Enter A Stranger (Chapters 4-6)
Part 4: Comforting
The next morning, Saturday, Mykalla woke up to the sound of the telephone ringing on the desk in the corner. "Mike, it's for you," called Elizbaeth from the other end of the hallway.
Mykalla picked up the phone, "Hello? Oh, hi mom."
"You were suppossed to call me as soon as you got to Elizabeth's. I went crazy trying to find her number," said the voice on the other end of the line.
"Sorry mom. I was so tired that I unpacked and fell asleep. I had totally forgotten when I woke up. We went out to eat and then got stuck at County for awhile."
"You still should have called. I didn't know if you got there or if she was going to let you stay or not."
"Just because you treated she like shit when she asked hte first time doesn't mean she'd hold it against me. Although, she was totally surprised. You were supossed to call her and tell her I was coming!"
"I was busy trying to get you into a school. You start at Mary Mother of Charity Academy on Monday. Your uniform is in your small suitcase. I have arranged for oyu to take the same classes as you are now..."
Mykalla listened to her half heartedly. "Look mom, I have to go. talk to you soon. Bye."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Elizbaeth and Mark were sitting downstairs eating breakfast. "How long is your shift today?" Elizbaeth asked Mark.
"Eight to noon. Only minor medical, no tramas."
"How about the three of us go out this afternoon. I have one surgery at nine, but that should be done by eleven. I'll hang around and give you a ride home."
"That sounds great. I feel kinda bad that Mykalla had to come with us last night. She said something to me about going to see Wrigley Field, we could do that."
"WHy don't you two go, I was never a big baseball fan. I'll make something special for dinner, and pick up a movie. I hae soem charts to look over, so I could get those done."
"You sure you don't want to come?"
"Yes I'm sure. You can get to know Mike a little better."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mark and Mykalla stepped onto the train and took a seat in the middle fo the car. They rode for a couple stops in uncomfortably silence. neither of them knew what to say to the other.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Hello," said Elizabeth as she picked up the phone. "Hi Jill. No Mike's not here. Mark took her over to Wrigley Field."
"Well," said the voice on the phone. "I would like to talk to my daughter when I spend this much money calling her."
"I'm sorry Jill, but she's out with Mark. I don't know when they'll be back. I cna have her call you when she gets in."
"And who is this Mark? She's only been there one day and you're already letting her out with guys? I just hope that it's not that Maria's brother. They aren't a good influence on her."
"No Jill. Mark would be Dr. Grenne, my fiancee. And don't worry about her, she's fine. I have work to do so..."
"Yeah well still... She starts at Mary Mother of Charity on Monday. I arranged the bus and everything. It's picking her up at seven in front of your house, make sure she doesn't miss it. What else? Oh yeah, make sure she calls me, and make sure she does her work. Just because she's there doesn't mean she can slack off."
"Jill I hate to interrupt but I really must go. I will give her your message. Bye."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The train pulled away from a platform. "Wrigley is the next stop. There probably won't be anything going on," said Mark.
"That's alright. Just to say I was there. it's one of those places that I always wanted to see."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The two were sitting in the lower bleachers eating hot dogs. "So why did you coem out here, if you don't mind me asking."
"I wanted a change," replied Mykalla. "my parents have been on my back about everything, especially the phone bill. My mom can't stand Elizbaeth almost as much as Maria, and seeing as how both of them live in Chicago, my mom is pissed off. My dad helped my convince her that it would be better if I came out here. He made this deal with me, if I keep my grades up-meaning no C's-then I can stay. I kinda calmed my mom down a bit."
"At least you have to work to stay. Your dad's probably right about it being a good way to make you keep your grades up," replied Mark.
"Yeah. My mom also said that I should keep away from Maria, but before I left my dad said that she was just overreacting and not to worry about it."
"You know other people out here?" asked Mark.
"Uh huh, Maria Johnson. We went to school togther, we've been best friends since we were three. She moved to Chicago after grade school. I still talk to her everyday, either on the phone or online."
"Maria Johnson, she was in the ER yesterday."
