Chapter 95
Alex was driving home from work. Surprised by the little traffic there was on the way home when she glanced at her watch and saw that she left fifteen minutes earlier than usual. She came to a halt at a traffic light when her phone buzzed. She pressed a button on the steering wheel and answered the phone.
"Alexandra Parrish?" Came a strange voice that she didn't recognize.
"Yes. How can I help you?" She asked uncertain about what this formal conversation is all about.
"This is Dr Stefan speaking. Mrs. Sita Parrish put your name down as an emergency contact. She was brought into the ER a few minutes ago. She was in a motor vehicle accident."
Her surroundings came to halt at his last four words. "What happened? Is she okay? Were there anyone with her?" She had so many questions running through her mind.
"I'm sorry, I cannot give you any more information over the phone at this stage. I think it would be better if you come to the hospital." Dr Stefan explained and she turned the car around heading towards the exit for her home town. Not thinking about anything else except her mother and that she needed to get to her as fast as she possibly can.
It was past 6PM and Ryan was still in his office, when his phone buzzed on the table. Surprise to see it was Marci calling because Alex would be home with Phoebe by now. Usually when the caregivers forgot to pack something they'd text to assure the parents that it's at the daycare and they shouldn't worry about it.
"Hi Marci." Ryan greeted holding the phone in place with his shoulder pressed to his ear as he signs a few forms.
"Hi Ryan, are you and Alex both working late? Usually she texts to let me know if that is the case because Phoebe is still here." The caregiver informed him.
Ryan stopped signing the forms in his track when he heard that. "Alex didn't come pick her up?" He asked again just to make sure he understood what she said.
"Marci, I am so sorry. I'll be over in a few minutes to come get her." He apologized as he walked out of his office towards the parking lot, dialing his wife's number all kinds of thoughts running through his mind for why she forgot their daughter. Certain that there's a logical explanation for it.
"Alex! You didn't get Phoebe at day care? Where are you?" He asked when she answered as he drove down the street.
He heard her curse under her breath when he reminded her of it, waiting for an explanation from her side before he continued the conversation. "I'm in Oakland." She replied flatly not in the mood for an argument with her husband right now. Not with everything that's going on.
"Oakland? Alex are you kidding me right now! What the hell are you doing there?" He asked raising his voice a little out of frustration rather than anger.
She pulled up in front of the hospital, resting her head on the steering wheel in exhaustion from concentration on the road because she's been driving like a maniac. And mentally trying to prepare herself for that the doctors will say about her mother and dealing with her husband on the other end of the line.
"Ryan, Ryan please not now. Not today." She pleaded with him.
He let out a groan of frustration because she's not answering the question, let alone inform him on what she is doing there. "Alex why are you there?"
"My mom was in a car accident, Ryan. The doctor wouldn't tell me over the phone what's wrong with her or what injuries she sustained so I drove here. I'm sorry for not getting Phoebe. Can I just find out if my mom will be okay?!" She asked straining her voice as emotions got the better of her.
He let out a steady breath from the other side when he heard his wife's sobs. Not sure of what to say to make this all better. "I'm sorry. I'll get Phoebe and we'll drive down there tonight." He suggested pulling up to the day care.
Alex didn't reply she nodded her head although he couldn't see her. "Ryan, what if she's…"
"Alex no. By overthinking you're only making things worse for yourself. Don't do that." He coached knowing how soon his wife can jump to conclusions in stressful situations.
She got out of the car slowly and made her way through the automatic sliding doors walking towards the reception desk. "Hi, I'm looking for Sita Parrish, I'm daughter." She explained to the nurse behind the desk, who nodded at her and got up to call the doctor.
Alex walked around with her arm crossed in front of her chest waiting for the doctor to show up and speak to her. "Alexandra Parrish?" The tall man asked when he neared her and she recognized the familiar voice from the phone call earlier. She turned around and shook his hand.
"I'm Dr Stefan Taylor, I'm sorry that we have to meet under this circumstances." He started out leading her to a quiet corner in the room.
