There was more machine, than flesh. And as sick as it seemed, Charlotte couldn't help but flashback to the moment of Jenny's birth. She was poised to push, when Star Trek Next Generation flashed up on the TV. It was a rerun, of course. The show had been off the air for years. But it was one of Sam's favorites, so when Charlotte asked if they could shut it off, he replied, "No it's the BORG." Then changing his voice to a mechanical tone continued, "Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated." Was it coming to pass?
Using her feet, Charlotte inched the wheelchair forward so she could reach through the wires and tubes to hold Jenny's hand. Her daughter's flesh was warm with hope. She wasn't being assimilated. Like Jean Luc she was a fighter, and pictured her rising up on the bed and forcefully ripping the machinery away from her body.
"She's going to okay." Dr. Reid broke into her rerun. "Most of this is a precaution. To be on the safe side."
Not sure what she was hearing, Charlotte just looked at him.
"It was a text book case. I went in. The lesion was right there. I didn't have to disturb the spinal cord to any great degree."
Finding her voice, Charlotte asked, "When will she wake up?"
"I have her in a very light drug induced coma, just till morning. Then we'll ease off the drugs and let her sleep it off naturally."
Despite trying to be strong, tears pooled in Charlotte's eyes and she held her daughter's hand even tighter. "Does she know what's going on? That she's not alone?"
"It's hard to say. Coma patients, medically induced or patients with brain injuries, tell mixed stories of their experiences."
"Jenny, sweetheart," murmured Charlotte, "Mommy's here. You're going to be okay."
It was slight, but it happened. As soon as Charlotte finished speaking, Jenny curled her fingers around her mom's hand. Sobs erupted out of Charlotte's throat. Her baby was going to be okay.
No comments:
Post a Comment