Autumn, Jaicyn, and Dayshawn stood together over Rayshawn’s bed. In a few minutes the MEDVAC team would load him on a stretcher and strap him down securely in the back of the helicopter. It was a risky maneuver. Even a slight jarring of could dislodge the bullet in his chest and kill him.
“He looks so small,” Jaicyn whispered. Rayshawn didn’t even look like himself. He was covered with bandages and gauze. There were more bandages visible than skin. It hurt Jaicyn deep in her heart to see her normally strong and healthy man laid out like his next resting place was a casket.
Because the surgery Rayshawn was having was so extensive and dangerous for him, the Belleview Emergency team had removed the body cast and put him in an easily removable brace. If he made it to Baltimore the surgeons there needed to be able to take him straight from the helipad to the operating room. They wouldn’t have time to cut through a body cast.
“He’s going to be fine,” Dayshawn said.
“I just wish that there was some way he could know that I’m going to be with him,” Jaicyn said. “That way he’ll know that he’s not alone.”
“He’s not in a coma,” Autumn replied. “He can probably hear everything we’re saying. Just tell him.”
“We have to go,” Dr. Massiano announced.
Autumn looked at Dayshawn. They were flying to Baltimore with Rickie and Bobbie. It was time to say goodbye to Rayshawn and Jaicyn. Dayshawn leaned over his brother and whispered, “Be strong, big brother. See you in a few hours.”
Autumn leaned forward. “Love you Rayshawn. See you soon.”
Four orderlies, two at the top of the stretcher and two at the bottom, slowly wheeled the stretcher out of the room, being careful not to even bump the door frame. The hospital staff had cleared the hallway of patients and items that the rolling stretcher could possibly bump. As the stretcher was rolled past Rickie and Bobbie, they waved and said goodbye to Jaicyn and Rayshawn.
“Let’s go,” Dayshawn said. “We have to get to the airport.”
Hours later Autumn, Dayshawn and the girls met up with Jaicyn in the waiting room at Johns Hopkins Hospital. She was lying on one of the couches in the posh waiting area. It took them forty five minutes to find her in the huge hospital. Little did they know all they had to do was go to the Guest Services Representative and he would have personally led them to the cardiovascular wing. After all, he’d known they were coming and was waiting for them. When Craig got word that there were four lost visitors in the Pediatrics wing, he went and gathered them up.
“Hey you guys,” Jaicyn said when she looked up. Her voice was groggy because she’d finally been able to catch a few Z’s. She hadn’t slept in almost twenty-four hours.
“How’s Rayshawn?” Rickie asked first. She was glad to see that her sister was calm and getting some rest but they were there for a reason.
“He made it through the flight,” Jaicyn informed them. “He’s still in surgery. They called in some heart surgeon from New York. He’s supposed to be the best. Dr. Massiano is in there with him too.
Dayshawn felt a sense of relief. His brother might be out of the danger zone. If they could remove the bullet quickly and get him closed back up, the chances of him surviving the surgery were greater than ever.
“How long has he been in surgery?” Dayshawn asked.
Jaicyn looked at her phone. “An hour and forty-five minutes. They should be done soon.”
Autumn sat down next to her friend. “How are you holding up? Did you eat anything?”
“I’m not really hungry,” Jaicyn answered.
“But you have to eat,” Bobbie said. “How come ain’t none of these doctors worried about you? You’re pregnant. They should be looking after you too.”
Jaicyn frowned at her baby sister. “What did you say?”
Realizing her mistake, Bobbie corrected herself, “How come no one is worried about you? There are over two thousand doctors here. One of them should have made you eat something.”
“I’m okay, Muffin,” Jaicyn answered. “Did y’all eat?”
“Not yet,” Rickie answered. “I’m sure there’s somewhere we can eat after we find out about Rayshawn.”
“Here comes Dr. Mass,” Bobbie said.
“It’s Massiano,” Jaicyn corrected her sister and sat up on the couch.
“Hey,” Dr. Massiano greeted the new arrivals. “You made it.”
Dr. Massiano’s smile was refreshing and gave Rayshawn’s family a glimmer of hope.
“Is the surgery over? Is Rayshawn alright?” Jaicyn asked first.
