Romance Short Story ~ "Hold on to ME"

[Jonathon Francis]

Part 1 – “Call an ambulance!” “911 what is your emergency?” said the operator. “It’s our son! He’s barely breathing! Send an ambulance. Hurry, Hurry!” said Steven as he held our son in his arms rocking back and fourth. Tears were streamed down his face in rivers. “Come quick!” he screamed into the phone. “Okay sir, stay calm I have dispatched an ambulance to 3131 W. Madison Street is this correct sir?” said the operator in a calm voice. “Yes, please hurry!” said Steven again as he hung up the phone stroking is his son’s fever pitch forehead. “Hold on little buddy, hold on. Oh please God don’t take him away from us” he whispered through his trembling lips. Carol was in shock but was trying to stay calm. She paced back and forth checking the window for the ambulance. They could hear it rushing from down the street with sirens blaring. “Here they come honey!” said Carol grabbing their son’s two favorite teddy bears Josh & Billy and a pile of his clothes putting them into his school backpack.

The paramedics burst into the open door with medical gear and a stretcher. “We’ll take from here sir” said the lead paramedic as he lifted little Bobby from Steven’s arms taking is temperature. “One minute he was playing then the next he was on the floor passed out!” said Steven in a panic voice. “We’ll try and get him stable and then get him to the hospital sir.” Said the lead paramedic putting little Bobby on the stretcher then putting in an IV into his little arm and checking his pulse.

“This is EMC Roger Five I’ve got a PTP (Pediatric Trauma Patient) five years old coming in, ETA less than ten, over” said the second paramedic talking into his shoulder microphone. “Roger that EMC-5” said the dispatcher. They rushed little Bobby to the ambulance and locked the stretcher and attached life monitoring system to his little chest. “Mommy, mommy” whimpered little Bobby as he was slowly responding to the IV and fresh oxygen. “Bobby, Bobby!!!” cried out Carol as she stepped into ambulance reaching for his little hand. “Mommies here baby” she whispered “Mommies here”. “I’ll follow you in the car” said Steve with his keys in hand. “Okay honey. He asked for me” Carol said with a weak smile and tears running down her cheeks. “Don’t worry honey he’ll be okay” said Steven walking backwards watching the doors close to the ambulance.

Traffic moved out of the way as the ambulance sped through town heading for the hospital. The paramedics rustled through equipment and medications as they worked in a calm pace over little Bobby. Carol could see Bobbies eyes peek up then close shut again. “Is he going to be alright?” said Carol wiping the tears away trying to stay calm. “We’re doing everything we can Mrs. Brooks. We have him stable now and the fever is slowly coming down.” Said the paramedic watching the monitor gauges holding a stethoscope on little Bobbies chest listening intently to his heart beat. “Increase the oxygen to ten MPS” ordered the paramedic. Steven was following close by watching the back of the ambulance intently. He could see the hospital a block away. “Hurry, hurry” whispered Steven to himself gripping the stirring wheel.
The ambulance pulled in to ER with tires squealing. The ER team was standing by outside as they opened the door and pulled out little Bobby. “PTP, five years old, with a Tachycardia pulse, fever stabilizing, one IV enroot” said the lead paramedic. “Thanks. We got from here” said the attending ER doctor taking the IV bag from the paramedic. “I am his mother Carol Brooks!” cried Carol looking at the ER team wheeling little Bobby through the sliding emergency doors. “Right this way please. Is your husband coming?” asked the attending nurse. “Yes he’s getting out the car now. There he is! Steven! Over here!” said Carol waving at him. “Carol, go on inside I’ll be in shortly” said Steven running towards the ER doors.

The doors closed as the ER team pulled equipment from the side walls and started working over little Bobby. “We’ll keep you informed of his progress Mrs. Brooks” said the attending nurse with her surgical mask on looking intently into her eyes. “Carol, where is he?” asked Steven as he ran down the hall towards her. “He’s in surgery. They said they’ll keep us informed. Oh Steven I don’t know what I’d do if anything happened to him” Carol said in a weak voice. “I am sure he’ll be okay honey.” Steven said to her trying to sound as sure as he could. “Carol!” screamed Steven. Carol had fainted and passed out on the floor next to Steven. The nurses ran from behind the admissions desk. “We got her sir. The stress has made her faint. “We’ll get her into a bed” said the nurse in a reassuring smile. “Trust me, she’s okay”.

Part 3 “We’re moving him to a private room”
We both had been taking turns at the hospital with little Bobby. He rested peacefully through out the days as nurses and doctors would go in and out administering medications and checking vital his vital signs. I saw Carol coming down the hallway as I was standing at the coffee vending machine. “Any word or changes?” she asked. “Nothing yet” I said taking the coffee from the machine. We both saw Doctor Fitzgerald coming from little Bobbie’s room with a chart in his hand and started towards us. “Mr. and Mrs. Brooks, good you’re both here. Well, good news, we’re moving him from ICU in a couple of hours. If you want to see him now you can. Now he’s still weak, but responsive. Don’t get him too excited okay?” he said looking intently at both of us. “Yes doctor” we both said with big smiles.

We walked down the hall to little Bobbie’s room where we was laying with his eye open looking around. “Hello honey” said Carol pulling up a chair and holding his little hand. Little Bobby tugged at Carol’s hand and smiled. “Hello mommy” he said in a small weak voice. “Hello baby. I love you” said Carol stroking his forehead. “You’ve been sleeping for a long time” she continued. “I am thirsty mommy” he said. “I’ll get the nurse” I said to Carol. “I’ll be right back little man” I said to little Bobby. “Mommy, my chest hurts a little. Am I okay?” little Bobby said looking intently at Carol. “Yes baby, you’re okay now. You had a little boo boo, so the doctors fixed you all up better. They said it would hurt for a little while but you will be fine now.” Said Carol smiling holding back her tears of joy.

“Here you go champ” I said handing Carol a small bowl of ice chips. “The nurse said he can have these. Just hold them up to his lips. Don’t let him swallow them. She’ll be in shortly to change his IV.” I said. “Here you go honey. Just let the ice melt and swallow slow” said Carol holding the ice up to little Bobbie’s lips. “Mommy said I’ll be okay daddy” said little Bobby smiling and looking up at me. “That’s what the doctor said champ and I believe them. I love you” I said holding his hand. “I love you to daddy”.

Father O’Malley came in while I was talking with the doctor. “Hello little Bobby, how you be doin’ today?” said father O’Malley with a big smile. “Fine father, my chest hurts a little but I am brave” little Bobby said smiling. “That you are Bobby. I’ll be sayin’ an extra prayer for you at the church today to help make it feel better” said father O’Malley. “Thank you father for coming by” said Carol in a tearful smile. “Bless you my child. It’s not his time to go, but many blessed years to come, don’t ya be worrin’ no more” said father O’Malley holding Carol’s hand.

Three months have passed since little Bobbie’s operation. His check ups have been perfect with small adjustments to his medications. The doctors said he will live a normal and healthy life. This was truly a test of our love and faith. Father O’Malley has been keeping in touch and every Sunday we bring little Bobby to Mother of Mercy services, where we tell everyone of our faith in God and the miracle of the guardian angel that watched over our little Bobby.

The End