The Decision

by Patricia Roberts

  “Are you sure?” Shelby asked her. “Of course I can come and pick you up at five. We could grab something to eat and go watch a movie” she told her. “I would like that” she told her. A while later Samantha left and she was trying really hard not to be angry with her brother. She knew he was stressed out but there was no reason for him to treat her that way.

  As the day went on Shelby started to feel worse. She felt light headed and her chest was beginning to work. She had put some tea on the stove to help calm her down and was just sitting down on the couch when she felt like she couldn’t breathe. She tried to stand up and fell to the ground in pain. Her last thought was Stephen before she passed out. Samantha made it over to the house thirty minutes later. She had called Shelby a few hours earlier and Shelby told her to honk the horn and she would be out. She honked the horn a few times but Shelby didn’t show up. She went to the door to ring the bell and heard an alarm going off. She checked the door and it was unlocked and went in to see smoke coming from the kitchen. She ran inside and took the teapot off the stove.

  “Shelby?” she called out but didn’t see her. When she walked into the living room she gasped. Shelby was lying on the floor unconscious. “Shelby!” she yelled going to her. She checked her pulse and it was slow. She called 911 and they stayed on the line with them until they arrived. She tried to call Ryan several times but couldn’t get him or Stephen to answer. She called the diner and John, and Cody arrived shortly after her. “What happened?” John asked worried. “I don’t know I went to see her earlier and she told me she had been feeling tired. I asked her out to dinner and when I went over she didn’t answer the door. I heard an alarm going off so I went inside and seen smoke filling the air. She had tea going on the stove so I turned it off and walked into the living room to see her lying on the floor” she said with tears in her eyes.

  “I am sure she is alright” John told her. “I am going to call Haley and tell her we made it” Cody told them. “Have you got ahold of Stephen?” John asked her. “I have been trying but can’t get through.” “Why don’t you try a few more times and I will stay here.”

  “Alright” she told him and hoped she could get ahold of someone. Stephen and Ryan had just ate an early dinner with the clients and got in the car. It had been a success and Stephen had felt horrible the whole day for how he had treated Shelby. When they got in they both looked at their phones. Stephen was shocked to see so many missed calls. “Something must be going on Samantha has called me twenty times” Ryan told him. Stephen got a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach as Ryan called her. He watched his friends face pale and look at Stephen.

  “Samantha wants to talk to you” she told him. “Samantha?” he asked worried. “Listen you need to hurry and get home.”

  “What is going on?”

  “I was supposed to pick up your wife for dinner and when I went inside I found her unconscious. Her pulse was slow and they took her to the hospital. All the doctors are telling us right now is that it could be her heart” Samantha told him. “Were on our way” he told her and rushed to get off the phone. “I will drive as fast as I can” Ryan told him. Stephen felt like he was in shock. He was not going to lose another wife. He had to get to Shelby and get to her fast. For a four hour trip they made it in two hours. Stephen and Ryan rushed up to the waiting room to see everyone waiting.

  “Where is she?” Stephen asked them. “I will let the doctor know you’re here” Samantha told them. “They are not telling us much because you’re the next of kin” John told them. “Mr. Matthews?” a doctor asked him. “Yes?” he said worried. “I am Doctor Stephen’s and I have been monitoring your wife since she was brought in.”

  “What is going on? She was fine when I left this morning.”

  “We performed a lot of test on your wife the last few hours and have determined that she will need surgery.”

  “For what?” Stephen asked him. “We did an echo on your wife and she has a heart murmur.”

  “What does that mean?” John asked him. “It means that the blood flow is not making it to her heart like it should be. She has probably had this all of her life and didn’t even know it.”

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  “So what happens now?” Stephen asked shaken. “We will need to go in and repair the damage. I know that this can be scary for a family thinking about their loved one having surgery on their heart. Shelby is a young woman who is otherwise very healthy. We should be able to go in and repair the damage and she should have a full recovery.”

  “Will she still be able to teach?” John asked worried. “Of course she will. She will probably need to take off for a few months to recover. It will take a few weeks to get her back to her normal self and then she will have to take it easy. Do you have any more questions?” he asked them. “Can I see her?” Stephen asked brokenly. “You can see her for a few minutes but she is heavily sedated and she will not be up. After the surgery she will be in ICU for a few days as a precaution.”

  “How long will the surgery take?” Cody asked him. “It will take a few hours and I will come and talk to you afterwards. If that is all you can follow me. Stephen and I will take you to see her.”

  “Give her our love” John told him. Stephen nodded and followed the doctor to the room. “I will give you a few minutes and then we need to take her back.”

  “Thank you” he told him and walked inside. He looked over at the bed and he started to cry. She looked so frail and tired. He wished he could go back to this morning. He walked over to the bed and held her hand. “Hey baby I am here. All of our family is out there waiting and praying for you. I am so sorry for what I said to you this morning. You’re not a horrible person at all. Your one of the kindest, and sweetest women I know. I love you so much and we will get through this. You just have to promise me that you will be here when this is over and I will come and see you” he told her and kissed her forehead. “I love you so much Shelby. I will make this right he told her.

