Chapter 14
Malcolm shook Dewey's arm to wake him. Together, they walked over and nervously stood behind their parents with Francis as the doctor explained the situation.
"We're all very sorry to keep you waiting so long for a report, but there were some complications. Reese crashed during surgery. We were able to get him stabilized again, but we had to proceed with caution because his heart was very weak. That's why the procedure took longer than we expected. Aside from the setbacks, we were able to remove the bullet successfully. He just came out of the operating room and is being sent to the intensive care unit." The doctor said.
"How is he now?" Lois asked tearfully.
"I'm going to be honest with you—he's still very unstable. The next few hours are going to be critical. If he makes it through the night, his chances of a full recovery will increase significantly."
"Can we see him?" Hal asked.
"He's non-responsive, but you're welcome visit him as soon as they get him set up in a room. I'll take you to the ICU." The doctor motioned for them to follow him.
When they arrived at the intensive care unit they had to wait again until the nurses finished tending to Reese. After what seemed like eternity, they finally received word that they could go in.
"Oh, Reese!" Lois sobbed when she saw him. She pulled a chair next to his bed and took his hand. Hal stood behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders as she cried.
Malcolm, Dewey, and Francis awkwardly stood by the door and stared at the floor. None of them wanted to see their brother like this. Reese looked bad. He was a deathly shade of white. Several wires and tubes had been connected to him, leading to from his body to various types of medical equipment that recorded his vital signs and helped him breathe. An IV bag hung next to his bed, gradually dripping nourishment into his veins. The slow beeping of his heart monitor was the only sign that he was still alive.
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A/N: Sorry so short, but this was a good stopping point. The next one is much longer; I'm already working on it!