Chapter Eleven: A Little Truth From Everyone (Part Three)
Both Elinor and Mrs. Jennings were out of breath by the time they reached the emergency room. Upon receiving a call from Christopher Brandon that he was on his way to the hospital due to an unconscious Marianne, the ladies tried their best to flag down a cab despite the downpour. It took them half an hour to do so and another half hour to navigate the busy and rainy streets of London.
Finally, they arrived and it was Elinor's panicked voice asking her sister which made Christopher reveal himself.
"Elinor! She's here!" he alerted, meeting the ladies half-way across the emergency room.
"How is she, Christopher?" asked Mrs. Jennings, eyeing the closed curtain for Marianne's privacy.
"The doctor, the wife of an old friend of mine, is with her now. She blacked out even before reaching my car and I had trouble rousing her. I hope it was just because of the stress, but I fear worse." He admitted, conscious of his shabby appearance – wrapped in a blanket while his clothes are soaked with rain water.
"Christopher?" called the doctor – a plump woman in her 40's - while approaching the group.
"This is Dr. Charlotte Palmer. She is the wife of an old army buddy of mine. Charlotte, this is Mrs. Jennings, Marianne's relative and Elinor Dashwood, her sister." Introduced Christopher
"I wish I could meet you all under better circumstances. However, I need a few more information. Ms. Dashwood, has Marianne suffered any pulmonary infection recently?" asked Dr. Palmer while looking at Marianne's chart.
"She's had a slight cough for a couple of days now." Replied Elinor thoughtfully.
"Her nose was runny and she complained of hay fever when you and Christopher were out for dinner. She had a bit of paracetamol before dinner and went to bed." Added Mrs. Jennings
"I do not think that it is hay fever. She may have had a bit of an infection in her lungs the past few days and the paracetamol only addressed the symptoms. Added to the fact that she was rained on heavily tonight, I am sure that it has developed to pneumonia." Explained Dr. Palmer
"Surely you jest, Charlotte." Said Christopher in a grave tone
"I'm sorry, Christopher, but I'm not. I've requested for the tests done. We'll transfer her to the ward for now and we'll hook her up to an IV. One of you can look after her." Added Dr. Palmer, checking something on Marianne's chart.
"Private room, Dr. Palmer, so both Elinor and I can stay with her. I'll sign the paperwork and settle what needs to be settled." Commanded Mrs. Jennings, making no room for argument.
"Noted. I'll have the nurses get on with it and we'll transfer you in a few minutes." Nodded Dr. Palmer leaving Christopher, Elinor and Mrs. Jennings alone.
"Mrs. Jennings, thank you for your generosity, but we would never be able to pay you back soon." Declared Elinor
"Don't even think about it, Elinor. You know as well as I that Marianne would be more comfortable in a private room. So would you and I if we are to stay for the night." She said.
"I think it would be best if you go to her now. I'll get a change of clothes and coffee for all." Offered Christopher, discarding the blanket on a nearby empty chair.
Once they were transferred to a private room, Mrs. Jennings immediately settled on of the chairs. She fell asleep despite her intake of a strong cup of coffee. Meanwhile, Elinor and Christopher remained tiredly awake and across each other on Marianne's bedside.
"I do not know how to inform my mother." Admitted Elinor out loud, using one hand to hold onto Marianne's and the other to hold her mobile.
Upon getting the test results, Dr. Palmer has informed them that her diagnosis was, in fact, accurate and that Marianne lungs were inflamed and she suffers from a bacterial case of pneumonia. They were given face masks to wear. Dr. Palmer tried to keep things short and informed them of the gravity of the situation. She said: "Her body is currently fighting the bacteria and we are trying our best to help her. However, her immune system is comprimised and it might one serious fight."
"Honesty will be best." He said, eyeing the mobile phone.
"I feel as if I am at fault somehow."
"Would it help if Mrs. Dashwood was here instead?" Christopher suggested
"She couldn't. The earliest train will be tomorrow morning and Mr. Middleton wouldn't be able to find a driver for her in this late hour." Remarked Elinor
"I can pick her up now. Call her and explain what has happened. Then, tell her that I am on my way now so that she can be with you and Marianne by early tomorrow morning." He said, discarding the face mask, standing up and retrieving his car keys from his pocket.
"I cannot impose, especially after everything you've done for her."
"Not at all. I would be happy to do it." He said. Lovingly gazing at Marianne's pale face, he admitted:
"I feel as if I am at fault as well."
"No. Never that. You have been a constant friend. Not just to her, but to our family also." Assured Elinor, giving her friend a meaningful hug before Christopher Brandon turned and left to pick up Mrs. Dashwood.
