Chapter Fifteen

Nolan

Sunday, June 30th 1:57 AM

I was sitting in the waiting room, a nervous wreck. I had bitten my nails down to nubs while I watched Liam and Stella playing with Legos on the floor.

They were blissfully unaware that their sister was lying in the critical unit, fighting for her life. They kept asking when they would get to see Janey so they could show her what they made.

It was a wonder that they were awake to begin with.

I sighed and ran my hand through my hair. My mother was sitting next to me, and she had a hand on my leg. I smiled at her quickly.

Every time I sighed or shifted in my seat, she would put her hand on my leg. As if to let me know that it would somehow be okay.

That wishful thinking got shot to shit when Dr. Kowalski walked into the waiting room looking somber, followed by an equally somber Dr. Bright.

I got to my feet and wiped my sweaty hands on my pants. Mr. and Mrs. East got to their feet as well and my parents leaned around us to look at the doctors.

"It doesn't look good," Dr. Kowalski said.

I felt my mouth go dry. I never knew why that was the typical human reaction to bad news, but my mouth was as dry as cotton.

Mrs. East started crying quietly into her husband's chest.

"What specifically doesn't look good," Mr. East asked.

"The lesions. They never responded to dialysis. Jane was hiding the pain she's really been in for a long time and because she never complained or said anything, she's become septic," she explained, rubbing her eyes tiredly.

"Oh, Aaron," Mrs. East sobbed.

I felt a pair of small arms around my leg. I looked down and saw Stella looking up at me with big sad eyes. I picked her up and she wrapped her arms and legs around me and began to cry.

Liam was the only one out of all of us who didn't cry. I don't think he quite understood what was going on. Still, he sat there curiously listening to the doctors as they continued.

"She's fighting as much as she can. Jane's always been a very strong girl. She won't give up easily," Dr. Kowalski assured us.

"Can I see her?" I asked.

"I'm afraid not, Nolan. Only immediate family can see her, right now."

I felt like my world had been crushed. It didn't matter that we were supposed to get married in a few days. We weren't married now, which meant I couldn't see her.

I sat down, still holding Stella, unable to speak. I needed to see Jane. I didn't want her to think that I had abandoned her; that I didn't care.

Her parents talked to Dr. Kowalski some more before they turned to tell me that they would give her my love.

And that's when we all noticed that Liam wasn't in the room anymore.