Dr. Massiano nodded. “Yes, he’s out of surgery. He’s in recovery now. He’s a strong man. He’s still critical, but the important thing is that he made it. His body is in shock at all the trauma it’s experienced in the last twelve hours, but he’s a fighter. Give him some time.”
“But do you think he’s going to make it?” Dayshawn asked. “Is he strong enough to recover from this?”
“All we can do is wait and see,” Dr. Massiano said. “Dr. Sanji had to go right into another surgery, but I’m sure he’ll want to talk to you.”
“Can we see him,” Jaicyn asked. She was eager to see for herself that Rayshawn was going to be okay.
“It’s going to be awhile before he can have visitors in the room with him. He’s just had his chest cut open. But I’m sure you can go up to his room and look in on him. I suggest you guys get some rest, especially you, Jaicyn. You have to take care of that little one.”
“Thank you,” Bobbie said, happy that someone finally was paying attention to the fact that Jaicyn was having a baby.
“I have to get back to Washington Heights,” the doctor said. “But I’ll call to check up on you and him.”
Jaicyn stood up and hugged the young doctor who took it upon himself to travel to Baltimore with them and participate in the surgery. He was definitely a blessing.
“Thank you so much, for everything,” Jaicyn said.
“You’re welcome. Take care of yourself. You have my number. Call me if things change, good or bad.”
“Thank you doctor.” Dayshawn shook the doctor’s hand and handed him his business card. “There’s my information. If you ever need anything, give me a call.”
“A lawyer, huh,” Dr. Massiano chuckled, looking at the card. “I’ll be sure to keep you in mind.” He smiled at the family once again and walked away.
Jaicyn stretched back out on the sofa. “Since we can’t see him, you should go get a room and something to eat. There are a bunch of hotels and restaurants less than a mile from here.”
“What about you?” Autumn asked. “You need clothes and sleep and food. What are you going to do?”
“I’m going to stay here until they let me see Rayshawn. My sisters are practically exhausted. Please take them to a hotel. If you find a hotel that’s close, you can be here in ten minutes if I need you.”
Even though no one really wanted to leave, all of them wanted a shower and food after sitting in two airports and two hospitals for the last twelve hours.
“I’ll take the girls,” Autumn volunteered. “But I’m coming back.”
“Okay,” Jaicyn said. “Nobody said you couldn’t come back.”
“I’m going to go with her,” Dayshawn said. “Are you sure you’re going to be okay.”
“Yes,” Jaicyn said. “Go. There’s nothing you can do for Rayshawn now. And nothing’s going to happen in the next hour. I’ll be fine.”
There was nothing Jaicyn could do either but she wasn’t leaving the hospital until she saw her man. She hugged Rickie and Bobbie on their way out and insisted that they get some sleep.
“He’ll be alright,” Jaicyn said as she squeezed Bobbie’s hand as she walked past her. “I promise.”
****
“Mrs. Moore,” a voice with a strong Indian accent said. Jaicyn felt a hand on her shoulder and opened her eyes. She didn’t know how long she’d been asleep or whose hand was touching her.
“Mrs. Moore?” t
he voice said again. This time Jaicyn opened her eyes all of the way and sat up.
“Yes?” she said to the middle aged Indian man in the white coat and hospital scrubs.
“Mrs. Moore, I’m Dr. Sanji, your husband’s surgeon. Can you come with me please?”
The grim expression the doctor’s face stopped Jaicyn from correcting him. He didn’t look like he had good news for her. She followed the doctor through the ICU doors. She squinted in the bright lights and struggled to keep up with the doctor. Finally he stopped in front of a private hospital room that had a separate seating area. Jaicyn peered into the room. Rayshawn was lying on his back, covered up to the neck with a sheet.
“Oh my God,” Jaicyn whispered. “He made it.”
“He’s not out of the woods yet,” Dr. Sanji stated. “But he’s fighting. We’re keeping a close eye on him.”
“How long has he been in here?” Jaicyn asked.
“About two hours. I wanted to keep him in recovery while I performed another operation. I checked his vitals and they were good so I had him moved in here.”
“Can I go in?” Jaicyn asked. The doctor nodded.
Jaicyn walked into the room slowly. It was eerily quiet except for the humming and beeping of the monitors and machines. Dr. Sanji slid a chair close to the bed so Jaicyn could sit. Then he left them alone.
