TouchDown- book one The Bradford Series

Chapter 36

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Chapter 36

Riley

I've been sitting here at the hospital for what seems like hours. Dad's in emergency surgery. The police were here when I finally got to the hospital, frazzled and upset. I got a little bit of information from them on what happened. I still don't know why he was on the freeway.

A drunk driver was coming up the wrong way on the off ramp. It was a head on collision. Internal injuries, bleeding, his right leg had gotten stuck between the dash and the seat when the front of the car crushed on impact. A main artery in his leg was severed. His chest was crushed against the steering wheel when the airbag deployed. The fire department had to cut him out of the car. He was unconscious at the scene.

The drunk driver sustained cuts, bruises, a broken arm but basically minor injuries. He doesn't have insurance and has been cited by the police. He is in custody and in a cell sleeping off his drunk. He'll be fine, while my father has lost a lot of blood, broken bones, punctured a lung and is in surgery. His prognosis doesn't look good.

Those words just repeat in my head. His prognosis doesn't look good.

There were no words of encouragement from the doctor when he came to talk to me. He was compassionate and professional. Sincere in his sympathy as he apologized for what he had to tell me. That was hours ago.

His prognosis doesn't look good.

They will do everything they can for him. They will make him as comfortable as possible. There are no guarantees he will wake up. I'm alone for the first time in my life and I don't know what to do.

He was my rock. The Sunday morning rides to the lake with donuts and hot cocoa to watch the sunrise. It was our tradition, just the two of us. Football games on Sunday nights, late night study sessions for those science projects I dreaded. A turkey dinner at Thanksgiving and a ham at Christmas. Both were usually leftovers from what didn't sell before closing, but it didn't matter to me. He was my rock. He never failed me.

His prognosis doesn't look good.

I haven't even gotten to see him. He's been getting worked on this entire time. I feel so empty, hollow, like I should be doing something to help him but I don't know what I can do. I'm not a doctor, I'm not even a medical student. I went into business school to help run the diner. I didn't think about medical school. He did. He told me I could be anything I set my mind to.

His prognosis doesn't look good.

Maybe I should have. Should I have gone to school locally instead of going to California? Should I have stayed and just worked in the diner with him? Would it have made a difference?

Pulling my legs up to rest my forehead to my knees, I curled up in the chair, rocking myself for comfort and I let the tears come. We're a team, dad and I. We were a good team and I left him alone to follow my dreams. I left him alone.

His prognosis doesn't look good

The guilt stabs at my heart. My stomach hurts, I'm hungry but can't eat. I'm tired but can't sleep. Exhausted, really but I need to be here in case he comes out of surgery and needs me. I can't go back to school. I can't leave him alone again. He has been my rock and I'm all alone. My rock is broken.

I remembered to text Hunter when I got here before I spoke to the doctor but I haven't heard back. She's probably worried about Aiden and the worry of her family is keeping her from responding. Or she's upset I left. Will Aiden understand why I wasn't there for him? Will he forgive me?