It's been two weeks. Jack never leaves Amelia's side for more than five minutes at a time, not even to sleep.
Amelia's Mom and siblings, Corey and Samantha, came down and stayed for a week, but they had to leave.
Christina, Lottie and Millie are all up and moving again, with help of crutches and occasionally a wheelchair.
Right now I'm at the boy's house. We didn't want to leave Jack and Amelia alone, so half of us stay with them while the other half go to sleep and eat, then vice versa.
I'm lying awake in Zach's bed. His arms are locked around my waist, my head on his chest.
I can hear him breathing, a little faster than you usa,y would while asleep. A little crease appeared between his eyes and he let out a low whimper. He's having another nightmare.
Suddenly he gasped and lurched up, looking around wildly. I sat up and put my hands on his cheeks.
"Shh. Zach, it's ok honey. Your ok. It was just a dream." I whispered, stroking his hair. He sighed with relief and buried his face in my shoulder, taking slow, shaky breaths that came out as sobs.
"It was just a dream." I repeated, kissing the top of his head. He nodded, and looked up.
"I almost lost you. We could still lose her. It's all my fault. I should have been with you I should have... I... I.."
I pressed my lips against his, stopping his panicked words. I pulled back and wiped the tears from his cheeks.
"Zach, listen to me. It's not your fault. It's nobody's fault. It was an accident. The important thing is to never give up hope. Amelia is tough. She will recover." I promised, trying to force confidence into my voice.
An alarm started beeping, signalling that it was 5:30 am. We'll go wake up Daniel and Lottie, and go to the hospital.
I kissed Zach one more time then tiptoed out of my room and down the hall. I grabbed my bag as I went to the kitchen and got the containers of food I had prepared yesterday.
Then I went to the bathroom and freshened up and got dressed. Zach was waiting in the lounge room.
I tiptoed to Daniel's room, gently pushing open the door. They were still in bed, asleep. There was a complicated strap hanging from the ceiling to support Lottie's leg, still wrapped in a cast.
She was nestled in Daniel's side, curled up together. I walked over and shook Daniel awake.
"Time to go." I said. He nodded and gently woke Lottie. I left them to get dressed.
Twenty minutes later, they were downstairs, Daniel pushing Lottie in a wheelchair. I grabbed her crutches, being careful not to wrist my own broken wrist and handed them to Zach.
We went out to the car and Lottie and I got into the back. Daniel's put that wheelchair in the trunk and got into the driver's seat.
He turned the ignition and we left. It was still super early, about an hour before rush traffic.
We came so often that the workers just let us straight into the ward without checking in. Our regular nurse gave me a smile and a hug.
"Is she better?" I asked, trying to stop the bubble of hope from for,ing in my stomach.
The nurse smiled again, tinged with sadness. "She's not worse." The nurse was careful not to give us false hope.
Zach pushed open and let Daniel and Lottie go first. Daniel tried to help her, but she pushed him off exasperatedly. "Daniel , I am perfectly capable of wheeling myself." She snapped. He made a snide remark back and they continued bickering. Their way of flirting.
Jack was still in his chair, head on his hands, which were clasped over Amelia's. Tears brimmed in my eyes and I blinked them away. Losing Amelia would be awful for me, but I have no idea what it would be like for Jack. She's his everything. His reason for existence. His personal sun.
I pulled out a container of food that I made and placed it on the bead side table for him.
As I leaned over, I head him whispering.
"Please. Please. Please. Please. Please. Please. Please." Over and over and over again, like a mantra. As if he was pleading with Time, with God.
I heard the click of footsteps and turned to see a nurse walking towards us. She checked the monitors, shook her head sadly and walked away again.
Jack acted like he didn't notice, but I saw him clench his fists. I heard the sharp intake of breath.
He squeezed her hand. "C'mon Amelia!" He said furiously, almost a growl. "Don't leave me. Don't fucking leave me."
I stepped forward and hesitantly put my hand on his shoulder. He froze at my touch but then relaxed. I sat in the open chair next to him.
The next thing I knew, he was hugging me and crying, clinging onto my jacket.
"I c-can't lose her!" He sobbed. I put my arms around him and rocked him gently, the way Amelia did when she comforted me.
I just sat and held him as his sobs gradually slowed and he was able to breathe evenly.
