Strings Attached

Chapter Twenty-Eight

"This can't be happening," muttered Henry. He looked as though he was about to collapse, so I led him to a chair and helped him sit down. "He can't be dying..."

I bit my bottom lip and wiped away some of my tears. "Let's just hope he makes it," I whispered.

"He... he has to..." Henry said, sobbing. "He's my best friend."

"Chris." I turned around and saw Louise standing right behind me. I gave her a sad smile, and she wrapped her arms around me. "How is he?"

"Unstable," I said. "The doctor said he doesn't know if he'll wake up."

"Oh..." Louise lowered her face and started crying, too. "This can't be happening!"

"I know," I muttered. "It sucks."

The doctor walked outside the operating room, and I rushed to where he was.

"How is he?" I asked.

"He is no longer in ICU. We had to connect him. He is in a coma."

I could feel my heart racing with fear.

"What does that mean? Is he better, or is he worse?"

"He's the same as he was, but we placed him in another room so that he could receive visits," said the doctor. "Your mother asked us to."

I bit my bottom lip. "Does that mean we can go see him?"

"Only two at a time," said the doctor.

"Thank you," I muttered. "What room is he in?"

"Room 306," he said.

I thanked him and walked towards Henry and Louise.

"We can go see him now," I said.

"I—is he awake?" asked Henry.

I lowered my face. "Not yet."

"Not yet," whispered Henry hopefully.

I nodded, and the three of us made our way towards the room.

***

As soon as I entered, I regretted it. Seeing Teddy's pale face and sleeping eyes made my heart hurt even more. I could not believe he was actually in that room, fighting for his life.

Henry entered behind me, and he closed the door and made his way towards Teddy's bed. He sat down on the chair next to him, and I just remained standing where I was, completely numb.

I could not help noticing the machines that kept him alive, and I could not help noticing that he was connected to them with wires.

Teddy had always loved wires, and now that he was surrounded by them, he was not even conscious to see them.

That is how ironic life is. When something you wished for all your life finally happens, you are not even fully aware of it.

I bit my bottom lip and made my way towards Teddy. I grabbed his hand, placed the palm of it on my cheek, and allowed the tears to freely fall down my face.

"Theo," muttered Henry between sobs. "You're going to be okay, pal."

I did not say anything. I just allowed Henry to continue.

"You're the best friend I've ever had. You know that, don't you?" he said. "I had never had a friend as authentic as you. You are one of the few people in my life who would never lie to me, no matter what."

Henry's tears would not stop falling down his face. "You can't leave us, Theo. We love you, man. We really do. If you wake up, I promise I will help you get through all of this. I promise we'll get through all of this together."