Better Off Alone (Adopted by Brendon and Sarah Urie)

53. Sarah

Brendon had a fever. I'd arrived at nine in the morning with Zack and Kala, and a change of pyjamas and socks for Brendon. But when I walked into his room, his eyes were closed, his face was shiny and his cheeks were red.

"It's sepsis," the nurse told me. "Probably something from his bowel being perforated. They did their best to clean that up but we knew this was a risk. He's on stronger antibiotics and just needs rest."

I nodded and went over to my husband and brushed a stray hair from his forehead. He startled awake.

"Hi, baby," I said, quietly.

"Sar?" He said, looking around, his eyes glassy and unfocussed.

"Yeah baby, it's me," I said. "Heard you're not feeling so hot."

"Hot. Then really cold," he shivered. I pulled the blankets up around him and climbed into bed with him to hold him close. He was radiating heat.

"Is that better? Are you warmer?"

"Mhmm," he dozed off. After a while I had to move. He was just so feverish.

"I'm a little worried about him," I admitted to Kala and Zack. They nodded.

"I don't want to leave him but I have to go see Callie at 11:30," I said. I wouldn't miss a minute with my daughter.

"I'll stay down here with him while you go visit Cal," Zack said. "I'll text you if you're needed."

"Okay," I agreed.

I sat, holding Brendon's warm hand, watching him sleep. He was obviously uncomfortable as he kept frowning and changing positions.

At 11:15, I kissed him on his sweat slicked forehead. His eyes fluttered open.

"Say hi to Callie for me," he mumbled out before dozing off again. I smiled. Still a great dad.

Kala came upstairs with me and we went through the process of being allowed on the psychiatric unit.

I saw immediate differences in Callie's room when I walked in. For starters, her bed was down to mostly flat again. But she was curled up on her side, very clearly sleeping. The restraints were gone! Finally!

I sat beside her and let her sleep. She clearly needed the sleep. I could see a small puddle of drool on her pillow, but I smiled, because Callie does drool in her sleep.

"She's not tied down anymore," Kala whispered.

"No," I said. "Maybe we're getting somewhere."

A doctor came into Callie's room while I was sitting there.

"Good morning, Mrs. Urie," he smiled.

"Hi," I said.

"So, we've had some improvement, as you can see. Callie has been asleep for the most part since yesterday afternoon. She did wake up at some point in the night. Around," he checked her chart. "Three this morning when the nurse came in to check on her. She didn't respond to the nurse, but her eyes did follow her while the nurse tended to her."

"I bet not being tied down has helped," I fumed.

"I'm so sorry we let that stay on for so long," the doctor said. "We did get a very stern letter last night from a law office in L.A."

The phone calls Brendon had made. I smiled.

"Good," I said.

"Our staff, the physicians, the chief of our department are going to be having a meeting about dealing with cases like your daughter's. Thank you for pointing out some obvious failings on our part."

I nodded. Brendon and I didn't like to use our resources if we didn't need to, but when we did, we had great lawyers available, and publicists and other people.

The doctor filled me in on a few things that had happened the previous evening and left us to visit with Callie. I just watched my beautiful, albeit troubled daughter, sleep.

After a while, I couldn't stand it anymore and took her small hand in mine. Her eyes fluttered open. I smiled as she looked around and finally landed on me.

"Hi beautiful," I smiled and signed at her. She responded by bursting into tears. I got up, sat on her bed and pulled her into a hug, rubbing her back and hugging her as tightly as I dared.

When her sobs slowed, I looked down at her and smiled, moving some hair out of her face.

"I stabbed Dad," she said, tears still falling.

"We know," I said, nodding. "But, Dad's going to be okay. He's a little bit sick right now. He has a fever, but he is going to be okay. Now we need to make sure you're okay."

She shook her head.

"I stabbed my dad. Are you going to send me away?" She asked. Both resignation and fear in her eyes.

"Absolutely not," I said to her. "We said we were going to find someone to help you, and we're going to. Hopefully, now that you're awake, you can tell the doctor here what happened. I've told him some but he's going to want to talk to you, too. And hopefully, when they see it was an accident, they'll let you come home. And once Dad's feeling better, we can bring him home, too."

"Did I make Dad sick? Did I hurt him really bad?" Callie asked.

"Well, the knife went pretty deep," I said. "It cut his bowel, so he's got a bit of an infection from that, but he was up and walking around yesterday and he came up to see you yesterday, too. Today, he has a fever and he just needs to rest. But he's going to be okay."

"Is he mad at me?"

"No sweetheart," I said, hugging Callie before continuing. "We understand what you've been through. And at the house, you were in a strange place, without all the stuff we have at home. I'd bet you were feeling a lot disoriented and didn't know what was happening."

Callie nodded.

"I was scared. I thought Dad was my other dad. Or Mr. Carver. Or Aaron," Callie said.

"Aaron?" I asked.

"Cunningham. He did what Mr. Carver and my dad did. I thought Mrs. Cunningham sent me away because I'm Deaf."

"Oh!" I said. We'd already discussed the Cunninghams. I just hadn't known the little shit's name that hurt my girl.  "I understand."

"I didn't know it was Dad," Callie continued.

"Sweetheart, we know. We know you didn't mean to hurt Dad," I said.

"Mom?" Callie said. Then stopped.

"Yes, sweetheart?"

"I'm scared," Callie said.

"Of what, darling?" I asked.

"The doctors here won't let me come home, or you or Dad decide to send me away. That everyone hates me for what I did," she said. I pulled her to me again and wrapped my arms around her and kissed her head.

"Callie," I said. "Dad and I are never sending you away. You're home, baby.  No one hates you for what happened. And we will make sure you're coming home with us."

Kala came and sat beside Callie on her other side.

"Callie, no one hates you. We were scared, for you and your dad. We were all worried because we heard about it on the news, but we didn't know the whole story. We only knew you and your dad were in the hospital. Everyone back home is just worried about you all. But I promise you baby girl, no one hates you."

Callie smiled a shy smile and Kala gave her a hug.

We stayed and chatted with Callie until visiting hours ended and the nurse made us leave. I told Callie I'd be back for the afternoon hours.