Chapter 2: Lost
"Auntie Susan. Auntie Susan." Susie urged in an anxious whisper. "Auntie Susan are you awake?" Gradually Susan began to come round, startled at hearing Susie's voice she quickly replayed the previous days events in her head before looking up at Susie with a sleepy smile. "What is it sweetie?" "Will you come and watch cartoon with me?" The little girl asked her exhausted looking Auntie. "Sure honey, you go on in." Susie told her niece as she sat up. "You go on in." Susie nodded and walked out but stopped and turned at the doorway. "I like this tee shirt, Auntie Susan." She told her Auntie. Susan looked at the little girl swamped in the oversized tee shirt. Bare stick legs stuck out from beneath the tee shirt - which came down to just past her knees. The sleeves were past Susie's elbows and the neck of the shirt practically touched Susan's belly button. Susan smiled. "Keep it, it's yours." Susan bleated a thanks and skipped off to the living room. Checking the clock Susan saw that it was almost half past seven. She sighed, 'the joys of children,' she thought. Once she was dressed she set about making breakfast for herself and Susie. Normally she wouldn't bother with breakfast, normally she'd pick up a double latte and a bagel on the way to work, then again normally she would still be asleep! She gave Susie her toast and tucked into her own. Then deciding to leave the washing-up until later she searched her apartment for the diary which she had written Joe' number in. It took the best part of twenty minutes to find and that coupled with the fact that it might not even be Joe's number did not put Susan in a very good mood. Nervously Susan dialed the number all the while scolding herself, what was she scared of? What she was going to hear? What Joe was going to say? She listened intently to the ringing; it went on and on and on. Finally Susan moved the phone away from her ear just as she heard a click on the other end. "Hallo. Joe - " The person began in a surprisingly cheery voice considering she was phoning him at eight in the morning. "Joe. It's Susan." She interrupted "Do you have any idea where Chloe might be?" What? Oh no! She's done it again?" The cheeriness had immediately gone from his voice. "Yes. Susie says she's gone off with someone called Janey and some other friends. Do you know who Janey is?" "Susie's safe? That's good. Hang on - did you say Janey?" "Uh huh. Why? Do you know her?" Susan asked urgently. "Yes. They made friends in Phoenix. I wouldn't know where they would go. Has Susie said anything?" "No, but she knows that her mother has taken off. She says that Chloe took everything. I don't think she's coming back Joe." Susan told him honestly. "Well personally I think Susie's better off with you. I couldn't cope with how needy Chloe was becoming. I should have tried to stop her from taking Susie." Joe paused. Susan was growing angry. He had seen this coming and he hadn't tried to prevent it. Keeping one eye on Susie Susan moved into the bathroom and locked the door. "You saw this coming." She hissed angrily. "You could have done something." "It wasn't my fault. I wasn't around much. Chloe had new friends and she promised me she was clean. I trusted her but she still lied to me. I'm sorry Susan." "You weren't around much? You knew Chloe couldn't be trusted. What were you thinking?" Susan exploded. "Susan, it's not like that. I'd love to be able to take Susie back, I'd love to take care of my little girl but I can't. In the long run Susie will be better off with you, you love her and I know you won't run off and abandon her. You have my full support if you want to get full custody of her. You've always been more of a mother to her than Chloe could be." Joe told Susan. His voice sounded so solemn and yet so empty that Susan couldn't figure out what he was trying to tell her. "Hang on a minute Joe." She interrupted, "What are you trying to say?" "I'm dying Susan. Cancer. I don't have long left. I don't want to fail Susie any more. I love her but if I let her see me like this it'll break my heart." Susan grabbed the hand basin and sat down heavily on the toilet seat. She didn't know what to do or say and so just sat there opening and closing her mouth like a fish. "Oh I'm sorry." She told him. Even to her it sounded empty. "What should I tell Susie?" "Tell her I've gone away. I don't know if it would bother her much to know that I'm