Chapter 14: The Stress Is Building
A/N: It's been a while since I've updated, but I've been incredibly busy. This may or not be my last update for quite a while. I am going out of town for a couple days and then it'll be time for school to start. We'll see if I have time to write during school.
(Annie's POV)
I keep asking myself: Why me? I just can't see how any of this is supposed to be God's plan. I just don't understand what his plan is. First He took Sam and now He tried to take Simon. Ruthie won't speak to anyone anymore. Eric keeps looking sicker. I know that we're all under a lot of stress. I need to escape, but I can't leave my family. I am just waiting to hear whether or not I am going to lose another son. Neither Matt nor Mary can afford to come right now, but I wish they were here to offer me a little more support.
"Mrs. Camden?"
"Yes," I stood up.
"I've got news for you on your son," Dr. Evans said.
"Well?" I waited expectantly for what she had to say.
"As you have probably already been told, your son lost a lot of blood and we had to transfuse several units. Now he's not completely out of the woods yet, but it's looking more and more like he's going to pull through," Dr. Evans explained.
"Thank You, God," I whispered as tears of relief poured down my face.
"Mommy? Why you cryin'?" David asked.
"Mommy's crying because she's happy," I explained.
Eric walked in at this moment, only to see the doctor leaving and me crying.
"Oh God! Is he- did he? What is it?" he stuttered.
"He's going to be okay. The doctor said he's not completely out of the woods yet, but he'll most likely pull through!" I exclaimed.
"Ruthie wouldn't even speak to the counselor they brought in. I hope this is just a stage or she's still in shock. I can't stand to visit her anymore. She just stares at the TV screen and occasionally cries. But she won't tell anyone if she's just upset about Simon," Eric worried.
"Are you feeling okay?" I asked, fear suddenly creeping into my mind.
Eric was looking awfully pale and sweaty, not to mention he had been under a lot of stress.
"I don't know. I feel weak all of the sudden," he said," I'm starting to have chest pains and my arm is numb."
"Kevin. Go get a doctor," I ordered," I think Eric might be having another heart attack!"
Kevin jumped up from his seat across the waiting room and ran down the hall. He quickly returned with a doctor and a wheelchair. Eric sat in the wheelchair and was quickly wheeled away. I squeezed my eyes shut as my head began to spin. Then I ran down the hall after Eric. I prayed that it was not another heart attack.
(Simon's POV)
I was slowly aware of the bright lights above me. Then the throbbing pains of my wrists and my throat. The realization of what had happened began to make itself clear. I wasn't dead. My suicide attempt was unsuccessful. Relief flooded into my veins. It wasn't until after I slit my throat and fell onto the floor that I realized I didn't want to die. I silently thanked God for not letting me die. I tried to move my arm to find the call button, but realized that it was tied to the bed. I lifted my head slightly and saw that I was restrained. The doctors were probably afraid I would try to commit suicide again, not that I could blame them.
"Mr. Camden? Are you awake?" a woman asked.
"Yes," I managed to croak out.
It hurt my throat to talk and I already wished I hadn't.
"I'll go get the doctor," the woman, apparantly a nurse, said," do you need anything before I go?"
I shook my head 'no', not wanting to talk again. She nodded and bustled out of the room. I began to wonder about Mom and Dad. How were they taking it? It was probably killing them. I hope they weren't blaming themselves. It occured to me that Ruthie would take it hard. She'd probably be mad at me for a long time. I always felt a special bond with her when we younger and when I started doing stupid things I could tell she was disappointed in me.
"Simon. Good, you're awake. I've been worried about you," a doctor stated," don't be alarmed about the restraints. It's standard procedure for anyone who attempts suicide."
"I don't wanna die," I whispered hoarsely.
"Most people who attempt suicide realize at the last minute that they don't want to die. I'm Dr. Gloch (pronounced glock), I am a psychiatrist. I'm going to talk to you and please be honest with your answers. It helps me determine whether or not those restraints are neccessary and if you're going to be okay," Dr. Gloch explained.
"It hurts to talk," I whispered.
"That's all right son, you can write your answers down," he said, handing me a clipboard with a single piece of paper on it and a pen.