"Your mother and he companion was involved in a motor vehicle accident. From what the gentleman told us another car jumped a red light as they were crossing and hit the passenger side of their vehicle where your mother was seated." Dr Stefan explained slowly.
"The force of the airbag did more damage than the actual collision ad your mother has sustained some head injuries. There is some brain swelling that we're hoping will go down. It's not significant and if it does lessen within the next 24 hours she'll make a full recovery." He looked at the woman in front of him who looked like she didn't take in anything he just said to her.
"Will she be okay?" Alex asked looking up at him expectantly.
"She's in a medically induced coma for until tomorrow. We won't know anything until we wake her up. I'm sorry, I wish I had better news." He said as he walked away leaving her standing there.
"Sorry, the man who was in the car with my mom. Can I speak to him?" She asked and the doctor led her to a room.
Joey sat on the bed, his left arm in a sling with some minor scrapes on his face, but other than that he seemed fine. He looked up at her when she lingered in the doorway. "Alex, I'm sorry." Joey apologized when he noticed her.
"Are you okay?" She dismissed his apology walking into the room further standing next to his bedside.
He nodded his head and took her hand in his giving it a little squeeze. She sat down on the chair in the room, neither of them saying anything until a nurse called her to let her know her mother is out of surgery and placed in ICU.
Everything about ICU was so clean. So white. So silent and sterile. Her breath caught in her throat and her hand flew to her mouth when she opened the door to Sita's room and saw her in bed. She didn't look much different from when she was sleeping but the IV's and the beeping machines was reality that her mother wasn't just sleeping. She too had some scrapes on her face and a light blue bruise on her forehead, probably from the impact of the airbag and her head hitting it.
With blurry vision she stood next to her bedside smoothing her mother's dark hair backwards. "I need you to keep fighting ma. I still need you in my life." Alex whispered not sure if her mother would be able to hear her but she kept on talking anyway.
The machines kept beeping and she just sat there. Sure she didn't have any tears left to cry staring ahead at nothing in particular, not knowing how much time had passed when there was a knock on the door.
"Alex?" A soft voice came from the door, she looked up to see her husband standing there. She got up slowly and walked into his embrace bring her face in his chest. Soaking it with silent sobs as fresh tears sprung from her eyes. Ryan held her as close as he possibly could not saying anything, because he didn't know what to tell her or how he can make this better with words.
"Phoebe?" She asked when she composed herself, letting go of her hold on his waist. "She's out front with Joey." Ryan told her and she nodded. The two of them stood in the far end of the room looking at Sita. A nurse came to let them know they need to leave. Alex was reluctant to go but Joey assured her it's okay he'll stay over for the night and promised to let them know when anything changed.
Alex picked her daughter up who was sleepy and fidgety. Laying her head down on her mother's shoulder as they walked towards the exit. Alex told Joey she'll leave her car there for him to use in the meantime.
The ride back to Sita's hose was quiet. Not Alex or Ryan said a word. She stared out of the window looking at the passing lights, Ryan concentrated on the road glancing over at his wife every now and then. They pulled up in front of the house and walked inside. Alex laid Phoebe down in the middle of the bed in her bedroom, and Ryan went to take a shower she stood in her mother's room. Taking in her surroundings and how everything is in place. When she and Joey left to wherever it was they were going to they didn't think their night would end like this.
"You should try and get some sleep, sweetheart." Ryan said coming up behind her placing both his hands on her shoulders. Alex didn't say anything, she sighed deeply and walked out of the room following him down the hall to her bedroom.
She spent most of the night staring at Phoebe's sleeping form, listening to her husband's soft snores as she drifted in and out of consciousness.
Hey guys! I'm not a doctor so anything medical is what I've seen in shows. Also I don't know the travel distance between cities but for the case of this, I imagined about an hour or two hour drive between the cities to keep it realistic. Thoughts on this?
Thank you for reading
Lovies-S
