Chapter 23
Jasper
I had been waiting for what seemed like hours to get in to see Alysa. I understood that Logan need to run tests, but hell, I needed to be by her side. The look on her face when she learned she couldn’t move was gut-wrenching. I could only imagine what she was going through.
No one would tell me what happened. She hadn’t been shot or beaten. Thank God for that. But something went wrong and damn it, I needed to know.
I saw them wheeling Alysa down the hall on the gurney. That meant she had her last test and I should be allowed to go in and see her. If not, there would be hell to pay. The waiting and sitting for so long had made me stiff. Getting up was painful, but I pushed past it. Alysa didn’t need to know anything about that. All I wanted was for her to get better.
Please let her get better.
Grabbing my crutches, I made my way down the hallway to her room. The door was ajar, and I could hear Logan’s voice. Was I supposed to enter? No. Was I going to? Hell yes.
I did rap on the doorjamb first to announce my arrival. “Hi. Am I interrupting anything?” I asked. I didn’t care what Logan felt, but if Alysa needed her privacy right now, I’d respect that.
Logan nodded, but Alysa said, “He was just about to give me my test results. I really could use a hand to hold.” She extended hers to me and I hobbled over to take it. “Okay, now I’m ready to hear whatever you have to tell me.”
“You know that we couldn’t do an MRI, but I was able to see what the issue is by x-raying. As you know, you have a piece of shrapnel wedged in your vertebrae. I believe when you tipped the chair over, it moved. There is a lot of swelling right now all around your spinal cord. This is what is causing your paralysis.”
Alysa’s grip tightened as she asked, “Is it…permanent?”
Logan said softly, “I wish I knew. I can tell you this: that shrapnel should come out. With its new position, it might someday sever your spinal cord and then there won’t be anything I can do.”
“I told you before that they wouldn’t operate because they said the risk was too great. I could end up in a wheelchair for life,” she choked.
“I will not lie. That is still a possibility. But if you don’t do anything, you will be in chronic pain and eventually, you’ll end up in a wheelchair.”
Alysa was trying to be so strong, when I knew she was on the verge of tears. Hell, I cried when I saw her on the floor, unable to move, and I couldn’t fucking help her. There were so many questions, like how did she get shrapnel in her back and how long had it been there? But none of that mattered now. She had so much on her mind already. All I could do was love and support her through it.
“I don’t like either of those options,” she said.
“I understand that, but they are the facts,” Logan said.
Alysa sighed heavily and asked, “And you can do the surgery?”
“Yes. But not here. We need you at a top-notch medical facility. This is going to be a very delicate operation. And no matter what, you will need physical therapy afterwards,” Logan stated.
It was so hard to shut my mouth and let her handle this. It wasn’t my body. It’s not my decision. She’s just the woman that I love, and I still don’t how she feels.
“Where would you do the surgery?” she asked.
“Boston,” he replied. “And it is my medical opinion that you do it as soon as possible.”
She was going home. I knew it. It was what was best for her. Alysa was so full of life and she needed to take this chance if she wanted to be able to walk again without pain. I knew I shouldn’t, but I had to speak or miss my chance.
“When does she leave?” I asked.
Alysa looked up at me and said, “I don’t remember agreeing to go. Besides, I can’t afford that kind of surgery and rehab.”
Logan said, “Those expenses will be covered. All we need is your approval.”
I assumed that meant the Hendersons were footing the bill. I didn’t need their money. I could pay for her surgery. What I couldn’t do was perform it, or make the arrangements. So all that was left for me was to help Alysa see that she needed to do this. Not for me, but for her.
“Before all this went down, you were on your way to the airport. Just because it got delayed, it doesn’t change anything. It’s time for you to go home. It’s time for you to say goodbye to that shrapnel for good,” I said. I could see the shock and disappointment in her eyes. But this was my way of being strong for her. I had a feeling she wanted to stay here and take the risk. But I wanted her to have it all, and she couldn’t here.
“Jasper, you are making it sound like…this is…goodbye,” she said, a tear rolling down her cheek.
With my free hand I brushed it away. “I would never ask you to do this on your own, Alysa. I’m going to be with you every step of the way.”