How does one word completely define your existence? One word made up of letters; vowels and consonants; put together that will define your being...
Alicia looked down at her phone. Peter had just finished his talk at the correspondents luncheon. Despite the opening commentators attempt at jokes, the whole thing had been boring. '4 new voicemails' 2 from Kalinda; 1 from Diane and 1 from Will. As she goes to listen to them, her phone starts vibrating. '3 times in an hour, Kalinda?' Alicia says jokingly into her phone. Kalinda, on the other end in a shaky voice, responds 'Yeah, so youve got to know it's important. Alicia, Will has been shot.'
Alicia's breathe catches in her chests and for a minute, it feels like her heart stops. 'He what? No, he's in court. I just saw him yesterday' Alicia replies. 'He was in court. Shots were fired in court.' Kalinda starts to say but is interrupted. 'Are you sure it's him? Is he ok?' Alicia says quickly. 'I'm positive it's him. I saw the paramedics bring him out. They're taking him to Chicago General' 'I'll meet you there. I'm heading out now.' Alicia hangs up her phone.
She grabs her purse and stands. Peter calls out to her. She turns and nudges Eli. 'I've got to go. There's been an emergency at the courthouse. Tell Peter I'll call him later' she tells him. 'Alicia, you can't leave. There's still a few potential donors...' Alicia cuts him off. 'I'm needed somewhere else more. I've got to go.'
Alicia pushes through the sliding glass doors of the Emergency Room. Her mind hasn't stopped for the last 17 minutes since she spoke to Kalinda. 'Excuse me, miss! Miss! I'm looking for William Gardner. He was in the courthouse shooting' Alicia said with urgency in her voice. 'Ma'am, I'm sorry. We're not releasing information on any of the victims. Chicago Police Department is notifying next of kin' 'He has no next of kin. I'm his...' Soulmate Alicia finished in her mind. That's the word that comes to mind when she thinks of Will. 'Alicia' Alicia hears her name from down the hall. She rushes toward Kalinda. She starts speaking wildly 'they wouldn't tell me anything. They said CPD is notifying next of kin. We've got to get his sisters here. Or his mom. They shouldn't hear this on the news.' 'Alicia, calm down. Take a breath. I called his sisters. They're calling his mom and then heading here he's...'Kalinda's eyes filled with tears as she finished speaking. 'He's in surgery. He lost a lot of blood. Two of the wounds were bad. That's what we know for now. Cmon. Diane is waiting upstairs' Alicia starts to follow Kalinda but stops. 'Kalinda, I can't loose him. Not when he's been so mad at me. Not when things are so unfinished' Alicia says. 'Wills a fighter. He's going to get him through this. We're going to get him through this' Kalinda tells her and pulls her toward the elevator.
Two hours later, she's sitting in a small waiting room with Diane and Kalinda. Wills sisters are on their way but gave the hospital permission to speak with Diane. Alicia suddenly remembers that Will left her a voicemail. 'Alicia , we're ready for you. Alicia, I'll call you back.' Alicia pulls the phone away from her ear to see the time stamp. 11:32am. 'What time was the shooting?' Kalinda responds, ' He must have been on a break. He was shot...it happened just before noon. '
A squeak makes them aware that the door is opening. In walks a doctor with a solemn look on his face...