gone, she always took Chloe's relapses in her stride." Joe told Susan. Susan knew his heart was breaking as he said these words. "At least let her see you one last time. For your sake at least. I'm free next Sunday if you want me to visit with her." Susan offered desperately wanting to have some control over what was going on in her life. There was a long pause at the other end of the line "Joe?" Susan ventured. "Sunday's fine. Bring her then." Joe told her before proceeding to inform Susan of the details of his whereabouts. Shortly afterward Susan hung up. "Susie." She called "We're visiting your Daddy on Sunday." Susie hopped up off the couch excitedly. "We are?" She exclaimed hardly believing it to be true. Susan nodded and the little girl began jumping around the living room giving out random shouts of 'Hooray' and 'Yippee'. Susan laughed at her before catching her, giving her a quick tickle and sending her off towards the bedroom with a gentle pat and an order to get dressed. It was just after nine according to the kitchen clock (although 10:44 by the VCR - 'Must get round to fixing that' Susan thought). Susan dug out the phonebook and searched for the number for the local Social Services Her throat was dry as she dialed the number and the quarter pint of orange juice she drained didn't help. Eventually someone answered the phone and Susan explained the whole problem to them including Chloe's drug problem and the infamous disappearing acts. As an afterthought she added the fact that Susie's Dad was dying and that she was the only family member left who wanted her. "Well to be honest with you, Doctor Lewis, I think you're right. Susie's definitely safer with you; first you should contact the police and let them know about Chloe, they can inform hospitals to be on the lookout for her. If you're going to see Susie's father we can send you some forms for him to sign to make you Susie's legal guardian. You will be eligible for adopting Susie in three months if her Mother hasn't showed up to claim her. In the event that she does you could have her declared an unfit mother and you should be granted full custody rights. Until then, enroll Susie at school, settle her in at home and sit tight and hope for the best." Susan thanked the telephone worker and hung up before going in to check on Susie. Her things were lying strewn across the bed and Susie was sat on the floor. "Hey Susie. What happened in here?" Susan asked, trying not to giggle - Susie had an unbelievable pout. "I think I left my hairbrush behind." She grumbled. "Here, we'll use mine." Susan offered helping Susie up and positioning her in front of the bed. Gently Susan brushed out all the knots and tangles in the child's hair before gathering it up into a ponytail at the back of the girl's head. "Look, Susie. I have to work today but I'm going to get you someone to look after you. But I finish at seven and then maybe we'll go and get something to eat." Susie nodded understandingly and then began to tidy up the bed for her Auntie. Susan left the little girl and looked up a reputable babysitter.
Agatha Coalfield got up slowly as the phone rang. She swiftly made her way across the room to answer it. "Hello, Agatha Coalfield speaking, how may I help you?" She spoke clearly into the phone. A young woman's voice replied, "Hello, I'm Dr. Susan Lewis, I was wondering if you could watch my niece for me today; from eleven until about seven this evening. I work at County General and I was anticipating her being here today." Agatha agreed and 'mmm'd' down the phone line. "Would it be okay if I picked her up from the hospital at eleven-thirty?" She asked, "I'm visiting my son there at about eleven, you see." Agatha glanced around her crowded living room. All around were photos of her son, her pride and joy. They began with him at only a few hours old and ended with him on Christmas day, asleep with a paper party-hat on his head. Agatha placed the phone to her ear. "Could you provide a packed lunch for you niece? Umm. what was her name?" "Sure, she's Susie. You are sure you don't mind picking her up?" Agatha assured her that it was nothing, "just go to the E.R. and ask for Dr. Susan Lewis at the admit desk. Thank-you so much." Agatha took down the woman's details and replaced the phone. "Well Geoffrey." She told the large ginger and white cat sat on the arm of her chair. "Looks like we're going to have company after all."
