Truth Out Of Darkness
Chapter 52
John paced the packed waiting room; deep worry lines etched in his face. Marlena handed him a cup of coffee and rubbed his back. He accepted the cup and smiled his thanks. Right now his thought were on Brady and Chloe.
He had been greatly relieved when Brady regained consciousness. The bullet appeared to have done little damage, having entered his lower back. He was so glad that Brady could still walk – he wasn't paralyzed. Brady had lost a lot of blood, but was going to be okay.
Chloe, however, was a whole other story. His stomach had twisted in a giant rock-hard knot at his first sight of her. He nearly choked on his anger to see what that damn bastard had done to her. She was a bloody, bruised mess from head to toe. Her face was so covered with swollen, dark purple bruises that she was nearly unrecognizable. Blood from countless cuts and scrapes flowed in rivers all over her nearly naked body. Blood also continued to seep from her gunshot wound despite her best efforts to stop it.
As a mercenary under Stefano Dimera's control, John had seen a lot of horrible sights, and committed a lot of horrible deeds. But he knew that the image of Chloe's broken, bloody body would stay with him forever, as one of the worst things he had ever seen. John closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. Chloe had to be okay. Brady would be broken otherwise. She has to be okay.
John glanced around the waiting room at the others assembled there. Marlena was doing her best to comfort Nancy, while Craig was consulting with a nurse. {Poor Craig,} John thought wryly. {He wants to help so much, but he can't because of his relationship to Chloe.}
John walked over to Craig just as the nurse was speaking. "I appreciate your concern, Dr. Wesley, but I assure you that the best doctors and surgeons are treating Chloe as we speak. She's in the best possible care." The nurse gave him a reassuring smile and left.
John spoke up, placing a hand on Craig's tense shoulder. "She's right, you know. Chicago General has some of the best doctors in the country on staff."
"But what if something goes wrong? What if they make a mistake? I should be in there. That's my daughter in there."
"She's going to make it. She's a very strong, brave young woman. Think of everything she has already endured. She's tough." John assured him.
Thirty minutes passed in the quiet room, then an hour. Bo was talking to Shawn on his cell. Bo offered the phone to John. "Want to talk to Belle? She is staying at our place with Hope and Shawn while we're here."
John took the phone gratefully. "Belle," he breathed happily. Worrying about Chloe had made him think of his own daughter. He prayed that Belle would never know the kind of pain that Chloe has.
"We're fine IzzyB. We found Chloe. She and Brady are both being treated right now. Why? Well, honey remain calm okay. Brady's going to be fine, but he was kind of – shot. Yes, again. In the lower back. He was walking earlier, so he's fine. The doctors are just going to remove the bullet and stitch him back up."
John took a deep breath before continuing. "Chloe's condition is a little more serious, honey. They are operating on her now; she had a great deal of injuries. But I have faith that she will be fine too. Honey, please don't cry – they are going to be fine. It's Christmas, and you know that Christmas miracles are our stock in trade." He smiled into the phone.
"Well, here's what you can do. Go with Hope and Shawn to Christmas Mass and pray for us. Pray that we'll be able to come home soon with the two healthy young people that we love so much. Okay? Get everyone to pray. It will be easy for you. Nobody rallies the troops like you do. I love you too, honey. Merry Christmas." John hung up the phone.
"Is it Christmas already?" Bo asked, taking his phone back.
"Well, technically not for a few more hours."
Bo frowned in thought. "Crap. I had planned on doing my Christmas shopping this afternoon, but a 'little something' came up. I don't suppose there is anything open now, do you?"
"This late on Christmas Eve? Uh, No. You mean you haven't gotten ANYTHING yet?"
"No. Have you?"
"Uh. No."
"Gift shop?"
"Gift shop."
Marlena and Nancy watched the two men leave the waiting room. Marlena rolled her eyes. "Men. I swear if I open up just one present that has 'Congratulations!' anywhere on it, I am going to kill that man."
Nancy laughed, grateful for the distraction from her anxious thoughts.
Twenty minutes later the two men returned with wide grins on their faces and heavy bags on their arms. "Success!" they cried.
John went to hug Marlena, who stepped back from him. "I am not talking to you." She told her husband. John sheepishly reached into one of the bags and pulled out a little teddy bear. He gave her his best puppy face and held the bear up out in front of her.
"Uh. Congratulations?" he said.
Marlena glowered at her clueless husband and left him to sit with Nancy.