(Kevin's POV)
Lucy was oddly calm when we came to the hospital. I don't understand it. Her brother tried to kill himself and not a single tear. It almost scares me, but she's speaking calmly and rationally. I think maybe she's more angry at him than upset. It is difficult to contemplate how anyone could feel so horrible they had to kill themself. Roxanne had to leave, but Chandler stayed and walked away with Lucy for a while. I wondered what she had to say that she had to say to him, but I didn't bother to ask her. She was in such a weird mood, I didn't know what to say to her.
"Kevin. Go get a doctor," Annie yelled, breaking my thoughts," I think Eric might be having another heart attack!"
I jumped up and ran down the hallway to the nurse's station," Somebody help! I think my father-in-law is having a heart attack."
"Where is he?" a nearby doctor asked.
"Follow me," I ordered.
The doctor grabbed a wheelchair and ran down the hall with me. We sat Eric in the chair and the doctor quickly wheeled him away. Annie stood still for a moment, looking for all the world as if she was going to pass out. Then she shot her eyes open and ran after Eric. I stood there, flabbergasted. How much more could possibly go wrong for this poor family? I sat down and waited for Lucy to come so I could tell her the news. I said a silent prayer that it was not a heart attack and that nothing more would go wrong.
"Kevin? What's wrong? You look like you're going to cry," Lucy said.
"Luce, your Dad might be having a heart attack," I blurted out.
"What?!" her jaw dropped.
"Are you sure?" Chandler asked.
"Well, I'm no doctor, but he was pale and he said he was having chest pains and his arm was numb," I explained.
"Oh God. That's how his first attack was. He can't have another heart attack," she threw her arms up in the air.
I pulled her into an embrace and she began to sob. 'Finally', I thought. I knew she had to cry at some point. For her not to cry is just unnatural. It was sort of relieving to me. It was like her crying was saying that she was okay. Chandler patted her on the back once I released her from my embrace.
"What kind of world is our daughter going to be born into?" she mumbled.
"What?" I asked in confusion.
"Is she going to have a grandfather? Will she only have two uncles and an aunt who won't even speak?"
"Oh Luce," I whispered. I didn't even know how to respond that.
"Everything is going to be fine," Chandler tried to reassure.
"Are you sure?" I asked, not sure if it would ever be okay again.
Coming Soon: Was Eric having a heart attack? Is everyone going to fall apart? Is this the end of the bad news for the Camdens?
A/N: It's been a while since I've updated, but I've been incredibly busy. This may or not be my last update for quite a while. I am going out of town for a couple days and then it'll be time for school to start. We'll see if I have time to write during school.
(Annie's POV)
I keep asking myself: Why me? I just can't see how any of this is supposed to be God's plan. I just don't understand what his plan is. First He took Sam and now He tried to take Simon. Ruthie won't speak to anyone anymore. Eric keeps looking sicker. I know that we're all under a lot of stress. I need to escape, but I can't leave my family. I am just waiting to hear whether or not I am going to lose another son. Neither Matt nor Mary can afford to come right now, but I wish they were here to offer me a little more support.
"Mrs. Camden?"
"Yes," I stood up.
"I've got news for you on your son," Dr. Evans said.
"Well?" I waited expectantly for what she had to say.
"As you have probably already been told, your son lost a lot of blood and we had to transfuse several units. Now he's not completely out of the woods yet, but it's looking more and more like he's going to pull through," Dr. Evans explained.
"Thank You, God," I whispered as tears of relief poured down my face.
"Mommy? Why you cryin'?" David asked.
"Mommy's crying because she's happy," I explained.
Eric walked in at this moment, only to see the doctor leaving and me crying.
"Oh God! Is he- did he? What is it?" he stuttered.
"He's going to be okay. The doctor said he's not completely out of the woods yet, but he'll most likely pull through!" I exclaimed.
"Ruthie wouldn't even speak to the counselor they brought in. I hope this is just a stage or she's still in shock. I can't stand to visit her anymore. She just stares at the TV screen and occasionally cries. But she won't tell anyone if she's just upset about Simon," Eric worried.
"Are you feeling okay?" I asked, fear suddenly creeping into my mind.
Eric was looking awfully pale and sweaty, not to mention he had been under a lot of stress.
"I don't know. I feel weak all of the sudden," he said," I'm starting to have chest pains and my arm is numb."
"Kevin. Go get a doctor," I ordered," I think Eric might be having another heart attack!"
