by Mj Fields
Emma turned around, ���Brody!���
���Touch me ��� and I will fuck you up!��� Brody snapped as he pushed the officer.
���Hines you just assaulted an officer, yet another charge to add������ the uniformed officer began.
���At least that one will be true!��� Brody snapped.
Dr. Green walked through the door with a wheelchair, ���Step aside, this man needs medical assistance. Let���s go Brody.���
Brody laughed and sat in the chair, ���Why thank you Doctor.���
���And you���ll be an accessory!��� The officer snapped.
���Go screw yourself,��� Dr. Green laughed as she ran down the hall pushing Brody, ���Hold that elevator.���
Dr. Green pulled the blanket off Maddox and smiled at him, ���Nice to see you again, Maddox.���
���Hey Maddox,��� Brody stood and grabbed his hand.
���Hey Dad,��� Maddox smiled.
���You okay?��� Brody smiled.
���I will be now,��� Maddox smiled at Emma who smiled back.
���Alright Maddox you have a gunshot wound to the left shoulder,��� Dr. Green glanced at the OR nurse to ensure she was taking notes, ���No exit wound, so we are going to need to get you into surgery after we take a few pictures okay?���
Maddox looked scared, ���It will be fine, son.���
���Dad ��� I don���t think I can do this,��� Maddox tensed up.
���Well lucky for you, you don���t have to do anything, you���re not a doctor yet,��� Brody smiled.
���Will you be in there with me?��� He looked at Emma.
���I���m not sure,��� Emma smiled.
���Can Dad������ Maddox stopped and closed his eyes.
���Listen Maddox, I���m not a surgeon but I���ll go in and won���t leave until your Mom or Dad take my place. We need to get this bullet out of you okay?��� Dr. Green smiled.
���Yes,��� Maddox whispered.
���His blood pressure is dropping, the bullet may be moving,��� the door opened, ���Get him in there now!���
���I love you Maddox!��� Brody yelled as they rushed him into the OR.
���Brody you need to sit down,��� Emma said her eyes filled with tears.
���What the fuck happened, Em?��� Brody yelled.
���Your sister, she���s the one behind this. Brody she���s dead. She shot Maddox������ Emma started to shake.
���Rebecca?��� Brody gasped.
���Yes and I���I killed her,��� Emma cried, and Brody sat down and held his hands in his hair.
A nurse stepped into the waiting room, ���The x- rays show that the bullet is slowly moving towards his heart, Dr. Green wants you to know that she is hopeful the OR team will fix it quickly, just sit tight okay?���
���Thank you,��� Brody stood up and paced back and forth.
Emma stood up and walked past him out the door.
���Eli, this is Emma, I���m going to send you a voice mail that will make this easier, but Brody needs to be released. Call my father, one of his judge friends may be able to help. Maddox has been shot and is in surgery now. I shot and killed Brody���s sister Rebecca at our home about an hour ago,��� Emma took a deep breath, ���She���s responsible for all of this.���
Emma stood in the hallway awaiting information. An officer was now standing guard in front of the waiting room door.
Brody came to the door and watched Emma leaning against the wall.
���Could you please get my wife?��� He asked the officer.
Emma walked in the room and looked up sadly at Brody, ���I���m sorry I shot her.���
Brody sat down, ���Emma, was there a choice?���
She didn���t answer, and when he looked up he saw how angry she was, ���Emma ������
���Was there a choice Brody? Do I truly need to explain that to you? Your son is in surgery because she shot him, she killed���she was working with Banks, you were stabbed because of it, was there a choice? You have some nerve������ Emma started to walk out, and he grabbed her.
���That���s not at all what I meant Em, come on, please ���please������ Brody started to fall.
Emma grabbed him unable to bear his complete weight she eased down to the ground.
���I need some help in here!��� Emma screamed.
The uniformed officer ran in the room, ���Not YOU! Get a nurse!���
Emma saw Brody���s gown was blood soaked. She pulled it aside and applied pressure to the wound that was gushing with blood.
The room filled with nurses, and she moved back to give them room to work.
���We should have knocked him out and done this earlier, damn it, get an OR opened now!��� one of the nurses yelled.
Brody���s eyes fluttered and opened, ���Em is he okay?���
���Yes, Brody they���re taking you into surgery,��� Emma wiped tears from her face, ���You have to be alright too, I love you.���
���I love you more Em,��� Brody���s eyes closed.
Emma sat in the waiting room willing herself to stay calm. She chanted over and over in her head, everything���s going to be fine; everything���s going to be fine.
