Hello! Just a quick thank you for the support I've had on this story so far, and I hope you continue to enjoy it.
Shattered: Chapter 5
"Every man has his secret sorrows which the world knows not; and often times we call a man cold when he is only sad." ― Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Tuesday, 07 October 2014
"Come on, Ethan. You have to put that laptop away sometime." Cal berated his little brother. Ever since Ethan had discovered the clip of the van blowing up, he hadn't stopped watching it.
"But someone stood there - filming a crash site. Who would ever think of doing that... it's disrespectful." He concluded.
Cal shook his head in disbelief, "so is you watching Ash's death over, and over, and over."
He watched as Ethan give him a momentary glance of disbelief mixed with shame, before he shut the laptop and leant back against the pillows, turning his head away from Cal.
Ethan cleared his throat and spoke in a strained voice. "I just - um - he shouldn't have died. That's all."
"Are you sure that's all?" Cal questioned softly.
Ethan nodded, then the brothers fell into an uneasy silence. Cal wanted Ethan to speak, but could understand why he wouldn't. He wasn't long in an accident after all - any normal person would be shaken up. Cal didn't see the point in staying if Ethan wouldn't speak - and he, himself, didn't know what to say - but Lofty had agreed to pick something up from Ethan's flat, and had agreed to come up to Ethan's room to 'deliver' it, as it were.
He needn't wait long, for Cal heard to door click and watched the door open.
"I come bearing gifts!" The nurse joked, making Cal smile.
"Hi," greeted Ethan simply, voice devoid of emotion.
Lofty glanced at Cal after Ethan's response and Cal simply shrugged.
"Ethan... I got Lofty to go to your flat when he was free, and he picked up a suit. I mean, I've cleared it with your doctor, so if you want..." He trailed off. Ethan turned towards Cal, and Cal smiled warmly at him.
"Wha-? Go to the funeral?" He questioned in confusion.
"Yeah, I mean, you can go in a wheelchair and stuff-"
"-no thanks." Ethan said.
"Come on, mate," Cal encouraged. He would have thought his brother would have done anything to go to the funeral of a colleague. He had known Ethan to respect Ash and his work, but Ethan's reasoning made sense.
"I don't really feel up to it, Cal. Thanks anyway, thanks Lofty," he explained, closing is eyes - obviously trying to go to sleep.
"Well, I'll come and see you later, yeah?" Cal asked. Upon receiving no answer from Ethan, he and Lofty left to go to work. Cal did want to go to the funeral, but he couldn't without leaving the ED short-staffed. He was thankful, in a sense, that Ethan didn't want to go to the funeral. Cal wouldn't have been able to keep an eye on him if he did go to the funeral.
He was tired, fed up, and annoyed.
Not only had the ED been quiet and eerie - the same as it had been ever since the accident - but he'd had such boring patients. A broken leg, a sprained wrist, and an infected paper cut (Cal had to do all he could not to scream). So when the paramedics arrived with Resus case, Cal couldn't run to the door fast enough. Luckily, everyone else who was working were caught up with other patients (apart from Lofty, who was helping Cal). He almost smiled... but then he caught sight of the young man on the bed and any excitement left him instantly.
"This is Owen Crimson, 36 years old. Trapped for around fifteen minutes after some scaffolding fell on him. He has some large gashes on his chest, legs, and face. He's been complaining of pain in his lower back but can feel his legs. Suspected neck and back injury - hence the collar. He has breathed in some dust, and his chest doesn't sound too good. He's had 10 of morphine, resps are 15, SATs are 95%, BP is 100/80." The paramedic stated as they pushed the trolley all the way to Resus. "Right, on my count. One, two, three."
Owen was moved to the Resus bed and Cal grimaced at the state of the young man.
"Oh, this is Aerona Crimson, 33. She's Owen's sister. She took a bump to the head after trying to rescue Owen." He said, before leaving Cal and Lofty in Resus.
"Right, okay. Lofty - would you mind getting another nurse, maybe Tash if she isn't busy, to see to Miss Crimson, please. I'll be by as soon as I've finished with Owen." Cal instructed.
"Shouldn't I get Lily or someone?"
"Er - no. I'll be fine. Just get Miss Crimson's injury cleaned up, please." Cal watched Lofty leave with her, before getting to work on Owen.
Cal whipped open the curtain, just in time to see Tash finish up cleaning Miss Crimson's wound. It didn't look too deep - Cal noted.
"Is Owen alright... please tell me he's alright." She begged, almost jumping off the bed.
"Thank you, Tash. I'll take it from here." Tash smiled and left the cubicle while Cal pulled on some disposable gloves. "So, are you feeling dizzy or sick, at all?"
"You didn't answer my question," she stated, looking angrily at Cal.
"You didn't answer mine," he opposed, a humorous glint in his eyes. Miss Crimson just stared at him. "Right, sorry. I can't tell you much - patient confidentiality - but-"
"-what? You can't be serious?! I have the right to know."
"I play by the rules," he stated, raising his eyebrows.
"So if you're brother or sister was involved in a potentially fatal accident, wouldn't you want to know what happened?" She too raised her eyebrows.
That hit home.
"Right, yeah, sorry. I - er -" he found he had a lump in his throat and he could feel his eyes stinging. If only she knew what actually happened a mere five days ago. "He just has a few bumps, bruises, and cuts. He's in CT right now, but I don't think there's any permanent damage."
"So why a CT?" She asked skeptically, obviously very concerned for her brother.
"Because I want to make sure I haven't missed anything," he replied, inspecting her head. "Now you can answer my question."
"No, I haven't been dizzy. No, I haven't been sick. It's just a cut - you should be looking after Owen, not me," she said sadly, looking away from Cal. "What happens if he's not okay? What happens if he's broken his back?" She asked seriously, eyes full of worry.
Cal took a seat on the bed beside her. "He hasn't lost any sensation in any part of his body, Miss Crimson. He should be alright and back home soon."
There was a moment of silence, broken by Cal's curiosity. "Do you live together then? I heard the scaffolding was at a house."
"Yeah, we live together. We were getting some work done on the house - we'd been meaning to for years. Then we finally go ahead, and look what happens," she joked lightheartedly. "Even from when we were younger, we planned to live together. We always wanted to be close, well - until one of us settles down with someone."
"That's really lovely," he said truthfully. If only he had been like that with Ethan. "So, I'm guessing neither of you have settled down with anyone yet? I don't want to intrude, if you don't want to tell me, you don't have to."
"It's alright. No, not really. Owen was with someone for a while, he was really nice. But he cheated on him, so Owen broke up with him. He was heartbroken - he thought this guy was the one. And me? There was this one guy, but it didn't work out."
"Sorry to hear that," he said sympathetically.
"It's fine - I'd much rather be with Owen instead."
"Well, once he's discharged from here, probably in a few days, you and him can get on with your lives again, Miss Crimson."
"You know, you don't have to call me 'Miss Crimson'. It sounds so... posh. Aerona is fine, or Aero."
"Like the chocolate," he noticed. "If it makes you feel better, you don't look anything like the chocolate. You're all dusty and dirty... Aeros are always immaculate." Cal commented. Aerona gave him a death glare before smiling, then Cal started laughing. "Sorry."
"Oh, it's no problem. No problem, at all. I'm just glad I like Aeros. Imagine someone being named after a Knight, when they're nowhere near what a knight is," she smiled mischievously.
"Alright, fine. I deserved that one."
