Truth Out Of Darkness
Chapter 18
The waiting room was quiet and thick with tension as they waited for news of Chloe. John was talking quietly with Marlena, while Shawn held Belle. Brady had distanced himself from the others and was sitting down, with his head in his hands. Craig and Nancy were close together near the examining room.
Slowly the door opened and Dr. Murphy's gentle Irish\Australian accent could be heard.
"Come on, Chloe. That's a good girl. One foot in front of the other." he said soothingly.
Everyone came forward as Collin emerged slowly, supporting a very dizzy Chloe. Her head rested on his shoulder and her eyes were closed. Brady's jacket was draped over her shoulders. Her head was bandaged and her jaw was red and swollen. Purple spots had appeared where her tender skin had already begun to bruise.
John and Marlena were shocked while Belle and Shawn felt nauseous. The realization of Chloe's injuries had finally sunk in. Phillip had done this to her.
Brady sprang forward, wanting to help Chloe. As Collin and Chloe slowly made their way into the room, Collin handed her into Brady's arms. Chloe wrapped her arms around Brady and clutched him for support. She put her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes.
"She's having difficulty holding her head up, and this helps to fight the dizziness." Collin explained.
"I've run several tests, including a CAT scan. Chloe is suffering from a moderate concussion. This has thrown off her equilibrium, which is causing her dizziness. There is some swelling of brain tissue that I'm concerned about, but it should go down in a few days. Fortunately, I can find no evidence of skull fracture."
"What about the cranial bleeding?" Craig asked.
"Surface cut. One of her hair clips had broken and cut her deeply. It required several stitches, but actually looked worse than it was. She is very delirious and disoriented right now. However, her CAT scan revealed no permanent damage, so she should be fine shortly."
Relief flooded the waiting room, and many let out breaths they hadn't known they were holding.
Collin paused while he remembered everything he needed to say. "Her jaw has a slight fracture. Fortunately, it set back in place immediately and is already healing nicely. Due to her nausea, I cannot wire her jaw shut. If she were to become sick, she could choke. Her jaw should heal perfectly on its own as long as she refrains from excessive talking and extreme facial gestures."
"So, no arias for the next few days, okay Diva?" Brady joked, smiling down at Chloe.
She didn't understand him, but she smiled anyway, feeling strangely secure in his warm arms.
"She should stay home for the next few days and stay in bed. I want her to come back in 3 days to have her stitches removed, and also to ensure that the swelling has gone down and that her jaw is healing correctly. Other than that, I see no reason why she can't go home now." Collin finished.
Craig and Nancy hugged each other estatically, and Brady let out a sigh of relief.
"Thank you so much, Collin." Craig said earnestly.
"Not a problem. Take care of yourself, okay Chloe?" Collin reached over and patted her shoulder. He then left to complete his rounds.
The people in the waiting room rejoiced to hear the great news. Chloe just stood there clinging onto Brady, barely aware of what was going on around her. She kept her eyes shut as wave after wave of dizziness washed over her. She clutched onto Brady even tighter, using him as a lifeline. He responded by holding her tightly.
Craig and Nancy came over to them. "How are you feeling, honey?" asked Nancy. Chloe just moaned in reply. "We'll get you home soon, sweetie." Nancy soothed.
"Brady, could you take her home for us? We're still swamped with ER patients and it's going to be a couple of hours before we can leave." Craig asked.
"Sure, that's not a problem." Brady replied.
"Would you put her to bed and stay with her until we get home? I don't want her to be alone in this condition."
"Of course." Brady wouldn't dream of leaving Chloe alone like this. Especially, since he blamed himself for not protecting her, for not being there when she needed him.
"Do you hear that, Chloe? Brady is going to take you home, Okay?" Nancy said to Chloe.
Everyone wished Chloe well and told her goodbye.
"I'll see you home later, son." John said.
Brady turned to leave; too quickly for Chloe's nausea. She promptly threw up on the floor.