���Emma,��� a nurse walked in and handed her a bottle of water, ���Maddox is in recovery.���
���Is he okay?��� Emma stood, ���Can I see him?���
���In about half an hour we���re going to try to wake him, he���s doing great. Dr. Green hasn���t left his side. They removed the bullet and patched him up, he needed some blood, and he���s going to be back to normal in a few days.���
���I need to be in there when you try to wake him and just so you know, no is not an option,��� the nurse smiled and nodded her head, ���And Brody? How is Brody?���
���They���re trying to repair the artery that was wounded. We did strongly urge him to have the surgery when we first got the results, but he refused,��� she smiled and shook her head. ���A man thing I assume.���
Emma looked confused, ���I don���t understand? I thought he just had to have a few stitches.���
She looked at Emma, ���Your husband���s wound was extremely deep; it hit an artery and a few nerves. He was told that this could happen but chose to wait to see if things would start to heal itself overnight. The body is a wonderful thing it sometimes happens. Apparently he felt the risk was worth it.���
���Bleeding to death was worth waiting?��� Emma snapped.
���No, hoping the nerves repaired themselves avoiding the possibilities of long term or permanent damage Mrs. Hines.���
���Permanent damage where?��� Emma was confused.
The nurse widened her eyes.
Emma gasped, ���Oh, oh wow. So he risked������
���I told you it was a man thing,��� the nurse looked down at her pager. ���Your son appears to be waking up.���
* * *
Emma sat holding Maddox���s hand and his eyes fluttered, ���Mom?���
���I���m here Maddox,��� Emma kissed his forehead.
���Where���s Dad?��� Maddox asked, ���I need a drink, my throat���s so sore.���
Emma pushed the call button, ���They intubated you, which me
ans������
���They shoved a tube down my throat,��� Maddox tried to smile. ���I read a lot.���
���Medical books?��� Emma asked.
���Medical, parenting, survival, and music,��� Maddox coughed, and Emma pushed the button again, ���How did you get there so fast?���
���Tessa called me,��� Emma smiled.
���Why?��� Maddox asked rubbing his chest, ���Is Harper alright?���
���You sent her the recording of Rebecca���s confession,��� Emma laughed. ���Smart move on your part.���
���I sent it to 911,��� Maddox winced as he sat up.
���No, you sent it to Harper,��� Emma said helping him lay back down.
���No, that wasn���t my intention, damn it!��� Maddox snapped.
���Well after everything that���s come to light, I���m grateful it was her and not them,��� Emma smiled.
Dr. Green walked in and smiled, ���I have a popsicle for my favorite patient.���
���Flavored ice,��� Emma smiled at Maddox.
���You did excellent Maddox,��� Dr. Green took his hand and he looked up at her.
���Did you see my heart?��� He asked curiously.
���Biggest one I���ve ever seen,��� she sat next to him.
Maddox chuckled, ���Strong too?���
���Biggest and strongest, when you���re feeling better, I���ll show you a picture,��� she smiled.
���You really took a picture of my heart?��� Maddox face beamed.
���I really did, just don���t tell on me. Emma you don���t either, got it?��� Dr. Green smiled.
���I would never,��� Emma smiled.
���You need to rest Maddox, you have an incision that needs to heal,��� Dr. Green patted his head, ���Your Dad will be out in about an hour, things are going well with him to. So if, you sleep for two hours when you wake up, I���ll pull a few strings to make sure he���s right next to you. And then a private room for you to share after that.���
���Thank you Doctor, thank you very much,��� Maddox smiled sincerely.
���Yes, thank you,��� Emma stood and hugged her tightly.
Maddox ate his Popsicle, ���I like it.���
���They are pretty good,��� Emma smiled.
���You…Mom…are pretty awesome, I love you, and I trust you. You saved my life,��� Maddox squeezed her hand.
���Same goes for me Maddox; I love and trust you as well. You saved all of our lives,��� Emma hugged him gently.
���I think I���m tired,��� Maddox yawned.
���I am not going anywhere,��� Emma pulled a chair close to his bed and held his hand as he fell asleep.
* * *
Emma sat up when she heard the stretcher coming closer ���Is my son������
���Mr. Hines your son is fine he���s resting, and his surgery went wonderfully,��� a male nurse explained.
���Where���s my wife?��� he slurred.
���With your son,��� the nurse answered.
���Is she aware of our possible problem?��� He said slowly trying to articulate.
���Yes,��� someone answered.
���Wonderful, she���s not going to like this at all,��� he slurred loudly. ���Literally that is the only thing she cannot do for herself, I am so fucked���or not.���
���Mr. Hines you should rest,��� someone suggested.
���No, let’s start therapy,��� he laughed, ���go fetch Em would you, she needs to come check it out. You didn���t remove any of it did you?���
���No, you���re all intact Mr. Hines but you should know������
���Oh fetch my wife; I need to know nothing more than if this limp noodle will rise again,��� Brody laughed, ���That���s a fabulous song title.���
���We need to give him something to knock him out,��� one of the nurses chuckled.