"What happened?" asked Mykalla.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Mykalla sat in the car in silence as they rode in the bas home. Mark was on the cell phone talking to County. Mykalla was staring out the window as the city scenery passed by. She all she could to hold back the tears that were building up. A few stray ones rolled down her cheak. Mark put his phone in his pocket and slid closer to her. "Hey, are you ok?" he asked. Mykalla wiped her face and turned to face him. She tried to smile but shoiok her head. She buried her face in his hsoulder and allowed herself to cry. Mark put his arm around her and sympathetically rubbed herar,. "It's going to be all right. Elziabeth and Dr. Benton have been taking good care of her."
"Elizabeth's her doctor?" asked Mykalla. She picked her head up to look at Mark. Her eyes were bloodshot and her face red form crying, tears were still rolling down her cheaks. Mark couldn't help feeling sorry for her, and a little upset himself.
"Yes, She did the surgery last night and Dr. benton is watching her untit Elizbaeth goes into work on Monday. I told him to watch her closely and call us if anything changes. So don't worry too much."
"Thanks, but I do worry. I don't know what happened or anything. I couldn't stand to loose her, she was closer than a sister. She knows everything about me."
"She'll be fin, I promise. She's in ICU so they can moniter her closely. She came through the surgery and is resting. Normally it's family only, but I talked Benton into letting you visit for a little bit tomorrow. That is if you want to."
Mykalla nodded slightly and rested her ehad on Mark's shoulder. mark held her as they continued home. 'For Mykalla's sake I hope everything turns out ok,' he thought, 'She means to much to Elizbaeth for her to be like this.'
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When they got home, Mykalla went straight up to her room. Mark walked through the living room trying to find Elizabeth. He entered the kitchen adn saw her in the middle of making dinner. "So how was it?" she asked Mark.
"It was good, I think. We were sitting there talking, about all different stuff, and it turns out that she knows some other people out here."
"Her mom said something about a friend of hers that lives here. It seems Jill doesn't like her very much."
"She was telling me about her, Maria Johnson. They've been best friends since they were three."
"Johnson? Why does that name sound familiar?"
"The girl last night form the shooting that you did the surgery on."
Elizbaeth covered her mouth in shock. "Oh my God. I didn't even realize. Does she know what happened?"
"I told her what I knew, I also talked to Benton on the way home. Just to see how she was doing."
"Good news I hope."
"No news is good news, right?"
"Normally, but I think it would help Mike if there was some news, of either kind. I'm just worried about how she's taking this."
Mark walked around the island and sat down next to Elizabeth. " I know," he said.
TO BE CONTINUED
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Part 5: Visitation Rights
Elizabeth and Mark climbed the stairs. "Mark, go ahead. I want to check on Mykalla before I come to bed."
They parted ways, Mark to their bedroom and Elizabeth to Mykalla's. She pushed open the door quietly not wanting to wake Mykalla is she was sleeping.
Mykalla was curled up in a ball on her bed watching the rain roll down the window. She jumped slightly when she saw the light from the hallway cross the bed. Elizabeth entered the room and sat down on the edge of the bed. Mykalla rolled over to face her. Elizabeth wiped the few stray tears from Mykalla's face.
"Elizabeth, she's gonna be ok right? I'm just getting worried for no reason, everything's going to be fine."
"I'd love to give you a different answer, hun, but I really don't know. She was injured pretty badly."
"What happened?" Elizabeth looked at her wearily, unsure if she should share the details of Maria's injury. "Elizabeth, please. Just tell me... please."
"Yesterday there was a shooting at the Park Cafe. Maria and her father were injured. She was hit three times, once in the arm, stomach, and chest."
"That's serious isn't it?" interrupted Mykalla.
"Very. The shots to the arm and stomach weren't as serious as they could have been. The one in her chest..." Elizabeth paused trying to find a way to soften the blow that was coming. "The one in her chest, however, was in her right lung. We had to shock her heart to keep it beating, and to remove the bullet we had to deflate her lung."
"How long is she going to be in the hospital?" asked Mykalla, getting more worried.
