The Girl with The Pink Bat

"Good evening, excuse me. The ambulance just brought in my daughter's husband," he said.

"Have a seat," the nurse said, without looking up. Mom put her arm around me and tried to direct me to a chair, but I held onto the counter.

"Kara, give them a few minutes," Mom said, gently pulling me off.

Mom's demeanor was calm, while I was freaking out on the inside. I just wanted to scream and pull at my hair. This whole situation was surreal. The Barbie bitch shot my husband, and now he was somewhere in this hospital fighting for his life. Scratch that. I didn't even know if he was dead or alive.

Why couldn't the nurse just tell me anything? She must know something, right?

We walked down random halls. I saw paramedics carrying a bloody stretcher and wondered if they were the ones who brought in Ray. They looked at me as they passed their eyes full of sorrow. I couldn't imagine what they saw daily.

"Excuse me," I said, "Did you bring my husband in?"

They nodded. "Yes, we did."

"Where can I get some information?"

"Try down the hall that way," one of them pointed ahead of us. "That's the critical wing, he's likely there."

Mom didn't wait for more instructions before he pulled me behind her. We turned the corner and I gasped, my hand flying up to cover my mouth when I saw Liam leaning against the wall. He was covered in blood. Ray's blood.

"Liam," Mom said. He looked up. His eyes were pools of sorrow. He looked broken.

Tears rushed to my eyes.

"Liam?" my voice broke. He didn't acknowledge my silent question, but pulled me into a hug. He held me tight, his tears dampening my neck. I didn't want to take his tears as a sign, but I couldn't help but think my husband was gone.

I pulled away and covered my eyes, wiping away the tears. "Did Ray... is he..." I choked on my words as strong arms kept me from falling to the ground. Ray and I were just starting to build a life together and now it was gone.

"He is in surgery, Kara. I had to put my finger inside the hole the bullet made to stop the bleeding. His heart stopped on the way here, but they brought him back. He is fighting. I don't know anything else until they come and find us."

I looked up quickly. "Surgery? That's good, right?"

Liam shrugged. "I don't know, but he has lost a lot of blood and wasn't conscious."

"Oh God," I cried.

"Come on, let's go sit down, baby." Mom had to drag me away. I didn't know if Ray was behind that door or if Liam just stopped there, but I didn't want to leave. What if Ray needed me? I didn't want to be too far away from him.

Mom led me to a waiting room, and Liam went to wash himself. It was much smaller and quieter than the one we were directed to when we first came in. I sat down and melted into the couch. Deep down, I knew it was not comfortable, but I had a feeling my body knew we were going to be there for a long time. I wouldn't leave Ray's side.

"I'm going to go make some phone calls," my father said, placing a kiss on my forehead. "I'll bring back some coffee." I watched him walk away. He got about halfway from us and fell against the wall. You could see the sobs took over his body.

CHAPTER 23

When you love someone, people use to say, "I'd take a bullet for you," or "I'd die to protect you."

Most of the time, it's just a poetic way of expressing how much you love your other half.

But my husband had done exactly that. He took a bullet for me, and because of that, he could die.

I leaned into my mom and closed my eyes. Her hand returned to my shoulder, holding me there, giving me the comfort that I needed.

I needed to know Ray was going to be okay. I wanted to go home with my husband by my side. I wanted just a little bit of happiness, especially for Little One. She needed to know her dad.

"Here," my father said, holding a cup of coffee. I knew it was not good for the baby, but I refused to sleep.

I took the paper cup from him and sat up. I wiped my cheek, trying to rub away the tears running down my face. I looked around briefly and saw a few more people in this room waiting.

It was the whole crew from work.

Percy came to me, placed a hand on my shoulder, and said, "We are all here for you, Kara. Anything you need, and I mean ANYTHING, you just name it. We are all going to give blood for Ray. We'll take turns to keep you company so you're not alone."

Tears were pooling in my eyes again. "Thank you, guys. You're the best," I said, with a voice choked with emotion.

Percy just nodded, and said, "Your sister is on her way. Our wives are with her. They are helping her to set everything in order and cleaning up at your parents' place."

I nodded.

"Sheriff Thomas is coming later to take your statement. The woman who shot Ray is already in jail," Percy went on, updating me with the news.