"Well Susie, you're going to spend the day with a nice lady named Agatha Coalfield, okay?" Susie nodded, "But before you go off with her you're going to have to spend some time with me at work. You have to promise to be good and stay where you're told." Susie nodded again. "Right, Mrs. Coalfield told me that you need a packed lunch, so what do you want in your sandwiches?" Susie put one finger to her mouth and 'hmmm'd for a couple of minutes before deciding on jelly since Susan had no peanut butter. Susan left Susie gathering her toys to take with her and set about making Susie's sandwiches. Into an old thermos flask she poured a large quantity of orange juice and then dug out a few cookies. "Susie, put this in your bag. We'll get you some chips and a chocolate bar from the machine at the hospital". Susie nodded and did as she was told. "Put our sneakers on and get your jacket. We should make a move. Do you mind walking to my work Susie? We'll take the subway if you like." Susie agreed that this seemed like an excellent idea and was willing to travel by subway so Susan helped her do up her sneakers, guiding her hands as she tied the bows, then helped her into her jacket and backpack. As they headed out of Susan's building and down onto the street Susie skipped ahead but once round the block and away towards the subway Susie's pace began to slow and by the time the pair reached the subway Susie was clinging tightly onto Susan's hand. "You won't let me go will you?" Susie asked anxiously. Susan shook her head. "Of course not honey." Susan reassured her "have you been lost in the subway before?" "Uh huh." Susie nodded and tightened her grip on Susan's hand which Susan returned with a gentle squeeze to reassure Susie that she wasn't going to let her go. Riding through the subway Susan held Susie tightly on her lap. Whispering in her ear at each stop that it was only a few more until theirs. Finally their stop came and Susan heard her little niece sigh heavily with relief, that ordeal was over 'she shouldn't have to go through that for a while' Susan thought, next time they'd take a cab. For the first time Susan seriously considered the psychological damage that Chloe's irresponsibility as a mother might have had on her young, impressionable child. Twenty minutes later Susan and Susie were approaching the E.R. Susie had relaxed and was back to skipping along the street ahead of Susan. Just outside of the entrance to the E.R. Susan stopped Susie and called her back. "Susie, promise me that you'll be good and just sit tight until Mrs. Coalfield arrives for you. You'll stay in the lounge and you won't go with anyone unless I say it's okay. Susie, I think your Mommy is sick again and even if she seems okay and doesn't seem to be trying to hurt you she might do it by accident. Do you understand?" Susan told Susie seriously. She waited for Susie's characteristic nod. It didn't come. "Susie, did you understand what I said?" A puzzled look set fast on Susie's young face. "Is that why Janey and Mommy have gone away? Because Mommy is sick again and Janey doesn't want me to get hurt." "Yes." Susan told her after a long pause. That was the easy way to explain it, Mommy was sick and she had to go away. Maybe when she was better she would come back. Susie knew that when her Mommy was sick she sometimes did and said scary things and she excepted the fact that when this happened she could no longer see her mommy, it was the way she took this with the strange child-like innocence which put her at risk from her Mother's 'sickness'. "Come on Susie, let get inside." And taking the child's hand she led her niece inside.
"It's quiet in here!" Susan exclaimed looking round at the waiting area. It was virtually empty. The board too was also practically clear. "Hey Jerry, it's like something out of a horror movie in here, what's going on?" She asked digging out some change for Susie and pointing her in the direction of the vending machine. Jerry, who was at the admit deck, looked up at her "Oh, hi Doctor Lewis. Didn't you watch the news this morning?" Susan shook her head. "Oh, well until about two hours ago the department was closed. We tried to call you but we kept getting busy." "Why was the department closed?" Susan inquired whilst smiling a congratulation at Susie on her choice of chips and chocolate bar. "There was a fire about two or three blocks away. The department couldn't cope so the ambulances were diverted to Mercy. Since then we haven't had many people coming in, they probably don't know we're open. Anyway, aren't you early? And what's the kid doing here?" "Susie's babysitter can't make it until half eleven so she's staying with me. Where's Weaver?" "Oh she was in the lounge last time I saw her. She's in a bad mood for some reason, I'd stay away if I were you." Jerry informed her. "Jerry can you watch Susie for me?" Jerry nodded so Susan knelt down on the floor beside Susie. "Susie, you're going to stay here with Jerry, okay? You do as you're told and don't wander off. Understand? Good girl. Why don't you get your toys out?" Susie reached into her bag and Susan seated her beside Jerry at the admit desk. She gave her niece a quick peck on her forehead and left her contentedly playing with a teddy bear. Susan walked into the lounge to see Kerry Weaver seated at the table. Kerry looked up as Susan entered and sighed heavily. "Long night?" Susan asked seeing the worn look on Kerry's face and the bags under her eyes. "You could say that. Out of twenty people brought in with extensive, full thickness burns, seven survived. Then one expired in the O.R. and another in the burns unit. We got a call from Mercy to say that they lost three, including a six-year-old girl. What a waste!" Susan immediately thought of Susie sat out at the admit desk. "Out of fifty-four people so far over twenty have died. Who could do that?" Susan agreed with Kerry that it really was awful before asking "Coffee?" Kerry shook her head and Susan proceeded to make herself a cup. "Oh Susan, you wouldn't happen to know anything about some missing medical supplies, would you?" Kerry asked as Susan riffled through her locker. "Umm. yeah. a thirty-year-old woman walked off with them. Security said they'd chase it up." This seemed to satisfy Kerry, so Susan slipped on her lab coat and left.
