Visiting hours in the ICU were strictly limited each day. Bonnie would take breaks from her exam prep to make the trip to the hospital.
Sometimes she would talk to him. She said harsh things, sweet things—she laid it all out.
But Lawrence's condition showed no significant improvement.
The doctors said it was entirely unrealistic to expect him to wake up immediately, but for now, it seemed he might actually survive the critical window.
In all likelihood, once Lawrence was transferred out of the ICU, he would enter a prolonged coma.
If he pulled through that, he could slowly begin physical therapy. Setting aside some unavoidable lingering issues, he could eventually return to a relatively normal life.
But there was also a five to ten percent chance he wouldn't make it out, leaving him in a persistent vegetative state.
The medical team advised the family to prepare for the worst.
A week later, Lawrence was transferred from the ICU to a regular ward. Shirley came to visit that day. After standing by the bed and watching the unconscious man for a while, she stepped out into the adjoining private sitting area to speak with Odette.
Bonnie sat by the bed, her gaze tracing the curved scar that stretched from Lawrence's hairline all the way to the crown of his head.
It looked like a jagged centipede.
His ventilator had been removed, which meant he was breathing on his own. Now, only the ECG monitor, an IV pump, and a few drainage tubes tethered him to the bed.
Bonnie lifted her hand, her fingers hovering just above the dark surgical stitches, tracing the line without making contact.
Truthfully, Lawrence had always been incredibly vain, especially around her. He constantly fussed over his appearance and would randomly ask her if he looked handsome.
If Bonnie ever lied and said no, he would absolutely refuse to let it go. He would relentlessly badger her until she exhausted every flattering adjective in her vocabulary just to shut him up.
But if she told him directly that he was gorgeous, his ego would inflate to the size of the room. Bonnie rarely gave him the satisfaction, even though, deep down, she believed no one in the world was better-looking than him.
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