As the days leading up to surgery dwindled, Cheyenne’s anxiety grew. She was nervous about the surgery and the fact that it would be the final straw. She would go in whole and come out empty, broken in her mind. Nothing Chuck said helped her in her fears and regret. Benign was a word she never wanted to hear again. Benign or favorable wouldn’t be taking away her chances; taking away a piece of her that she cherished. The joy of carrying a child stuck with her over the years and was something that she was truly looking forward to doing again. She couldn’t accept that it would never happen. Part of her hoped that she would get a call telling her to cancel the surgery that it was all a mix up and that she was pregnant after all. Part of her wanted to run away and never look back.
Slap! Her hand hit her alarm as it’s growing annoying buzzing rang out, waking her from her peaceful slumber. She had finally been dreaming of something nice, a sunny day of her, Chuck and Evelynn, riding together by the river; but that darn alarm clock just had to go and ruin it. She lay there, resting her arm on the clock, too tired to even move it; too annoyed to bring her arm back to the bed. Chuck sighed before rolling over, placing his rough hand on her soft arm. He watched as she breathed, the way her hair fell across her shoulder and pillow, the curves of her body. He couldn’t admit it, but he was terrified of her surgery. What if the unthinkable happened and she didn’t come home?
Cheyenne finally rolled over and looked at him with a smile. He smiled back, “good morning.” He whispered, his voice cracking from his slumber. “Morning,” she replied with a quiet sigh. She leaned over to him, nestling her head to his chest; his arms encased her in his body. In just a few hours, they would be at the hospital, preparing her for surgery. They both knew the risk of complications was low, but they couldn’t help but worry. Together they took their time, enjoying the last moments of peace before the craziness of the day fell upon them.
“Mom?” Evelynn sleepily walked into their bedroom. Cheyenne slowly rolled over, “yes sweetheart?” blinking to adjust to the light seeping through the doorway, the silhouette of her daughter hiding some of it. “It’s today right, your surgery?” Evelynn asked. “Yes.” Cheyenne admitted as she sat up on the edge of the bed. Evelynn came running over, practically knocking Cheyenne back into bed as she hugged her. “I love you mom!” Evelynn cried, holding her mom tight. Cheyenne hugged her back, “I love you too. Don’t worry; I’m going to be ok.” She tried to reassure herself as well as her daughter. “Perhaps it worked?” She wondered. “Are you sure?” Evelynn questioned.
“Don’t worry Evelynn; I’ll stay right there at her side, as long as they’ll let me. Plus, the doctor is one of the best” Chuck chimed in. Evelynn looked up at him as he came around the bed and sat next to Cheyenne. “What are you doing awake? It’s still so early.” Cheyenne asked.
“I couldn’t sleep.”
Cheyenne looked at her daughter, in awe of how she was already getting so big. She was growing up before her eyes. “Try to get some rest Honey. Kiki will be here soon and will take you to school. Chuck will keep you updated as much as he can. There’s nothing to worry about.” Evelynn agreed and gave Cheyenne another big hug before retiring to her room once again.
After getting the last few things together and leaving for the hospital, Cheyenne took one more peak at Evelynn; afraid she might never see her again. It was all she could do, not to run in and hold her one more time. Quietly, she closed the bedroom door and made her way down to the living room where Chuck and Kiki were waiting. William was half asleep on the couch as Kiki and Chuck made small talk. “ok, let’s go” Cheyenne said as she reached for her purse. Kiki gave her a hug as she and Chuck walked out the front door.
The sun was just barely beginning to rise as they pulled away from the house. A light fog covered the green grass and vast pastures. The big truck broke the silence as it drove down the dirt road, kicking dust up behind it. Cheyenne sat in silence as she watched the house shrink in the side view mirror. Chuck reached over and grabbed her hand. She looked down at his hand and smiled. She couldn’t figure out how she got so lucky to have a man like Chuck in her life. He was her rock, if only she knew just how nervous he was as well.
Slap! Her hand hit her alarm as it’s growing annoying buzzing rang out, waking her from her peaceful slumber. She had finally been dreaming of something nice, a sunny day of her, Chuck and Evelynn, riding together by the river; but that darn alarm clock just had to go and ruin it. She lay there, resting her arm on the clock, too tired to even move it; too annoyed to bring her arm back to the bed. Chuck sighed before rolling over, placing his rough hand on her soft arm. He watched as she breathed, the way her hair fell across her shoulder and pillow, the curves of her body. He couldn’t admit it, but he was terrified of her surgery. What if the unthinkable happened and she didn’t come home?
Cheyenne finally rolled over and looked at him with a smile. He smiled back, “good morning.” He whispered, his voice cracking from his slumber. “Morning,” she replied with a quiet sigh. She leaned over to him, nestling her head to his chest; his arms encased her in his body. In just a few hours, they would be at the hospital, preparing her for surgery. They both knew the risk of complications was low, but they couldn’t help but worry. Together they took their time, enjoying the last moments of peace before the craziness of the day fell upon them.
“Mom?” Evelynn sleepily walked into their bedroom. Cheyenne slowly rolled over, “yes sweetheart?” blinking to adjust to the light seeping through the doorway, the silhouette of her daughter hiding some of it. “It’s today right, your surgery?” Evelynn asked. “Yes.” Cheyenne admitted as she sat up on the edge of the bed. Evelynn came running over, practically knocking Cheyenne back into bed as she hugged her. “I love you mom!” Evelynn cried, holding her mom tight. Cheyenne hugged her back, “I love you too. Don’t worry; I’m going to be ok.” She tried to reassure herself as well as her daughter. “Perhaps it worked?” She wondered. “Are you sure?” Evelynn questioned.
“Don’t worry Evelynn; I’ll stay right there at her side, as long as they’ll let me. Plus, the doctor is one of the best” Chuck chimed in. Evelynn looked up at him as he came around the bed and sat next to Cheyenne. “What are you doing awake? It’s still so early.” Cheyenne asked.
“I couldn’t sleep.”
Cheyenne looked at her daughter, in awe of how she was already getting so big. She was growing up before her eyes. “Try to get some rest Honey. Kiki will be here soon and will take you to school. Chuck will keep you updated as much as he can. There’s nothing to worry about.” Evelynn agreed and gave Cheyenne another big hug before retiring to her room once again.
After getting the last few things together and leaving for the hospital, Cheyenne took one more peak at Evelynn; afraid she might never see her again. It was all she could do, not to run in and hold her one more time. Quietly, she closed the bedroom door and made her way down to the living room where Chuck and Kiki were waiting. William was half asleep on the couch as Kiki and Chuck made small talk. “ok, let’s go” Cheyenne said as she reached for her purse. Kiki gave her a hug as she and Chuck walked out the front door.
The sun was just barely beginning to rise as they pulled away from the house. A light fog covered the green grass and vast pastures. The big truck broke the silence as it drove down the dirt road, kicking dust up behind it. Cheyenne sat in silence as she watched the house shrink in the side view mirror. Chuck reached over and grabbed her hand. She looked down at his hand and smiled. She couldn’t figure out how she got so lucky to have a man like Chuck in her life. He was her rock, if only she knew just how nervous he was as well.