Chapter 4
Barbara and Alfred arrived at Riverside Hospital fifteen minutes after Helena. Barbara wheeled herself o the nurse's station, Alfred in close tow behind her.
"Can I help you?" the nurse asked cheerfully. Barbara spoke shakedly, paused, then continued more firmly, "There was a girl that was brought here. Young.blonde.her name is Dinah. She was shot. Do you know how she's doing?"
"She was taken up to surgery. The doctor hasn't come down yet."
Barbara sighed, "Thank you. One more question."
"Yes?" The woman was way too perky.
"The girl that brought her in.do you know where she went?"
The woman's smile faded. "Yes, she has been sitting in the waiting room since she arrived." The nurse pointed directly behind Barbara. Barbara turned in her chair. In the far corner of the waiting room sat Helena, elbows on her knees, chin in her hands, rocking ever so slightly. She had a completely blank stare and seemed to be mumbling under her breath. "The poor girl," the nurse sighed, "she looks totally traumatized. I tried talking to her but she didn't even notice I was there."
Barbara wheeled towards Helena as Alfred thanked the nurse. As Barbara got closer to Helena she could just make out what Helena was saying.
"So much blood," Helena whispered as she rocked back and forth.
"Helena," Barbara whispered as she rested her hand firmly on Helena's shoulder, "Helena, it's going to be okay."
"No, it's not," Helena whispered.
"Yes, it is," Barbara stated firmly as she took Helena's hands in her own. Helena's hands were covered in dried blood.Dinah's blood.
Helena stared at her hands. "It was a trap," she whispered.
"What?" Barbara asked confused.
Helena looked at Barbara. "It was a trap. The suspects didn't even put up a fight and the victim." Helena paused, "I turned to where she had been and she was gone and then the shot." Helena closed her eyes reliving the scene in her mind, "Whoever it was, was waiting for us. We walked right into a trap. I should have known. This is all my fault." Helena looked away.
"Helena, look at me." Helena turned to face Barbara, "this isn't your fault. You couldn't have known. If it's anyone's it's mine. I was the one that sent you there."
Helena and Barbara sat in silence. Barbara looked down at Helena's hands again then to her jacket, which was also splattered in blood. "Look, why don't you go home and get cleaned up. Alfred and I will be here in case the doctor comes out."
Helena shook her head, "No.I'm not leaving until I know she's okay."
"Okay," Barbara sighed, "at least go to the restroom and wash up, okay?"
Helena nodded, "Okay." She got up and walked down the hall.
Barbara waited till Helena was out of sight to speak, "I've never seen her like this before. She's traumatized. This is all my fault."
"Now Miss Barbara, you know it is no more your fault than Miss Helena's. Don't worry. Miss Dinah is strong will, just like two other people I know. She will pull through, you just have to have faith."
"I hope you're right Alfred. I hope you're right."
* * *
Helena walked into the empty restroom and over to the sink. She turned the hot water on full blast and let it run a bit. She put soap on her hands and shoved them under the hot water. As she watched the water wash away Dinah's blood, tears filled Helena's eyes.
How could I have been so stupid. I let Dinah walk right into the sniper's path. It was my fault. My mistake and now Dinah is going to pay for it. Stupid.
Helena turned off the water and looked in the mirror. Tears were streaming down her face. What's wrong with me? I'm not supposed to cry. So stupid.stupid.
Helena grew angry. She didn't know what to do. She turned around in circles looking for an escape. Nothing. Finally she turned towards the wall and with all her strength she punched the wall. She took a deep breath as the tile and sheet rock fell to the floor. That was better. Hitting things always made her fell better. She looked in the mirror again. Her coat was still splattered with blood. She took it off and folded it up. Wiping here eyes, Helena turned and walked out the door.
* * *
Helena returned to the waiting room to find Barbara and Alfred sitting in silence.
Barbara looked up at Helena. "Better?"
"Yeah, I'm better although I can't say as much for the wall in the ladies' restroom." She gave a forced, half smile.
The same old Helena was back. It scared Barbara how Helena bottled up her feelings and then expressed them in uncontrolled rage. It wasn't healthy, but it was how she always coped with things.
Barbara was about to point out this fact when they heard footsteps in the hallway. All three looked up to see the doctor walk up to the nurse's station.
"That's Dinah's doctor," Helena stated as she stood up to stand next to Barbara.
The doctor conversed with the nurse who pointed in their direction. As he turned and walked over to them, his expression was grim.
Helena's heart caught in her throat. This can't be good. "What's the verdict, doc?"
