Chapter 5: Broken

The paramedic kept herself busy during the trip to the hospital administering medication for the Hypothermia to Val, and monitoring his vital signs closely. She kept examining him as much as she could with the limited resources and equipment she had available on the ambulance. Jenny remained silent, her eyes fixed on Val's bloodied face and her lips quivering.
Every now and then she'd reach out with a trembling hand and gently caress his cheek or forehead... or run a finger over his lips. After a short ride but one that felt like an eternity to Jenny, they arrived at the hospital. She was ushered into a side room and looked back, her eyes widened in concern, as Val was rolled into a room and the door shut with a soft click. Val was moved from the stretcher onto an operation table, and hooked up to a bunch of monitoring devices.
After several minutes of careful examination...
"The paramedics have already dealt with the Hypothermia and I see absolutely no signs of internal bleeding" said one doctor... "Let's take a look at the fractures in the legs first" he added after.
A nurse walked up to Jenny... "Do you need anything? Water? A coffee?"
"No, I'm fine." Jenny crossed her legs and smiled at the nurse. Her smile was shaky and her voice trembled slightly.
Inside the room, the head of an X-Ray machine was moved on its arm over Val's legs, like a giant mechanical serpent inspecting its prey... While the doctors inspected the images of the fractures, a nurse wiped the dried blood off Val's face. Colour has returned to his cheeks and he looked as if he were peacefully sleeping rather than unconscious, under sedatives.
"He's been lucky" a doctor said... "see here and here... a very clean fracture... same with the other leg... he won't need surgery on either one..."
The other doctors nodded in agreement. The X-Ray machine was pulled towards Val again, and this time moved along his right arm. Again the doctors gathered to look at the images...
"Hmmmm... this doesn't look so good... see? the bone there ripped off tendons..." said one doctor, touching the screen on one spot.
"And I can't be too sure, but that looks like damage to the Axillary Artery... we'll have to cut his arm open here and here" said another one tapping spots on the image too.
Decisions were made right away, directions given, and Val was put under... Outside the room Jenny kept looking at the clock, eyes red from crying, hands clasped together, lips closed tight in a thin line... She nervously twirled her ring around her finger. The stones caught the light and flashed mesmerizingly.
Inside the operation room, two doctors were cutting open Val's right arm...
The first thing they worked on was the damaged artery... it wasn't as bad as they had thought at first... it had a rip, but hadn't been severed and the bone shard that had made the cut was also compressing it preventing intense bleeding. They speedily repaired the vessel and then moved on to work on the tendons. While the tow doctors were busy with the injuries in Val's arm, a third doctor assisted by two nurses set the fractured bones in Val's legs, made sure all was properly aligned and proceeded to put casts on both legs.
Jenny stepped outside the waiting room as her phone had started ringing...
"Hello?"
"Hi Jen!"
"Ouch!" She held the phone away from her ear. "How many times have I told you guys not to all talk at once?"
Her friends ignored her and asked instead "so, how's you know...?" Giggles on the other side. Jenny blushed slightly.
"well, come on girl... spill" her friends insisted.
"Well..." Jenny paused. "He proposed." That was all she got out. The other end of the line erupted into cheers.
"I knew it!" someone cried.
"George, pipe down" Diane said admonishingly.
"Come on, Diane... as if you aren't excited."
"Samantha, aren't you going to be her maid of honour?"
"Guys, please!" Jenny said.
"Ok" they calmed down but the air of excitement could still be heard in their voices.
"Hey, haven't you heard? Jenny's getting married." Jenny heard one of her friends say.
"Guys..." her tone more insistent.
"Yeah?" All four asked at the same time.
"There's something else I want to tell you." Jenny went on.
"Oooooo" then the chatter started again, all of them speaking at the same time.
"You are pregnant."
"You said no."
"You ate pizza."
"Diane, that has nothing to do with anything."
"You are going to Paris."
"Nah, I think she'd rather go to London."
"How would you know?"
"Oh, I'd know."
"Guys...!" this time Jenny almost screamed at the phone.
"Ok, Jen... what is it?" one single voice answered.
"There was an accident... Val's been hurt really badly and..." Jenny couldn't finish.
"Awwww, poor baby" her friends cooed.
"Jen, it's ok."
"We will help you."
"What happened?"
"George, I don't know if she wants to say what happened."
Jenny took a deep breath. "I don't really know much. But he fell off the side of a mountain at the ski resort."
"Diane, be quiet. Go on."
"That's all I know... he looks really beaten up and they aren't sure if he will survive." Her words caught in her throat.
"We will come visit as soon as possible."
"Lyn, don't touch that!"
"Hey, give it back!"
"Did someone eat all of the chips?"
"Where did the coffee go?"
Jenny shook her head... some things never changed. A nurse came out and motioned for Jenny to go back inside.
"Uh, I got to go guys. I will call you back."
"Ok, bye Jen!" They ended the call.
The doors to the operation room opened and a nurse came out pulling a stretcher with a covered in bandages Val... his right arm and both legs were in casts.
The nurse looked at Jenny. "Are you the wife?"
"Yes... I mean, no... I mean, I'm his fiancé" Jenny said flustered.
"You can follow us, I'm taking him to a private room now... everything went well" she said with a sweet smile.