"She's going to be in the ICU till at least Wednesday. Then she'll be in the hospital anywhere from one week to up to two months."
"But she's gonna be fine. People live through this type of injury all the time?"
"Mykalla, this is a very very serious injury. We really didn't expect her to make it this far. there is no way of telling how much damage was done," said Elizabeth. Mykalla turned away still trying to process what was being told to her. She got up and went over tot he window. She stared out and started to realize the seriousness of the situation. Elizabeth went over and stood behind her. She placed her arms around her, and tried to comfort her. "I can't promise you that everything is going to be fine, but she has some of the best doctors taking care of her. Benton and Romano are watching her. I'm back on Monday and I will be taking care of her... There's nothing you can do tonight, so why don't you get some sleep. if you want we can go tomorrow to see her."
Mykalla was quite unconvinced, but she knew that it was pointless to argue with Elizabeth. She climbed into bed. Elizabeth headed towards the door. "Don't worry. We are doing everything we can. Get some sleep," she said before leaving the room. Mykalla stared at the ceiling, and eventually drifted off into sleep.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mykalla stood in the hallway of the ICU floor with Elizabeth and Benton. The two doctors were discussing Maria's progress-or lack thereof. Mykalla was trying to listen to what they were saying but was having problems understanding all the medical terms. "Mykalla," said Peter, "I'm Dr. Benton. I just want to explain a few things to you before you go in. She has a tube down her throat to help her breath, so she won't be able to talk. She will probably be sleeping, if she is don't wake her. There will be machines that monitor her heart, brain activity and other things so there will be a lot of wires. Any questions you have, you can ask me or your sister."
Mykalla nodded. She and Elizabeth entered the room. No matter how much of a warning Benton had given her, it couldn't prepare her for what she saw in the hospital room. There were wires all connected to different monitors, each making a different beeping noise. She stood in the room in silence, unsure of what to do or say. The systematic mix of the beeping machines was enough to scare anybody, but the sight of her best friend asleep surrounded by them, made Mykalla cry. Elizabeth was looking over her chart, quite unsatisfied with what she was reading. The scene was too much to bear. Mykalla rushed out of the room and onto the elevator. She rode up to the top floor, and then back down to the bottom. She didn't know how many times she rode the height of the building. When she felt that she had clamed down enough, she pushed the button for the ICU floor.
She got off and went towards Maria's room. She looked in the window and saw that Elizabeth, Benton, and Romano were in there along with a few nurses. Mykalla slowly opened the door. "What's happening?" she asked in a very soft voice.
Romano turned to face her, "Get her OUT of here!" Mykalla stared at him, frozen in fear.
"Mykalla," said Elizabeth, "Go downstairs to the ER, Mark's working. Stay down there with him until one of us comes to get you." Mykalla nodded slightly and backed out of the room. She ran to the elevator, got on, and began pounding on the button for the ER. When the elevator doors opened, she ran out. She headed towards the admit desk, and ran right into Chleo.
"Woah! Slow down," Chleo said as she picked up the chart that had fallen in their crash. "What's amatter? You ok?" she asked Mykalla.
Mykalla shook her head, "I need to find Mar... Dr. Greene. Where is he?"
"He's with a patient right now. If you want you can sit in chairs and when he's done I can make sure he finds you," she replied.
"NO, I don't want to sit in chairs. I need to talk to him NOW!" she yelled at Chleo.
Hearing all the noise in the hallway Dave stepped out of Exam 4. "Chleo? What's going on?!" he asked.
"Nothing" ; "Dave!" said Chleo and Mykalla at the same time.
"Dave, where's Mark?" asked Mykalla as she walked over to him.
"He's with a patient. What's wrong?"
"I don't want to talk about it, I just really need to find him," she said, her eyes still red and tear-filled. Malucci realized that something serious was going on, and turned Mykalla away from Chleo. "I'll handle it Chleo," he said.
"But what about your patient?" she asked pointing towards Exam 4.
"What patient? I was sleeping. Just tell Dr. Greene to come to the lounge when he's done." Malucci placed his hand on Mykalla's shoulder and lead her towards the lounge.
