Chapter 27 - A Rose
Henry watched the surgeon walk away after briefing them on her status. Everything depended on the medical team, on medical science but in his own heart he knew there was one last thing that needed to be done.
Turning to Mike Henry placed a hand on his arm. "I'm going to find the chapel and pray. Please stay here and contact me immediately if anything changes". Henry turned away from Mike and walked off slowly thinking about the woman he loved and their precious child.
Mike nodded and turned to sit, waiting for news. Saying a few silent prays of his own.
...Henry...
It felt odd being in a chapel that was not Catholic but for this trying time it didn't matter. In the silence of the chapel he felt the twin impact of Vicki's desperate situation and the reality that he had taken the human path and chosen to place his faith with people and not the powers over life and death his kind had.
He sensed her in all that time through his ties to her blood, opening them up to the woman he loved, passing on the support of his faith and love combined. Henry walked slowly to the front making the sign of the cross and bringing his crucifix to his lips and falling to his knees before the small alter, reciting the lords pray quietly under his breath.
All he wanted was for Vicki to live, for his baby to survive. Bowing his head he spoke to God from his heart. He didn't bargain for their lives, he just prayed for the understanding of Gods will.
...Later...
The chaplain slipped into the chapel looking for Henry, he needed to talk to him directly asking the police chief not to call him.
"They need you," he said quietly.
Henry followed the chaplain silently down the hall and into the waiting room. Too frightened to ask for further information.
"Just a minute," the chaplain said before conferring with a nurse.
Henry waited, ridged in his desperation willing her to be alive, he could still feel her presence she must be ok. He felt panic as he watched the chaplain's face become somber.
He looked up at Henry seeing the panic and realizing he was the cause. "She's all right" he said immediately. "Come, I'll take you to see her, the baby has been delivered, you have a daughter" he said in a gentle voice. "She is doing fine".
Henry felt his knees buckle and grabbed onto the chaplain for support before being lead off to the surgical ward.
"How is Vicki" he asked as soon as the doctor came to see him.
"She's holding her own, one of the strongest patients I've had" he said in a reassuring tone. "It was an easy delivery and her heart took the strain, we are now prepping her for surgery to repair the damage".
"May I see her please?" asked Henry in a quite voice.
"Only for a short time, we need her to gather her strength for the operation to her heart, this way" said the surgeon leading Henry back towards the operating room.
Vicki had been given her pre op medicine and appeared drowsy but awake. Her eyes warmed at the sight of Henry a smile curving her lips.
Henry listened to her heart, hearing the irregular beats, the blood trying to move around the obstruction still embedded in her chest. He took her hand happy to feel more warmth there than before.
"I can feel you Henry," whispered Vicki bringing her hand in the direction of her chest.
"Vicki," he whispered bending down to kiss her eyelids.
"We have a daughter Henry, have you seen her?" she asked looking into his eyes .
"No, not yet" said Henry fighting the tears forming again.
"Come here", she said making Henry bring his face to hers as she brushed her lips across his.
He shuddered at the tenderness that she gave to him before she said in a tired voice "Take care of our baby if..."
"Don't" he said wishing in a moment of weakness to gather her in his arms and to take her blood, giving her his and turning her. Anything to take away the pain of possibly losing her.
"Henry, she whispered this time softer losing herself to the medicine in her veins. "Her name is Rose. After the Tudor Rose. I hope you don't mind" and with that she drifted away again into blackness.
"We have to take her now Mr Fitzroy. Don't worry she has made it this far and we will do everything in our power to bring her through this." The surgeon gently removed Henry's hand from hers and wheeled her away into the waiting operating room.