His Best Friend

Chapter 32- Awake?

Once I was finished recording, I watched the video back to make sure I had said everything I needed to and soon posted it to Youtube, Facebook and Twitter. In order to keep myself busy and to keep myself from staying too sad, I pulled out my Ipad to start a list of the different venues that needed to be called. As I was doing that, I found out information from them on who had purchased the meet and greet passes.

Soon I was starting to plan out what would get sent out as the gift. Finally I settled on an autographed photo (which I knew we had a stash of that Hunter had signed earlier) and a promo code for one free item from the official website. The code, once I set all that up, would of course exclude most of the most expensive items.

As I continued sitting faithfully at Hunter's bedside, I kept reading all the posts that his fans were writing on every social media outlet. One of the first ones I read on the Facebook page was from a young girl, Kaitlyn. I recognized her photo from one of Hunter's last concerts.

'I've been watching lots of people comment on here, on twitter and on his official website. Some of them have been positive, wishing him well and offering condolences to Hunter and his entire family. But others, I can't even repeat, because they were just, well, outright rude.
The sad thing is, even the people leaving negative comments still claim to be his fans. After reading those, I just had to post something myself. I don't know if he, his family or friends read any of these posts, but I want them to know anyone who posts anything negative, isn't a true fan. I call myself lucky enough to have gotten to see one of his last shows before this accident.
It was my 6th show, and at the last 4, I was also lucky enough to get to go to his meet and greets. He is an incredible person, musician and songwriter, and if he cares about his family even half as much as he cares about his fans, then for their sake I sincerely hope he pulls through.
To conclude my thoughts, I just want that whole family to know that Hunter will always have true fans. Fans that want him to be healthy and happy, no matter what. I'd like to think of myself as one of those true fans. All your true fans wish you a speedy recovery.
Kaitlyn'

"Ryleigh, did he know?" I suddenly heard behind me. I spun around saying,
"What? Did he know what?"
"You know what I mean. Did Hunter know before the crash that you're pregnant?"

My eyes started to water as I answered,
"No, I hadn't gotten a chance to. When I called him, after Emmy told me she was worried, I told him in the voicemail that I had something I needed to tell him. That was it. That's why he has to wake up."

For the next 3 weeks while Hunter was in a medically induced coma, Emmy and I were constantly in his private hospital room. We would go home every couple days to freshen up, sleep in our own beds. But the morning after, we'd always be back to see if any change to his condition. I'm only a little over a month pregnant so far. So, that hasn't stopped from doing anything yet. And I've been able to conceal it to this point, not sure how much longer that will last.

This morning has been much like every other that Emmy and I have spent at home. I woke up an hour ago and just finished taking a shower and everything else I needed to do in the bathroom. I walked out and over to my daughter's room. As soon as I got in, I sat down on her bed. She sat up and immediately asked,
"Momma, are we going back to the hospital today?"

"I am, at least. You don't have to, if you don't want to. I'm sure Grammy would love to watch you for the day."
"No, I want to be there when Daddy wakes up. Will he wake up soon, Momma?"
"I don't know, sweetie, I hope so, but I don't know."

She picked out her own outfit while I started to pack up some things to entertain her in her favorite 'Frozen' backpack. Her kid's tablet, coloring books and crayons, a few books to read, and a few of her dolls and toys. She came over to me dressed in her favorite comfy pair of yoga pants and a dark gray cable knit sweater tunic.

She pulled the backpack onto her shoulders, grabbed her 'Elsa' doll off her bed, hugged it tightly to her chest and stood ready to leave.

We climbed into our car, Emmy buckled herself into her booster seat and we were headed to the hospital. As I was about to back out of the driveway, she asked,
"Momma?"
"Yeah, sweetie?"

"Can you play some of Daddy's songs from your phone? I feel like it's been forever since I've heard his voice."
"Sure, we can do that," I pulled out my phone and connected my bluetooth to the radio, "It does feel like forever since we talked to him."

The doctor pulled me aside and suggested that I get someone to watch Emmy for me so he could talk to me. I called my sister, who came down to take my daughter to the cafeteria.
"So, what did you want to tell me?"

"Well, first, as you know, we've been monitoring your husband's condition since he was brought here. And as you also know, we have also been keeping him in a medical coma so that we can control his vitals. Especially the swelling he had on his brain when brought in. I feel, and the other doctors and nurses agree with me, that now we should be able to bring him out that coma."

"You mean, wake him up?!"
"Yes, we will be. But I would recommend that you don't bring your daughter back in until we know more."
I stepped to the back of the room while the nurses began to prep Hunter to come out of the coma and texted my sister asking her to take Emmy back to her grandparents' house for me. She agreed and I walked back over to the bed.

3 hours later, I had pulled up a chair and was sitting by the bed waiting for my husband to wake up. I held his hand and held my book with my other hand. 5 chapters in, I heard stirring. I set my book down and looked up. His eyes were still closed, but his head had shifted.

15 minutes later, I was still reading my book when I heard,
"Ryles? What's going on?"

A/N: He's awake!
So, Ryleigh wanted to tell him that she's pregnant just before she found out about the accident... When will she tell him?