15. Chapter 15

One Month later

A weary and exhausted Nicole sits beside Waverly’s hospital bed, holding her wife’s hand, while the ICU Nurse Sarah Noakes takes Waverly’s observations. It’s been a month since Nicole has heard her wife’s voice or felt her body next to hers. The Doctors are not sure as to why Waverly has not come out of her coma, as all her test appear to be all normal. Wynonna and baby Alice have just left for the day, they had brought Nicole a change of clothes, as the Sherriff’s Deputy had not left Waverly’s side, except for when she had to attend to her bodily needs.

“Have you eaten yet, Nicole? If you haven’t, I have some extra salad and BBQ meat, you could have.” Sarah offers Nicole, as all the Nurses have gotten to know Officer Earp Haught and the rest of the Earp clan over the last month.

“Thanks that’s kind of you, I had something with Wynonna a while back. I might take you up on that offer later though. How are her vitals tonight?” Nicole asks only taking her eyes off Waverly for a second to look at Sarah, then she returns her attention to her wife, hoping that there might have been a change, since the last minute that she looked.

“They all appear to be normal. I’ll let the doctor know. And just let me know when you want something to eat, ok.” Replied Sarah.

For the past month Wynonna, Doc, Alice, Aunt Gus and Dolls have all come in to spend time with Waverly and Nicole. Each one share stories from their day with Waverly, filling her in on the different bits of news that has happened within the town. Although all Alice could say was not much except for the odd ‘Mum’, ‘Dad’ and ‘Calm’, which always made Nicole smile. Wynonna would place Alice on the bed, allowing her daughter to play with her toy. Sometimes Alice would crawl up towards Waverly and pat her on the face, thinking that her Aunty was playing a game, where she closed her eyes and was waiting for Alice to wake her. Nicole and Wynonna both wished that was the case, but they knew that there was more to it, than just a child’s wish.

As Waverly’s condition hadn’t changed during the past the month, her Doctors are confused as all her tests and scans came back revealing no possible reason for their patient to still be in a comma. Waverly’s Doctors were becoming rather worried that maybe something had been overlooked. They discussed with Nicole about contacting and calling in a Specialist from Toronto. Nicole was agreeable as she wanted her wife back, so that they could start to prepare for their ‘pups’. Nicole missed talking and listening to Waverly as well as being able to hold her in her arms.

Waverly’s doctors had organised the meeting with the Specialist and it was scheduled for in the morning, Nicole tried to get some sleep on the fold out bed next to Waverly’s bed. Nicole just lay on the bed and watch her beautiful wife, who was attached to machines which showed her heartbeat and other vitals. Nicole thought that even with the cords and tubes from the machines, she could not believe that Waverly could look more beautiful and that she found herself falling that more in love with her wife. Just like every other night, Nicole would eventually drift off to sleep only to wake a couple of hours later. Nicole always helped the night Nurses with repositioning Waverly.

Nicole had always prided herself on knowing that she was able to cope any situation she found herself in. Her training at the Police Academy had drawn out her attributes as a person with nerves of steel in the most stressful situation. But for the past month, Nicole had experienced feeling lost and powerless in being the wife, that can fix Waverly’s problem. All she could do was sit and watch.

Just before Wynonna had left the previous day, she had told Nicole, “Haught sauce, I think that our Baby Girl, won the jackpot when she met you. You have not left her side the whole time since she’s been in here. Thank you for loving my Baby Girl so much. I love you Nicole.” Wynonna pulled Nicole into a hug. It didn’t pass Nicole’s attention that this was one of those rare occasions when Wynonna called Nicole by her name.

Nicole had eventually gotten herself some sleep overnight, before she had a shower and got dressed for the meeting Waverly’s doctors and the Specialist. While Nicole was off having a shower and grabbing some breakfast, Waverly was being taken for another MRI. Nicole sits nervously in the meeting room, as the doctors set out Waverly’s scans and tests on the desk. There is a knock on the door and when it opens, Nicole can’t believe her eyes, because behind the more mature female Doctor stands Nicole’s ex-girlfriend, Shae Pressman.

Waverly’s Doctors introduce Dr Wendy Green, who then introduces Dr Shae Pressman, her intern. Nicole extends her hand to both doctors, not wanting to let on that she knew the intern. As the meeting progresses Nicole grows more nervous, as she worries that Shae is not going to be objective, especially when it comes to Waverly’s care.

During the meeting Shae asks, “Before the accident, how were you and Waverly? Where you having any problems in your relationship? Because there may not be anything physical causing a person to be in a coma, sometimes it can be more emotional.” Shae looks directly at Nicole.

“There is nothing wrong with my marriage. We were perfectly fine before the accident. I don’t like what your trying to insinuate, Shae.” An angry Nicole replies, she steels herself by punching her fists into her thighs under the table.

“Um, is there something wrong, Mrs Earp-Haught?’ Dr Green asks.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean for it to sound like that, I was just trying to work out the patient’s mental and emotional state before the accident.” Shae replies.

“Shae, because you think that being a cop was beneath you, does not mean that Waverly feels the same as you. I don’t know if I can have you working on Waverly’s treatment?” Nicole angrily replies.

Dr Green looks at Shae, who then whispers into her ear that Nicole and she had previously dated. Dr Green leans back and stands up and asks Shae to follow her outside into the corridor. They close the door behind them.

All Nicole can hear is muffled voices and then the door opened. Dr Green and Shae walk back in and sit back down.

“Mrs Earp-Haught, I have spoken with my intern and she assures me that she will remain objective throughout our time with you and your wife. If this is agreeable with you, I would like to recommend that we look at your wife’s file and try and work out why she is not waking up?” Dr Green says while holding Waverly’s file in her hand.

Suddenly there is a knock at the door, causing Nicole to jump. When they open the door, Nicole is surprised to see Nurse Michelle Smith standing there. Nurse Smith says, “Doctor, Waverly is awake and asking for Nicole.”

Nicole rushed out of the room and down the corridor, with the rest of the doctors and Specialist following closely behind.

Nicole runs into the ICU ward and straight to Waverly’s bed. She stops in her tracks as she stares at the most beautiful patient on the ward, her wife. Waverly is sitting up in the bed and smiles at Nicole before saying, “Hi sweetie, where have you been?”

Nicole approaches Waverly with tears running down her face as she cups her wife’s face in her hands and draws their lips together for a passionate kiss. Nicole doesn’t care if Shae was standing behind her and watching, the person that Nicole was thinking about, was Waverly and that was all that mattered. Nicole’s wife was awake, and they could start to work on her recovery.