Barbara and Alfred arrived at Riverside Hospital fifteen minutes after Helena. Barbara wheeled herself o the nurse's station, Alfred in close tow behind her.
"Can I help you?" the nurse asked cheerfully. Barbara spoke shakedly, paused, then continued more firmly, "There was a girl that was brought here. Young.blonde.her name is Dinah. She was shot. Do you know how she's doing?"
"She was taken up to surgery. The doctor hasn't come down yet."
Barbara sighed, "Thank you. One more question."
"Yes?" The woman was way too perky.
"The girl that brought her in.do you know where she went?"
The woman's smile faded. "Yes, she has been sitting in the waiting room since she arrived." The nurse pointed directly behind Barbara. Barbara turned in her chair. In the far corner of the waiting room sat Helena, elbows on her knees, chin in her hands, rocking ever so slightly. She had a completely blank stare and seemed to be mumbling under her breath. "The poor girl," the nurse sighed, "she looks totally traumatized. I tried talking to her but she didn't even notice I was there."
Barbara wheeled towards Helena as Alfred thanked the nurse. As Barbara got closer to Helena she could just make out what Helena was saying.
"So much blood," Helena whispered as she rocked back and forth.
"Helena," Barbara whispered as she rested her hand firmly on Helena's shoulder, "Helena, it's going to be okay."
"No, it's not," Helena whispered.
"Yes, it is," Barbara stated firmly as she took Helena's hands in her own. Helena's hands were covered in dried blood.Dinah's blood.
Helena stared at her hands. "It was a trap," she whispered.
"What?" Barbara asked confused.
Helena looked at Barbara. "It was a trap. The suspects didn't even put up a fight and the victim." Helena paused, "I turned to where she had been and she was gone and then the shot." Helena closed her eyes reliving the scene in her mind, "Whoever it was, was waiting for us. We walked right into a trap. I should have known. This is all my fault." Helena looked away.
"Helena, look at me." Helena turned to face Barbara, "this isn't your fault. You couldn't have known. If it's anyone's it's mine. I was the one that sent you there."
Helena and Barbara sat in silence. Barbara looked down at Helena's hands again then to her jacket, which was also splattered in blood. "Look, why don't you go home and get cleaned up. Alfred and I will be here in case the doctor comes out."
Helena shook her head, "No.I'm not leaving until I know she's okay."
"Okay," Barbara sighed, "at least go to the restroom and wash up, okay?"
Helena nodded, "Okay." She got up and walked down the hall.
Barbara waited till Helena was out of sight to speak, "I've never seen her like this before. She's traumatized. This is all my fault."
"Now Miss Barbara, you know it is no more your fault than Miss Helena's. Don't worry. Miss Dinah is strong will, just like two other people I know. She will pull through, you just have to have faith."
"I hope you're right Alfred. I hope you're right."
* * *
Helena walked into the empty restroom and over to the sink. She turned the hot water on full blast and let it run a bit. She put soap on her hands and shoved them under the hot water. As she watched the water wash away Dinah's blood, tears filled Helena's eyes.
How could I have been so stupid. I let Dinah walk right into the sniper's path. It was my fault. My mistake and now Dinah is going to pay for it. Stupid.
Helena turned off the water and looked in the mirror. Tears were streaming down her face. What's wrong with me? I'm not supposed to cry. So stupid.stupid.
Helena grew angry. She didn't know what to do. She turned around in circles looking for an escape. Nothing. Finally she turned towards the wall and with all her strength she punched the wall. She took a deep breath as the tile and sheet rock fell to the floor. That was better. Hitting things always made her fell better. She looked in the mirror again. Her coat was still splattered with blood. She took it off and folded it up. Wiping here eyes, Helena turned and walked out the door.
* * *
Helena returned to the waiting room to find Barbara and Alfred sitting in silence.
Barbara looked up at Helena. "Better?"
"Yeah, I'm better although I can't say as much for the wall in the ladies' restroom." She gave a forced, half smile.
The same old Helena was back. It scared Barbara how Helena bottled up her feelings and then expressed them in uncontrolled rage. It wasn't healthy, but it was how she always coped with things.
Barbara was about to point out this fact when they heard footsteps in the hallway. All three looked up to see the doctor walk up to the nurse's station.
"That's Dinah's doctor," Helena stated as she stood up to stand next to Barbara.
The doctor conversed with the nurse who pointed in their direction. As he turned and walked over to them, his expression was grim.
Helena's heart caught in her throat. This can't be good. "What's the verdict, doc?"