A terse conversation with a panicked Mrs. Dashwood later and a change for IV for Marianne, Mrs. Jennings woke up and offered to get Elinor another cup of coffee and a few sandwiches.
"It would be best to keep your strength up, Elinor." The older lady implied. She then walked away from the room and towards the hospital cafeteria leaving the two sisters alone.
"Marianne. I'm not sure if you can hear me, but if you do I want you to fight this." Whispered Elinor to her sister, inching closer to her. She then continued on by saying:
"Please, Marianne. If you do not want to do it for yourself. Do it for me because I would be lost without you."
A half an hour later, Elinor heard a polite knock on the door. Thinking it was Mrs. Jennings bringing a bunch of sandwiches to feed a small army, she quickly opened the door with a smile on her face.
She was shocked to see Dr. Jonathan Willoughby.
"I saw Mrs. Jennings in the cafeteria and she has informed me of what she thought of me and of Marianne's condition." Stated Jonathan, looking directly at Elinor.
"You are not welcome here, Jonathan." Argued Elinor.
"I am a medical professional. I can help." He offered and went inside the room to Marianne's bed despite Elinor's refusal. Quickly, he scanned her charts and asked:
"Dr. Palmer is very abled. Did the nurse change her IV already?"
"You can see the charts yourself Willoughby. Now, please. Get. Out." Demanded Elinor, in a hushed – albeit strong – voice as to not disturb Marianne's rest.
"Elinor, please. How can you dismiss me so easily knowing what Marianne and I have." Implored Jonathan, facing away from Marianne to look straight at Elinor's eyes.
"Had, Jonathan. What you and Marianne 'had' because whatever was between the two of you is over. How could you lie to us all? To her most of all?" she drilled, anger evident on her face.
"I had no choice, Elinor. I was in debt. I owe millions and when my wife found out, she demanded a separation. I travelled around a bit to try to avoid the people I owe money to. I went to Barton Park with the sole purpose of asking my aunt to advance my inheritance so I can pay my creditors. Then, I met Marianne and everything changed." He explained
"You met Marianne and nothing changed, Jonathan. Even before you met us, when both of you were going out and even now at this very moment, you still owe money; something that might have been prevented if you had better spending habits." Remarked Elinor, disputing his claim with a grimace.
"Yes. That is true, but being with Marianne made me a better man, Elinor. I had it planned out. I was going to advance my inheritance, pay my debts, divorce my wife and marry Marianne." He added
"Really? That was your plan and now that Mrs. Allen decided to strip you out of an inheritance, you decided to go back to Mrs. Willoughby because she had all of the money?" she asked incitingly
"Yes." He admitted
"What about Beth Williams? Did her and your son have no place in your marvelous plan, Dr. Willoughby?" asked Elinor mockingly.
"I see Christopher Brandon plays the hero, eh? Maybe he wants to earn a few points with Marianne." He ridiculed knowing full well that Elinor's only source about Beth Williams would be the young girl's god father
"Christopher Brandon is ten times the man that you ever will be, Jonathan. He has done nothing, but be a friend, not just to Marianne, but to our whole family. More so, he has willingly – and most humbly – told us the truth when all of our emotions were in the dark." Defended Elinor
"Really now, Elinor? Do you think good ol' Brandon will tell the truth or he would rather share a few selected facts to push Marianne to his direction?" goaded Jonathan which promptly Elinor to quickly respond by saying:
"Not selective at all, Jonathan. It was more about being concise. In fact, I can sum it up with three simple truths. One, you are a liar - you lied to us all by hiding the truth. You are married with children and yet in the course of your relationship with Marianne, you never even mentioned it. Two, you are a tosser. You are in debt due to your own lifestyle choices and as a grown man with a profession, you expected your ailing aunt to be the one to get you out of your problems. Three, you are a womanizer. You took advantage of a vulnerable young girl travelling the world and left her pregnant in a foreign country, too ashamed to call home for help. We are lucky to know these three simple truths about you."
"Is that what you will now think of me Elinor? Do you think that is how Marianne will see me as well?" he asked
"I cannot answer for her, but yes, that is how I think of you. Now please, go." She commanded, opening the door and showing him out.
"Elinor, please. I beg you. I know you think lowly of me, but my feelings for Marianne were true. I love her and I would have married her-" He said, crossing the room and out the door.
"-Had it not been for the money." Said Elinor, slamming the door in front of his face.
Author's Note: Thank you for reading. Yes, I borrowed that last line from the 1995 movie. :) Just had to pay homage to it somehow.