Two weeks later
Teri
I stood before Sherri's stove, preparing breakfast.
With all the worrisome from being at the hospital, I have not been like myself. I'm more scared than I'd ever been, I'd never been without Sherri for this long. Hadn't gone this long without a kiss, without touching her.
A week ago, when it was my turn to see her, I couldn't believe my eyes. I didn't know who that person was lying upon that bed, but it wasn't my Sherri. That person couldn't speak, couldn't see me, was barely breathing. That human looked so soulless, so lifeless.
"Mom?" Bayley called out to me. Her and Griffin were seated at Sherri's kitchen table, ready to be served with their food. It had been a few days since I've seen my children, considering they had been spending an awful a lot of time with their dads. "How long do we have to stay here?"
I turned from the stove and sat down plates, covered with their favorites, in front of them. "I don't know right now, doodlebug. Sherri won't be home for awhile, so we're doing her a favor. But don't worry, we'll be back home, soon."
Griffin looked at me with eyes of curiosity. "How is she? Is she okay?"
I took deep breaths before responding. I knew Sherri wasn't doing so well. Since she'd been in the hospital, she'd been the same way: unresponsive. And, although the kids were concerned, they were just children and they didn't have to know of Sherri's condition; at least not right now anyway. "Um, y-yes. She's okay. Actually, I'm gonna see her today."
"Can we come?" Bayley asked, getting excited.
I sighed. "Bay, I-I don't think that's a good idea. Maybe another day, okay?" I then paused. "Sherri...she's uh...I just don't want you guys there right now, y'know? I don't want you freaked out or anything."
"Let me guess," Disappointment filtered my son's face. "We're going back with our dads?"
I placed a gentle kiss upon his forehead. "Just for today, but I promise you guys I'll come get you, and you don't have to go back to your dads til you decide."
I knew that my children wanted to be home with me, and I wanted the exact same thing, but right now was a pretty questionable time. The woman that I planned to marry was lying in a coma. I had to be there by her side. For, things could've been worse.
—
Sherri
"Fluid," A familiar voice spoke. "Every time we drain it, more and more builds."
I could only hear what my ears were allowing me to hear. I couldn't see, couldn't speak, couldn't smell—and just when I thought I could listen to my surroundings, my ears began to go out on me as well.
"This is bad, real bad." Another voice replied. They spoke other words, but I couldn't quite make them out.
Then, there had been a knock at the door. The first voice okayed for the human on the other side of the door to enter.
"Hello, I'm Dr. Wu." My heart began beating rapidly as I listened to my doctor greet the other bodies in this room. "Sherri's Nephrologist."
"Good," a common voice replied. "We've been meaning to speak with you."
—
Teri
"How do I live without you? I want to know. How do I breathe without you if you ever go? How do I ever, ever survive?"
