Winning the Lottery

Ch. 49 Madness

He's been gone for weeks. Nearly fourteen weeks. He's been injured.

I had my hands in his body cavity. I had removed his gallbladder. I had stitched up bullet holes and removed bullets. He was my husband and he'd been left to die.

I ran to the restroom and got sick. I couldn't handle it, couldn't process it.

My husband, my forever, was dying in an operating room down the hall.

I called Kelly.

She answered, "Bridget, hi."

"You need to come up here. Bring the family."

"Why?"

"Jake's here and he's in pretty bad shape. I recognized him in surgery. Kelly, he's not looking good."

"We'll be there soon."

I hung up and went to check on my patients.

They were in surgery for hours.

I sat in the waiting area.

I couldn't believe James was in surgery. My James.

His family walked in.

My mind was racing. Had it been four hours? Really? It seemed as though I'd just sat down.

"How is he?"

I shrugged and wiped my eyes.

Drew pulled me in a hug.

I couldn't breathe.

He had to be okay. He just had to be.

When Dr. Thomas and the Chief came over, I felt my heart rate increase.

"Dr. Hamilton, he's asking for you."

"He's alive?"

"He is."

I nodded.

The Chief looked at me. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

"You had your hands in his abdomen. You removed one of his organs. You can't be okay."

"I just need to see him."

He nodded. "Follow me."

We followed him to Jake's room.

He laid in bed, looking pale and pitiful. He looked exhausted.

Everyone crowded around him.

He opened his eyes and sighed, "I've got a big family. Hi, everyone."

Kelly kissed his head.

I watched from the door.

"Am I in Bethesda?" he asked.

"You are," the Chief spoke, walking in.

"I asked for them to bring me here before I passed out. I knew I was in bad shape."

"Did you ask for Dr. Hamilton as well?" Dr. Thomas asked, standing by the Chief.

"I did."

"And you didn't think to give them your name?" the Chief asked.

"It wasn't important."

"Yes, it was," Kelly argued.

"Mom, had I told them, they wouldn't have let Britt see me. She would have heard by word of mouth and she would have panicked."

The Chief spoke, "She's not been inside of an operating room in weeks."

"Is she okay?" Jake asked.