"Well, Mr. Young. It would appear that the deafness you've been suffering has been caused by a simple build up of earwax. A nurse will be in to deal with you in a minute." Susie told the man sat on the gurney. "What?" The man shouted. "You have EARWAX in you EARS. I'll send a NURSE in!" Susan told him loudly. This time Mr. Young heard her and nodded. "Lydia. Mr. Young needs his ears syringed." Susan told the nurse. At the admit desk Kerry was talking heatedly to Jerry. She moved away by the time Susan reached them. "When's this babysitter going to be here?" Jerry asked Susan. She checked her watch, "Shouldn't be long now." It was only twenty past eleven and anyway she was only upstairs visiting her son. "Is Susie being a nuisance?" Susie looked up at hearing her name mentioned and Susan smiled at her. "No, it's Doctor Weaver. She's not happy with Susie being here. That babysitter had better hurry up." Susan moved on to look at a nine year old who swallowed an eraser. She explained that it would pass in a day or so and then went back to the desk to wipe the child's name off the board. As she walked past the desk Kerry muttered, "Susan, this isn't a day care center you know." "So how come Jerry's allowed to work here then?" Susan retorted, quietly. Jerry pulled a face behind her back as she walked off. Susan was annoyed that the babysitter still hadn't shown up yet, she was almost ten minutes late. She was beginning to doubt whether she should let Susie go with the woman. Briefly Susan debated phoning around upstairs to find out about Agatha Coalfield's son, but then a crash from the doors and a yell of "Elderly woman. Found with her car in the side of a building. Facial lacerations and a query femur fracture. Lost consciousness in the ambulance." The paramedic reeled off. As Susan hurried towards the gurney carrying the stricken woman the paramedic grabbed her arm to stop her. Luka appeared from behind Susan and he and Kerry rushed towards the woman. "Are your Doctor Susan Lewis?" Susan nodded dumbly. "The lady was asking me to tell you that she's sorry she was late and she wanted to say sorry that she couldn't take care of your niece." "Oh God!" Gasped Susan. She rushed into Trauma 2 to see both Kerry and Luka beginning CPR. Before her very eyes Luka grabbed the paddles. Asystole, no synus rhythm. "Her name's Agatha Coalfield." Susan blurted out as if saying the woman's name would instantly bring her round. Susan grabbed a gown and gloves before hurrying to the woman's bedside. "Susan, we don't need you here." Kerry told her sharply. Helplessly Susan looked at Luka who nodded before yelling, "Shocking at three-sixty! Clear!" Outside the Trauma Room was alarmingly quiet, Susan walked towards the admit desk. "Jerry, call around upstairs. I'm looking for a guy - surname's Coalfield." Jerry nodded and picked up the phone. "Auntie Susan. Did you know that lady?" Susie asked innocently. "Not really honey, just someone I spoke to this morning." Susan replied. "It was Mrs. Coalfield, wasn't it? The lady who was supposed to be looking after me." Susan nodded slowly. Susie accepted this. "She had an accident in her car, now she's very sick but Luka and Dr. Weaver are working very hard to make her better." Susan elaborated. "Is she very sick?" Susie inquired. Susan opened her mouth to reply but Jerry held the phone up and waved at her. "The have a Bobbie Coalfield - " Jerry began. Susan made a grab for the phone. "I need to speak to someone on his ward." She interrupted. "Not gonna happen." Jerry told her. "Bobbie died at eleven twenty-two this morning, apparently he was in the ICU and they phoned his Mom because he had an MI, he's in the Morgue." "Okay, thanks Jerry." Susan looked round at Susie. Behind her she saw Luka and Weaver with defeated looks on their faces. "We lost her." Luka told her. "Auntie Susie, what happened?" Susie and her innocent questions were back. "Mrs. Coalfield was very sick, she had a hurt leg, a hurt face and then her heart got hurt too. She was so hurt that there was nothing that anyone could do to make her better. She died Susie." "She died like her son? Bobbie? Was he like me? Was her heart hurt because he died?" Susie persisted. Kerry looked at Susan's face. "This is no place for a child. I'm off now so how about me and Susie go and grad a bite to eat at Doc Magoos." Susan agreed and watched Susie walk away with Dr. Weaver. "Be good." She called not knowing if Susie heard her. "God, Luka. I don't know what I'm going to do. I guess Susie can stay here until I finish my shift tonight but then tomorrow I'm on six 'til two - that's at night. What am I going to do with her then?" Susan lamented. "I could watch her." Luka offered. "What?" Susan almost laughed. "Sure, my shift finishes t seven, you just bring her along and then I'll take her back to my place. Or yours. Which ever's better." "My place would be better, I could set up the couch if you'd like, if it would be easier for you I mean!" "Okay then, your place tomorrow." Luka told Susan laughing. She walked away to grab a bite to eat. "It's a date." He muttered under his breath as he watched her go.