Chapter 18
The waiting room was quiet and thick with tension as they waited for news of Chloe. John was talking quietly with Marlena, while Shawn held Belle. Brady had distanced himself from the others and was sitting down, with his head in his hands. Craig and Nancy were close together near the examining room.
Slowly the door opened and Dr. Murphy's gentle Irish\Australian accent could be heard.
"Come on, Chloe. That's a good girl. One foot in front of the other." he said soothingly.
Everyone came forward as Collin emerged slowly, supporting a very dizzy Chloe. Her head rested on his shoulder and her eyes were closed. Brady's jacket was draped over her shoulders. Her head was bandaged and her jaw was red and swollen. Purple spots had appeared where her tender skin had already begun to bruise.
John and Marlena were shocked while Belle and Shawn felt nauseous. The realization of Chloe's injuries had finally sunk in. Phillip had done this to her.
Brady sprang forward, wanting to help Chloe. As Collin and Chloe slowly made their way into the room, Collin handed her into Brady's arms. Chloe wrapped her arms around Brady and clutched him for support. She put her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes.
"She's having difficulty holding her head up, and this helps to fight the dizziness." Collin explained.
"I've run several tests, including a CAT scan. Chloe is suffering from a moderate concussion. This has thrown off her equilibrium, which is causing her dizziness. There is some swelling of brain tissue that I'm concerned about, but it should go down in a few days. Fortunately, I can find no evidence of skull fracture."
"What about the cranial bleeding?" Craig asked.
"Surface cut. One of her hair clips had broken and cut her deeply. It required several stitches, but actually looked worse than it was. She is very delirious and disoriented right now. However, her CAT scan revealed no permanent damage, so she should be fine shortly."
Relief flooded the waiting room, and many let out breaths they hadn't known they were holding.
Collin paused while he remembered everything he needed to say. "Her jaw has a slight fracture. Fortunately, it set back in place immediately and is already healing nicely. Due to her nausea, I cannot wire her jaw shut. If she were to become sick, she could choke. Her jaw should heal perfectly on its own as long as she refrains from excessive talking and extreme facial gestures."
"So, no arias for the next few days, okay Diva?" Brady joked, smiling down at Chloe.
She didn't understand him, but she smiled anyway, feeling strangely secure in his warm arms.
"She should stay home for the next few days and stay in bed. I want her to come back in 3 days to have her stitches removed, and also to ensure that the swelling has gone down and that her jaw is healing correctly. Other than that, I see no reason why she can't go home now." Collin finished.
Craig and Nancy hugged each other estatically, and Brady let out a sigh of relief.
"Thank you so much, Collin." Craig said earnestly.
"Not a problem. Take care of yourself, okay Chloe?" Collin reached over and patted her shoulder. He then left to complete his rounds.
The people in the waiting room rejoiced to hear the great news. Chloe just stood there clinging onto Brady, barely aware of what was going on around her. She kept her eyes shut as wave after wave of dizziness washed over her. She clutched onto Brady even tighter, using him as a lifeline. He responded by holding her tightly.
Craig and Nancy came over to them. "How are you feeling, honey?" asked Nancy. Chloe just moaned in reply. "We'll get you home soon, sweetie." Nancy soothed.
"Brady, could you take her home for us? We're still swamped with ER patients and it's going to be a couple of hours before we can leave." Craig asked.
"Sure, that's not a problem." Brady replied.
"Would you put her to bed and stay with her until we get home? I don't want her to be alone in this condition."
"Of course." Brady wouldn't dream of leaving Chloe alone like this. Especially, since he blamed himself for not protecting her, for not being there when she needed him.
"Do you hear that, Chloe? Brady is going to take you home, Okay?" Nancy said to Chloe.
Everyone wished Chloe well and told her goodbye.
"I'll see you home later, son." John said.
Brady turned to leave; too quickly for Chloe's nausea. She promptly threw up on the floor.