Sitting in the chair, Jaicyn looked at her man, so vulnerable and weak, but fighting for his life. She rubbed her fingers over the bandages on his right hand and arm.
“Oh, baby,” she whispered as tears slid down her face. “I’m so sorry this happened to you. I’m right here, baby. Just hold on a little longer and you’ll be fine. I love you so much.”
Rayshawn’s eyes fluttered. Jaicyn thought she was seeing things until it happened again.
“Are you trying to open your eyes? Come on, open your eyes, Rayshawn. Show me you’re okay.”
Slowly Rayshawn’s eyes opened. Jaicyn moved to the top of the bed and leaned over.
“Can you talk?” she said softly. “Can you say anything?”
“Hi,” Rayshawn mumbled weakly but it was the most beautiful sound Jaicyn had ever heard.
“Hi,” she whispered back and the tears started to fall once again.
“Don’t….cry,” the words came out slowly as Rayshawn struggled through the pain and the medication. “I….love…you.”
“I love you too,” Jaicyn said. “We all love you. That’s why you’re going to make it,” Jaicyn assured him.
“I…don’t-”
“Ssh,” Jaicyn hushed him. “You’re going to make it. Your son needs you.”
Rayshawn’s eyes filled with tears. She had kept the sex of the baby a secret from everyone because she wanted to see the look on Rayshawn’s face in the delivery room when the doctor announced ‘It’s a Boy!’ But she had to give him a reason to fight against the pain, a reason to live. What better reason than his son?
“A…boy?” Rayshawn whispered slowly.
“Yes, a boy. And he’ll be here in a couple of months. Then after that, we’re getting married. I know you didn’t forget about our wedding,” Jaicyn said.
The tears rolled down Rayshawn’s face. Jaicyn wiped away every tear with a tissue.
“Don’t you cry, Rayshawn,” Jaicyn ordered. “I’ll do that.”
“Jay….Jay,” Rayshawn spoke. Jaicyn closed her eyes. It felt so good to hear him say her name. “Remember….your…promise…ring?”
Jaicyn fingered the gold band that she wore on her ring finger along with her engagement ring.
“Of course, baby.”
“Want… married….now?” It was a tough sentence for Rayshawn to get out but he managed it. He was in so much pain he couldn’t even form sentences.
“Do I want to get married now?” Jaicyn asked. Rayshawn nodded his head once. Jaicyn couldn’t believe it. But before she could answer Dayshawn, Autumn, and Rickie and Bobbie were led into the private seating area by Rayshawn’s nurse.
Dayshawn came into the room first. He saw Rayshawn’s eyes half opened and smiled. He walked over to the bed and leaned over.
“What’s up soldier?” he said to his brother.
A slight smile appeared on Rayshawn’s face.
“He can’t talk much,” Jaicyn forewarned. “And he’s getting tired.”
“How long has he been awake?” Autumn asked.
“Just a few minutes,” Jaicyn replied. “I’ll give you some time with him before he drifts back to sleep.”
Jaicyn made a beeline for the door, pondering what Rayshawn had just asked her. She was positive that she’d heard him correctly. But why now? Especially when she had been planning an extravagant wedding for months?
Jaicyn found a vending machine and put in a dollar for a bottle of water. Along with some cheese crackers and a can of warm ginger ale that a nurse forced her to eat earlier, it was all she had put in her mouth in a day. When she went back to Rayshawn’s room, Autumn, Dayshawn and the girls were sitting in the separate seating area watching T.V. Jaicyn peeked into Rayshawn’s room. He was sleeping again.
“You guys,” Jaicyn said in a low tone. “I have to tell you something.”
“What?” Autumn said.
“When I was in there with him, right before you guys came in, Rayshawn asked me if I wanted to get married now.” Jaicyn looked at the faces of her best friends.
“Why?” Dayshawn asked. “Why would he want to do that when your wedding is four months away?”
“I don’t know,” Jaicyn moaned. “He just said it.
“Maybe he wants to marry you now because he doesn’t know if he’s going to make it,” Rickie suggested. “Maybe he just wants to keep his promise.”