TO BE CONTINUED
Part 4: Comforting
The next morning, Saturday, Mykalla woke up to the sound of the telephone ringing on the desk in the corner. "Mike, it's for you," called Elizbaeth from the other end of the hallway.
Mykalla picked up the phone, "Hello? Oh, hi mom."
"You were suppossed to call me as soon as you got to Elizabeth's. I went crazy trying to find her number," said the voice on the other end of the line.
"Sorry mom. I was so tired that I unpacked and fell asleep. I had totally forgotten when I woke up. We went out to eat and then got stuck at County for awhile."
"You still should have called. I didn't know if you got there or if she was going to let you stay or not."
"Just because you treated she like shit when she asked hte first time doesn't mean she'd hold it against me. Although, she was totally surprised. You were supossed to call her and tell her I was coming!"
"I was busy trying to get you into a school. You start at Mary Mother of Charity Academy on Monday. Your uniform is in your small suitcase. I have arranged for oyu to take the same classes as you are now..."
Mykalla listened to her half heartedly. "Look mom, I have to go. talk to you soon. Bye."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Elizbaeth and Mark were sitting downstairs eating breakfast. "How long is your shift today?" Elizbaeth asked Mark.
"Eight to noon. Only minor medical, no tramas."
"How about the three of us go out this afternoon. I have one surgery at nine, but that should be done by eleven. I'll hang around and give you a ride home."
"That sounds great. I feel kinda bad that Mykalla had to come with us last night. She said something to me about going to see Wrigley Field, we could do that."
"WHy don't you two go, I was never a big baseball fan. I'll make something special for dinner, and pick up a movie. I hae soem charts to look over, so I could get those done."
"You sure you don't want to come?"
"Yes I'm sure. You can get to know Mike a little better."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mark and Mykalla stepped onto the train and took a seat in the middle fo the car. They rode for a couple stops in uncomfortably silence. neither of them knew what to say to the other.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Hello," said Elizabeth as she picked up the phone. "Hi Jill. No Mike's not here. Mark took her over to Wrigley Field."
"Well," said the voice on the phone. "I would like to talk to my daughter when I spend this much money calling her."
"I'm sorry Jill, but she's out with Mark. I don't know when they'll be back. I cna have her call you when she gets in."
"And who is this Mark? She's only been there one day and you're already letting her out with guys? I just hope that it's not that Maria's brother. They aren't a good influence on her."
"No Jill. Mark would be Dr. Grenne, my fiancee. And don't worry about her, she's fine. I have work to do so..."
"Yeah well still... She starts at Mary Mother of Charity on Monday. I arranged the bus and everything. It's picking her up at seven in front of your house, make sure she doesn't miss it. What else? Oh yeah, make sure she calls me, and make sure she does her work. Just because she's there doesn't mean she can slack off."
"Jill I hate to interrupt but I really must go. I will give her your message. Bye."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The train pulled away from a platform. "Wrigley is the next stop. There probably won't be anything going on," said Mark.
"That's alright. Just to say I was there. it's one of those places that I always wanted to see."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The two were sitting in the lower bleachers eating hot dogs. "So why did you coem out here, if you don't mind me asking."
"I wanted a change," replied Mykalla. "my parents have been on my back about everything, especially the phone bill. My mom can't stand Elizbaeth almost as much as Maria, and seeing as how both of them live in Chicago, my mom is pissed off. My dad helped my convince her that it would be better if I came out here. He made this deal with me, if I keep my grades up-meaning no C's-then I can stay. I kinda calmed my mom down a bit."
"At least you have to work to stay. Your dad's probably right about it being a good way to make you keep your grades up," replied Mark.
"Yeah. My mom also said that I should keep away from Maria, but before I left my dad said that she was just overreacting and not to worry about it."
"You know other people out here?" asked Mark.
"Uh huh, Maria Johnson. We went to school togther, we've been best friends since we were three. She moved to Chicago after grade school. I still talk to her everyday, either on the phone or online."
"Maria Johnson, she was in the ER yesterday."
