"Are you okay, sweetie?" an old lady called out to me, but I stumbled past them as fast as I could. I couldn't stand seeing anyone's face or talking. The pain was too great.
I reached the hospital and managed to choke out Solidad's name to the nurse behind the front desk.
"She's in critical condition down the hall," the nurse replied, and I didn't dare look up into her worried face. "But, you can wait right outside the door. There are chairs set up there. I can get a magazine..."
I shook my head abruptly, and trudged over to the chairs by the emergency room. I saw his shoes. I saw his hands clenched into shaking fists. I saw falling tears. I didn't need to look up to know who it was.
I took a seat right next to him. Putting my arm around him, I rubbed his back to comfort him, but, at the same time, I knew I was comforting myself.
We sat in silence for what seemed like forever. Nurse came over to tell us news, but we waved them away. We didn't need more.
Harley didn't bother to show his ugly face. I hope he figured out that I wouldn't be able to control myself around him. I knew Drew wouldn't either. Right now, the suffering was his fault and I wanted to avenge it.
Day turned into night. I hadn't eaten anything, but I lost my appetite. A nurse told us to leave for the night. Visiting hours resumed in the morning. Solidad was having surgery.
Still, I could not bear to look at Drew's destroyed face.
We checked into the Pokemon Center, not getting lost on our way there, and went into our adjacent rooms.
As I laid on my bed, I stared up at the bunk above me and just thought. I didn't cry, or really feel any emotions for that matter. I just stared and thought. Things started to become a whole lot more logical.
Somewhere between remembering Solidad's exact last words and her face before the car struck her down, I fell asleep.
The morning was tense. We received a phone call that Solidad's visiting hours were to start in an hour, so Drew and I gobbled down breakfast. We did not dare to be late.
"May, have you seen my jacket?" Drew called to me. They were the first words he had said to me in almost twenty-four hours.
It was unusually cold for a September morning. The sprinkle of rain and sharp breeze seemed to reflect our mood. Somber. Like we were going to a funeral for someone we kind of knew. We did not know what to expect. We had cried all of our tears and now was the time for silence and respect.
Upon walking to the emergency room door, we were immediately shooed away by doctors.
"No, we need to see Solidad," Drew said, trying to look innocent.
"She's on the third floor recovering. Now, if you would, please leave," the doctor said, showing us the door.
We found the stairs and sprinted up them.
Out of breath, I asked, "Why do you think they moved Solidad, Drew? Is she going to be okay?"
Drew shook his head. "I have no idea. I wish I did though. It's either that or..." He trailed off, clearly not wanting to finish that sentence or even think about it.
We pushed Solidad's door open, holding our breath and crossing our fingers.
"Guys!" someone exclaimed.
As we entered the room, we found Solidad asleep and Harley sitting at her bedside.
Harley got up and walked towards us. I could feel Drew stepping backward toward the door. I fought the urge to rip Harley limb from limb myself. I took a step in front of Drew, praying that my self control was better than I thought it would be.
"Hello, Harley," I said, stiffly.
"Oh my god, guys. I can't believe what's going on. It's madness!" he said, throwing his arms in the air and waving them around to indicate "madness".
"At least it's not our fault," Drew snarled from behind me. I put my hand on his, trying to tell him to calm down.
"It is madness, Harley," I said, narrowing my eyes. "Just how exactly is she doing?"
Harley glanced back at Solidad's sleeping figure and shrugged. "Okay, I suppose-"
"Okay?" Drew yelled at Harley, "Okay? What the hell are you talking about with okay?"
"Watch your language," Harley said, coolly. "She's in reasonably good condition, except that-"
I froze. "Except what?"
"Would you all let me finish?" Harley yelped, stomping his foot.
I held my hands up in defeat. "Go."
"Okay. She was in critical condition. Now, they fixed her up. She's recovering now. They gave her surgery, and...yeah."
Drew suddenly stepped in front of me. "Surgery! What does that mean exactly?"
Harley started to look a little afraid. "Well, the doctors said they couldn't do anything and-"
"Tell me what happened!" Drew shrieked.
"They amputated."
"Amputated?" I questioned in horror.
"Her hand?" Drew whispered.
Harley nodded. Drew fell to the ground, his hands grabbing fist fulls of his hair.
"She was all I had left," he muttered. I think he was talking to himself, but loud enough for Harley and I hear, "With mom gone." He started rocking back in forth. It was horrible to watch.
I turned to Harley. "Her hands gone?" I couldn't believe it.
Harley ignored me and looked at Drew. "I'm really sorry, Drew."
"No you're not!" Drew screamed, standing up to face Harley and I, "Neither of you are! It's your fault Harley. And, you," he added nastily, looking at me, "You're taking his side. He hurt Solidad. It's his fault and you're helping him!"
I gulped and tried to speak. "Drew...D-Drew..."
"No. I don't want to talk!" he screamed, "Get away from me! I don't want to see either of you!"
He ran out of the room, covering his face.
Harley and I looked at each other warily.
"May...I..."
"Harley, don't worry. He'll come around," I said. "He's just been hurt pretty badly. We have to leave him alone so he can heal. Once he does, he'll come back to us. Just don't worry. Things will work out."
As we both looked back to Solidad, I wished, more than ever, that my words would be true.