Family is Forever (Sequel to Running on Insulin)

Chapter 60

We sat beside Samantha while the doctors and nurses observed her for any further signs of drowning. I held her hand, Jenna had climbed up onto the stretcher with her.

"She looks so small," she said to me. "Like she's shrinking,"

I couldn't answer. I just wanted her to be okay.

"Mama?" I heard a small voice say. I looked up and Samantha's eyes were open.

"Hi, baby," Jenna said to her, smiling and smoothing down her hair. Samantha looked at her.

"What happened?" She asked. "Why am I? Where am I?"

"You're in the hospital sweetie. You were drowning."

"I thought I went home already," she said.

"You did. But you had something called secondary drowning. Dad got this feeling that something was wrong and he went up to check on you and you were having trouble breathing. We called an ambulance and now you're here. But they're gonna let you go home soon. And I think tonight, you're  going to sleep with us. Okay?"

Samantha nodded.

"I was scared," she said.

"I bet, baby," Jenna said.

The doctor came in and asked to listen to Samantha's lungs, looked in her eyes, did a few more assessments and said we could take her home.  I picked her up off the stretcher and carried her out, holding her close to me.

"I can walk, Dad," she said in a sleepy voice.

"I know. But I almost lost you twice today. I need you as close to me as possible," I said.

"You're so weird," she said, putting her head on my shoulder.

Sarah met us in the waiting area.

"Hey. Hey, Samantha. How're you feeling?" She asked.

"I'm okay," Samantha said.

"Sarah, you didn't have to wait. We could have taken an Uber," I said.

"Are you kidding?  I'm not letting you take my niece in an Uber when I have a perfectly good car," she smiled. "Besides, Brendon would never forgive me if I didn't stay and keep him updated."

We laughed and walked out to the car. Samantha started getting heavier and I looked down at her.

"Jen?" I whispered. "Is she asleep?"

Jenna looked over at her and smiled. Then nodded.

"Out like a light, Daddy," she said.

I carefully got into the back seat of Sarah's car holding Samantha. Jenna helped me put a seatbelt on, and then the girls got in the front. When we pulled up to Sarah and Brendon's house, Brendon came outside and met us.

"Here," he said. "Let me take her for you."

"Just until I get out," I said.

Brendon gently lifted Sam off my lap and carried her away from the car until I got out. He carefully transferred her back into my arms. She groaned just a bit and mumbled, but fell back to sleep.

I carried her inside and upstairs. I kicked off my shoes and laid Samantha on the bed. I brushed my teeth and then  climbed into bed. Jenna did her bedtime stuff and climbed in on Samantha's other side. Samantha had curled up into a ball and was fast asleep. Sarah poked her head in the room. 

"She's sleeping with you guys tonight?" She asked.

I nodded.

"I'm afraid to let her sleep alone tonight,"

"Yeah. I get that.  Good night guys," she said, and closed the door. Which Brendon immediately opened.

"How is she?" He whispered.

"Asleep," I said.

"With you guys?"

"We're afraid to let her sleep alone," Jenna said. "At least tonight."

Brendon nodded and said goodnight.

Jenna and I settled down into bed, her arm around Samantha, who sighed as soon as Jenna did that.

"I don't know if I can even sleep," Jenna whispered to me.

"I know," I said. "But we have to try."

"We nearly lost her, Ty. Twice today."

"I know," I said, trying not to lose it. "I know. It terrifies me how close we've come."

"Can you guys be quiet?" Samantha's small voice said.

"Sorry baby," Jenna said, a smile playing on her lips as she looked over at me. I smiled back.

Jenna and I settled down and I think both of us did manage to get a pretty good night's sleep. I know I woke up a couple of times and checked on Sam, but she was snoring ever so lightly, but her breathing sounded just fine.

In the morning I woke up before either Jenna or Sam. I quietly got out of bed, used the washroom and brushed my teeth. I checked Samantha's blood sugar on the CGM app we used and saw it was in range.

I went downstairs quietly closing the door, leaving my girls asleep.

Brendon was already up and doing a livestream on his phone while he drank coffee.

"Oh. Hey! Look who just woke up!" He said, waving me over to his phone. "Say good morning, Tyler."

"Good morning, Tyler," I said into the camera.

Brendon laughed and read some of the comments.

"Tyler and his family have been visiting us this week and it looks like for now, he's the only one awake. Where are your girls?"

"Still sleeping," I said from the other side of the kitchen as I poured myself a coffee.

"Ty, someone said they heard something about you being in the hospital yesterday. Want to explain what happened?"

I looked into the camera.

"Not really, because it was traumatic but I'm sure it'll come up in interviews or the news or something. My daughter, Samantha, who we adopted back in October, nearly drowned at the beach the other day. Last night she had something called 'secondary drowning'. Her lungs filled with fluid and she was having trouble breathing. We had to take her to the hospital, but she's home now and asleep with her mom."

"That's terrifying!" Someone wrote.

"Yeah. We were all scared shitless," Brendon said. "But Ty called an ambulance after he went to check on his daughter because he had a feeling something was wrong."

I sat back drinking my coffee and listening in. I heard someone coming down the stairs and poked my head out of the kitchen.

"Hey there, kiddo!" I said brightly as Samantha came down the stairs rubbing her eyes.  "Good morning!"

"Hey! Samantha's awake! Sam! I'm on with some of my fans!  Come say good morning, Samantha!"

She looked at me and I shrugged indicating it was up to her.

She went over to Brendon's side and said:

"Good morning, Samantha," with an impish grin on her face.

"Are you sure you're adopted?" Brendon asked. "Because your dad said the same thing when I asked him to say good morning to the vros."

"He said 'good morning, Samantha'?" Sam asked.

I laughed. Brendon rolled his eyes. Samantha smiled.

"Alright my vros. I think we need to contemplate breakfast and decide what we're doing today. Remember I love you, you're awesome and never forget how dope you are," he said and signed off.

"So. What should we do today?" He asked, turning to us.