Chapter 1
"hi,this is Gunnar, please leave a message at the beep"his cute but smarmy southern voice greets me once again,"Gunnar,it's Scarlett, i've been trying to call you for the past since last night,i'm worried about you please call me"i say into the phone. Hanging up with a click,i start to pace our living room in our tiny apartment, he hasn't come home since last night, and when he did we had a huge fight. He stormed out,slamming the door behind him, he was pretty upset. I'm starting to feel like it's my fault that he left,if I had never asked him that one qeustion, he wouldn't have stormed out and I wouldn't be worried right now,but I think I would be worried anyways,no matter what happened. It's midnight and I know I should be in bed,but I know sleep won't come easy tonight,just like it didn't last night,worries about Gunnar making it hard to sleep. Passing by Gunnar's room,i peek in and I see an unmade bed,his guitar beside it,and a red glow of an alarm clock penetrating the darkness.
I suddenly realize how sleepy I am,and with much resistance I get myself to go and lay down for a little bit on his bed. His whole room smells like him,it smells like cinnamon and peppermint,a scent only he can pull off,without it smelling obnoxious. At some point in time I fall asleep because the next thing I know the phone beside me is ringing,fumbling for the lamp on his bedside table I answer the phone. "Hello,Gunnar"i ask, "no,miss,this is not gunnar, it's Nancy from nashville general,who is this"she asks,"Scarlett o'hare"i say. "ok mrs. O'hare,we have your boyfriend here,he was admitted last night,we only found his id this afternoon"she says, "oh my god"i say shakily,hands shaking the phone drops to the floor,"ms,ms"i hear the voice on the other end say,but nothing registers as I pick up the phone,hang up,grab my keys and head out the door.
I know I shouldn't be driving,i'm already struggling to keep my eyes on the road,thoughts of what could've happened to Gunnar racing through my head. One of the many thoughts I have is that he could've gotten drunk and into a barfight,but that doesn't make sense why he would be in the hospital now. Time passes slowly as I finally approach the hospital that's a fifteen minute drive from my house,though it seems more like 45,with my sense of time. Finding a parking space close to the door, I walk quickly into the emergency room,tennis shoes squeaking against the lineleoum floor. Approaching the nurses station I try to ready myself to ask the question, "excuse me,ms,i'm looking for my boyfriend"i say, "name please"she asks, "Gunnar scott"i say, "ok,he's up in room 114 on the fourth floor, a nurse at the nurse's station up there should be able to tell you what's going on"she says firmly. Following her directions I make it to the elevator and finally the fourth floor.
Once again I approach the nurse's station, and I ask her the same question, "excuse me,i'm looking for my boyfriend"i say, "name please"she says, "Gunnar scott"i say, "ok he's in room 114 down the hall and to the right, a doctor will be with you in a bit to tell you what happened, but fair warning hes really pale and hooked up to machines"she says to me. Walking down the hallway I finally find his room and I creak the door open, and there he is. He's connected to tubes,one I can tell is for fluids,the other is a catheter I think, pulling a chair beside him,i sit down and then I realize he has white gauze across his abdomen,whatever has happened must not have been as minor as I had hoped Trying to be quiet so as not to wake him I take his hand in mine and I soon enough fall asleep.