“Oh my God, Jaicyn,” Bobbie said excitedly, “you have to do it. This is just like a Nicholas Sparks book. You have to marry him, today, right now.”
“That’s stupid,” Dayshawn said. “He’s in and out of consciousness, so doped up that he can barely stay awake for more than two minutes. He doesn’t really want to get married right now.”
“I’m going to do it,” Jaicyn stated. “I’m going to find the chaplain and I’m going to marry him.”
“We’ll do it,” Bobbie volunteered. “Rickie and I will find the chaplain. You go wash your face. You can’t look like crap on your wedding day.”
Rickie and Bobbie hopped off the sofa and walked off in search of a Guest Services Rep to lead them to a chaplain.
“Are you sure about this?” Autumn asked Jaicyn after Dayshawn had gotten up to go check on his brother, mumbling something about foolish girls as he walked away.
“This may sound like a crazy thing to do, but I’m doing it, Autumn. It’s what Rayshawn wants. I don’t know why he wants it. Maybe my sisters are right,” Jaicyn shuddered. “Maybe he doesn’t think he's going to make it. Lord knows no one else but us believes that he is. And as much as I don’t want to think about it, what if he doesn’t get better?”
Jaicyn started crying really hard and Autumn put her arm around Jaicyn’s shoulders.
“Jay-Jay, if Rayshawn doesn’t think that he’s going to make it, then you have to be the strong one. If you marry him now or four months from now, it doesn’t matter to me. Do whatever you have to do to get through this ordeal.”
All of a sudden a loud beeping sound pierced the air. Jaicyn looked towards Rayshawn’s room where Dayshawn stood, looking terrified. The beeping and buzzing sound was coming from inside the room. Two nurses and two doctors came racing into the room and pushed Dayshawn out.
Jaicyn and Autumn hurried to the doorway and watched as the nurses worked frantically to adjust monitors and take Rayshawn’s pulse.
“His blood pressure’s dropping fast,” one of the nurses yelled.
“He has a clot!” a doctor yelled. “Get me twenty MGs of heparin now!”
The heart monitor slowed to an alarming rate. Jaicyn grabbed Dayshawn’s hand. Her eyes darted frantically around.
“Come on people,
” the doctor yelled. “We’re losing him!”
“No,” Jaicyn screamed. “Nooo!” She tried to enter the room but couldn’t get past the nurses, all the while screaming Rayshawn’s name.
“Get her out of here,” the doctor yelled.
Dayshawn grabbed Jaicyn’s arm and pulled her out of the room. A nurse raced past her with a needle. She pushed the needle into Rayshawn’s chest and pushed the plunger. Within seconds, the heart monitor started to beep faster.
“He’s okay,” the nurse said. “His blood pressure is rising.”
The sweaty faced doctor wiped his face with a tissue. “Good job, people. Let’s just hope that’s it.”
The nurses and doctor walked out of the room.
“What the hell was that?” Jaicyn yelled at them. “I thought he was fine!”
“Young lady, that boy is far from fine,” the resident doctor said sharply. “We’re hoping he makes it through the next twenty-four hours. If he does, it will be a miracle.”
The doctor walked away, still wiping beads of sweat from his head. He hated situations like this. The boy lying in that bed couldn’t have been older than twenty-five and it was obvious he was about to be a father. But the chances of him ever seeing his kid were slim to none. Dr. Sanji had done everything that he could but the bottom line was that Rayshawn’s body was weak and traumatized. He couldn’t withstand an invasive surgery like the one Dr. Sanji had performed. The doctor looked up and saw one of chaplains walking towards the boy’s family.
Good, he thought, they’re going to need him. Only God can bring that boy through this.
“What happened?” Rickie asked, alarmed by the distraught expression on her sister’s face.
“We almost lost him,” Dayshawn answered, his voice barely above a whisper. “We almost lost him.”
“Son, the chaplain said, “do you want me to pray with you.”
“No,” Jaicyn replied. “Can you perform a marriage ceremony?”
Dayshawn shot an angry glare at Jaicyn. She couldn’t be serious. His brother almost died, for the third time that night and she was still talking about that stupid marriage bullshit.
The chaplain wasn’t surprised. In fact, deathbed weddings were common. There was nothing worse to a mother-to-be than to lose the man she loved and have the baby out of wedlock.
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