The nurse took Val to a private room, locked the bed in place, and hooked up all the wires to the monitoring equipment. Then she left.
"Val..." Jenny murmured looking at him with loving eyes.
Val was still under the effects of the anaesthesia, but his face looked healthier than before going into the operation room... the dried blood was gone, and his cheeks had his usual rosy colour. Jenny stroked his cheek gently and brushed his hair away from his face. Bending over, she kissed his forehead softly.
"I'm glad you're ok, Fly Boy" she whispered in his ear.
Jenny yawned and shook her head. "I have to stay awake." She thought.
The sound of Val's breathing was rhythmic and soothing, like a soft lullaby... The beeping of the vital signs monitoring equipment was constant, monotonous... The curtains were partially drawn, and the lights dimmed... Jenny's head drooped and she rested it on the bed. Her eyes closed and she fell asleep. Her head rested lightly against Val's uninjured arm.
Val's eyes fluttered slightly... several times... and then opened slowly... It took him a while to adjust his focus and see... see what? Where was him? And then it all came back... proposing... Jenny saying Yes... skiing... showing off... falling off a ledge. Buried in snow... "OMG!! Am I dead?" Val thought. But then...
He felt Jenny's head against his left arm and relaxed... No, he was not dead... then gently touched her hair... He tried to turn his head to look at her... but it hurt too much. He opened his mouth and tried to call her name, but her tongue felt like made of sandpaper... rough and dry...
"Hmmmm..." Jenny shifted slightly. She smiled and turned her head the other way.
He tried again and finally managed to turn his head enough without much pain, to look at Jenny... a smile spread across his face at seeing his beloved Princess. He gently caressed her cheek, and traced her lips with a finger...
"Jenny..." he said weakly after several tries... his voice raspy...
"Val..." Jenny bolted up. "Omg! Val!"
Val smiled at her, and placed his left hand on the side of her face.
"Val, I'm so glad you are ok" her eyes watered. "I was so scared."
Tears run down Val's cheeks... and he gently guided her face to his for a kiss. Jenny kissed him gently, worried she'd hurt him.
Val wanted to say something but his tongue was refusing to work without some refreshment... "Water?" he managed to ask Jenny...
"Of course." She hurried and poured a glass.
"Here, let me help you." She tilted the glass up for him.
Val drank thirstily... a bit too fast, choked on it a bit, and coughed...
"Whoa, slow down, Fly Boy... don't drown." She teased him.
He smiled sheepishly... "Thanks, honey..."
"No problem." She placed the empty cup on the bedside table. "Now rest for a bit."
Val rested his head back on the pillow, and closed his eyes... "I'm so sorry, Love..." he said then.
Jenny smiled and kissed his cheek "it's ok, Val... just rest so you can recover faster."
"I almost made you a widow before getting married..." he said sobbing softly... "as I was buried in there, all my thoughts were with you..."
"Shhhh.....it's ok, it's ok." She stroked his hair. "It's not your fault and it's going to be fine now."
Val closed his eyes enjoying Jenny's touch.
"Go to sleep, Fly Boy. Don't worry, I will be here when you wake up."
Val wanted to protest... he wanted to stay awake and talk to Jenny, and hold her hand... but the medicines and his body were against his will and soon Val fell asleep. He woke up some hours later to an empty room.
"Jenny?" Val asked trying to turn his head around looking for her.
The door opened quietly. "I'm right here, Val." She was carrying a steaming bowl. "I brought you some food."
"Awe... thanks, honey" he said smiling.
"Here." She sat down beside him. Blowing gently she spooned the soup. Jenny held it up to Val's mouth. "Careful, Fly Boy... it's hot."
He nodded and sipped at the offered spoon slowly.
Val smiled widely "it's like in the Rivetra you were reading to me the other night... I'm your Levi" he added and winked.
She smiled. "Keep eating, Fly Boy."
"Yes, Madam" he answered faking a serious tone.
She laughed. When he was done she set the empty bowl on the side table.
"Hmmm... that was good... I didn't realize I was hungry until I smelled the soup" he said laughing a bit.
"Do you need anything else?" asked Jenny.
"No..." he said, and then added "yes... You" smiling playfully.
"Oh Val." She rolled her eyes but kissed him.
A doctor walked in to check on Val "How's the patient doing?"
Jenny pulled away and blushed furiously. The doctor smiled friendly.
"I feel like I fell down a mountain" Val said trying to look serious.
"Well, at least your spirits are high" she said... "let's check your temperature and blood pressure. How's the pain...? I can increase the painkillers dose if needed" she said checking the chart.
"Everything hurts but it's tolerable" Val replied.
The doctor examined Val thoroughly, took notes and left. Jenny held his uninjured hand in hers. She was about to kiss him again when the door opened once more...
The doctor came back, followed by two nurses carrying a recliner chair... "We imagined you might decide to stay overnight with him" she told Jenny.
"Oh." Jenny looked surprised. "If it's not too much trouble."
"Oh, not at all, hun. By the way... congratulations on your engagement... I learned it from the paramedic that came with you in the ambulance. The hospital does make exceptions in cases like yours..."
"Oh" Jenny blushed "thanks... Thanks for everything."