���I need to see my wife���s tits, they are beautiful…perfect. She has an itty bitty scar on one; she was so ashamed of it. I must say it���s what I love the most tracing my tongue������ Brody started.
The curtain between the two separated, ���Brody, glad you���re alright but Maddox is trying to rest and ������
���Em, love, do you know what rest rhymes with rest?��� Brody laughed loudly.
���Dad?��� Maddox woke up.
���No, it doesn���t rhyme with Dad,��� he grinned, ���Em, are you angry with me?���
���No Brody, Maddox was resting, see right next to you, your son, right here������
���Maddox ��� we made it son!��� Brody laughed.
���Well yes. One of us made it with our minds still in working order,��� Maddox laughed.
���Oh, let’s hope that my mind is the only thing not working son, did you know������
���Brody, please sleep,��� Emma tried not to laugh as the nurse pushed medication into his IV.
���Oh Em that smile always did do���things������ Brody passed out.
���What was he talking about?��� Maddox laughed.
���It doesn���t matter Maddox. I hope you���ve learned a valuable lesson here today,��� Emma smiled.
Maddox looked confused.
���Drugs are not our friends,��� Emma giggled.
* * *
Emma sat in the room they had been moved into. Neither Maddox nor Brody woke during the transfer. Nurses came in often and finally Brody woke as one poked at his incision. He was annoyed.
He looked around confused, ���What time is it, I feel like I slept forever?���
Emma stood up and kissed his head softly, ���Almost three in the morning.���
���Maddox?��� He whispered and Emma pointed to him sleeping.
���He���s doing amazing. He seems very happy, like a brick has been lifted,��� Emma said and looked down.
���Emma, you saved his life,��� Brody kissed her hand.
���He saved ours. He and I had that conversation earlier,��� Emma looked at him.
���You did what you had to do Em. I���m very proud of you, pissed that you left here like you did with no fucking backup, certainly pissed,��� Brody sat up and scrunched his eyes in pain.
���Well just so you know, I���m pretty pissed at you as well, Brody Hines,��� Emma looked down, ���You didn���t tell me, actually you lied to me.���
���How do I have that conversation with you in the ten fucking minutes we had together?��� Brody hissed.
Emma looked up at him and shook her head, ���Do you need anything?���
���Yes, answers. You got any?��� Brody glared at her.
���Get some sleep Brody,��� Emma kissed his head and sat down and closed her eyes.
���You should go home,��� Brody whispered.
Emma looked at him sadly, ���I���m sorry that all this has happened Brody. Please stop treating me like this.���
���You look tired, you should get some sleep and you���re not going to get any in that chair Emma,��� Brody looked down.
���I don���t want him to be upset if he wakes up,��� Emma said softly.
���I���m his father and I���m here
,��� Brody sounded annoyed.
Emma stood and walked out of the room and called Clive, ���Hey would you mind coming to the hospital? Brody doesn���t want me here. I don���t feel alright with leaving them alone, not yet anyway.���
Emma walked back in the room, and Maddox sat up, ���I thought you left.���
���No Maddox, but your Dad���s here and Clive���s on his way,��� Emma hugged him and he hugged her back tightly.
���You need to sleep?��� Maddox asked.
���I���m going home so when your sisters wake up I���m there. Then we���ll all come back and visit you and find out when we can spring you from this place,��� Emma smiled, ���What would you like as a recovery gift?���
���I just want a happy life, and I���m pretty sure I already have that,��� Maddox smiled.
���I���ll make sure of it. I love you,��� Emma smiled.
���Is he asleep?��� Maddox asked.
���I think so,��� Emma smiled.
���Did he wake up acting crazy again?��� Maddox laughed.
���No, just sore and probably a bit sad. But he was very happy that you���re okay and that you figured this all out Maddox. We���re both so proud of you and so very grateful to have you as a son, and a brother to the girls. Our family is now complete,��� Emma hugged him lightly, ���Are you sore, Maddox?���
���A little, but I���m really hungry,��� Maddox smiled.
���What would you like?��� Emma giggled.
���Food, maybe another popsicle. I���ve never had fast food,��� Maddox hinted.
���It���s greasy, might be hard on your stomach,��� Emma smiled and sent a text, ���It���s been years since I have had a big, greasy burger. Let’s do it.���
���I have to use the bathroom,��� Maddox said quietly.
���Pee?��� Emma asked.
���Yes,��� Maddox blushed.
���Here you go in this,��� Emma handed him a bed pan.
Maddox looked confused.
���They have to measure your urine output. Crazy we say no about urinating in objects other than the toilet but they say yes,��� Emma laughed, ���I���ll take care of it when you���re done.���