Shattered Dreams [EDITING] - Chapter 57: Chapter 57

COREY'S POV:
"What?" Nadia's voice comes out shocked and I can't seem to close my mouth from gaping to be able to talk. "What do you mean you need to prep me for surgery?"
When I woke up to see Nadia in the bathroom I knew that it wasn't going to be good whatever it was but I wasn't expecting it to be something that required surgery. I thought it could've been severe food poisoning or an infection at most.
"On the ultrasound we found a cyst that had ruptured," The doctor begins to explain slowly as Nadia has gone as white as a ghost. "It has caused internal bleeding, so we need to stop the bleeding on your ovary."
"Okay, so it's nothing serious?" I ask, seeming to have found the ability to speak again.
"At the minute, no but if we leave it untreated for any longer then there could be some complications." He explains and I grow worried again because I don't want anything bad to happen to this girl anymore.
"What complications?" I ask the doctor, worried that she could die from this.
"Internal bleeding is one of them obviously and it can develop into an infection and trigger something like sepsis, which is the worst case scenario and we want to avoid as much as possible, which is why we want to get her down to theatre right away." The doctor responds to my anxiety ridden question and I can't say that the response helps me calm down any. I appreciate that he's being honest but I can't help but be worried that this does develop into sepsis because that can kill her.
"How long will the surgery last?" Nadia queries, her voice full of worry.
"Around forty-five minutes, it could be longer or shorter. It all depends on how bad the bleeding is and how much we have to clear," He responds and I can tell he is starting to get agitated by all the questions because he wants her in surgery now. "I will answer your questions on the way down but can you please put on this robe and wash off any make up you may have on and take off any jewellery. I will just try and book you into a slot."
The doctor pulls the curtain too, so that no one can see through the glass as she gets changed and I turn away from her, blocking my own view. I hold my hand out behind me so that she can put the clothes she has on into my hands for me to look after and she does so. Usually being in this situation with Nadia I wouldn't turn around because we are comfortable around each other but there is something different this time. She is at her most vulnerable right now and I don't want to be taking advantage of that.
"Can you not tell my parents or Willem about this please, I don't want them worrying and it's too early in the morning for them to be awake." She tells me, as if it's not too early for me to be awake too but I don't comment on it because I would rather be here with her than at home sleeping not knowing what's going on.
"They'll need to know, Nads." I inform her and she lets out a long sigh.
"I know, but they can know tomorrow. I don't want their stress and worry added onto mine," She comments, getting stressed with even the thought of her family knowing where she is. "You know what they're like."
She's right, I do know what they are like as I have grown up around it too. Her parents, especially her mother, go into a panic state whenever one of them is sick and they do everything to try and make them better. When you are sick you just want to be left alone but in that family it is not a thing, although they have started to understand this since Nadia has been this sick.
"I won't tell them until tomorrow." I tell her, even though I want nothing more than to tell them because they deserve to know and she shouldn't be completely alone right now.
"Promise me," She begs me and I sigh, holding out my pinky finger for her to loop it with her own. I kiss her thumb and bring our conjoined hands up to her mouth for her to kiss as well, locking the promise in place.
The doctor knocks on the door again asking Nadia if she is ready and comes back in when he gets a yes in response. "Once you've gone into surgery, I will give your parents a ring to let them know where you are and what's happening so by the time you come out, they can be here to greet you."
"No, no, please don't tell them," Nadia calls out as she takes a seat in the wheelchair that's waiting to take her to the surgery room. "I don't want to worry them," The doctor looks towards me and I just shrug my shoulders and this causes Nadia to carry on talking. "He's pinky promised me he wont tell them so don't look towards him."
"Okay. Let's get you into theatre shall we?" Is all the doctor responds with and the porter pushes Nadia whilst the doctor and I train behind them.
"Can you please call them, regardless of what she says? They would want to know." I begin, slowing my pace so that Nadia can't overhear me from up ahead. "I just don't want to break my promise to her and be the one to tell them."
I find loopholes in many things and I am glad I'm able to find one here because Nadia really does need her family here more than she needs me, regardless of how much she thinks otherwise. I won't be going against my promise because I am getting someone else to tell her family, which wasn't part of the agreement. She might be mad at me when she wakes up to find her family here but she will soon realise it'll be nice to see them and have their company as she is recovering.
"You're a good boyfriend to her." The doctor tells me as we reach where we need to be and I can't help but think that it's slightly unprofessional that he's saying this but I will take the compliment. If only he knew how much of what he just said wasn't true. If I was a good boyfriend then I wouldn't be in a secret relationship with her, hiding what we have from all the people she holds closest to her.
"You can only go up to this point I'm afraid," One of the surgeon tells me and I let out a large sigh. Nadia looks up at me through her eyelashes and I melt at the sight of her. Even though she is about to enter surgery because of how ill she is, she is still the most beautiful person in the world to me, she will be no matter what.
"Good luck, I'll be right outside the whole time sweetheart." I say to her, bending down to give her a long kiss on the top of her head, not caring that there is hospital staff watching our encounter.
