“Mr. Blackwell,” I heard to my left.
I turned my head their direction and heard gasps of their own.
“He’s awake! He’s awake!” Jonah said, but his voice grew distant as if he left the room.
A man peeled back my lids and shined a light in them. I cringed from the light. He started examining me and asking me questions.
“Mr. Blackwell, can you open your eyes?”
I tried to peel them open but the overhead light was too much. “The light,” I tried to say but felt something down my throat. My hands went to my mouth and I tried to pull them out. I was starting to gag.
“No, Mr. Blackwell, don’t pull that. We had to intubate you.”
This confused me.
“Don’t worry. We’ll get the doctor to examine you quickly to take it out.”
My head lolled back and forth, too heavy to pick it up.
Bridge approached my side. I could tell it was her because I recognized her perfume. “Spencer,” she told me, holding my hand, “you’ve been out for a week now. You were in a coma.” She sucked in a breath, trying to compose herself. A week? How’s Cricket! I wanted to shout. “You didn’t react well to the removal.”
I tried to nod or open my eyes but I wasn’t able to, so I squeezed her hand as best I could.
She wept into my shoulder. “Spencer, this has been the hardest week of my life.”
I squeezed slightly once more.
“Spencer,” I heard a new voice ask. It was Dr. Caldwell.
He examined me and confirmed it was okay to remove my tubes. On the count of three, he pulled them out and I fought for air, finding relief about ten seconds later. My eyes opened slowly and I took in my surroundings. Though it was too bright, I could see all the people who cared about me.
Most of Cricket’s family and my sister were there, as well as my mom.
My eyes watered at the sight of her. “Mama?”
“Yes, baby,” she said, kissing my face. “You really had us worried.”
I smiled at her.
“Where’s Cricket?” I asked the room.
“She’s in physical therapy,” Jonah said. I tried to get her out, but the lady at the desk wouldn’t let me past the doors. “She is doing so well, Spencer. She’s like a brand-new person.”
“Thank you, God,” I said, relieved beyond belief.
“And thank you,” Ellie said, walking into the room. She was bawling and hugged me tightly.
“Ellie,” I said.
“Spencer,” she said, smiling. “You scared the ever living stuffing out of us!”
I laughed. “I didn’t mean to,” I told her.
She stood up and I looked all about me. “I love you all.”
“Yes, yes, they love you too,” Dr. Caldwell said, smiling. “But you need rest, and I need all of them out.”
They all filed out of the room except for Bridge and my mom.