It was a good thing because he was distracting me from thinking about Ray.

"I hope that bitch dies a painful death. If not, I'll hit a home-run with her head."

Percy pressed his lips together and nodded.

I sipped my coffee gingerly. It was something to settle my stomach, but I knew I'd need food even if I was not hungry.

Crackers - those would have to do - until I knew Ray was going to be okay. I couldn't... I wouldn't leave the hospital until I knew he was going to recover.

"Fight, Ray, please fight," I muttered.

We sat in silence for hours. Crying, praying, hoping. The television was showing the nightly news. My father cursed when the newscaster talked about the shooting.

"Now, we'll have to deal with the media," he said.

"Mrs. Clarke?"

I looked up when my name was called. I stood on shaky legs, only to be flanked by my parents.

"That's me," I said.

"Go ahead and have a seat," the doctor said, as he sat down across from us.

We sat back down. I couldn't look at the doctor. Instead, I focused on the ring on my finger and the way Ray looked when he put it there.

"Your husband is in critical condition. The bullet entered from the right, passed through his lung, damaged the other lung, and exited on the left. He sustained considerable damage. We've operated and right now he's on a respirator. For the next twenty-four hours, everything is touch and go. We have to watch for blood clots forming and detaching. He'll have a nurse with him the whole time until the threat is gone.

"I'm very sorry, Mrs. Clarke, I wish I could provide better news, but this is all I have."

"When can I see him?"

"He can have one visitor at a time. You can go in when you're ready."

I nodded. "Thank you."

The surgeon took his leave. Once he was out of the waiting room, My father took me in his arms and I broke down.

Mom wrapped her arms around me, as well.

I stood on shaky legs, with my mother on one side and my father on the other. They walked me toward Ray's room. How they knew where it was, I didn't know. Did the surgeon tell me and I didn't listen?

We bypassed the nurses' station. I couldn't bear to look at them. I didn't want to see the pity on their faces. I didn't want them to look at me as if I was about to lose my husband. I didn't want to see their eyes wander to my tummy and have them shake their heads because I'd be a single mom soon.

I should be the one lying in that bed. I should be the one who was in critical condition, fighting for my life. Ray had given his life to protect me. He saved Little One and me.

He didn't doubt. He just did it.

That's true love.

Dad pushed the door open slowly. My senses became alive as I stared at the floor, my eyes moving slowly until I could see the wall in front of me. The room smelled like antiseptic and Lysol. The walls were white. My first thought was that Ray hated white. I closed my eyes when I finally heard the beeping that was telling me his heart was still beating. It meant that his blood was still pumping through his body, keeping him alive. But it was the whoosh of the machine helping him breathe that made my knees buckle. He couldn't breathe.

"Oh God, he can't breathe." Mom and Dad grabbed my arms to steady me. I didn't like hospitals and the bad things that go along with them. The whish and hum of machines designed to mimic human functions. The constant beep, beep, beeping of vital signs being measured.

"Come on, Kara, be strong. Think about the baby. Ray needs you to be strong for the baby right now." Mom's voice was too calm. I looked at her briefly and knew she was holding everything in. I realized I had never given my mother enough credit.

We stepped further into the room. I saw his nurse first before I saw Ray. I took a step back when I finally laid my eyes on him.

His eyes were closed. There was a tube coming out of his mouth, and wires everywhere. My hand covered my mouth as I cried out, which got the nurse's attention.

She looked up from her computer screen with a scowl on her face.

"Only one visitor at a time."

"We know," Dad said. "This is his wife and as you can see, she's pregnant and unsteady on her feet."

"Shh," she said, pointing to the curtain behind us. "Someone is sleeping in there."

I looked at my father, who shook his head. He looked pissed off as hell.

"I want him in a private room," my father said.

"You need to talk about it with the administrator," the nurse informed him, "I'm going to have to ask you to leave. Only one visitor at a time."

Dad nodded and led me over to Ray's bedside. Mom slid a chair over for me to sit in. You'd think the nurse would do this, but apparently it was not her job.

"We're going to go see about getting Ray moved. We'll be right back," Dad whispered in my ear. I don't know what he was going to do, but I had a feeling this nurse wasn't going to like it.