  “I am sorry but it’s time” a nurse came in and told him. “Alright and you will let us know as soon as it’s over?”

  “Of course the doctor will come and speak to you. It will take a few hours for the surgery and for us to get her set up in ICU. After that one to two people can go in to see her for five minutes every hour.” “Thank you” he told her. “I know this is hard but she is young and it looks like she is a fighter.”

  “You have no idea” he told her smiling and left. He went back to the waiting room and they all stood up. “How did she look?” Samantha asked him. “She doesn’t look good but the nurse called her a fighter and I believe that she is” he said with tears in his eyes. “Excuse me” he said and went outside. Samantha went to talk to him and John touched her arm. “Let me I need to call Paige anyways.” As soon as she heard she made a plane reservation. “I can pick her up for you guys” Ryan told him. “Thank you I would appreciate that.” John walked outside to see Stephen pacing. He looked at him sadly and remembered walking like that when Hannah was sick. “Hey” John said to him. “Did something happen?” he asked alarmed. “No I just thought we could talk. If I have to stay in there waiting for a few hours I will go crazy” John said taking a seat on a bench. Stephen came to sit beside him and he was tense. He tried to remember the exercises his counselor told him to do when he got in these moods.

  “Are you okay?” John asked him. “I don’t know John. I feel like a horrible husband.”

  “You didn’t cause this. I wish we would have known about it sooner” John told him. “It’s not that it’s what happened this morning. Shelby had been so excited to get a few weeks off. I had been working overtime lately to make a deal with a client I met today. We found out last week that they wanted to meet and it could only happen today. I had made myself a nervous wreck at home and at work. She kept on harping about it this morning and I got angry and yelled at her. I told her she was a horrible person and walked out the door. I knew that what I said was wrong and I was too stubborn
to turn around and tell her or call her today. I figured I could make it up to her when I got home. I feel like I messed everything up. If I would have stayed home with her today I could have helped her.”

  “Stephen every marriage goes through times like this. What is to say that you did stay home and you were out and couldn’t get help? It could’ve ended up a completely different way than it did. If I know my daughter like I think that I do she will just be happy to see you when she wakes up.”

  “I just know that when Lily died I felt so lost and hopeless but when I got the call from Samantha I felt like I couldn’t breathe right. I just kept hoping that she would be awake when I got here and then it was more bad news when I got here.”

  “We just have to trust in God that he is going to take care of her.” “I know your right” he told him. They heard a door open and Samantha stepped out. “I am sorry to interrupt but Cody just got back with Haley and he wanted to talk to you John.”

  “I will see you later” he told Stephen. “Hey I seen you talking to Stephen and Paige called. She is getting an earlier flight and she said Cliff and her would take a taxi here” he told him.

  “How did she seem?” he asked him. “She was pretty upset so I am glad that Cliff is coming with her.”

  “I am too” he said hugging his son. After he went inside Samantha walked over to him. “How are you doing?”

  “I am pretty numb right now” he told her. “I know how you feel. I didn’t know what to think when I walked inside your house.”

  “Did you talk to her today?” he asked. “Yes” she said silently. “She told you about our fight didn’t she?” he asked worried. “Yes, but she wasn’t angry at you. She was just upset that she had pushed you too far.” Stephen looked down at the ground and sighed. “I know that this is hard for you to go through but all she wanted to do was make things better when you got back.”

  “I can’t lose another woman I love” he told her with tears in his eyes. “You’re not going to. I have complete faith in God that he is going to take care of her. She has become like my sister in the few short months that we have known her and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. How about we go back inside” she told him. “Alright” he told her and followed her inside. A few hours’ later Paige and Cliff showed up and they gave him a hug. “I just know she will be alright. She is one of the strongest women I know” Paige told him. “That is exactly what I told Shelby when I went to see her.” Paige nodded and dabbed at her eyes and sat down. Thirty minutes later doctor Steven’s came into the room. Stephen stood up as he entered.

  “How did it go?” he asked him. “It went great Stephen. We were able to repair the damage that she had and I expect her to make a full recovery.”

  “Thank you” he told the doctor shaking his hand. “Give it an hour or two for them to get her set up and people can start going in to see her two at a time for five minutes. When you go in I do want you to know that she will look a little different. She will appear very pale and look frail looking but just let her rest. That is the best thing that you can do for someone after major surgery like she had. If all goes well she will get out of ICU in a few days and be sent to a regular room. She will probably have to stay in the hospital for a few weeks and then will have to come in for physical therapy for a few weeks to get back on her feet okay.”

  “Thank you again for all you did” John told him. After he left everyone started to hug each other. Stephen looked up and smiled. “Thank you God for looking out for her” he whispered. He couldn’t wait to go in to see his wife and help her with anything she needed from him to make it alright.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  A few hours later a nurse came out and told them two could go back. “John do you want to come with me?”