"Auntie Susan. Auntie Susan." Susie urged in an anxious whisper. "Auntie Susan are you awake?" Gradually Susan began to come round, startled at hearing Susie's voice she quickly replayed the previous days events in her head before looking up at Susie with a sleepy smile. "What is it sweetie?" "Will you come and watch cartoon with me?" The little girl asked her exhausted looking Auntie. "Sure honey, you go on in." Susie told her niece as she sat up. "You go on in." Susie nodded and walked out but stopped and turned at the doorway. "I like this tee shirt, Auntie Susan." She told her Auntie. Susan looked at the little girl swamped in the oversized tee shirt. Bare stick legs stuck out from beneath the tee shirt - which came down to just past her knees. The sleeves were past Susie's elbows and the neck of the shirt practically touched Susan's belly button. Susan smiled. "Keep it, it's yours." Susan bleated a thanks and skipped off to the living room. Checking the clock Susan saw that it was almost half past seven. She sighed, 'the joys of children,' she thought. Once she was dressed she set about making breakfast for herself and Susie. Normally she wouldn't bother with breakfast, normally she'd pick up a double latte and a bagel on the way to work, then again normally she would still be asleep! She gave Susie her toast and tucked into her own. Then deciding to leave the washing-up until later she searched her apartment for the diary which she had written Joe' number in. It took the best part of twenty minutes to find and that coupled with the fact that it might not even be Joe's number did not put Susan in a very good mood. Nervously Susan dialed the number all the while scolding herself, what was she scared of? What she was going to hear? What Joe was going to say? She listened intently to the ringing; it went on and on and on. Finally Susan moved the phone away from her ear just as she heard a click on the other end. "Hallo. Joe - " The person began in a surprisingly cheery voice considering she was phoning him at eight in the morning. "Joe. It's Susan." She interrupted "Do you have any idea where Chloe might be?" What? Oh no! She's done it again?" The cheeriness had immediately gone from his voice. "Yes. Susie says she's gone off with someone called Janey and some other friends. Do you know who Janey is?" "Susie's safe? That's good. Hang on - did you say Janey?" "Uh huh. Why? Do you know her?" Susan asked urgently. "Yes. They made friends in Phoenix. I wouldn't know where they would go. Has Susie said anything?" "No, but she knows that her mother has taken off. She says that Chloe took everything. I don't think she's coming back Joe." Susan told him honestly. "Well personally I think Susie's better off with you. I couldn't cope with how needy Chloe was becoming. I should have tried to stop her from taking Susie." Joe paused. Susan was growing angry. He had seen this coming and he hadn't tried to prevent it. Keeping one eye on Susie Susan moved into the bathroom and locked the door. "You saw this coming." She hissed angrily. "You could have done something." "It wasn't my fault. I wasn't around much. Chloe had new friends and she promised me she was clean. I trusted her but she still lied to me. I'm sorry Susan." "You weren't around much? You knew Chloe couldn't be trusted. What were you thinking?" Susan exploded. "Susan, it's not like that. I'd love to be able to take Susie back, I'd love to take care of my little girl but I can't. In the long run Susie will be better off with you, you love her and I know you won't run off and abandon her. You have my full support if you want to get full custody of her. You've always been more of a mother to her than Chloe could be." Joe told Susan. His voice sounded so solemn and yet so empty that Susan couldn't figure out what he was trying to tell her. "Hang on a minute Joe." She interrupted, "What are you trying to say?" "I'm dying Susan. Cancer. I don't have long left. I don't want to fail Susie any more. I love her but if I let her see me like this it'll break my heart." Susan grabbed the hand basin and sat down heavily on the toilet seat. She didn't know what to do or say and so just sat there opening and closing her mouth like a fish. "Oh I'm sorry." She told him. Even to her it sounded empty. "What should I tell Susie?" "Tell her I've gone away. I don't know if it would bother her much to know that I'm gone, she