Chapter 6: You Never Hear the Bullet
Summary: A visit to an emergency room.
-1997-
She burst through the double doors and into the emergency room, hot on the heels of the paramedics with the gurney.
"Male, mid 40's, GSW to the lower left abdomen, blood pressure..." The rest of the litany was lost to her ears as ER personnel gathered around and a doctor started barking out orders.
She followed them to a curtained alcove, weaving through the crush of people blocking her path. Frantically the doctors and nurses worked on the patient, staunching and cleaning the wound, hooking up IVs, checking if any major organs or arteries had been damaged by the bullet. She stood watching, oblivious to everything happening around her except for the blood that showed bright red against pale skin and the spiking lines and incessant beeping of the monitor indicating his body's struggle with the trauma.
Suddenly a loud, long drone sounded from the machine. The doctors readied and applied the paddles, once, twice. They performed CPR but, one by one, gradually gave up.
She closed her eyes, a single tear escaping. "Come on, fight," she whispered fiercely, arms wrapped around her chest. "You can beat this. Your friends need you. Nikki and the kids need you."
I need you too. C'mon, fight this. Please.
A single loud beep broke the silence, followed by more in a steady rhythm. Tentatively she approached him, her hand lightly brushing brown hair streaked with gray. "It's me," her voice low and soothing. "I'm fine. The other bullet missed me. You'll be fine, too."
Deep brown eyes slowly opened and met her blue ones, then she was shoved out of the way as medical staff quickly returned to the gurney. A nurse finally approached her, leading her gently but firmly away, murmuring reassurances as she escorted the young woman to the waiting room.
Nikki fidgeted in the narrow seat, trying to calm Celia and Jimmy while Pete hovered nearby, concern evident in every line of his face. They all looked up anxiously when she approached them.
Becky smiled through her tears.
"Uncle Mac's alive. He's going to be just fine."