  “Of course” he told him smiling. They made it to the room and the nurse opened the door. “I will tell you when your time is up and remember she is still pretty out of it.” They walked in and John started to cry looking at her. “You’re sure she is alright?” Stephen asked the nurse. She looked a lot paler than she had before. “Yes it’s just from having surgery. She will be alright” she told them and left. John walked up and held her hand. “Hey sweetheart you gave us all a big scare. I want you to know we are all out there praying for you. Even Grandma Paige and Cliff came in to see you” he told her. He talked to her a little bit longer and then told Stephen he would give him a minute alone.

  “Hey baby” he said caressing her cheek. “You made it” he told her smiling. “I just need you to open those beautiful eyes for me” he told her with tears falling down his face. “I am sorry sir but it’s time for more visitors” the nurse told him. “Alright” he told her. “I will be back the next hour. I love you so much Shelby” he told her kissing her cheek. When he walked out the nurse told him that two more people could see her and then they would have to wait. When he went out he told them what the nurse said and Cody and Haley said they would go see her since they had to get home to get ready for work the next day. A few minutes later they both came out with tears on their cheeks.

  “If you need anything at all or if something happens call us and we will be up here in a minute” Cody told him. “I know she doesn’t look good but she is going to make it” John told them. They all hugged and left. “I think I am going to head home and get some sleep. It’s been a long day and I need to open in the morning” Ryan told him. “I don’t know when I will be back” he told Ryan. “Don’t even worry about that. You stay up here with her as long as you need to” he said giving him a hug. “I will go walk him down” Samantha told them. The next hour Stephen told John and Paige to go first. When they walked into the room Paige broke down.

  “She looks so pale” she told John. “They said that was normal after surgery. Shelby has always been a fighter and I know that she will be alright” he told his mom hugging her to him. “I know that you’re right” she said hugging him back. When they came out Cliff gathered Paige in his arms and John smiled at him. “She isn’t looking so pale and she was starting to blink her eyes.”

  “That is great” Stephen said hurrying down the hall with Samantha. When they walked in Samantha started to cry. “Try to be strong for her. I have a feeling everything is going to be okay” he told her. Samantha walked to the bed and told her she loved her and stroked her hand. “I will give you a few minutes alone with her” Samantha told him. Stephen walked over and grabbed her hand. “What is this I hear about you trying to wake up” he said and her eyes started to blink. “Come on baby open those eyes for me so I can see you” Stephen pleaded with her. After a minute she opened her eyes. “Hey” Stephen said with tears rolling down his cheeks. “Stephen?” she whispered. “I am right here and you’re okay” he told her. “What happened?” she asked him. He was about to answer when the doctor walked in. “Hey your awake” Doctor Stephen’s told her. “She just woke up and asked what happened” Stephen said smiling. The doctor explained what happened to her and Shelby started to cry.

  “Hey you’re alright baby I promise” Stephen told her. “I am sorry but your time is up” the nurse told him. “Alright” he told her and was about to leave when Shelby held onto his hand tightly. “What is it?” he asked her. “Please don’t leave me” she begged him. “Sweetheart I promise you I am just down the hallway and I will be in to see you the next hour but you need your rest and I can’t stay in here.” Shelby nodded her head and closed her eyes. It broke Stephens’s heart that she was not doing well with this.

  “Hey she will be okay” the nurse told him when he exited. “Sometimes it’s a lot for a patient to hear when they come out of surgery.” Stephen nodded and went to the waiting room. He told them what happened and they all seemed upset. The next hour Stephen paced back and forth until it was time. “Why don’t you go in by yourself” John told him. “Are you guys sure?” he asked them. “Yes I think you’re exactly what Shelby needs right now” Paige told him smiling sadly. The next hour Stephen rushed back as a nurse was ch
ecking her. “I take it your Stephen” she asked him. “How did you know?” he asked her. “Shelby has been calling out your name a lot in the past hour.” Stephen smiled at her as she left and came over to the bed. “Sweetheart?” he asked gently. Shelby fluttered her eyes and looked at him. “You’re here” she asked softly. “I am here” he told her kissing her hand. “How are you feeling?”

  “Tired” she said sleepily. “I know the doctor said you could be for a while.” He looked at his wife and tears came to his eyes. “What is wrong?” she asked him. “I have just been so worried about you. I am so sorry for our fight yesterday” he told her. “It’s not your fault. I know you have a job. I was just being selfish.”

  “No I won’t let you get away with that. Let’s chalk it up to we both should have communicated better with each other.”

  “Alright” she told him. “I just want you to rest and relax as much as you can and get your strength back.”

  “Okay” she said sleepily and fell back asleep. Stephen sighed and thanked God that she was alright. For the first time in twenty-four hours Stephen felt like everything was going to be okay. Over the next few weeks Shelby started to get her strength back and was finally able to leave the hospital. She was so happy to be going home but she was becoming worried about Stephen. As far as she knew he only went home to change and shower and then he was back at the hospital again. He looked so exhausted and every time that she asked if he was okay he would tell her he was fine. When they got home Shelby came up with a plan and she just hoped it worked. She called Samantha and told her and she loved the idea and came over that evening with Ryan.