"My friend, I believe we are in the doghouse." Bo commented with a sigh.
John was about to reply when a doctor entered the waiting room. Craig was the first to leap out of his chair. John came up to stand beside him.
Dr. Allred addressed John. "Mr. Black, we have successfully removed the bullet from your son's body. It had entered high in the left buttock and become lodged in his pelvic bone. There was fortunately little damage and the bullet was removed with relative ease. He is doing fine now, and can receive visitors."
Dr. Allred inhaled deeply and turned to Craig. "Dr. Wesley, Chloe has suffered a large number of injuries. At the moment we are most concerned with her two cracked ribs. The bones punctured her lung and fluid had been building inside. We drained the fluid out of the lung and repaired the tear. We also set her ribs. They should heal together nicely.
She also, as you know, was shot in the left shoulder. The bullet passed straight through, but also splintered the bone. We inserted a few metal pins and brackets to hold the bone fragments together while they set.
Also she has a very mild concussion, caused by a sharp blow to the head. But her CAT scans are fine and there is no swelling.
She had a large number of cuts on her body, including a deep gash on her ankle and some deep cuts on her wrists. She lost a lot of blood, which we are replacing now."
He dropped his voice lower. "Dr. Wesley, we also examined her, as you requested. I am pleased to report that we found no evidence of sexual assault. There are a few bruises on her thighs, but that is it."
Craig exhaled loudly and his shoulders slumped in relief. {Thank God in Heaven.}
"We have treated all her injuries, and she should regain consciousness shortly. Normally, I would want her to stay a few more days, but since it is Christmas and you are a doctor, then I will agree to release them both once Chloe wakes up." Dr. Allred smiled at the men.
There was a small explosion of happy chatter at the good news. Dr. Allred spoke up, "However, Brady is to take it easy this week and he should probably see a physical therapist at least once. Chloe is to stay in bed for a week, no exceptions. After that, she should take it easy for a month, to give her body a chance to recover from all her injuries and rebuild her strength. She will definitely need physical therapy for her shoulder and chest. And both of them should probably see a counselor too."
"Oh, don't worry. They will." Marlena spoke up. Soft chuckles were heard in the room. Everyone felt so relieved and happy.
John couldn't restrain himself any longer. "I'm going to see Brady."
Chapter 52
John paced the packed waiting room; deep worry lines etched in his face. Marlena handed him a cup of coffee and rubbed his back. He accepted the cup and smiled his thanks. Right now his thought were on Brady and Chloe.
He had been greatly relieved when Brady regained consciousness. The bullet appeared to have done little damage, having entered his lower back. He was so glad that Brady could still walk – he wasn't paralyzed. Brady had lost a lot of blood, but was going to be okay.
Chloe, however, was a whole other story. His stomach had twisted in a giant rock-hard knot at his first sight of her. He nearly choked on his anger to see what that damn bastard had done to her. She was a bloody, bruised mess from head to toe. Her face was so covered with swollen, dark purple bruises that she was nearly unrecognizable. Blood from countless cuts and scrapes flowed in rivers all over her nearly naked body. Blood also continued to seep from her gunshot wound despite her best efforts to stop it.
As a mercenary under Stefano Dimera's control, John had seen a lot of horrible sights, and committed a lot of horrible deeds. But he knew that the image of Chloe's broken, bloody body would stay with him forever, as one of the worst things he had ever seen. John closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. Chloe had to be okay. Brady would be broken otherwise. She has to be okay.
John glanced around the waiting room at the others assembled there. Marlena was doing her best to comfort Nancy, while Craig was consulting with a nurse. {Poor Craig,} John thought wryly. {He wants to help so much, but he can't because of his relationship to Chloe.}
John walked over to Craig just as the nurse was speaking. "I appreciate your concern, Dr. Wesley, but I assure you that the best doctors and surgeons are treating Chloe as we speak. She's in the best possible care." The nurse gave him a reassuring smile and left.
John spoke up, placing a hand on Craig's tense shoulder. "She's right, you know. Chicago General has some of the best doctors in the country on staff."
"But what if something goes wrong? What if they make a mistake? I should be in there. That's my daughter in there."
"She's going to make it. She's a very strong, brave young woman. Think of everything she has already endured. She's tough." John assured him.
Thirty minutes passed in the quiet room, then an hour. Bo was talking to Shawn on his cell. Bo offered the phone to John. "Want to talk to Belle? She is staying at our place with Hope and Shawn while we're here."