always took Chloe's relapses in her stride." Joe told Susan. Susan knew his heart was breaking as he said these words. "At least let her see you one last time. For your sake at least. I'm free next Sunday if you want me to visit with her." Susan offered desperately wanting to have some control over what was going on in her life. There was a long pause at the other end of the line "Joe?" Susan ventured. "Sunday's fine. Bring her then." Joe told her before proceeding to inform Susan of the details of his whereabouts. Shortly afterward Susan hung up. "Susie." She called "We're visiting your Daddy on Sunday." Susie hopped up off the couch excitedly. "We are?" She exclaimed hardly believing it to be true. Susan nodded and the little girl began jumping around the living room giving out random shouts of 'Hooray' and 'Yippee'. Susan laughed at her before catching her, giving her a quick tickle and sending her off towards the bedroom with a gentle pat and an order to get dressed. It was just after nine according to the kitchen clock (although 10:44 by the VCR - 'Must get round to fixing that' Susan thought). Susan dug out the phonebook and searched for the number for the local Social Services Her throat was dry as she dialed the number and the quarter pint of orange juice she drained didn't help. Eventually someone answered the phone and Susan explained the whole problem to them including Chloe's drug problem and the infamous disappearing acts. As an afterthought she added the fact that Susie's Dad was dying and that she was the only family member left who wanted her. "Well to be honest with you, Doctor Lewis, I think you're right. Susie's definitely safer with you; first you should contact the police and let them know about Chloe, they can inform hospitals to be on the lookout for her. If you're going to see Susie's father we can send you some forms for him to sign to make you Susie's legal guardian. You will be eligible for adopting Susie in three months if her Mother hasn't showed up to claim her. In the event that she does you could have her declared an unfit mother and you should be granted full custody rights. Until then, enroll Susie at school, settle her in at home and sit tight and hope for the best." Susan thanked the telephone worker and hung up before going in to check on Susie. Her things were lying strewn across the bed and Susie was sat on the floor. "Hey Susie. What happened in here?" Susan asked, trying not to giggle - Susie had an unbelievable pout. "I think I left my hairbrush behind." She grumbled. "Here, we'll use mine." Susan offered helping Susie up and positioning her in front of the bed. Gently Susan brushed out all the knots and tangles in the child's hair before gathering it up into a ponytail at the back of the girl's head. "Look, Susie. I have to work today but I'm going to get you someone to look after you. But I finish at seven and then maybe we'll go and get something to eat." Susie nodded understandingly and then began to tidy up the bed for her Auntie. Susan left the little girl and looked up a reputable babysitter.
Agatha Coalfield got up slowly as the phone rang. She swiftly made her way across the room to answer it. "Hello, Agatha Coalfield speaking, how may I help you?" She spoke clearly into the phone. A young woman's voice replied, "Hello, I'm Dr. Susan Lewis, I was wondering if you could watch my niece for me today; from eleven until about seven this evening. I work at County General and I was anticipating her being here today." Agatha agreed and 'mmm'd' down the phone line. "Would it be okay if I picked her up from the hospital at eleven-thirty?" She asked, "I'm visiting my son there at about eleven, you see." Agatha glanced around her crowded living room. All around were photos of her son, her pride and joy. They began with him at only a few hours old and ended with him on Christmas day, asleep with a paper party-hat on his head. Agatha placed the phone to her ear. "Could you provide a packed lunch for you niece? Umm. what was her name?" "Sure, she's Susie. You are sure you don't mind picking her up?" Agatha assured her that it was nothing, "just go to the E.R. and ask for Dr. Susan Lewis at the admit desk. Thank-you so much." Agatha took down the woman's details and replaced the phone. "Well Geoffrey." She told the large ginger and white cat sat on the arm of her chair. "Looks like we're going to have company after all."
