It all Happened so Fast (Complete)

A Little Hope Goes a Long Way

In a room filled with people and security quietly talking amongst themselves, Kamala waits despondent to the others in the room, she is in her head with thoughts of guilt and worry. She is desperate to wake up out of this nightmare, to just wake up in Doug's arms and have this all be one terrible dream. Dr. Walker finally comes out after what feels like an eternity, Kamala immediately stands and heads in his direction.

"Madame Vice President," the doctor quickly addresses her.

"Doctor, how is my husband?" Kamala responds.

"The Second Gentleman is out of surgery, and is stable. We were able to remove the bullet and luckily, the bullet just missed his spinal cord. The bullet did hit one of his ribs, causing bruising of the lung which is called a pulmonary contusion, and he did have a lot of blood build up inside the cavity. We believe that the surgery was successful in repairing the damage, but we need to continue to monitor him for further signs of bleeding and possible infection."

"So he is going to be ok?" She asks desperately.

"Madame Vice President, although we are pleased with his progress, we need to monitor him to be certain. As long as there are no bleeds, infection, or other complications, he should make a full recovery with some rest and rehabilitation."

Kamala took a second to breathe, she felt like she was able to breathe for the first time since this whole nightmare began. She knows that there are still risks, but at least there is hope. "Thank you Dr. Walker, thank you so much. Can I see him?"

"The Second Gentleman is still in recovery, he's being brought down to a room and when he is settled in the room, I will have someone come and get you. You should know that he will likely remain sedated for several hours to allow his body to recover and for his own comfort."

"Thank you again doctor, please have someone let me know as soon as I can see him," Kamala just wants to see him, she just wants to see that he is still there with her.

The doctor steps away to speak to a few others in the room, standard protocol in these situations. Kamala just takes a moment, she silently thanks God and prays that he has no further issues. Her head starts to finally catch up with her and she starts thinking of things she needs to do.

With a little bit of hope, Kamala returns to action as the joyful warrior, as she is commonly described. Although still terrified, she is able to think of things she needs to do while waiting to see Doug.

First, she calls the kids to let them know about his condition, it was important to her that they hear progress updates about their father directly from her and not the media or staff. Kamala then calls Doug's parents who are very relieved. They offer their support and say that they plan to visit as soon as possible, but agree to wait a few days to ensure that there are no further threats or safety concerns. Maya is next on her list, they talk for a few minutes and Maya is glad to see that with a bit of hope, Kamala is more herself than she was earlier. Finally, Kamala calls Joe and Jill who offer their support in any way that they can.

Once key members of their family have been updated, Kamala turns to her staff. Danielle and others haven't left room for more than a few minutes to be there in case she needed anything. She walks over to some of her staff members, gives them some news and thanks them for their support. Her staff tells her about the outpouring of support that has been offered to her and her family from officials around the world, the media, and the American people. Danielle explains that vigils are taking place outside of the White House and close to the hospital. Although her staff has shielded her from all media so that she doesn't have to listen to them on a loop talking about what they know so far and speculating on motives and suspects, they want to assure the Vice President that she has support. Kamala is moved by the outpouring of support, she asks her communications director if she should make a short statement. Her communications director has a message prepared for her review but doesn't want to pressure the VP at this time. The message is brief stating that Doug is out of surgery, thanking the hospital staff, thanking everyone for their support, and requesting privacy at this time. Kamala takes the draft and a pen, she feels that if she is going to make a statement, she wants it to be a bit more heartfelt, she writes:

"Many people search their entire lives to find someone who loves them enough to take a bullet for them, I am truly blessed to have found mine in Doug. Doug is strong, out of surgery and will fight to make a full recovery. I would personally like to thank the doctors, nurses and hospital staff for providing my husband with excellent care. I am truly grateful for the outpouring of support and well wishes from so many of you. Please continue to keep my husband in your thoughts and prayers."

She passes the draft back to her team asking them to have a look when a nurse comes over and explains that she can go see Doug. Without another word to her team, she immediately follows the nurse.