Chapter 78 The Phone Call
Daylan's POV
I sat in my apartment, trying to focus on the stack of paperwork in front of me, but my mind kept drifting back to Brie. Her health worries me, even though she says she is fine, and I can't shake the feeling that something is off, and it can only be due to her condition. My phone buzzed on the coffee table, and I glanced at it, seeing Rick's name flashing on the screen.
Again. This was the fifth call in the past hour. I sighed, running a hand through my hair. I had been ignoring his calls, assuming he just wanted to talk about Brie moving out or what happened at the event. But his persistence was starting to worry me. With a groan, I picked up the phone and answered.
"Rick, what is it? I'm busy."
"Dad, thank goodness you answered!" Rick's voice was frantic, filled with a level of panic that immediately set my heart racing. "It's Brie. She's really sick. She is in and out of consciousness, and her breathing is all wrong. I called an ambulance, but we need you. Please, get to the hospital."
My blood ran cold. "I will be there right away."
I hung up, and stood up, grabbed my keys, and sprinted out the door. My mind raced faster than my feet as I hurried to my car, hoping that Brie would be okay. The drive to the hospital felt like an eternity, each red light and slow driver adding to my frustration. Finally, I pulled into the parking lot and rushed inside, my heart pounding in my chest.
The sight of Rick pacing the waiting room, his face pale with worry, confirmed my worst fears. He looked up as I approached, relief flooding his eyes.
"Dad, thank goodness you're here," he said, his voice trembling. "She's in there. They took her back as soon as we arrived."
I didn't waste a second. I pushed past him and headed for the treatment area, my mind focused on one thing: getting to Brie. As I approached the room, I saw a flurry of activity around her bed. Doctors and nurses surrounded her, their voices a jumble of medical terms and urgent instructions.
"Brie," I called out, my voice cutting through the chaos. "I'm here."
One of the doctors, a tall man with graying hair, turned to me, his expression stern. "Dr Hart, you need to step back. We are handling this. You no longer work here either."
"I know her condition better than anyone," I snapped, pushing forward. "She has pulmonary embolism. You need to check her blood oxygen levels and administer anticoagulants immediately."
"Dr Hart, we are aware of her condition," the doctor replied, his tone firm. "We have it under control."
"Clearly, you don't," I retorted, my frustration boiling over. "If you did, she wouldn't be in this state."
The doctor exchanged a glance with a nurse, and then turned back to me. "We understand your concern, but we need to do our jobs. Please, step back and let us work."
I took a deep breath, trying to reign in my emotions. "Just make sure you check her blood oxygen levels. It's crucial and she's pregnant."
The doctor nodded curtly, and I reluctantly stepped back, my eyes never leaving Brie's pale face. I felt helpless, a feeling I wasn't used to. I was a doctor, but right now, I was just a worried partner, watching the woman I loved fight for her life.
Rick appeared at my side, his hand on my shoulder. "Dad, they are doing everything they can."
"I know," I said through gritted teeth. "But it's not enough."
As we lingered in the doorway, minutes felt like hours as we watched the medical team work on Brie. Her breathing was shallow, her skin pale and clammy. I clenched my fists, willing her to hold on, to fight through this.
Finally, the flurry of activity slowed, and the doctor turned to us, his expression grave. "We have stabilized her for now. Her oxygen levels were critically low, but we have administered the necessary treatment. She will need to be closely monitored, but she's stable."
I let out a breath. "Thank you."
The doctor nodded. "We will move her to the ICU for further observation. You can see her once she is settled."
As they wheeled Brie out of the room, I felt a wave of exhaustion wash over me. Rick guided me to a nearby chair, and I sank into it, my head in my hands.
"Dad, she will be okay," Rick said softly. "She is strong."
I nodded, but the fear lingered. "I can't lose her. Not after everything."
"You won't," he assured me. "She's got you looking out for her. And she has a whole team of doctors working on her case."
"Yeah," I muttered, leaning back and closing my eyes. "But I should have been there sooner."
Rick squeezed my shoulder. "You got here as fast as you could. And you did help. You knew what to do when they didn't really know anything about it."
I sighed, the weight of the situation settling on my shoulders. "I just want her to be okay."
"She will be," Rick said, his voice firm. "She has to be."
We sat in silence, the beeping of monitors and the hum of hospital equipment filling the air. My mind raced with thoughts of Brie, of our future together, of the life we were supposed to have, our little one. I couldn't bear the thought of losing her and our baby, not when we had so much ahead of us. Her being pregnant fuels her condition even more with the blood clots, and I was afraid of this.
