Uncle C asked us to look out for his parents, who were on their way, and he went back into the room. Mom kept her eyes glued to the floor. Dad was grinding his hands together and Pappou was staring ahead, looking old and tired.
When the door opened again, Uncle C came out with Aunt Soph behind him. She closed the door so I couldn’t see in, but I could hear machines beeping. Aunt Soph’s cheeks were smeared with makeup. She looked worn out, like she’d just run a hundred miles without stopping, and her body was about to crumple to the floor.
Mom saw her and her hand shot to cover her mouth.
In a split second, my dad’s huge arms reached around Mom and Soph and pulled them together. Mom’s arms slid around Soph’s shoulders, and Soph started sobbing so hard that her body was trembling. Uncle Christos put his arms around them too, and the four of them stood there like that for over a minute.
I glanced at Pappou. He was looking upward and mouthing something under his breath. I couldn’t hear what it was, but I think he was thanking God. Or Yiayia. Or maybe the ceiling.
“How is she?” Mom asked when Dad let go of everyone and they stood wiping their noses.
Aunt Soph replied, “She’s not conscious. They’re deciding whether to operate.”
She came over to where I was sitting, held the tops of my arms, and looked at me with such despair in her eyes that it made my guts shrivel. “She missed you so much, Lex,” she murmured. Then she moved over to Pappou and squatted beside him, holding his hand.
I stared at my sneakers as they knocked together with a tap-tap-tap.
Stay with me, Eleni, I called in whale song. Please. I’m sorry I lied about Yiayia and the necklace.
Just then, the door opened and the doctors called Aunt Soph and Uncle Christos back into the room. A black nurse with red glasses came over from the reception desk and told us we could wait in the waiting room. “Might be a while,” she said kindly. “Especially if they’re going to operate. There’s a coffee machine in there and it’s quiet. Maybe you should take your children home?” she suggested to Mom and Dad. “It could be a long night.”
“They’re staying right here with us,” my dad said while taking my hand and smiling at her.
“Inseparable family, eh?” she said beaming. “Good. That’s what it’s all about.”
And I thought, Inseparable family?
Hah!
Don’t get me started.
Ten minutes later, Aunt Soph and Uncle C came out looking pale. A nurse gave them some forms to sign, which must have been hard because Aunt Soph started shaking her head. She was so upset, I had to turn my eyes away and look somewhere else.
Once they’d signed them, Aunt Soph came over to me and said in a shaky voice, “Lex. They don’t know if she’ll…if she’s going to make it.” She frowned and whispered, “Will you come?”
I nodded and Aunt Soph led me by the hand into the room.