Natalie waited there for a long time. She looked around, stared at the theater door, hoping that maybe, just maybe her daughter would be alright. Hours passed and it was well into the early morning, 3am to be exact. James walked back into the hospital with some clothes and things for Natalie. He saw her sitting there, silent and staring, he walked over and gave her a hug, saying “I know it seems bleak, but I just have a feeling that she’ll pull through”



Natalie pressed her head against his chest, he was the boyfriend anyone could dream for. She looked up at him and said “I don’t know how you can deal with me, first you find out I have a teenage daughter and then suddenly she’s in my life and now you’re stuck trying to help me through her accident” he gave her a tight squeeze and whispered “Don’t be silly, you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me, I could never give you up for anything. Helping you through means everything to me if it means I can see that beautiful smile and you happy”

She leant against him, he made her feel good every time she was with him. Just a hug and for a split second, she thought that things were alright.



Suddenly the theater doors opened and the surgeon walked out with sweat on his face and ripping off his mask. He saw James and Natalie’s worried faces and walked over to them. “We’ve stopped the bleeding, she needed a lot of work but she’s more stable than she was when she came in. She’s not out of the deep yet, but she’s a little higher” Natalie collapsed on the chair shouting “Oh thank god” James shook the doctor’s hand saying “Thank you” and they brought Caitlin back to her room.



Natalie paced around for the rest of the day, she wouldn’t leave the hospital for anything. The police were still after her father for running her over. She didn’t want him dead, she wanted him to suffer ten times worse than he made Caitlin suffer. She may had only been with her for only 3 and a half months of her whole life, but she had love for her, even if the last time she saw her she was three months old.

James walked back in with yet another coffee for her, trying to cheer her up he said “Must be your sixteenth coffee now, maybe sleep would be better?” but she just stared at Caitlin’s lifeless body. “I can’t sleep, I can’t risk losing her when I’m not there to say goodbye. Suddenly the doctor walked into the room, holding a clipboard and reading it. “Miss Anderson?” he said to Natalie. She shot up and said “Yes?”



He read the clipboard, “We’ve got the brain activity tests back, and I’m glad to say that her brain is responding and there’s activity” Natalie tilted her head back, “That’s all I needed to know”

The doctor walked over to her and put his hand on her shoulder, “Doctor Anderson, Doctor Phillips said to have as much time off as you need, they’ve booked a locum until further notice” Natalie let out a small smile, “Thank you, Jim,, that’s relieving to know” James looked at the doctor and said “Thanks, so is she going to improve?” the doctor took a deep breath and said “I can’t promise anything, but she’s got no worse so that’s a good sign”

So the long wait was still to go on, maybe for a while yet.