Chapter 142: Coma

ALISON

The days all bled together until another week had passed, and then, slowly and painfully, another few days. I lived for the occasional text from Emma.

No change. Running more tests.

Docs are trying something today-fingers crossed.

Off vent today-yay! His mom says he's breathing well on his own. Good news.

When Noah had been unconscious for fourteen days, I decided I couldn't take it anymore. I left the office an hour early and drove to the hospital, my still-numb mind on autopilot. Once I was in the parking lot, I sat in my car and called Emma.

"Hey-am I catching you at a bad time?"

"Eh-you know what it's like here." She sounded slightly harried. "If it's not one thing, it's five others. And that's on a slow day."

"I vaguely remember." I tried to inject a little wry humor in my voice. "Have I mentioned that I don't miss that?"