Patience

Chapter 43

Two months later...
Kate pov

"Harry you didn't have to take so much time off, I can take care of myself. If you're home the first few days after we get back, it'll be okay," I said while I packed my red polka dot pj's.
Harry was standing at the door of the bedroom of our hotel suite, smiling cutely, hands crossed over his chest.
"I know I don't have to do anything, but I just wanted to be with you while you recover, take care of my baby and spoil her. I like that," he said, wrapping his arms around my waist and hugged me close.
"Thank you... for being here and taking care of me." I pulled Harry closer and pecked his lips. "I know I have to do this. It's a shot but, I have a bad feeling about it."

Harry looked at me with sympathetic eyes, he pushed my hair out of my face and smiled a little.
"You've been through a lot, lots of bad things, I think you unconsciously want to prepare for the worst, but it will be okay. Maarten knows what he's doing."
Harry and Professor Moens had talked a lot with each other after our visit to Belgium. Harry has read the professor's whole study about this pain pump. He's talked to his colleagues and to other neurosurgeons all over the world. Harry and Maarten became more than colleagues, they became friends. Harry says they have a connection, they have the same interests, want the same things in life and they're in the same profession. I'm glad he has a person to fall back on if something were to happen to me.
When Maarten was in London for a medical congress, Harry decided to attend as well. They went together and Maarten stayed at Harry's place.
"It will be okay," Harry tried to reassure me. I pressed my cheek against Harry's chest and tried to hold him closer. I don't know why, but I have this feeling something would go wrong, I just knew it.

"When do you have to leave for your dinner with Moens?" I let Harry go and got back to packing.
"I still have an hour before I leave. Are you sure it's okay? I can stay here if you want me to."Harry and Maarten planned to go out for dinner tonight.
"Go, I'll be okay." Harry is always worried when he's not with me, it's so sweet but I want him to have his time to do the things he wants to do too.
"What are you going to do while I'm out?" Harry pulled out yellow pants and a black shirt from the closet.
"FaceTime my parents and Karla, eat room service, watch TV, maybe sleep." I zipped up my bag and put it by the door. I mentioned my parents and Karla in the same sentence because I don't want to start talking about my parents. Harry is still upset about what happened with my dad and I started to realise a couple of things, but now isn't the time to think about it, so I push the thoughts away.

In the meantime, Harry had stripped to his boxer shorts, ready to put his clothes on.
"Wait," I said quickly.
"Cuddle for a couple of minutes," I ask with a little pout on my face. Harry smiles and crawls in the bed between the white hotel sheets, I do the same, immediately pressing my whole body against his. My face buried in his neck, hands on the base of his back. Harry is caressing my scalp and hair.

"Here is where I always feel safe," I whisper contently.
"As you should, you're home," Harry whispers back. 

Harry pov

The head of neurosurgery at the hospital where Maarten works is very strict, so I wasn't allowed in the OR during Kate's surgery, but doctor Moens said I could watch from the gallery and I'm so grateful for this. When you are the surgeon you don't always realize how hard it is for the family to wait without any news. I told myself to think about a system to give the families of my patients more updates. 

Kate was on the table and everything was going well for now. Professor Moens had opened her back up and was looking at her spine for a minute. He looked up with a frown.
"Dr. Styles, can you please scrub in," He asked. I nod but he probably can't see because I'm already gone. It was crowded in the gallery with so many students, but also attendings wanted to see this new surgery. A wave of panic rushed through my body. Why did he need me? Was something wrong? Was it worse than we expected? As I entered the scrub room, I tried to regain my calmness by taking a couple of breaths before I put on a gown, mask and my scrub cap and started to scrub my hands. In no time I entered the operating room where they gloved me.
"I'm here, what's wrong," I asked still inwardly panicking.
"Was her neurostimulator placed at your hospital," Dr. Moens asked.
"Ehm no. Kate has walked a long path before she ended up here. I don't know off the top of my head who did that surgery. Is something wrong?" Maarten stepped back and waved at me to come closer.
"Look at the leads, they're in the wrong place." I looked closer and saw that unfortunately, he was right. The leads of the neurostimulator were in the wrong place of her spine.
"I want to know if this was a mistake or was it a failure of the material? Did the leads become loose and slide down on the spine?"
"I can get my secretary to call the surgeon who did the placement and we'll have the protocol in a couple of hours, but does this affect the surgery now?"

Kate was so anxious and scared for this procedure that we spent a lot of time talking about it and preparing her so, I'm not sure how she would react if they have to do another procedure.
"No, no we're going to proceed with placing this device, but we have to know if it was a medical mistake. Ask your secretary later, come join." Maarten winked and I finally realized he not only wanted to show me the leads of the stimulator, he wanted to show me the procedure up close.

The procedure went well. The leads were connected to Kate's spine and they were brought to the side of her belly, where they went outside of the body, through a catheter connected to an IV bag with multiple medicines like morphine, oxycontin and some other things.
Next month there would be another surgery to place the device inside of her body, if it worked or to remove everything, if it doesn't work.

When the surgery was done, they brought Kate to the recovery room and thanks to my doctor friend, I got the chance to sit next to her. I let Kate's parents know everything went well but they didn't reply. Since I stood up for Kate against her father, we hadn't seen them a lot. Before the argument and if Kate was at my place, they would come over to visit her there, but now they've stopped doing that. Her mom still makes soup for me because she knows how much I like her soup, so I think it's mainly her dad who is upset. Kate has an odd relationship with her parents, they always try to steer her in the direction they think is the right one and if she doesn't do what they want, they don't talk to her or they start to mention how much they do for her. Before I was in the picture, Kate was scared to lose them, so she followed them blindly without taking her own will into account, but now she has me and I won't allow them to keep doing this to my girl.
It's hard on her with her dad acting like this. Realising how her parents have always acted, finding out what she really wants, these are big changes but she knows she can trust me, I will always help her. 

 With my index finger I caresses Kate's cheek, I really hope this will work out for her, for us. I know what I started when I got involved with Kate but it's harder than I thought it would be. I'm always worried, I try to protect her and do everything I can for her but she gets frustrated by it. Slowly Kate opens her eyes and I smile, seeing her beautiful green orbs makes me so happy.
"Harry." she whispers with a croaky voice. I squeeze her hand a little and kiss her cheek.
"Hi baby, I'm so glad you're awake." I want to hug her and hold her tight, tell her she will be okay but for now I only can be here.  

A.N.: Hi, 
How was your week?
I hope you liked this new chapter. 
Please comment and vote. 
I wish you all an amazing weekend! 
All the love, 
K.x