Dustin sat there as time past. shane had taken the paperwork and had completed what he could of it. The rest of the "family" sat around in the waiting room. Cold cups of coffee sat on tables, Cam paced, and Blake kept rolling a magazine up, and then unrolling it again. Shane played with a mini skateboarder, until Hunter grabbed his hand after he kept making noise on the table for the past hour. Shane just looked up and nodded, placing his toy back in his pocket.
"Dustin?" Everyone looked up and saw Mister Brooks standing there. His son never looked up, as he went over and knelt in front of his boy. "Dustin, son." He reached out a callased hand and touched the boys cheek. "Look at me." Dustins head came up, he looked numb, and had tracks of dried tears on his face.
"Dad, it's Tori."
"I know son, that is why I am here. Because I care about both of you."
"She is in surgery right now. Pressure on her brain, they don't know if she will ever wake up. If she doesn't make it, I am going to join her. We'll be together, always."
Listen Dustin, I know how you feel." Dustin looked at his father.
"How? Mom has always been healthy. Nothing like this."
"Hasn't she? Before you were born, your mother caught some kind of virus, she was deathly sick. For months she went down hill. Until the day she had you. The doctors were concerned that her illness might effect you. She was so ill, but she only thought about you. Her baby. She could have gotten rid of you, and she would have gotten better a lot sooner. But she wouldn't." He paused for a moment thinking.
"I remember the doctor telling me, as they took her up that might not see her again. Alive. I have never prayed so much, trying to make deals with God. I thought about suicide too. I couldn't bear to be without her. She was and still is my breath. Then you were born, and she began to recover, slowly. So I do know what you are feeling. There were tears in Mister Brooks eyes as he told the story. Dustin looked up at him, tears beginning to flow anew.
"I never knew that. Is that why I am the way I am?" His father shook his head, and ruffled his dark hair. "Dustin you are just like my mother, you have her eyes too. Some thought her simple too. But she wasn't. One smart woman, she just was happy go lucky. She trusted people, she wanted to believe there was good in everyone. She was much like a butterfly, free going here and there. A dreamer too. When I look at you I see her. She lives in you. There is nothing wrong with you.
"That is so cool, dad." Dustin smiled for the first time. "I never knew that about grandma. I always thought you were ashamed of me."
"Oh Dustin, my boy. I would never be that, nor would your mother." Dustin hugged his father.
Hours past and finally a tall rumpled doctor in green scrubs came through the doors. He walked over to the group of young people sitting around the room.
"Is anyone here for Miss Hanson?"
"I am, I mean we are are. She is my girlfriend. I am Dustin Brookes."
"Well Dustin, your girlfriend, suffered damage to her head, and we had to relieve the pressure building up after she started having seizures. The next 24 hours will be critical. She has not awakened yet."
"But is she going to be alright? Can I see her?"
'I don't know. As I said we will know in time. Yes you can all go see her for a few moments, and you can stay awhile with her. Talk to her, maybe you can pull her back. I know it sometimes helps."
"Thanks doctor, where?"
"314. Take the elevator over there." He was talking to the air, as he saw the elevator doors closing. He shook his head, and headed towards the doctors lounge for some coffee.