After what felt like forever, a nurse came to inform us that Brie had been moved to the ICU, and we could see her. I stood up, my legs shaky, and followed her to Brie's room.
Seeing her lying there, so fragile and vulnerable, broke my heart. I took her hand in mine, feeling the warmth of her skin.
"Brie," I whispered, my voice choked with emotion. "I'm here. I'm not going anywhere."
Rick stood beside me, his presence a comforting anchor. "She's going to get through this, Dad. One thing I know about her is that she is a fighter."
I nodded, squeezing her hand gently. "I know she is."
As we stood there, watching over her, I felt a sense of determination settle within me. I would do whatever it took to help her recover, to keep her safe. No matter what.
Hours passed in a blur of medical updates and quiet conversations. Rick made sure to get me coffee as I sat by Brie's bedside, holding her hand, talking to her, hoping she could hear us. I couldn't shake the image of her pale face, the sound of her shallow breaths. It haunted me, a constant reminder of how fragile life can be.
When night fell, Rick urged me to get some rest, but I couldn't leave her side. I stayed in the chair by her bed, my hand entwined with hers, watching the steady rise and fall of her chest.
"Dad," Rick said softly, breaking the silence. "You need to take care of yourself too."
"I can't leave her," I replied, my voice hoarse. "Not now."
"She needs you to be strong," he insisted. "You can't do that if you're running on empty."
I sighed, knowing he was right but unwilling to admit it. "I will rest later. Right now, I need to be here," I reached out with my other hand, and placed it on her belly that was slowly growing. "I hope that your sister will pull through," I said.
Rick didn't argue further, but I could see the concern in his eyes as I looked at him. He sat down in the chair next to me, his presence a comforting reminder that I wasn't alone in this. "How do you know I'm going to have a sister?" he asked, "And she will be fine."
"Tests I did just before leaving the hospital when I resigned. Brie doesn't know it yet, but I was going to surprise her with the nursery this weekend when she was supposed to move in with me. Everything is white and pink," I smiled as I thought about it. "I want them both to be alive. I don't know what I would do if I lost them both," I choked up. Tears prick my eyes.
"You won't. Please, focus on the present. I can see how much you love them. As much as you weren't there for me as I grew up into a man, I always thought you were heartless, but now seeing you with her...the love and care, I want that for her. I messed up, and I can't change the past, but I love to see her happy. Make all her dreams come true. What you did with her book was amazing, and she deserves all of that. I do apologize that Annabella ruined that, and it's all because of the drama with me. I will be fixing things. I want happiness too, and I can't blame anything on you for what you did to me and mom. Things are working out for you. I think I want to see mom happy too. She was never with another man, or as far as I know. She just never wanted to get hurt again. It was always mom and I against the world after you left. I think she is happy with the company. But don't break Brie's heart the same way that you did to us," he said sincerely as I leaned back in the chair, finally letting go of Brie's hand.
"I won't leave them. I love them way too much," I said as I watched Brie.
As the night wore on, I found myself drifting in and out of a light sleep, my mind filled with worry and exhaustion. Every time Brie stirred, or a monitor beeped, my heart leaped into my throat, fear gripping me tightly.
In the early hours of the morning, a doctor came in to check on Brie. I sat up, my eyes fixed on him as he examined her.
"Thank you checking up on her?" I said, my voice barely above a whisper.
"She's stable," he replied, adjusting her IV. "We will continue to monitor her closely, but the worst seems to be over." I knew that the worst was over because I know the condition more because of her. I'm even monitoring her myself just being here.
I nodded, relief washing over me. "Thank you."
He gave me a reassuring smile before leaving the room, and I turned back to Brie, my heart full of gratitude. She was a fighter, and she had made it through another evening.
Part of me wished that I had never resigned. I couldn't work on her myself, but knowing that I'm too close to her...the type of relationship that I have with her, it wouldn't be permitted for me to be her doctor in this case, I would still have to sit aside and watch. I should've brought her into the hospital after the event, but I listened to her and not me in doctor mode. I can't let this happen again. I will do what I need, regardless if she protests or not.
Her health is important to me and so is our baby, whom I hope will be brought safely into this world. The girl that I always wanted...that dream is finally here. She is my miracle and so is Brie. Life works in ways that we never imagined. I never imagined that I would be a father again and to settle down. I was the playboy doctor, I f^cked some female patients of mine when they wanted me to f^ck them. I f^cked some nurses but Abby was always the f^ck buddy. That life has stopped since I first lay my eyes on Brie in that bar.