Teach Me - Brollins

15.

Colby called Rebecca's parents, it wasn't exactly how he wanted to be introduced to them. They were getting the first flight out of Ireland as quickly as they could and Colby was under strict orders from Rebecca's mother to call her with any little detail no matter how minuscule it was.

Cali was out of surgery faster than Rebecca was which was to be expected. The few tiny fragments from the explosion were removed from her shoulder and she was stitched up and wrapped in tiny bandages, he little arm in a sling where it would stay for the next few weeks. Other than the surgery, Cali had a few scrapes but nothing other than her arm in the sling would tell you that anything was wrong with her.

She was going to be kept for observation for a few more hours and they wanted to have a child psychologist come in to evaluate her as well. She was going to have some form of PTSD from this they were sure but she had yet to show any signs of going through something traumatic. They believed it to be the combination of anesthesia from the surgery and her body being in absolute shock, but regardless of which one wore off first she was going to have a breakdown at some point.

Colby sat next to Cali for hours as he waited on word about Rebecca. He watched his daughter drift in and out of sleep from the pain medication as her tiny hand held his. It was taking the last little bit of strength he had left to keep it all together in front of her. He knew she was concerned about Rebecca, just like they all were but if something happened.. he knew his daughter and he knew she would blame herself and she already blamed herself for a lot in her little life that wasn't even remotely true.

After five more hours of a few tiny updates from the nurses, the surgeon came into Cali's room and pulled Holly and Colby to the hallway while the little girl slept.

"Just give it to me straight.. don't sugar coat it" Colby said quietly, he was out of energy and wasn't in the mood for small talk from anyone

"We managed to get the bullet out and we cleaned up the fragments of bone the best that we could. We put a plate and screws in her lower L4 and L5 vertebrae, that is what is holding her together for lack of a better term"

"Is she alive?" Holly questioned

"She is alive, she is hooked up to a morphine drip for the pain and she is still under anesthesia, we want to keep her sedated while we give her body a chance to recover, she has a heart monitor and oxygen at a low dose, she is being given blood every hour"

"If she wakes up from this..." Holly started

"When" Colby corrected her "When she wakes up" he looked at his mother

"When she wakes up from this.. what exactly should we expect?"

"Given where the bullet was lodged and all of the extensive work we had to do, we honestly do not know if she will be able to feel her lower body"

"So she would be paralyzed" Colby looked at the doctor "Forever?"

"We don't know that either, we will know more when she is awake and can talk to us"

"Besides the being paralyzed.. what are other things that could be an issue?"

"With spinal cord injuries they are very peculiar, there are no two the same but She could have spasms in her lower back that are extremely painful, the loss of function in a few of her limbs, a trouble breathing.. those are all initial signs that we expect to happen at least in the first few weeks" he nodded "as far as long term effects, besides the paralysis being an unknown factor we have seen with this injuries, especially in women and increase in fertility issue"

"Wait" Colby shook his head "You're saying because of her back being messed up she might not be able to get pregnant?"

"It is a possibility" the doctor nodded "With it being so close to her pelvis there are a lot of things that could occur and if she were to get pregnant in the future the pressure that would put on her back will no doubt be excruciating for her and we can say she does decide to have children and she gets pregnant, how she would deliver would be another question.. she would need a spinal block if she needed a cesarean and doing that comes with risks given this injury, she would more than likely need have an epidural if she delivered vaginally which is also given in her spine" he explained and Colby nodded, he knew all of this.. how did that doctor think he got the seven year old in the room behind him "The pressure of pushing the baby out would also be another factor, if she had no epidural she would have the pain from delivery and the pain from her spine"

"So you're saying the chances of them having children.. are out the window" Holly looked at her son

"I'm saying it is a decision they will have to come to together and discuss with doctors" the surgeon nodded

"When can I see her?" Colby questioned

"They're getting her set up in recovery in the ICU right now.. I will have a nurse come and get you when you can see her"

After the surgeon walked away, Holly went to the room to be with her granddaughter while Colby called Annette to give her the update. The soonest flight they could get wasn't until the next day so she was no doubt freaking out like they all were.

Meanwhile with Rebecca...

The bright light was almost blinding, it was solid white and she had no clue where she was.

She saw a thin figure appear and she knew immediately who it was, she had seen many photos.

"Heather.." She said almost in shock

"What are you doing here?" The woman walked over to her quickly "You're not supposed to be here!" She said sternly

"I-" Rebecca started but Heather held her hand up to stop her as she shook her head

"I did not put you in their lives for you to leave them" she was persistent, now Rebecca knew where Cali's determination came from "You are not allowed to leave them too" she shook her head "Heaven knows Colby will lose his fucking mind" she stated "I mean he's already almost at his breaking point"

"You see him.." Rebecca finally got two words in

"I see everything" she nodded "EVERYTHING"

"Oh no.. don't tell me you see.." She shook her head

"I go visit Cali during those times.. which is quite often with you two.. and just so we're clear, in a classroom? Really? Was that really worth it?"

"Now this is awkward" Rebecca put her hand over her face

"No it's not" Heather laughed "How else are you supposed to get these six kids I have staying with me?"

"Excuse me?!" Rebecca exclaimed "Six kids.."

"Ya see here.." She motioned around with her hand "The children of the ones that are still alive that have yet to be born are kept with the guardian angel until they are ready to be sent one by one or in batches depending on who it is" she explained "and I've got all six of yours at all times and they're getting a little out of hand" she shrugged "Your first one is getting anxious so if you two would like to hurry up and get back to normal so I can send her before she starts breaking my stuff"

"She.." Rebecca whispered "The first one is a girl" she nodded "Does she have a name?"

"That is for you to decide.. her first initial starts with R but that is all I know, but I can tell you she's a firecracker and you're going to have your hands full with that one but she is going to be very attached to you.. almost like a baby kangaroo" she said and Rebecca's eyes widened, was that some sort of hint? "Also I'd appreciate not having my daughter sneak up on me again even if it was for a split second" Heather stated "Now!" She exclaimed "Go back on your own before I have to push you back! Save the poor man from himself before he self destructs" she said referring to Colby "and I don't want to see you for a very long time"