You'll Be Okay

Chapter 29

After spending every Saturday for six months at St Vincent's hospital, I wasn't the only one finding it hard to believe that this was our last ever community service session. Tyler, being the most sentimental out of us all, decided to take a trip down memory lane.

"Do you remember that one time I held the door open for you in freshman year and then Jarred tripped me and the door slammed shut in your face?"

I frowned as the elevator began moving. "I do, actually."

"Remember when Jarred leaked your nudes?" Dennis asked Tyler and then smirked. "I have them backed up on my old laptop in case you ever decide to get adventurous."

Tyler gasped in horror. "See? You're the reason why I can't be a better person."

Jarred was absent today after supposedly going down with the flu. Luckily for him, it was actually the flu season so it was somewhat believable. However, I knew that he wasn't sick but was actually receiving some surprising news from Kayley today.

I'd been anxiously waiting for her text for exactly one hour and sixteen minutes.

"From this moment on, I am no longer a slave to the hospital." Tyler threw down his duster along with the cleaning spray in front of Mr Creed, dusting off his hands. "Now, I can finally pursue my Hollywood dream in peace."

Mr Creed waved a hand, without taking his attention away from his newspaper and just like that, we were dismissed. Reid, Dennis and I shared an apprehensive look as Tyler sprinted out of the room. Following his lead, we dropped our lanyards into the box at the front reception. A few of the young nurses ogled the boys as we passed.

"Aw, man." Tyler peered down at his phone and sighed. "My publicist says I have lunch with my grandma scheduled in five minutes."

"Your what?" I asked, incredulous.

"My grandma."

"No - the other thing."

As Tyler got distracted by an incoming call, Reid pulled me back, hesitating when I looked questioningly at him. "Hey, I want you to meet someone."

Up ahead, Dennis and Tyler were waiting for us to catch up but Dennis caught on much quicker than Tyler did and dragged him away. I watched them disappear and then shrugged at Reid. He gestured for me to follow and we crossed the foyer, heading towards the ICU department. In my mind, I knew where this was going and my chest suddenly felt painfully tight.

We stopped in front of Room C-16 and through the rectangular window, there was a girl. She was impossibly pale, even against the white sheets, stunning auburn hair closer to gold than to red, carefully gathered over her shoulder. She was beautiful, looking as if she was sound asleep although the machines kept her heart beating for her.

"Meet Savannah," said Reid quietly. "It's been seven hundred and sixty-two days."

762 days, I thought. Two years of waking up in the morning, unsure if his sister had made it through the night. Two years of picking up every call, wondering if it was the best or the worst news of his life. That was no way to live.

Recalling the first few months after losing my dad and my brother still felt like a knife in the gut. I would force myself to remember the small details like Daniel's obnoxious laugh or Dad's quiet humming as he worked through the early hours of the morning. During those months, I could almost trick myself into believing they were still here. But when reality came knocking, I was alone in a silent house and the room next door would still be empty.

"I think I'm losing my mind," Reid admitted, shaking his head. "Everyone has given up her; the doctors, my family and every single specialist I've sought out. But if there's even a 0.1% chance... I can't let her go."