"Remember, no telling my parents." Nadia tells me as I bring my head back up and I nod at her whilst making eye contact with her doctor.
"I know, Nads." I confirm, waving goodbye to her as she gets wheeled into the theatre room.
I can't imagine what must be going through her head as he is going through this massive thing and is doing it all alone, but she is a strong girl so I know that the only thing she will be thinking about is the hope she will feel better afterwards.
I hope she will as well.
I walk back to the waiting room and get myself a coffee to keep myself awake, even though I'm pretty sure the amount of worry I am feeling for that girl right now is enough to keep me up alone.
I reach into my hoodie pocket and grab Nadia's bear that my sister put in the car. I picked it up and put it in my pocket just before I helped Nadia out of the car. I originally brought it in for comfort for her but now it's for me. It still smells like her so it feels like she is sitting here with me instead of being all alone in an operating theatre.
I lay the bear in my hands, bringing it up to my face and let my face rest on the bear, breathing the smell of her in and I want to cry but I am determined to stay strong. I know what is happening with her isn't serious at the minute but with the way her luck is going at the minute I can't help but think something will end up going wrong. I don't believe in God and I never have but I will pray if it's what it takes to make her life even a little better.
The doctor walks into the family waiting room with hospital records in hand and he takes a seat next to me, putting a hand on my shoulder in comfort. "She will be okay. Cysts aren't usually serious and we caught the issue before it got to that point," He reassures me and I sigh out in relief. "I've also called her parents, they are on their way."
I look back down at the bear in my hands and nod to him in response because this is where they will blame all of this on me and this is where they will have a go at me for not telling them that Nadia was here. I know I should've but I also couldn't break my promise to her. Keeping her trust means everything to me.
"I have to go see another patient now, the department is very busy. Give Nadia my well wishes when she wakes up." The doctor tells me, standing up to make a leave to continue on with his shift.
"Thank you, for everything." I say to him, earning a single nod in response before he leaves the room.
I'm back to being in the room alone, waiting for her parents and Willem to get here and give me an earful. I drink the rest of my coffee and I have nothing to do other than just sit in here waiting. I feel my eyes start to water as I think about everything this girl has gone through the past few months and how much life continues to throw at her. I bring her bear back up to my face and breathe her in, feeling my cheeks get even more wet. My legs won't stop bouncing up and down from the anxiousness I'm feeling.
"Corey?" Samantha questions and I lift my head up, meeting my bloodshot eyes with her own. "Oh, honey."
Samantha rushes over to me and wraps her arms around me in a motherly way and I melt into the touch. Everything that has been building up inside of me finally releases and I sob into her arms.
"I'm so sorry. Everything happened so fast and I didn't know what to do," I begin to explain, struggling to breathe through my sobs. "She made me promise not to call you so I got one of the doctors to do it. I wanted to tell you I swear."
My breathing continues to get heavy and Samantha takes her arms from around me and puts her warm hands on my face, making me focus my eyes on hers once more. "Breathe Corey." She orders me and I do, following her as she inhales and exhales deeply.
We do this for a couple of moments and that's when I'm finally brought back to reality and I remember where we are and what's happened. Willem and Richard are standing by the door still with readless expressions on their faces and I daren't look in their direction, especially at Willem.
"So, what happened?" Richard asks me now that I have calmed down and I explain everything to him. How I woke up to noise in the bathroom and found Nadia in there in the state she was and how she seemed fine again until she stood up and a rush of blood came down her legs. I tell them that it was one of the scariest sights I've ever seen and that's saying something as I have seen numerous hockey injuries and they are never pretty. A few years ago I saw someone's bone snap and you could see a piece of bone peaking through the skin. The sight still gives me nightmares to this day as it could happen to any one of us players.
"You did the right thing bringing her into the hospital, thank you." Richard compliments and I ease up slightly at his approval. I just hope that they didn't see me crying as anything other than worry.
Richard and Samantha sit down in the uncomfortable chairs, talking between themselves and I use this as an opportunity to look towards Willem who is still staring at me blankly. I wipe my tear stained eyes and look into his own and his eyes drift towards the bear. He looks between my bloodshot eyes and the bear a couple of times before his eyes darken knowingly. I open my mouth to explain what's been happening but he doesn't give me a chance because he's storming towards me and the next thing I know is that his fist is flying towards my face.
I feel the impact before I know it's happening and I wince out in pain, bringing my hands to my nose as blood gushes out of it. The interaction earns the attention of Willem's parents and they stand up with shock written all over their faces.
"What the fuck?" Richard raises his voice, careful not to be too loud to gain attention from any of the staff. Both Willem and I ignore him and he lunges for me again. I don't move away or flinch from the attack because I deserve it, I've been lying to him for months so he is angry.
I feel the impact again and my nose stings, causing my eyes to water and I spit out the blood forming in my mouth. I'll clean that up later. Willem lunges for me again but Richard manages to grab his arms and hold him back this time, yelling at him to calm the fuck down.
"How long?" Willem spits out, trying to go for me again but is still being restrained by his dad. "How fucking long?"
