Highway Kismet

Anti-Mitch

Mitchell's POV

Silence had never been more deafening than it currently was while I waited for Dr. Sharma to inform us on how Mila was. I didn't understand why he had to give us a certain look before answering but by the way his eyes were searching the crowd of faces in front of him, I figured he was looking for me as I was the only person he saw before Mila's surgery.

"Doctor," I pressed.

"If we may have a word, sir," Dr. Sharma said looking around once more, "In private."

"No need," Damien who sent a glare my way said to the doctor, "I am her father, and you are to only report to me from now onwards."

I understood where Damien was coming from, but this wasn't the time, we needed to know how Mila was and I wished Damien wouldn't call the shots at this time as if he was in a board meeting.

"We're all here for her," I knew I was only adding fuel to the fire named Damien Brinson but at that moment I couldn't care less, "Please tell us she's going to be alright."

Dr. Sharma nodded and cleared his throat before speaking, "The surgery was a success, however, the next forty-eight to seventy-two hours are critical."

"Her vitals aren't looking great, her blood pressure is low, mainly because we haven't been able to stop the internal bleeding as yet. She is unable to breathe on her own either, we've put her on a ventilator and in a medically induced coma."

The more he spoke, the worse it got. A chill ran up my spine as each word left his mouth, I breathed in relief when he said that the surgery was a success but thereafter everything went downhill. The girl who breathed life into everything she braced her presence with now couldn't breathe on her own and relied on a machine, she was losing blood and there was nothing that could be done except wait and hope for the best.

"We will be monitoring closely by the hour," Dr. Sharma concluded.

I felt like a broken man, every kind of negative feelings I could think of were running a marathon within me. The mere thought of Mila, fighting for her life and in pain wounded me, and it wasn't because this could've been prevented if I just stayed home and kicked Liza out but because she was Mila, the apple of everyone's eye, a pure soul who couldn't wish bad on anyone or anything – as cheesy as it sounded but she was an angel who didn't deserve this.

"Where is she?" Damien, who was earlier yelling at me sounded like a man torn down to nothing, "Can I see her?"

"She's been transferred into ICU," Dr. Sharma said, "I'm afraid for tonight we can't allow anyone in. Close relatives will only be permitted visitation from tomorrow."

"Please, doctor," Damien pleaded, "I just need a second to look at my little girl, even from afar... that's it."

My mom who was beside me sniffed and was crying profusely, I wanted to wrap an arm around her to comfort her, but I couldn't move, I felt frozen while my mind and heart were erratic.

Dr. Sharma nodded, "You can see her from outside the room."

I glanced at Dr. Sharma and took a step forward, I knew I was pushing my luck, but I needed to see her too, even if it was from afar.

"Only her father," Dr. Sharma said.

"I want her in a private room with nothing but the best..." Damien explained as he walked off with the doctor.

I felt as if I was drowning, every word the doctor said was playing back in my mind and I envisioned a helpless Mila, stuck on a bed, unable to move or take control of the situation. I wondered how much pain she was in and it hurt me; I didn't like the idea of her in any sort of distress. Imagining a helpless Mila was something I never thought I'd see, she's always been so independent and strong, she took care of herself and even though life knocked her down multiple times, she found her way back.