Heartbroken Preview #2

Okay, grab your tissues…Here is your next preview from Heartbroken. Please let me know what you think!

This is an edited chapter- Bill’s parts have been removed. You will have to wait to read about that… 🙁  (It will be worth it, I promise)

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Tommy and Jack walked into the room and looked at Julie. She lay on the bed, her body covered and the sheet over her head. Brittany stood behind and simply stared at them, too numb to move.

“How is she supposed to breathe when her face is covered,” Tommy said and uncovered the top of the sheet. He sat down on the side of the bed and smoothed her hair back.

“That’s better,” he said softly. “Now you need to wake up so we can go home.”

Jack went to the other side of the bed and sat down.

“It’s like when she didn’t want to go to school. She would pretend to be sleeping,” Tommy said and smiled. “I need you to wake up now.”

Brittany walked to them and crossed her arms around her middle, barely able to watch the scene.

“She suffered a traumatic aortic disruption and it completely tore away from the chest wall. There wasn’t time to do anything to save her.”

Tommy picked up his sister’s hand and held it as he spoke to her.

“Jack will fix you. He’s the best heart surgeon there is, so everything will be fine,” he turned and looked at Jack.

“You should go get ready. Do you want me to help?”

Jack didn’t move. He just sat there and stared at Julie.

Tommy ignored him and turned back to Julie.

“You feel cold. I’ll grab another blanket,” he got up and reached for a blanket, covering her and tucking it around her body.

“That’s better,” he said and smiled again. “How about if I just sit here with you until you feel better?”

Brittany walked over to him and sat down on the chair.

“Tommy, can you look at me for a minute?”

He didn’t move and she took a deep breath.

“I need for you to look at me.”

“You know, everyone says that I changed so drastically when our parents were killed, but because of you, I actually learned how to live,” he spoke to his sister. “When you looked at me with your big green 12 year old eyes, I saw my purpose. I knew that it was my honor to watch you grow up into the beautiful and amazing woman you are. I used to pretend that you needed me to help you, but in reality, you saved my life. I am so proud of you.”

Brittany touched his hand and he finally turned and looked at her.

“I didn’t see you come in,” he said. “Do you think you can help her wake up?”

Her tears spilled over her cheeks as she reached to touch his face.

“Baby, Julie passed away. She is gone.”.

He turned back to Julie and shook his head.

“Why isn’t anyone doing anything? Since when do we sit around and do nothing?”

Jack got up and went to walk out when Tommy stopped him.

“Why aren’t you prepping the OR? Why don’t you do anything?”

He stopped and faced Tommy.

“I need to go back to my wife.”

“You’re just going to leave us? After everything we’ve meant to you? You can just walk away when she needs help?” Tommy yelled at him.

Brittany didn’t know what to do to help him. She also worried about where her brother went.

“Julie is gone. I can’t help her,” Jack said tragically.

Tommy looked between them and turned back to his sister.

“I’ll do it myself. I don’t need you to act superior. I am a damn good surgeon and I’ll fix her myself,” he went back to Julie and began to grab some surgical equipment.

Jack looked at him and walked over.

“Stop it. You aren’t butchering her. She is dead,” Jack said.

Tommy smacked him across the face and then he shook his head.

“No,” he brokenly. “She can’t be.”

Jack shrugged and looked at his hands.

“We are all useless,” he said and walked out.

Brittany watched as her husband sank to the floor and she rushed to him, holding him as he finally realized the truth.