"Well Susie, you're going to spend the day with a nice lady named Agatha Coalfield, okay?" Susie nodded, "But before you go off with her you're going to have to spend some time with me at work. You have to promise to be good and stay where you're told." Susie nodded again. "Right, Mrs. Coalfield told me that you need a packed lunch, so what do you want in your sandwiches?" Susie put one finger to her mouth and 'hmmm'd for a couple of minutes before deciding on jelly since Susan had no peanut butter. Susan left Susie gathering her toys to take with her and set about making Susie's sandwiches. Into an old thermos flask she poured a large quantity of orange juice and then dug out a few cookies. "Susie, put this in your bag. We'll get you some chips and a chocolate bar from the machine at the hospital". Susie nodded and did as she was told. "Put our sneakers on and get your jacket. We should make a move. Do you mind walking to my work Susie? We'll take the subway if you like." Susie agreed that this seemed like an excellent idea and was willing to travel by subway so Susan helped her do up her sneakers, guiding her hands as she tied the bows, then helped her into her jacket and backpack. As they headed out of Susan's building and down onto the street Susie skipped ahead but once round the block and away towards the subway Susie's pace began to slow and by the time the pair reached the subway Susie was clinging tightly onto Susan's hand. "You won't let me go will you?" Susie asked anxiously. Susan shook her head. "Of course not honey." Susan reassured her "have you been lost in the subway before?" "Uh huh." Susie nodded and tightened her grip on Susan's hand which Susan returned with a gentle squeeze to reassure Susie that she wasn't going to let her go. Riding through the subway Susan held Susie tightly on her lap. Whispering in her ear at each stop that it was only a few more until theirs. Finally their stop came and Susan heard her little niece sigh heavily with relief, that ordeal was over 'she shouldn't have to go through that for a while' Susan thought, next time they'd take a cab. For the first time Susan seriously considered the psychological damage that Chloe's irresponsibility as a mother might have had on her young, impressionable child. Twenty minutes later Susan and Susie were approaching the E.R. Susie had relaxed and was back to skipping along the street ahead of Susan. Just outside of the entrance to the E.R. Susan stopped Susie and called her back. "Susie, promise me that you'll be good and just sit tight until Mrs. Coalfield arrives for you. You'll stay in the lounge and you won't go with anyone unless I say it's okay. Susie, I think your Mommy is sick again and even if she seems okay and doesn't seem to be trying to hurt you she might do it by accident. Do you understand?" Susan told Susie seriously. She waited for Susie's characteristic nod. It didn't come. "Susie, did you understand what I said?" A puzzled look set fast on Susie's young face. "Is that why Janey and Mommy have gone away? Because Mommy is sick again and Janey doesn't want me to get hurt." "Yes." Susan told her after a long pause. That was the easy way to explain it, Mommy was sick and she had to go away. Maybe when she was better she would come back. Susie knew that when her Mommy was sick she sometimes did and said scary things and she excepted the fact that when this happened she could no longer see her mommy, it was the way she took this with the strange child-like innocence which put her at risk from her Mother's 'sickness'. "Come on Susie, let get inside." And taking the child's hand she led her niece inside.
"It's quiet in here!" Susan exclaimed looking round at the waiting area. It was virtually empty. The board too was also practically clear. "Hey Jerry, it's like something out of a horror movie in here, what's going on?" She asked digging out some change for Susie and pointing her in the direction of the vending machine. Jerry, who was at the admit deck, looked up at her "Oh, hi Doctor Lewis. Didn't you watch the news this morning?" Susan shook her head. "Oh, well until about two hours ago the department was closed. We tried to call you but we kept getting busy." "Why was the department closed?" Susan inquired whilst smiling a congratulation at Susie on her choice of chips and chocolate bar. "There was a fire about two or three blocks away. The department couldn't cope so the ambulances were diverted to Mercy. Since then we haven't had many people coming in, they probably don't know we're open. Anyway, aren't you early? And what's the kid doing here?" "Susie's babysitter can't make it until half eleven so she's staying with me. Where's Weaver?" "Oh she was in the lounge last time I saw her. She's in a bad mood for some reason, I'd stay away if I were you." Jerry informed her. "Jerry can you watch Susie for me?" Jerry nodded so Susan knelt down on the floor beside Susie. "Susie, you're going to stay here with Jerry, okay? You do as you're told and don't wander off. Understand? Good girl. Why don't you get your toys out?" Susie reached into her bag and Susan seated her beside Jerry at the admit desk. She gave her niece a quick peck on her forehead and left her contentedly playing with a teddy bear. Susan walked into the lounge to see Kerry Weaver seated at the table. Kerry looked up as Susan entered and sighed heavily. "Long night?" Susan asked seeing the worn look on Kerry's face and the bags under her eyes. "You could say that. Out of twenty people brought in with extensive, full thickness burns, seven survived. Then one expired in the O.R. and another in the burns unit. We got a call from Mercy to say that they lost three, including a six-year-old girl. What a waste!" Susan immediately thought of Susie sat out at the admit desk. "Out of fifty-four people so far over twenty have died. Who could do that?" Susan agreed with Kerry that it really was awful before asking "Coffee?" Kerry shook her head and Susan proceeded to make herself a cup. "Oh Susan, you wouldn't happen to know anything about some missing medical supplies, would you?" Kerry asked as Susan riffled through her locker. "Umm. yeah. a thirty-year-old woman walked off with them. Security said they'd chase it up." This seemed to satisfy Kerry, so Susan slipped on her lab coat and left.
