Primrose is the Color of Forever

Stay Awake

"Doctor, what do we do?" Abel's voice was laced with despair.

The doctor looked somberly down at the floor, his eyes racing back and forth, his mind working. "Alright," he finally said after an agonizing amount of time, "You need to go downstairs."

"Downstairs, all right I can do that. What should I get from downstairs?"

"You'll get nothing but a glass of water for yourself."

"But Doctor-"

"Sit still and open a window. You cannot allow yourself to become panicked when April needs you most."

"All right...all right but please, promise me you'll take care of her," he looked searchingly at the doctor, whose smile was worried but genuine.

"I promise," he said.

Abel nodded slightly and, looking down at April, gave her one last kiss on the forehead before leaving the room.

Hours. It must have been hours before the doctor came downstairs again. Abel filled the time doing what he'd been told, sitting still by the open window with a glass of water in his hands. He followed the instructions completely with the exception of getting up to pace when his body had grown too stiff and anxious. Doctor Brown meanwhile had been upstairs with April, trying to rouse her with countless smelling salts and wet compresses. Nothing seemed to be working. By the feel of her scorching skin though, one thing was obvious. April had a terrible fever.  

The doctor had been applying his fifth cold cloth onto her forehead and was on the brink of quitting, when April slightly stirred. His breath caught in relief and he continued to use his medical methods in order to rouse completely. A few minutes past before April's eyes were open, though her eyelids were only a small space apart. "April," the doctor whispered, stroking her cheek with something aromatic. "April, can you hear me?" He asked her. April looked straight up at him with a look in her eyes that screamed louder than any sound could. She was evidently in an extreme amount of pain. Tears formed in her eyes and fell down toward her ears. April's mouth opened but it took a few moments for her to muster the strength to emit sound from it. When she did her voice was mousy and dry, cracking with every syllable. "Help me please," she whispered. 

"April, I'm Dr. Brown and I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere. What can I do to help you?" He looked at her with profound concern in his eyes. 

"Please," she squeaked, more tears forming. "It hurts." 

"What hurts, April?" He asked. 

She managed to lift her trembling arm and move it toward her torso, her quivering fingers hovering over her stomach. The doctor nodded, registering what she was trying to tell him. She let her arm fall. 

He looked down at her stomach. "May I?" He asked softly. 

April had begun to feel exhausted again. Her head clouded and she became delirious. Through her dizzy haze she managed to nod her assent to the doctor. She was asleep the next moment. Noticing this, the doctor gently shook April awake. "Stay with me, April," he said. "You can sleep as soon as we figure out what is wrong with you." Though it hurt to do so, she nodded her head once more and commanded her body to stay awake. Deftly, the doctor felt along her stomach, pressing down lightly as he went. After he had gone a ways down the length of her middle, he froze, his eyes alit. "April," he looked at her. "I have to ask you a few questions."

Hours and hours later Abel saw the doctor descend the stairs. The man had not even reached the floor before he was bombarded with questions. "How is she? Is she awake? What is the matter with her? Is she in pain?" His inquiries flew from his mouth before he could stop them. 

The doctor waited to respond until he was nearer to Abel. "April is awake." He seemed to say in one long sigh of relief. 

"Oh Thank God," Abel's eyes swelled up with tears, his right fist couldn't contain the relieved smile spreading wide across his face. 

"April is awake but," the doctor continued, "there is good news to report as well as bad." 

Abel's hands floated limply to his sides. "Give me the bad first." He looked the doctor squarely in the eyes. 

"April has a bad fever." 

Abel thought a moment before asking, "How bad?" 

"Worse than I've seen in years." 

"Oh God," Abel felt like he couldn't breathe. It was his duty to protect her. He needed to focus on how to help her. He shook himself back into the present."What are we going to do?" 

"She can get over it but it is imperative that she stay in bed. She must drink plenty of fluids and stay away from physical exertion. All the normal fever procedures. But her case is more serious. She must follow all procedures in order to get better." 

Abel nodded and nodded, taking in every word like it was scripture. He would make sure she got better. He would nurse her back to health. He just knew that he could not lose her. Just the thought of it was... enough to tear him to shreds. "All right," he said. "I will make sure of it." 

"Good man," the doctor said with an assuring smile. After a beat, the doctor pensively gathered his hat and coat. But before he could head to the door, Abel spoke. 

"Dr. Brown?" 

"Yes, Mr. Hugh," 

"What is the good news?"

The doctor gave a slight and hopeful chuckle. "Abel," he said. "You're going to be a father very soon." 

Abel did not hear the doctor say goodbye one last time and leave out of the front door because of the chorus of angels singing in his head. 

~

Tadaaa! Here's an update. So, April will be okay after all! Don't you just love the two of them! 

Thanks TreMar_ for encouraging me to update! Sleep Tight Everyonee.