John took the phone gratefully. "Belle," he breathed happily. Worrying about Chloe had made him think of his own daughter. He prayed that Belle would never know the kind of pain that Chloe has.
"We're fine IzzyB. We found Chloe. She and Brady are both being treated right now. Why? Well, honey remain calm okay. Brady's going to be fine, but he was kind of – shot. Yes, again. In the lower back. He was walking earlier, so he's fine. The doctors are just going to remove the bullet and stitch him back up."
John took a deep breath before continuing. "Chloe's condition is a little more serious, honey. They are operating on her now; she had a great deal of injuries. But I have faith that she will be fine too. Honey, please don't cry – they are going to be fine. It's Christmas, and you know that Christmas miracles are our stock in trade." He smiled into the phone.
"Well, here's what you can do. Go with Hope and Shawn to Christmas Mass and pray for us. Pray that we'll be able to come home soon with the two healthy young people that we love so much. Okay? Get everyone to pray. It will be easy for you. Nobody rallies the troops like you do. I love you too, honey. Merry Christmas." John hung up the phone.
"Is it Christmas already?" Bo asked, taking his phone back.
"Well, technically not for a few more hours."
Bo frowned in thought. "Crap. I had planned on doing my Christmas shopping this afternoon, but a 'little something' came up. I don't suppose there is anything open now, do you?"
"This late on Christmas Eve? Uh, No. You mean you haven't gotten ANYTHING yet?"
"No. Have you?"
"Uh. No."
"Gift shop?"
"Gift shop."
Marlena and Nancy watched the two men leave the waiting room. Marlena rolled her eyes. "Men. I swear if I open up just one present that has 'Congratulations!' anywhere on it, I am going to kill that man."
Nancy laughed, grateful for the distraction from her anxious thoughts.
Twenty minutes later the two men returned with wide grins on their faces and heavy bags on their arms. "Success!" they cried.
John went to hug Marlena, who stepped back from him. "I am not talking to you." She told her husband. John sheepishly reached into one of the bags and pulled out a little teddy bear. He gave her his best puppy face and held the bear up out in front of her.
"Uh. Congratulations?" he said.
Marlena glowered at her clueless husband and left him to sit with Nancy.
"My friend, I believe we are in the doghouse." Bo commented with a sigh.
John was about to reply when a doctor entered the waiting room. Craig was the first to leap out of his chair. John came up to stand beside him.
Dr. Allred addressed John. "Mr. Black, we have successfully removed the bullet from your son's body. It had entered high in the left buttock and become lodged in his pelvic bone. There was fortunately little damage and the bullet was removed with relative ease. He is doing fine now, and can receive visitors."
Dr. Allred inhaled deeply and turned to Craig. "Dr. Wesley, Chloe has suffered a large number of injuries. At the moment we are most concerned with her two cracked ribs. The bones punctured her lung and fluid had been building inside. We drained the fluid out of the lung and repaired the tear. We also set her ribs. They should heal together nicely.
She also, as you know, was shot in the left shoulder. The bullet passed straight through, but also splintered the bone. We inserted a few metal pins and brackets to hold the bone fragments together while they set.
Also she has a very mild concussion, caused by a sharp blow to the head. But her CAT scans are fine and there is no swelling.
She had a large number of cuts on her body, including a deep gash on her ankle and some deep cuts on her wrists. She lost a lot of blood, which we are replacing now."
He dropped his voice lower. "Dr. Wesley, we also examined her, as you requested. I am pleased to report that we found no evidence of sexual assault. There are a few bruises on her thighs, but that is it."
Craig exhaled loudly and his shoulders slumped in relief. {Thank God in Heaven.}
"We have treated all her injuries, and she should regain consciousness shortly. Normally, I would want her to stay a few more days, but since it is Christmas and you are a doctor, then I will agree to release them both once Chloe wakes up." Dr. Allred smiled at the men.
There was a small explosion of happy chatter at the good news. Dr. Allred spoke up, "However, Brady is to take it easy this week and he should probably see a physical therapist at least once. Chloe is to stay in bed for a week, no exceptions. After that, she should take it easy for a month, to give her body a chance to recover from all her injuries and rebuild her strength. She will definitely need physical therapy for her shoulder and chest. And both of them should probably see a counselor too."
"Oh, don't worry. They will." Marlena spoke up. Soft chuckles were heard in the room. Everyone felt so relieved and happy.
John couldn't restrain himself any longer. "I'm going to see Brady."