"What happened?" asked Mykalla.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Mykalla sat in the car in silence as they rode in the bas home. Mark was on the cell phone talking to County. Mykalla was staring out the window as the city scenery passed by. She all she could to hold back the tears that were building up. A few stray ones rolled down her cheak. Mark put his phone in his pocket and slid closer to her. "Hey, are you ok?" he asked. Mykalla wiped her face and turned to face him. She tried to smile but shoiok her head. She buried her face in his hsoulder and allowed herself to cry. Mark put his arm around her and sympathetically rubbed herar,. "It's going to be all right. Elziabeth and Dr. Benton have been taking good care of her."
"Elizabeth's her doctor?" asked Mykalla. She picked her head up to look at Mark. Her eyes were bloodshot and her face red form crying, tears were still rolling down her cheaks. Mark couldn't help feeling sorry for her, and a little upset himself.
"Yes, She did the surgery last night and Dr. benton is watching her untit Elizbaeth goes into work on Monday. I told him to watch her closely and call us if anything changes. So don't worry too much."
"Thanks, but I do worry. I don't know what happened or anything. I couldn't stand to loose her, she was closer than a sister. She knows everything about me."
"She'll be fin, I promise. She's in ICU so they can moniter her closely. She came through the surgery and is resting. Normally it's family only, but I talked Benton into letting you visit for a little bit tomorrow. That is if you want to."
Mykalla nodded slightly and rested her ehad on Mark's shoulder. mark held her as they continued home. 'For Mykalla's sake I hope everything turns out ok,' he thought, 'She means to much to Elizbaeth for her to be like this.'
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When they got home, Mykalla went straight up to her room. Mark walked through the living room trying to find Elizabeth. He entered the kitchen adn saw her in the middle of making dinner. "So how was it?" she asked Mark.
"It was good, I think. We were sitting there talking, about all different stuff, and it turns out that she knows some other people out here."
"Her mom said something about a friend of hers that lives here. It seems Jill doesn't like her very much."
"She was telling me about her, Maria Johnson. They've been best friends since they were three."
"Johnson? Why does that name sound familiar?"
"The girl last night form the shooting that you did the surgery on."
Elizbaeth covered her mouth in shock. "Oh my God. I didn't even realize. Does she know what happened?"
"I told her what I knew, I also talked to Benton on the way home. Just to see how she was doing."
"Good news I hope."
"No news is good news, right?"
"Normally, but I think it would help Mike if there was some news, of either kind. I'm just worried about how she's taking this."
Mark walked around the island and sat down next to Elizabeth. " I know," he said.
TO BE CONTINUED
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Part 5: Visitation Rights
Elizabeth and Mark climbed the stairs. "Mark, go ahead. I want to check on Mykalla before I come to bed."
They parted ways, Mark to their bedroom and Elizabeth to Mykalla's. She pushed open the door quietly not wanting to wake Mykalla is she was sleeping.
Mykalla was curled up in a ball on her bed watching the rain roll down the window. She jumped slightly when she saw the light from the hallway cross the bed. Elizabeth entered the room and sat down on the edge of the bed. Mykalla rolled over to face her. Elizabeth wiped the few stray tears from Mykalla's face.
"Elizabeth, she's gonna be ok right? I'm just getting worried for no reason, everything's going to be fine."
"I'd love to give you a different answer, hun, but I really don't know. She was injured pretty badly."
"What happened?" Elizabeth looked at her wearily, unsure if she should share the details of Maria's injury. "Elizabeth, please. Just tell me... please."
"Yesterday there was a shooting at the Park Cafe. Maria and her father were injured. She was hit three times, once in the arm, stomach, and chest."
"That's serious isn't it?" interrupted Mykalla.
"Very. The shots to the arm and stomach weren't as serious as they could have been. The one in her chest..." Elizabeth paused trying to find a way to soften the blow that was coming. "The one in her chest, however, was in her right lung. We had to shock her heart to keep it beating, and to remove the bullet we had to deflate her lung."
"How long is she going to be in the hospital?" asked Mykalla, getting more worried.
"She's going to be in the ICU till at least Wednesday. Then she'll be in the hospital anywhere from one week to up to two months."