I laid my hand on top of Ray's and rested my head by his leg. I really wanted to crawl into bed with him and hold him like he held me, but I knew that wasn't possible. Tears fell silently from my eyes as the pain in my chest built. I wanted to talk to him, but not with the nurse from hell in here. What I had to say was private, for his ears only.

"You should talk to him," the nurse suggested. Her tone was unemotional and professional, she must have seen this before but it pissed me off.

"I want to, but you're here." My words had bite, but I didn't care. I knew Ray needed to hear my voice, but damn it if I wanted only him to hear me. Thing was, I wouldn't care if Mom and Dad were with me.

"Where is his wedding ring?" I asked.

"Behind you. His personal belongings are in that bag."

I took out his wedding ring and slid it on my finger. I sat back down and picked up Ray's hand. He was warm and for me, that was a good sign. I held his hand to my face, placing my lips there. I didn't know if he could feel my tears, but I hoped they weren't annoying him.

I didn't know how long I sat there like that, with him. Minutes? Hours? For me, time had stopped. The constant whoosh and beep were somewhat soothing, although I'd give anything for him to open his eyes and smile at me.

Every so often, the nurse stood, pressed some buttons, and sat back down. I wanted to look at her computer screen and see if she was playing Solitaire or if she was actually working. She was probably checking all her social media sites. Or maybe she was doing her job and I was pouring my frustration on her.

Mom and Dad walked back into the room followed by a tall man.

"Kara, this is Dr. Barrow, he's the hospital director," Dad said, introducing the man to me, and I shook his hand. "We're going to move your husband to a private room and he's going to waive the one-visitor rule."

I've never been more amazed by my parents than I was then. They knew that I needed them, and they rose to the occasion. I stood and pulled my father into my arms.

"Mrs. Clarke, I'm sorry about your husband," the director said.

"Thank you," I choked out, as I shook his hand. "I just want him to wake up so I can take him home."

"Yes, of course, we're doing all we can for him."

Men and women in uniform came in and transferred wires to another machine that they set on top of him. The ice-cold nurse, who unfortunately had to come with us, pushed her cart out.

Ray's bed was pulled from the wall and we followed behind.

His new room was much larger with windows that overlook the courtyard and a couch. At least now we'd have something to look at.

"Mrs. Clarke, I'm assuming you'll be staying here?" the nurse asked.

"We all will be," my father answered. "We also have two more people coming, my other daughter and her husband, they will need access. I'm not sure if they'll stay, but at least for a few hours they'll be here."

I had no idea what kind of strings my father was pulling to do this, but I was grateful he did.

CHAPTER 24

I lost track of time. I was stiff, sore, and hungry. My arms ached from the position they had been in. My back burned from the strain and Little One was kicking up something fierce.

The sun was up, or maybe it was setting again and I was not with it. My father's head rested at the end of Ray's bed, while my mother was opposite me. Both of them were asleep, exhaustion finally taking over, but neither of them was willing to leave me alone.

I had suggested that my parents go and sleep, but they just shook their heads.

We knew the first twenty-four hours were critical; those were the words that I recalled and each time he twitched or the machines beeped a little more rapidly, I panicked. And when I panicked, they panicked. The cycle was endless.

My father said Sheriff Thomas was coming by today; he needed my statement. I had to relive the nightmare. I had to recall every second of what I remembered from the shooting as it unfolded, in slow motion, right before my eyes.

The door opened slowly and a nurse, a much nicer one, waved me over. I slid off my chair carefully and walked to her. She held the door open for me to follow her out. I looked at Ray and back at her and she knew. She placed her hand on my shoulder and led me to the window where I could still see him.

"I'm sorry you're going through this, Mrs. Clarke. All the nurses are praying for your husband's recovery."

"Thank you," I said, with a raspy voice.

"Your sister and her husband are asking for you."

I knew a smile was breaking out across my face and it was going hand-in-hand with tears.

"Thank you, you can let them in."

She nodded and walked away. Moments later, Jenny and Liam went into the room.

The definition of a group hug was nothing compared to being held by two of the most important people in my life. Words didn't need to be said, the emotion was enough. We were all sharing the pain and anguish of not knowing.

Jenny hugged me tight, tight, and whispered in my ear, "I'm here for you, Kara, whatever you need. You were there for me so many times when I was going through everything," she patted her wheelchair.

