Page 50 (1/2)

Did you know that ti room? No joke It just stops You look at the clock it says twelve o’ one and you look back at it in what feels like an hour and it’s only freaking twelve o’ two

Ellie had paintedto do to take her eon came out to us hours later, I had picked every last bit of the polish off

We shot to our feet when Dr Dunha tired, but perfectly cal went really well We removed all of the mass and have sent the tu but it’ll be a little while yet before she comes out of the anesthesia I know you’ve been here all day, so I suggest you go ho hours"

Elodie shook her head, her eyes bright orry "We want to see her"

"Just give her some time," Dr Dunhaht I’ll warn you now, she’ll probably still be very groggy, and the right side of her face is swollen quite badly froery That’s perfectly noret the kids sory," Declan co unconvinced

"Thank you, Dr Dunhaeon took it with a kind smile After Adarateful sather ourselves A tension had eased between us all knowing that she’d coery safely, but ere still anxious to see her

It wasn’t until ere leaving the hospital and Braden edged up to , that I realized for once in God kno long I hadn’t thought aboutabout Ellie

As soon as he touched h I re hard against ly

I couldn’t look at hie of his surprise, and hurried to catch up with Hannah

That night the nurse led us to the post-op wing and ere allowed into see Ellie Her curtains were drawn around her, and Elodie and Clark were in front of reeted her quietly and stepped back I flinched

I hadn’t expected to feel so scared

Dr Dunhaht--her head was pretty swollen and kind of lazed froht around her head and I felt ht about the fact that today her brain had been cut into

She gave me a lopsided quirk of a smile "Joss," her voice was hoarse, barely audible

I wanted to run I know That’s horrible But I wanted to run away fro up in hospital had never concluded well inher there, so vulnerable, so exhausted, just re her

I felt a hand squeezeers were trely at her, hoping I was pulling it off "Ellie is okay Coed on her hand and pulled her with me to Ellie’s bed side

I reached out for the hand Ellie had held out for her ave entle squeeze "Ahed softly

"Always, honey"

Her eyes dropped to Hannah "I’m okay," she whispered

"Are you sure?" Hannah pressed in close to the bed, her frightened eyes glued to Ellie’s bandaged head

"Mently eased Hannah back so Braden and Adaht she looked cool of course Once Braden said hello, Adam wouldn’t leave Ellie’s side

Her eyes started to flutter closed

"We should leave her to rest," Clark ordered in a hushed voice "We’ll come back tomorrow"

"Els," BradenWe’ll be back torabbed a chair fro"

We nodded, not really wanting to argue with the deteroodbyes we left the at the back as alked in a soleh the hospital

"She looked tiny," Braden observed hoarsely "I wasn’t expecting her to look so bad"

"The swelling will go down"

He shot me a careful look "Are you okay?"