doctor put a hand on Logan's shoulder and said some insincere apologies before leaving. As Logan looked at his beautiful wife's face, swollen from muscle relaxers, he surprised himself by not crying. He wanted to, but no tears came. Wheeling next to the woman he loved, he gently took her hand in his and kissed her forehead. The gentle hissing and beeping was the only thing that registered to him as he laid his head next to Max on the bed.
A shrill beeping broke Logan's trance. Now the tears did come, as a nurse rushed into the room. He prepared himself for what was about to happen by clutching her hand even tighter. He was so deep in grief that he failed to notice the woman trying to get his attention.
"Sir, Sir. I need to change her IV fluids." As her words sunk in his obvious overreaction caused him to blush. He quickly regained his composure while the fluids were swapped.
Every minuet was like a year to Logan in that place and he felt like an old man by the time Original Cindy showed up.
"Christ boo." Was all she could manage to say as she walked over to Logan. All control over her emotions was lost as she embraced him and began crying. "Are you ok?" She managed after her sobs subsided.
"I'm still in shock." Tears clouded his eyes as he continued. "We were having breakfast this morning like always, I had just kissed her Cindy. I had just kissed her and then she started having a seizure… there was nothing I could do. It happened so fast and I felt so helpless. Jesus, she is going to die. I can't live without her Cindy, I can't." He wept uncontrollably while Cindy used all the resolve she had to comfort him.
"Hey now, she ain't gonna die. She's a fighta' remember? She is gonna get through this bitch just fine." Cindy wasn't sure if her little speech was trying to convince Logan or herself.
"We lost our child."
"I know, the nurse told me." She let go of him and placed her arm around his shoulders. "You two will have plenty of time to make more when she wakes up aiight?" She managed a weak smile. "Now you two need a little time together. I'm gonna go talk to the doctor, but if you need Original Cindy, just call and she will be back in here quicker than hell." She ran a hand playfully through his hair as she stood to leave. Just as she reached the door, Logan called to her.
"Cindy, thank you." A shudder passed through her as she looked at Max.
"No prob boo." She said as cheerfully as possible before quickly leaving.