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“Go, son. We will keep you updated,” Desmond says, shooing him away with his hand.

As we all take our seats again, the room descends into silence once more, only this time, it’s a lot less bleak. Now there’s the hope that new life will be joining the family soon, and that anticipation helps to alleviate some of the stress that’s clouding the room.

It feels like about an hour or two later when the door finally opens again. As it does, everyone is on tenterhooks, waiting to see who it is, and what news they bring. A doctor in his fifties with short grey hair and dark green scrubs walks in, and I recognise him straight away as the one who took Evan into the operating room.

“I’m looking for the next of kin of Evan Doughty,” he says, and I don’t hesitate to jump to my feet.

“I’m his girlfriend, Teigan,” I say quickly.

The doctor grimaces slightly as he addresses me. “I’m sorry to ask, but are you married?”

I shake my head. “No.”

“Then legally you’re not his next of kin, unless he named you in any legal paperwork,” he explains, and I look around the room frantically, trying to work out by his demeanour if Evan is still alive.

“I-I don’t… I don’t think he did,” I mutter, my eyes focused on the doctor’s face.

I look at every expression, trying to work out if he’s going to give me bad news or good, but he gives nothing away. “I’m sorry, it will need to be his closest living blood relative. Does he have parents?”

Desmond stands, his face a blank, emotionless mask, but his eyes give away the anger I can see simmering beneath the surface. “I’m his father, Desmond Doughty.”

“Great. Shall we talk outside?” he asks, gesturing to the door.

Desmond shakes his head, not moving an inch. “Everyone in this room is his family. Whether you have a piece of paper to confirm it or not, this girl is his next of kin. She is who Evan would want to be kept informed before anyone else. She is who he would want to make decisions on his behalf. So whatever you have to say to me, you can say to everyone,” Desmond states firmly, leaving no room for discussion.

The doctor gives him a polite nod. “Evan’s surgery went well,” he says, and I breathe a sigh of relief.

He’s not dead!

For just a moment, when the doctor was refusing to tell me anything, I thought he was going to inform me that I’d lost the love of my life. I thought he was following all the rules to break the news that would tear our family to pieces. So when he doesn’t say that, I feel like my soul breathes a sigh of relief.

I have to focus hard on the rest of what the doctor is saying. “We had to remove his spleen, and repair some damage to his bowel, but we believe we’ve stopped all the bleeding. He lost a lot of blood, and has had to have a blood transfusion. He’s unconscious right now, and will remain that way until we think he’s stable enough to bring him around.”

“Can I see him?” I ask, not bothering to hide how desperate I sound.

“I’m sorry, but not until he’s stable. He’s in the ICU, right now, but as soon as we can, we will bring you to him,” he explains.

“Thank you,” Desmond says, reaching out to shake the doctor’s hand. “Do you have any news about my other son, Liam?”

The doctor frowns as he shakes his head. “I’m sorry, no. Last I heard, he’s still in surgery.”

Bree lets out a strangled cry as she drops back into the chair behind her, bringing her hands up to cover her eyes. Shane hands Nate to Ryleigh, and moves over to pull Bree into his arms, holding her as she cries.

As soon as the doctor leaves the room, all the tension in my body seems to dissipate, and I can feel my strength leaving me. I start to flop, and I’m sure I’d hit the floor if it weren’t for Desmond reaching out to grab me. I didn’t even realise I was crying until the sobs echoed around me.

“He’s okay?” I ask, needing to hear someone else tell me they heard the same thing.

I know it sounds stupid, but I’ve managed to convince myself that my brain might be lying to me. I want so desperately for him to be alive, that I heard what I wanted to hear.

“He’s going to be fine,” Desmond whispers in my ear, and I can’t help but laugh.

As he wraps his arms around me, I’m filled with mixed emotions. Evan is going to be alright, but Bree is on the other side of the room, still in the same position I was in a few moments ago.

She could still lose the love of her life, the father of her child, her soulmate, and I’m here laughing because my guy’s alive.

Guilt and shame eat away at me, but still, all I can feel is relief that Evan is going to be okay.

The wait for the nurse to come in and tell me that I can finally see Evan is just as agonising as before. Even though I know he’s alive, waiting to see that with my own eyes is painful.