"But she's gonna be fine. People live through this type of injury all the time?"
"Mykalla, this is a very very serious injury. We really didn't expect her to make it this far. there is no way of telling how much damage was done," said Elizabeth. Mykalla turned away still trying to process what was being told to her. She got up and went over tot he window. She stared out and started to realize the seriousness of the situation. Elizabeth went over and stood behind her. She placed her arms around her, and tried to comfort her. "I can't promise you that everything is going to be fine, but she has some of the best doctors taking care of her. Benton and Romano are watching her. I'm back on Monday and I will be taking care of her... There's nothing you can do tonight, so why don't you get some sleep. if you want we can go tomorrow to see her."
Mykalla was quite unconvinced, but she knew that it was pointless to argue with Elizabeth. She climbed into bed. Elizabeth headed towards the door. "Don't worry. We are doing everything we can. Get some sleep," she said before leaving the room. Mykalla stared at the ceiling, and eventually drifted off into sleep.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mykalla stood in the hallway of the ICU floor with Elizabeth and Benton. The two doctors were discussing Maria's progress-or lack thereof. Mykalla was trying to listen to what they were saying but was having problems understanding all the medical terms. "Mykalla," said Peter, "I'm Dr. Benton. I just want to explain a few things to you before you go in. She has a tube down her throat to help her breath, so she won't be able to talk. She will probably be sleeping, if she is don't wake her. There will be machines that monitor her heart, brain activity and other things so there will be a lot of wires. Any questions you have, you can ask me or your sister."
Mykalla nodded. She and Elizabeth entered the room. No matter how much of a warning Benton had given her, it couldn't prepare her for what she saw in the hospital room. There were wires all connected to different monitors, each making a different beeping noise. She stood in the room in silence, unsure of what to do or say. The systematic mix of the beeping machines was enough to scare anybody, but the sight of her best friend asleep surrounded by them, made Mykalla cry. Elizabeth was looking over her chart, quite unsatisfied with what she was reading. The scene was too much to bear. Mykalla rushed out of the room and onto the elevator. She rode up to the top floor, and then back down to the bottom. She didn't know how many times she rode the height of the building. When she felt that she had clamed down enough, she pushed the button for the ICU floor.
She got off and went towards Maria's room. She looked in the window and saw that Elizabeth, Benton, and Romano were in there along with a few nurses. Mykalla slowly opened the door. "What's happening?" she asked in a very soft voice.
Romano turned to face her, "Get her OUT of here!" Mykalla stared at him, frozen in fear.
"Mykalla," said Elizabeth, "Go downstairs to the ER, Mark's working. Stay down there with him until one of us comes to get you." Mykalla nodded slightly and backed out of the room. She ran to the elevator, got on, and began pounding on the button for the ER. When the elevator doors opened, she ran out. She headed towards the admit desk, and ran right into Chleo.
"Woah! Slow down," Chleo said as she picked up the chart that had fallen in their crash. "What's amatter? You ok?" she asked Mykalla.
Mykalla shook her head, "I need to find Mar... Dr. Greene. Where is he?"
"He's with a patient right now. If you want you can sit in chairs and when he's done I can make sure he finds you," she replied.
"NO, I don't want to sit in chairs. I need to talk to him NOW!" she yelled at Chleo.
Hearing all the noise in the hallway Dave stepped out of Exam 4. "Chleo? What's going on?!" he asked.
"Nothing" ; "Dave!" said Chleo and Mykalla at the same time.
"Dave, where's Mark?" asked Mykalla as she walked over to him.
"He's with a patient. What's wrong?"
"I don't want to talk about it, I just really need to find him," she said, her eyes still red and tear-filled. Malucci realized that something serious was going on, and turned Mykalla away from Chleo. "I'll handle it Chleo," he said.
"But what about your patient?" she asked pointing towards Exam 4.
"What patient? I was sleeping. Just tell Dr. Greene to come to the lounge when he's done." Malucci placed his hand on Mykalla's shoulder and lead her towards the lounge.
TO BE CONTINUED