Part 2-BLEAK DIAGNOSIS
The ambulance pulled into the emergency room entrance to Pondview Hospital, in the town of Rockville, 15 miles to the east of the Stoney Mountains. The ambulance turned and backed into the automatic double glass doors and was met by nurses and orderlies as the driver cut the motor and strode to the rear of the vehicle to open the door. The two EMTs climbed out, followed by Speed who stood to the side as they reached in to withdraw the stretcher bearing Trixie. The nurses and orderlies then took the stretcher and ran into the emergency room with Speed right behind. As they entered the examination room, the door was firmly closed in his face, causing him to become deeply distressed.
"Please, can't I go in with her? I want to be with her, please!" he begged to the orderly who closed the door.
"I'm sorry, sir but only the immediate family is allowed. Hospital rules."
"B-but, but I'm--" he stammered but a nurse approached him and gestured to the waiting room.
"If you'll take a seat there, sir we'll let you know when the doctor is finished," the nurse said in a soft but firm manner as she directed him to the waiting room. Sighing, Speed went over to a seat as the nurse disappeared into the examining room.
Speed went and sat in the waiting room in a daze like he was sleepwalking. The entire ordeal was like a bad dream to him and he foolishly hoped that he would just wake up and find that he was in his bed. But, as the minutes then hours ticked by and nobody came out of the emergency examining room, Speed was more aware that this, indeed was reality, Trixie was in that room fighting for her life. He closed his eyes as his heart pounded with dread and hope combined, an oxymoron of emotions swirling in his soul.
He was still in locked in his fearful musings when the piped in radio over the intercom interrupted its format of inane elevator music with a news bulletin.
This just in. Formula 1 racecar driver for the Pops Motor Sports Go Team, Speed Racer, was just involved in an automobile accident on Stoney Mountain route 113. Racer, winner of the Transcontinental Race, was unhurt but his girlfriend who was accompanying him was rushed to Pondview Hospital in serious condition. More details as they become available. We now return you to our regularly scheduled programming.
Speed sighed disgustedly. It certainly didn't take long for the media vultures to pick at the carrion of his life, however tragic. He shook his head as he got up to pace around the room to release his rising anger and stopped at the window staring bleakly out overlooking the neatly manicured grounds of the hospital, flooded with bright cloudless sunshine. Speed was struck by the irony of the paradox that was the darkest day of his life being so sunny, it was unnatural. If only the weather was like his spirits, he could justify the crash that could end up being responsible for killing his love.
Speed went back and took a seat, sitting with his elbows propped on his knees and his face in his hands, the picture of utter desolation. He had no idea of the passage of time or even what time of day it was and didn't even look up when the automatic door slid open and somebody sat beside him with a familiar gentle, caring touch.
He looked up into compassionate, ocean blue eyes like his, belonging to Mom Racer. At the sight of his mother, along with Pops, Sparky, and a subdued Spritle, Speed broke down, clinging to his mother and sobbing like a frightened little boy.
Pops sat down in the other chair flanking him and asked softly, "We came as soon as we heard. What happened, son?"
Speed gazed over at his father's craggy but concerned face and replied, "Me and Trixie were headed to the lodge and the steering got loose so I got out to fix it. We started on our way again and as we were going around a curve, the steering locked and we went over the edge. Trixie was thrown from the car." He shuddered as he relived the entire incident in his head.
"What about the controls on the wheel?" Pops wanted to know but the examining room door swung open and a tired looking doctor came out and approached as Speed shot to his feet, his father's question forgotten.
The doctor approached Speed. "Mr. Racer?"
He anxiously answered the doctor. "Yes. H-how is she, doctor?"
The doctor eyed him and the group steadily. "Are you her family?"
Before Speed could answer, Pops stood up and replied, "Yes, doctor we are. How is she?"
The doctor gestured to the chairs they just vacated. "Please sit down."
With looks of worried anticipation the Racer men sat back down as the doctor pulled up a chair before them. Sparky took a seat and Mom picked up Spritle and held on to him on her lap as they all focused on the doctor and waited for him to speak.
"First, my name is Dr. Kyle Wellby and I've done some tests on Miss Shimura. A CAT scan revealed that she's suffering from an acute epidural hematoma from when she hit her head when she was thrown from the car. In layman's terms it means she's had some bleeding from a torn artery between the dura and the skull at the bottom of her head, right here." He gestured to his own head, behind the left ear.
Speed gasped with his eyes wide and Pops asked, "What does that mean?"
The doctor sighed and continued. "It usually means that we'll have to perform surgery on her if the intravenous medications won't stop the bleeding. But she needs to come out of the coma first."
Speed was incredulous. "S-she's in a coma?" he said in disbelief shaking his head as if to push the fact out of his head that was too painful to consider.
"I'm sorry," the doctor said. He looked around at the stricken group and continued, "I'm afraid that's not all. There are some complications."
The Racers all looked at him in horrified fascination, waiting for the next blow to come. The doctor cleared his throat and said with difficulty. "Miss Shimura developed some cardiac distress during the tests due to the shock of the injury. And therefore, she's been transferred to Intensive Care and will be monitored for the next 48 hours. If she doesn't come out of the coma or goes into acute cardiac distress, she could die."