"A couple of months." I admit and Willem stops trying to lunge for me and stays back, as if he can't even handle trying with me anymore. He shrugs his dads hands off him and Richard and Samantha look between us with confused expressions on their faces.
"A couple of months." Willem repeats my words, astounded by the information.
"I'm going to go to the vending machine.
I hope they have popcorn there, I'm going to need it watching this." Richard announces, leaving the room to go and find his popcorn, not wanting to be involved in what's going on here.
"Boys, you both need to calm down. We need to have a strong front for when Nadia comes out of surgery." Samantha tells us, trying to keep the peace. She and I both knew that this moment would happen eventually but neither of us would have suspected it happening so soon and in a hospital of all places.
"Why?" Willem pleads with me, ignoring everything his mum has just said.
"I love her." I announced before I could even think of what I was saying.
Willem scoffs, stepping back and running his hands through his hair as he paces around the room in shock. I look at Samantha who just rolls her eyes at me before following where her husband went to try and find him.
"Don't give me that bullshit Corey. Not when it's about my sister." He orders me and I am taken aback that he thinks I'm lying about how I feel about her.
"What makes you think I'm bullshiting you?" I query, knowing I'm not going to be a fan of his reply.
"Because when have you ever loved anyone other than yourself?" He spits his words and I know at this moment that if one day he does forgive me our friendship won't ever be the same again. I broke his trust so I deserve every bad word he throws my way but it's too far when he questions my love for his sister.
"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?" I bite back, wanting to lunge for him myself but I hold myself back as his parents come back in the room and take a seat, observing the tension between us.
"You know full well what it means," He snaps, looking at me with nothing but hatred and disgust in his eyes. "Have you slept with her?"
I tighten my jaw at this question because I don't want to answer it but my reaction tells him everything he needs to know and whispers, "Oh my God." Under his breath. I look at his parents out of the corner of my eye and notice Richard coughing awkwardly at this new discovery. I look back to Willem whose teeth are grinding together in rage.
"You can leave now," Is all he says and I take a step towards him and open my mouth to tell him I'm sorry and will explain everything but he cuts in before I can speak. "I don't want to see you in my house again."
"Willem," I plead but he just ignores me, taking a seat and putting his head in his hands. I understand how he is feeling, he has just rushed over to the hospital in the early hours of the morning because his sister has been rushed into surgery only to come here and find out that two of the closest people to him have been lying about their relationship for months. "We just didn't want to hurt you."
He keeps his head in his hands and decides not to reply but he laughs slowly in response as he doesn't give a shit about what I have to say anymore. I start to make my way towards him to explain myself some more but Richard puts his hand up in front of me. "I think you need to go."
I look to Samantha for some support as she knows about our relationship even though she won't admit it but she just nods her head slowly, telling me to leave as well and I feel my heartstrings tug a little in response. "We will call you when she is out of surgery."
"I'm not fucking going anywhere." I declare as they must be stupid if they think I'm leaving when the girl I love is in hospital and about to come out of surgery.
"Then sit down and shut up." Richard orders and I do as he says, sitting as far away from them as I can in order not to create anymore bad blood.
We wait in silence for what feels like hours but it's only half an hour but the tension cuts through the room like a knife, making time slow down drastically. I've managed to clear my nose and the hospital floor of blood but Willem hasn't stopped staring at me since I sat down and I didn't look at him because I fear I would cry if I did as I feel so awful. I've been wanting to tell him this whole relationship but there has never been a right time but us leaving it longer has seemingly made everything ten times worse.
A woman in scrubs and a mask comes in and we all stand up with our full attention drawn on her. "Nadia Marsh's family?" She questions us and we all nod. "She's out of surgery and good news it all went well and all the internal bleeding has been stopped."
"Oh thank god." Samantha comments in relief and I feel most of the tension inside of me flatten.
"She's awake and is asking for Corey." The surgeon says and all heads in the room turn towards me and I swallow harshly because I don't want to not see Nadia but I also don't want to annoy Willem and her parents anymore.
"I think we will see Nadia first, considering we are her family." Willem inputs, standing up and his mum puts a hand on his arm to stop him from moving any further.
"She doesn't know we are here yet, give her a chance to wake up before we go in and startle her." Samantha suggests and Willem stays stood up.
"So you're saying Corey can go in and see her?" Willem asks, scratching at his head in disbelief.
"It's what Nadia wants." Richard adds into the conversation and I just stand there, waiting for permission to go in.
"Can I?" I ask them sheepishly and both Richard and Samantha nod.
"Just let her know we are here and we will be in to see her soon." Samantha confirms and I sigh out in relief at the thought of getting to see her before I am banished from going round their house at all.
"Mum, what the fuck?" Willem interrogates, walking towards me in an attempt to stop me from walking out the door. The surgeon stares between us both baffled and amused at the scene unfolding in front of him.
"Sit back down," Samantha orders Willem and he does as she tells him but not without rolling his eyes and sighing whilst doing so.
"You have five minutes and then I never want you to see her again." Willem points a finger at me in warning and I hold my hands up in defence before following the
surgeon out of the room.
"Willem." Samantha hisses and it's the last thing I hear before I make it to Nadia's recovery room.