Breathe || Max X Reader - Camp Camp

XL

Word Count: 1,292
Gwen's POV

     How am I going to tell them all of this? "Medically, Preston's condition is called 'pneumothorax', but for the sake of simplicity we can call it a lung puncture.", the nurse continued to explain. I bit my lip and nodded, avoiding any form of eye contact. "Preston's course of treatment involves a chest tube that will help to drain out any air that has become trapped between the lungs and the chest wall. The tube is going to be inserted near the ribcage. The chest tube should also help inflate the lungs once the draining has completed."
     I nodded. Mostly, what he said made sense. "I'm sorry, did I ever get your name?", I asked.
     "You can call me Trevor.", he told me. I nodded. "I'm still a nurse in training, so I would double check everything that I just said with the actual surgeon once Preston's back."
     I slapped myself in the face and rolled my eyes, gripping my hair. "Seriously!", I groaned. Nothing about this situation could've been any worse.
     Trevor twiddled his thumbs sheepishly. "Sorry Ma'am, I was just here to change the bedsheets.", Trevor tried.
     My head was thumping. I felt stressed to the max. "Okay.", I muttered as I shooed him away. Not putting up with this shit! I threw my hands in the air dramatically and sighed. What am I gonna' tell them? The nurse acted like Preston was going to be alright, but he also basically admitted to being a dumbass. The last thing those kids needed from me was false hope.
Alright, I'll just call David. I pulled my phone out of my pocket and dialed his number. I put the phone to my ear and listened to the ringing. Come on, pick up you tree fucker! Sweat started forming on my forehead.
     "Gwen?", David asked.
     I let out a sigh of relief. "Oh, thank God!", I started.
     David laughed on the other end. "What'd they do now?", he asked. I could hear the sounds of unruly kids' screams in the background. "Gwen, you can't just be calling for help all the time! I think it's time you step up and learn what it truly means to-"
     "I'm gonna stop you right there.", I interrupted. Damn, he gets on my nerves. I pinched the bridge of my nose and let out a groan. "David, just listen for once, please! This is serious."
     I let go of my nose and rested my hand in my back pocket. I leaned against the wall. "Okay, Gwen.", David surrendered. "What's the problem?"
     I peered through the window of Preston's hospital room. I squinted to see through the sliver of the window that wasn't blocked by drapes. "Preston.", I said in a low voice. Y/N and Harrison were sitting on Preston's hospital bed, crying together. My voice started to tremble. "Preston, he's...he's got a punctured lung. They said they're putting a chest tube in him. It's this big emergency surgery thing. They said his ribs were taken care of..."
     I took a deep breath. I was dreading having to handle Harrison and Y/N. "Okay, Gwen.", David responded.
     My eyes widened. "What!", I spat. I dug my free hand into my hair, fighting the urge to pull. "Is this a joke to you? We have a kid on the operating table! We're gonna' get our asses sued! How are we going to look his grandma in the eyes and tell her-"
     "Gwen!", interrupted David. I heard a slam in the background. "I think that now it's time for you to listen." How is the okay? How is he not losing his shit? Without even realizing it, I'd been pacing. I nervously fiddled with the collar of my shirt. "We will deal with the legal part when it's time, Gwen. Right now, our job as counselors is to take care of our kids. Preston is out of your control, so you need to talk to Harrison and Y/N. Now, I know that's not really your thing, Gwen, but-"
     "Oh, would you just get to the point already!", I hollered. A doctor from the other end of the hall gave me a stern look. I gave him the bird and walked the other way. Not taking shit today!
     I must've looked feral. My hair was sticking up, my eyes were red, and my nails were bitten past the point of no return. "Gwen, what I need you to do is to let Harrison distract himself. He gets caught up in his magic very easily, so just get him to do some tricks for you.", David explained. I nodded, not that David would've known. "Now for Y/N, she can be tricky. She likes to overthink, so you need to make sure you're only giving her rigid facts. You need to make everything seem very simple to her, it'll help keep her calm."
     "David, that's the issue!", I whined. I wiped away the sweat on my forehead. "I don't really know the facts! I have no clue what to tell her."
     "Then just tell her about what's wrong with Preston and how they plan to fix it. That's all she needs.", he reassured me. I let out long sigh. "I have to go now, Gwen. I'm handling Max, remember?"
     "Oh, yeah.", I replied. I stopped my pacing and started walking back in the direction of Preston's hospital room. "Thanks."
     A pen clicked on David's end. "Anytime.", David promised. "Campe Diem!" David ended the call.
     I grabbed the door handle to Preston's room. I swallowed hard. Don't fuck this one up, Gwen.

David's POV

"Oh, I just know she's going to do great!", I chirped. I continued filling out the adoption forms. Really, I should probably be doing this in my office... I satisfied an itch on my elbow. The moment I broke eye contact with the papers, I caught Max's gaze. All he had to offer me was a nod. This isn't right! I'm going to adopt a kid who hates me! I frowned and clicked my pen. I looked out at all of the campers. I had promised them a lake day to help ease their stresses. Max has chosen to opt out and stay on the lakeside with me instead.
Max walked up to me. He sat in front of me and peered over the stack of papers. "David, why are you doing this?", asked Max.
The troubled boy buried his toes in the sand. I smiled. "I care about you. I don't know how to be a parent, but I know how to be a counselor. I can keep you safe. Nobody can hurt you anymore, Max.", I promised. I clicked my pen again and continued writing on the adoption forms. I watched Max as he shyly wiped away a tear. "I know your life has been hard. I know that you had to be an adult at a young age, and I know that you've probably lost faith that there are still good people out there in the world. But, Max, buddy..." I grabbed him by the shoulders and lifted his chin. Behind his well-structured wall of anger and aggression lied an amount of hurt that I'd never be able to empathize with. "It's all over."
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A/N - Hi guys! Today's chapter was a bit shorter because marching band has been tiring me out and making my brain all mushy! It's hard finding time to write in between maintaining healthy sleep, hygiene, and going to hand. It sounds sort of silly, but time keeps spilling all over the place and I don't know how to manage it well. ☁️

Comment Question of the Chapter:

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