She took my hands in hers and held them to her heart. My sister knew what I was going through.

"A few of the channels are outside," Liam commented. "The shooting is all over the news and media channels. I think they're waiting for you to say something."

"They can wait until hell freezes," I said sharply.

"I'll handle it," my father said. "I'll ask everyone to pray for Ray."

"Good idea," my mother approved. "I'll go with you."

"We brought you some clean clothes and toiletries, Kara," Jenny said. "Liam and I will make sure you have food and whatever else you need so you only have to leave for a few minutes at a time. What do you need right now?"

"For my husband to wake up."

Jenny pressed her lips together, "We all want that, but for now let's get some food."

I opened my mouth to balk, but the look Jenny gave me, shut my mouth. I didn't want to leave, but the thought of food made the baby kick. I couldn't neglect Little One.

I squeezed Ray's hand and took a deep breath.

"Ray, I'm going to eat something and I'll be back. I need you to fight and come back to us. Little One and I need you. She wants to know her daddy and I know you want to meet her. Please, love, come back to us. I can't do this without you."

Someone coughed discreetly. I turned around and found a middle-aged lady standing in the doorway. She was petite, blonde, and very well put together. Her designer dress fitted her body perfectly, stopping just above her knees. She screamed money.

She extended her hand, and said, "You must be my daughter-in-law."

CHAPTER 25

When she walked in the door, I didn't know what to expect.

She didn't look like a mom, but she did look like Ray. Or rather he looked like her.

"Hi," I said meekly, shaking her hand. This was not how I wanted to meet my mother-in-law. She was supposed to be here a week before the baby arrived and Ray was supposed to introduce us. "I'm Kara."

She took a good look at me with an unreadable expression. I felt like a moron standing there like this. She probably hated me. From her point of view, I had forced her son to marry me by getting pregnant.

She dropped the oversized bag she was holding and wrapped her arms around me, catching me off guard. Her embrace was tight and welcoming. I closed my arms around her and hugged her back just as tightly.

"I'm Sam," she said, pulling away. She set her hand on my shoulders and appraised me. "Well Ray said you were beautiful, but he forgot to add that you were also stunning."

I blushed, pushed my hair behind my ear, and shook my head. "I'm gross," I said. "I think your son would say something else if he saw me right now."

She shook her head. "He'd say, 'Hey mum, look at my wife, isn't she gorgeous?' And you are. You staying by his bed, holding his hand and saying those words to him, that makes you the most beautiful woman in the world in my book."

"I'm really happy you're here, Sam."

"So I am, I just wish we were meeting each other in happier circumstances like the birth of my first granddaughter. Can I?" She looked down at my stomach and back at me. Just as quickly as I gave my okay, her hands were on my stomach.

"Hi there, baby, I'm your grandma." And as if she knew, Little One kicked nice and hard. Samantha's mouth dropped open in surprise, as I choked back a half laugh, half cry. Ray was missing this and that broke my heart.

"My husband will join us as soon as he can. He has been in touch with Dr. Barrow since your father contacted us. Ray will get the best care money can buy."

I just nodded. A lot of things made sense now.

I introduced my sister and her husband to my mother-in-law.

"We are going to get some food, Kara," Jenny said, and rolled out of the room followed by her husband.

In the meantime, a doctor came and started checking Ray. He just acknowledged us with a nod of his head.

"His brain activity is normal," he said to no one in particular.

"When is he going to wake up?" I asked the doctor, who was flashing his pen light in Ray's eyes.

"We don't know. He is heavily sedated because of the respirator," he said, pressing his lips.

"I'm asking you a simple question: When? He made it through the twenty-four-hour mark. Is my husband going to be okay? You're the damn doctor, answer me!"

"I understand your frustration, Mrs. Clarke, but we can't tell for now," he said as he pocketed his pen.

"No, you don't understand." I sighed and rested my head against the wall. I was frustrated and scared. I didn't understand their nonchalance about all of this.

"You'll have to forgive my daughter-in-law," Samantha said to the doctor. "She's tired and uncomfortable. I know it has nothing to do with that tiny little couch you've given her and the lack of sleep she gets. She has been here every day and slept here every night."

My mother-in-law came over and rubbed my shoulders. She wasn't how I had imagined her to be at all.