Chapter 5 - Awakening
Two weeks after the storm, the sunshine finally broke through the gray clouds, illuminating the quiet hallway of St. Jude's ICU.
Andrew’s eyes fluttered open slowly. The bright, sterile lights hurt his eyes, and the rhythmic sound of a heart monitor was the first thing he heard. His body felt heavy, locked in heavy casts and bandages, but the searing pain had faded to a dull, throbbing ache thanks to the IV medication.
A nurse stepped into the room, her eyes widening as she noticed he was fully awake.
"Mr. Miller?" she said softly, approaching the bed. "Can you hear me?"
Andrew’s throat was terribly dry. "Ashley..." he croaked, his voice barely a breath. "Where... is my daughter?"
"She's safe, Mr. Miller. She's doing very well," the nurse reassured him, quickly checking his vital signs. "Let me call the doctor and the officer who has been waiting outside."
A minute later, Natalie walked into the room, holding a small paper bag. She smiled warmly as she saw Andrew sitting up slightly in the adjustable bed.
"Welcome back, Andrew," Natalie said, pulling a chair up to the bedside.
Andrew looked at her with desperate, wide eyes. "Please... tell me the truth. Is she really okay? I was trapped in the car... I couldn't move... the water kept rising..."
"She is completely safe," Natalie assured him gently, reaching into the paper bag and drawing out a freshly drawn color crayon picture. It depicted a tall man holding hands with a little girl, with a bright yellow sun above them and a clumsy blue dog at their feet. "She drew this for you yesterday."
Andrew took the drawing with trembling hands. Tears welled in his eyes as he traced the wax lines with his thumb. "They... they took her away from me, didn't they? The social worker came by while I was half-conscious before my second surgery..."
"She is currently in temporary foster care with a specialized medical foster family," Natalie explained carefully, not wanting to lie to him. "The state cited your hospitalization and financial difficulties. But Andrew, listen to me: this is not permanent."
Andrew hung his head, a choked sob escaping him. "I lost my job at the warehouse when the company downsized... then my wife's medical bills consumed everything we saved. I tried so hard, Officer. I worked odd jobs, I skipped meals so she could eat... That night, her asthma was flared up badly. She was wheezing. I only had twenty dollars left. I drove to the 24-hour pharmacy across the canal..."
"I know," Natalie said softly. "We found the grocery list. We found the medicine in your hand."
"I hit a patch of standing water on the bridge road," Andrew continued, his memory coming back in painful fragments. "The steering failed. The car plunged off the edge into the creek. A huge branch crashed through the windshield and pinned my legs. I tried to smash the window... I tried to scream... but nobody was there. All I could think about was Ashley sitting in that dark house, waiting for me..."
"You survived four days in those conditions because of your love for her, Andrew," Natalie said, leaning forward. "And now you have to fight to get her back. You aren't alone anymore."
May you like
"What can I do?" Andrew asked helplessly, looking down at his cast-covered legs. "I have no money, no job, and my landlord sent a eviction notice while I was in a coma."
Natalie smiled softly, a determined glint in her eyes. "You focus on healing and physical therapy. Leave the rest to us."
