Chapter 15
For the next day not much changed. Tegan wasn't improving but she was hanging in there, she was stable most of the time. The support team never left the hospital; they had clean clothes sent from home by their management teams. They took turns sitting next to Tegan's CCU bed. Lindsey slept next to her in a reclining chair every night. She wanted so badly to lie next to Tegan, to feel her skin touching hers. To transfer some energy... skin to skin to her lover but she couldn't. She just clung to her arm like a child to her mother's.
"I've got you hooked up to the hospital surveillance system and to their mainframe" said the blonde girl looking at her scruffy partner for approval. She could hack anything. Video of the CCU appeared on her computer screen. Tegan's room was in one corner, the family room in another, the hallway and nurses' station on a third and the entrance manned by security guards on a fourth. Sonia and Lindsey could be seen sitting next to Tegan's bed, they seemed to be talking. "They don't have sound unfortunately but at least we'll be able to see if there's any kind of routine." An image of Erin appeared in the family room screen. The scruffy guy smiled "there she is, our ticket..."
Tegan's dad and step dad had to return to Canada a few hours earlier. Neither one could afford losing their jobs. They promised to be back over the weekend. Tegan's four pillars were all sitting next to her bed. Lindsey, Sara, Sona and Erin were all quiet, lost in thought. Lindsey stared at the monitors. Tegan's pulse ox was dangerously close to the level they would need to put her on ecmo. Over the last 24 hours Tegan had a few periods of significant improvement giving everyone renewed hope only to be slammed back to earth with a period of deterioration. Right now, her vital signs didn't seem great but at least they seemed stable.
Sara looked exhausted and pale. She got up and wandered around the room absentmindedly to keep herself awake. She stood at the window. A storm was brewing outside. The wind was howling and leaves were blowing everywhere. The weather outside was a direct reflection of Sara's state of mind. Sara folded her arms around her body as a chill crept over her, her chin started quivering. She turned around and left the room quietly. Sonia followed Sara into one of the waiting areas. "Sara, sweetie are you okay" she asked concerned. "Yeah mom, I'm fine" Sara lied with her eyes half closed. Tears started seeping through her eyelids. Sonia pulled Sara into a hug and held her close for a few minutes. Sara couldn't shake the nervous feeling in the pit of her stomach. She felt nauseous. "Don't cry Sara... she's going to be okay" said Sonia rocking Sara. "I think you should get some rest, you're completely drained" said Sonia. Sara didn't reply immediately. "Mom... I don't know, I just have this feeling and I can't shake it..." said Sara looking down. "What are you talking about Sara" asked Sonia. Sara took a minute to reply "It feels as if... it feels as if we're losing her mom..." said Sara, her chin quivering again.