Game of Patience

Chapter 36

Chapter 36

"Black, no sugar."

Phillips looked up to Jak standing in front of him, holding two coffees. Her hands trembled, sending coffee running down her hand.

"I'm sorry. I don't know what to say." Her lips quivered and she blinked quickly.

Phillips took the coffees from her and placed them on a chair next to him as he stood up. He wrapped his arms around Jak as she wept on his shoulder. He waited for her to finish before removing the coffees and sitting back down. He handed her coffee back to her as she sat next to him.

"How long has she been in there?"

"Four hours."

"Have they updated you?"

Phillips shook his head. He took a small sip of his coffee and stared at the floor.

"I should have got there sooner."

"It's not your fault."

"But if I had, she might have more of a chance."

"We can do 'what if's all day, but it doesn't change what happened." Jak's voice was quiet. "Do they know if she will make it?"

"They didn't say anything about it."

Jak rested her head on Phillips' shoulder and they waited.

"It took me three attempts to get coffee. I couldn't work the machine and a nurse came to help me as I stood there crying." She laughed once quietly. "I dropped the next two on the floor. I was surprised when I got these cups to you."

"I appreciate it, Jak. Thank you."

They watched the clock, hours passed, but they didn't move from the waiting room. Jak looked out of the window. The evening had turned into dawn and it was just starting to rain. Normally the rain would relax her, but she didn't think anything could do that tonight.

The double doors opposite opened and the pair shot up from their seats.

The doctor smiled at them. It was a well rehearsed smile that had no real emotion behind it, it was only there to calm those who were waiting. It gave no hints about the information they were about to receive.

"She's doing well. The surgeon is happy with the results of the operation."

"But?" Phillips asked, quietly. Afraid to hear the answer.

"But there was substantial damage to her organs, we've fixed what we can. The surgeon has put screws into her collarbone to hold it while it heals and she has a rod in her arm. We have done all we can do for now, we need to let her body take over. We will keep her on painkillers and let her rest, but she isn't out of the woods yet. There is no way of telling what will be affected, we have no idea of the true extent of the damage until she wakes up."

"So we shouldn't get our hopes up?"

"Lets just take things day by day." The doctor replied.

"Can we see her?" Phillips asked.

"Yes, but I have to warn you, she is connected to a lot of things currently and the bruising is starting to show."

The doctor led the way through the double doors. It wasn't long until they came to another door.

"She is on constant watch currently. There will always be a nurse here with her."

"We need to place officers outside her door."

"Of course. Arrange whatever you need to." The nurse opened the door and waited for them to enter before leaving.

Phillips and Jak nodded to the nurses in the room. They checked the machines and wrote notes on their boards.

Phillips wanted to look away, but at the same time he couldn't.

He watched Brooke's heart rate on the screen, hoping that each second the line would still be going up and down.

He walked over to her and sat in the chair next to her. He gently took her hand in his.

"It's okay, you can come over."

"George, this doesn't look like her. She doesn't look herself."

Jak was right. Brooke's face was badly swollen and bruised. There were cuts above her eyes and her lip was slit. A tube was placed down her throat, that breathed for her. Her lungs and ribs had suffered so much damage.

Her left arm was covered in cuts and bruised and a horrible black bruise sat around her wrists like wristbands. There were angry marks and spots of blood around her wrists and ankles all caused by the ropes. Her right arm was completely covered by a white cast as well as one of her legs.

Phillip looked at the hand he was holding, he could see bruises forming along her knuckles and cuts littered the back of her hand.

Jak sat down on the spare chair. The pair sat in silence until Jak's phone rang, she picked it up and spoke gently. Once the call ended she placed the phone back into her pocket.

"I've got to go. I've got fingerprints waiting for me. Are you going-"

"I will be fine. Go get them, make sure the others are okay."

Jak walked over and kissed Phillips' cheek before leaving the room.

Phillips kissed Brooke's cheek gently.

"You can fight this. I know you can. You've got to wake up sweetheart and I'm not leaving your side."

He rested his head on the bed and wept, still holding Brooke's hand gently.