Chapter 28 Chapter Twenty-Eight
“Leilani, baby maybe we should go back to the house so you can get some rest.” I say rubbing her back gently.
She shakes her head, sniffling. “I’m not leaving until he wakes up and comes home with us.”
“Baby he’s not going to wake up tonight, and we have to wait on his lawyer to call back before we know how to proceed with any medical decisions.” I hate seeing her like this, my inner wolf whimpers at her pain. If there was a way, I could make him wake up I would.
“No. I’m not going anywhere.” Leilani’s voice cracks as she hiccoughs. “I can’t leave. I can’t leave until I tell him I’m sorry. He’s never been mad at me, and… and he’s never told me I was a disappointment. I need him to tell me he loves me. I need him to tell me he doesn’t hate me for acting like such a little brat. I need him to wake up Malakai. He has too.”
Pulling her into my chest I hold her tightly as she sobs loudly. “Listen to me Leilani. Your dad doesn’t hate you, and he never will. He was just upset. He didn’t mean anything he said.”
She lightly pounds her fist against my chest. “You don’t know that. He hates me, I know he does.”
“What I know is your father loves you more than anything in the whole world, you are his pride and joy. You can’t do anything to make him hate you.”
She shakes her head. “I still can’t leave. He needs me.”
“Okay baby. We can stay here as long as you want to. I will be right here with you.” I say reassuringly.
Sniffling into my chest she nods as she wraps her arms around me. I give her a soft kiss on the top of her head and lead her to the pull-out couch with its puke green cushions. The couch is not comfortable at all, the fake leather squeaks with every movement and the cushions look plush but they aren’t. Leilani lays her head on my lap. I stroke her hair and she begins to yawn.
I pull a blanket over Leilani as she sleeps. Part of me knows I need to get sleep, but I can’t. Staring at Tiberius lying in bed with an IV, and tons of wires attached to him makes me feel guilty for wanting his daughter. He wants me to take care of Leilani, as his best friend. Not as her future husband.
Leilani whimpers in her sleep, making my heart ache. I dial the lawyer’s number one more time, we need to know who the power of attorney is so we can proceed with treatment. Voicemail again. I let out an irritated sigh as I squeeze the phone tightly. After Mr. Rivera tells us who the damn power of attorney is I am going to fire him.
It’s five in the morning, the doctor should be making his rounds around six. There is no need in trying to sleep, I can’t get any rest with the constant beep of the heart monitor anyway. Looking around the room, I realize how impersonal it is in here.
Aside from the bed and couch there is just a rolling table for eating meals. Tiberius is on a feeding tube right now though. The walls are beige and plain aside from a white board with the doctor and nurse names. There is a small T.V. mounted to the top of the wall across from the bed. In the corner of the room there is a small bathroom with a bathtub, sink and toilet. The bathtub has a shower chair, and a grippy bottom. The entire room has a very clean, bleach like smell.
Leilani moves around slowly, stretching and yawning. “What time is it?” She says groggily, with eyes half open.
“It’s only five-thirty go back to sleep angel.” I whisper as I stroke the hair off her face. Leilani smiles sleepily as she falls back asleep.
There is a light knock on the door as it opens slowly, Doctor Miyo comes in the room holding Tiberius’ file chart. “Good morning,” he says quietly seeing Leilani sleeping on my lap.
I nod in response. “Is there any good news?” I ask hesitantly, knowing the answer already.
“Unfortunately, no. We are still waiting for confirmation of a treatment plan. Any luck reaching the attorney?” Doctor Miyo asks hopeful.
“No.” I say coldly.
Doctor Miyo glances at the file in his hand, “We have an operating room on standby, assuming that is the treatment you guys will be doing.”
“Yes. We want to give him a chance to live.”
“Okay, as soon as you get the paper from the attorney we can proceed with the surgery.” Doctor Miyo says checking Tiberius’ vitals on the monitor, then exits the room without saying another word.
Another excruciatingly long hour passes by, still no word from the lawyer. Nurses filter in and out of the room, changing IV fluids, checking vitals, and messing with his feeding tube. One of the nurses offered to bring us food, but I don’t have an appetite right now. We just need to get him into surgery as soon as possible.
My phone rings loudly in the silence of the room, making me jump. Mr. Rivera, finally. I gently lay Leilani’s head down on the couch and step out of the room. “Mr. Rivera, you better have the papers I am needing.” I say irritation obvious in my voice.
“Mr. Vespertine, I am so sorry…”
I cut him off mid apology. “I don’t need your apologies; I need the paperwork explaining who the power of attorney is.”
“Yes, yes sir. I have it. I will be at the hospital in thirty minutes.”
“You better be here in twenty.” I growl into the phone, hanging up before he can respond.
I need coffee. I approach the desk in the middle of the spacious hallway where two young nurses are seated. “Will one of you ladies please get me two coffees?”
The nurse with brown hair gives me a weird look, “Umm we don’t get coffee for people.” I narrow my eyes at her, the nurse with black hair elbows her, causing her to get glared at by the other nurse. “Stephanie, this is Beta Malakai.” She says through gritted teeth before smiling at me. “We will get you two coffees sir.”
“Thank you.” I smile, and head back into Tiberius’ room. Leilani is still sleeping on the couch; I gently shake her to wake her up. I’m sure she will want to be awake before her father goes into surgery.
“Leilani, wake up angel. Your father is going to be in surgery soon.”