Kevin jumped up from his seat across the waiting room and ran down the hall. He quickly returned with a doctor and a wheelchair. Eric sat in the wheelchair and was quickly wheeled away. I squeezed my eyes shut as my head began to spin. Then I ran down the hall after Eric. I prayed that it was not another heart attack.
(Simon's POV)
I was slowly aware of the bright lights above me. Then the throbbing pains of my wrists and my throat. The realization of what had happened began to make itself clear. I wasn't dead. My suicide attempt was unsuccessful. Relief flooded into my veins. It wasn't until after I slit my throat and fell onto the floor that I realized I didn't want to die. I silently thanked God for not letting me die. I tried to move my arm to find the call button, but realized that it was tied to the bed. I lifted my head slightly and saw that I was restrained. The doctors were probably afraid I would try to commit suicide again, not that I could blame them.
"Mr. Camden? Are you awake?" a woman asked.
"Yes," I managed to croak out.
It hurt my throat to talk and I already wished I hadn't.
"I'll go get the doctor," the woman, apparantly a nurse, said," do you need anything before I go?"
I shook my head 'no', not wanting to talk again. She nodded and bustled out of the room. I began to wonder about Mom and Dad. How were they taking it? It was probably killing them. I hope they weren't blaming themselves. It occured to me that Ruthie would take it hard. She'd probably be mad at me for a long time. I always felt a special bond with her when we younger and when I started doing stupid things I could tell she was disappointed in me.
"Simon. Good, you're awake. I've been worried about you," a doctor stated," don't be alarmed about the restraints. It's standard procedure for anyone who attempts suicide."
"I don't wanna die," I whispered hoarsely.
"Most people who attempt suicide realize at the last minute that they don't want to die. I'm Dr. Gloch (pronounced glock), I am a psychiatrist. I'm going to talk to you and please be honest with your answers. It helps me determine whether or not those restraints are neccessary and if you're going to be okay," Dr. Gloch explained.
"It hurts to talk," I whispered.
"That's all right son, you can write your answers down," he said, handing me a clipboard with a single piece of paper on it and a pen.
(Kevin's POV)
Lucy was oddly calm when we came to the hospital. I don't understand it. Her brother tried to kill himself and not a single tear. It almost scares me, but she's speaking calmly and rationally. I think maybe she's more angry at him than upset. It is difficult to contemplate how anyone could feel so horrible they had to kill themself. Roxanne had to leave, but Chandler stayed and walked away with Lucy for a while. I wondered what she had to say that she had to say to him, but I didn't bother to ask her. She was in such a weird mood, I didn't know what to say to her.
"Kevin. Go get a doctor," Annie yelled, breaking my thoughts," I think Eric might be having another heart attack!"
I jumped up and ran down the hallway to the nurse's station," Somebody help! I think my father-in-law is having a heart attack."
"Where is he?" a nearby doctor asked.
"Follow me," I ordered.
The doctor grabbed a wheelchair and ran down the hall with me. We sat Eric in the chair and the doctor quickly wheeled him away. Annie stood still for a moment, looking for all the world as if she was going to pass out. Then she shot her eyes open and ran after Eric. I stood there, flabbergasted. How much more could possibly go wrong for this poor family? I sat down and waited for Lucy to come so I could tell her the news. I said a silent prayer that it was not a heart attack and that nothing more would go wrong.
"Kevin? What's wrong? You look like you're going to cry," Lucy said.
"Luce, your Dad might be having a heart attack," I blurted out.
"What?!" her jaw dropped.
"Are you sure?" Chandler asked.
"Well, I'm no doctor, but he was pale and he said he was having chest pains and his arm was numb," I explained.
"Oh God. That's how his first attack was. He can't have another heart attack," she threw her arms up in the air.
I pulled her into an embrace and she began to sob. 'Finally', I thought. I knew she had to cry at some point. For her not to cry is just unnatural. It was sort of relieving to me. It was like her crying was saying that she was okay. Chandler patted her on the back once I released her from my embrace.
"What kind of world is our daughter going to be born into?" she mumbled.
"What?" I asked in confusion.
"Is she going to have a grandfather? Will she only have two uncles and an aunt who won't even speak?"
"Oh Luce," I whispered. I didn't even know how to respond that.
"Everything is going to be fine," Chandler tried to reassure.
"Are you sure?" I asked, not sure if it would ever be okay again.
Coming Soon: Was Eric having a heart attack? Is everyone going to fall apart? Is this the end of the bad news for the Camdens?