"W-what are her chances?" Speed asked fearfully.
"I'm afraid it's about 30/70. The odds drop if she doesn't come out of the coma in 48 hours. That's the crucial time."
"Oh no!" Mom Racer cried as Spritle burst into tears, sobbing on her shoulder. Pops just looked stunned and Sparky put his head down, shaking it back and forth slowly.
Speed's reaction was the most gut-wrenching to observe. He looked as if the whole world came crashing down on him as he mutely put his head back with his eyes closed tightly, tears running freely down past his lashes onto his cheeks and off his jaws, making wet spots on the royal blue shirt with the gold "G" emblazoned on it. Inside, his heart felt as if it was torn from his chest cavity and a cold chill was blowing through it as the doctor's words echoed like in an empty cavern she could die, she could die, she could die. His breathing became hollow and he seemed to be in a catatonic state.
Pops took note and knelt before his middle son. He grasped Speed's shoulders and shook his son to snap him out of it. "Speed, Speed son, come on. You gotta be strong now, son. For Trixie."
Speed opened his eyes and the look of total despair was etched in their cobalt depths made Pops blood run cold. He said gently, "She's gonna get through this, son. You have to believe it."
"What if she doesn't, Pops? If she dies, I don't want to live," he whispered brokenly, tears running down his face. "And it'll be all my fault!"
"What do you mean, your fault? It was an accident, Speed. It could've happened to anybody," Pops tried to reassure him but shaking his head vehemently Speed got up and walked away and over to the window now showing the twilight of early evening.
He said tonelessly, "I adjusted the steering and I screwed up something so the wheel locked and we crashed. It's my fault."
Sparky got to his feet and put his hand on Speed's slumped shoulders but Speed shrugged them away. He tried again. "Look, Speed buddy it's not your fault. I'm a mechanic and sometimes the steering can lock for other reasons---"
"Yeah, right! I know cars like you do and I ain't buyin' that, Spark! Trixie's in there hangin' on a thread and if she dies, it's my fault!" Speed snapped.
The doctor who had witnessed the exchange stood up and again addressed the group. "I'm sorry." He made to leave.
Mom Racer asked, "Will we be able to see her?"
He nodded, "Yes, but only for a short while. And from the outside of the room."
Speed rushed over to the doctor. "Where is she? Can I go see her now?"
The doctor nodded again. "She's up in the ICU now."
"Would I be able to stay with her?"
The doctor studied the anxious young man dubiously. "I'm afraid that's impossible."
Speed grabbed him by the shoulders. "Please, doctor. I gotta be with her!"
Pops and Mom exchanged glances and Pops walked up to Speed. "Why don't you come back with your mother and me?" He took Speed by the shoulders but he brushed Pops' hands away and again engaged the doctor.
"Please, let me stay with her," he pleaded desperately.
The doctor studied the earnest misery on the coal haired young man's handsome face and took pity on him. Sighing he said, "All right. You can stay with her. But," he warned, "you must be quiet with no outbursts. She's in very serious condition."
"Thank you, doctor. How do I get to Intensive Care?" Speed asked.
"Through the door and up the elevator to the second floor," the doctor said as he turned and left.
Speed nodded in thanks, relieved that he was allowed to be by Trixie's side and began to head toward the door when Pops laid a beefy hand on his arm to detain him.
"Hey, Pops what gives?" he wanted to know.
Pops folded his arms in front and regarded his son sternly. "Speed, son, your mother and I both think you should come back with us. There isn't anything you can do for Trixie and you need to rest."
Mom put Spritle down and joined her husband. "Speed, your father's right. It's best son, if you come with us," she said gently, taking his hand but Speed pulled it aside.
"I'm not a child so please don't treat me like one. I'm staying right here." Speed was adamant.
Pops glared at him. "We're not treating you like a child, Speed. We just want what's best for you. Besides, the state troopers have contacted us and they need you to file a report. They brought the Mach 5 back to the house."
At Pops' mention of the Mach 5, they all were amazed by Speed's indifference. He shrugged almost casually. "So?"
"So?" Pops echoed in shock. "The Mach 5's our bread and butter and she's your prized possession."
Speed's eyes grew glacial as he responded flatly. "I could care less about the Mach 5 right now. Trixie's more important."
"I wasn't implying that she wasn't but--" Pops reasoned but Speed cut him off.
"Look Pops, the last thing I want to see right now is that car."
"Huh?" Everyone said in unison as they gathered around Speed and looked at him like he was insane. The Mach 5 was Speed's passion and he truly loved the car but to hear him speak, he acted like she was just another vehicle.
Speed stared back at them and said sharply. "I mean it, I don't want to see that car. And not only that, I don't want to race again."
Pops took a deep breath as he digested the bombshell just dropped by his son. He thought a minute then he chalked up Speed's declaration to stress and worry about his girlfriend. He looked at his wife and made one final entreaty.
"Speed, just come home with us, son. Get a good night's sleep and then things'll look different in the morning. You can come back then."
"Thanks Mom and Pops but Trixie's my girl. I love her and I'm stayin' with her and nothing you say or do is gonna change my mind." Before either had a chance to stop him Speed exited through the door leading to the main lobby and elevator, leaving everyone including Spritle in stunned silence. They all then got up and followed.