"Well, Mr. Young. It would appear that the deafness you've been suffering has been caused by a simple build up of earwax. A nurse will be in to deal with you in a minute." Susie told the man sat on the gurney. "What?" The man shouted. "You have EARWAX in you EARS. I'll send a NURSE in!" Susan told him loudly. This time Mr. Young heard her and nodded. "Lydia. Mr. Young needs his ears syringed." Susan told the nurse. At the admit desk Kerry was talking heatedly to Jerry. She moved away by the time Susan reached them. "When's this babysitter going to be here?" Jerry asked Susan. She checked her watch, "Shouldn't be long now." It was only twenty past eleven and anyway she was only upstairs visiting her son. "Is Susie being a nuisance?" Susie looked up at hearing her name mentioned and Susan smiled at her. "No, it's Doctor Weaver. She's not happy with Susie being here. That babysitter had better hurry up." Susan moved on to look at a nine year old who swallowed an eraser. She explained that it would pass in a day or so and then went back to the desk to wipe the child's name off the board. As she walked past the desk Kerry muttered, "Susan, this isn't a day care center you know." "So how come Jerry's allowed to work here then?" Susan retorted, quietly. Jerry pulled a face behind her back as she walked off. Susan was annoyed that the babysitter still hadn't shown up yet, she was almost ten minutes late. She was beginning to doubt whether she should let Susie go with the woman. Briefly Susan debated phoning around upstairs to find out about Agatha Coalfield's son, but then a crash from the doors and a yell of "Elderly woman. Found with her car in the side of a building. Facial lacerations and a query femur fracture. Lost consciousness in the ambulance." The paramedic reeled off. As Susan hurried towards the gurney carrying the stricken woman the paramedic grabbed her arm to stop her. Luka appeared from behind Susan and he and Kerry rushed towards the woman. "Are your Doctor Susan Lewis?" Susan nodded dumbly. "The lady was asking me to tell you that she's sorry she was late and she wanted to say sorry that she couldn't take care of your niece." "Oh God!" Gasped Susan. She rushed into Trauma 2 to see both Kerry and Luka beginning CPR. Before her very eyes Luka grabbed the paddles. Asystole, no synus rhythm. "Her name's Agatha Coalfield." Susan blurted out as if saying the woman's name would instantly bring her round. Susan grabbed a gown and gloves before hurrying to the woman's bedside. "Susan, we don't need you here." Kerry told her sharply. Helplessly Susan looked at Luka who nodded before yelling, "Shocking at three-sixty! Clear!" Outside the Trauma Room was alarmingly quiet, Susan walked towards the admit desk. "Jerry, call around upstairs. I'm looking for a guy - surname's Coalfield." Jerry nodded and picked up the phone. "Auntie Susan. Did you know that lady?" Susie asked innocently. "Not really honey, just someone I spoke to this morning." Susan replied. "It was Mrs. Coalfield, wasn't it? The lady who was supposed to be looking after me." Susan nodded slowly. Susie accepted this. "She had an accident in her car, now she's very sick but Luka and Dr. Weaver are working very hard to make her better." Susan elaborated. "Is she very sick?" Susie inquired. Susan opened her mouth to reply but Jerry held the phone up and waved at her. "The have a Bobbie Coalfield - " Jerry began. Susan made a grab for the phone. "I need to speak to someone on his ward." She interrupted. "Not gonna happen." Jerry told her. "Bobbie died at eleven twenty-two this morning, apparently he was in the ICU and they phoned his Mom because he had an MI, he's in the Morgue." "Okay, thanks Jerry." Susan looked round at Susie. Behind her she saw Luka and Weaver with defeated looks on their faces. "We lost her." Luka told her. "Auntie Susie, what happened?" Susie and her innocent questions were back. "Mrs. Coalfield was very sick, she had a hurt leg, a hurt face and then her heart got hurt too. She was so hurt that there was nothing that anyone could do to make her better. She died Susie." "She died like her son? Bobbie? Was he like me? Was her heart hurt because he died?" Susie persisted. Kerry looked at Susan's face. "This is no place for a child. I'm off now so how about me and Susie go and grad a bite to eat at Doc Magoos." Susan agreed and watched Susie walk away with Dr. Weaver. "Be good." She called not knowing if Susie heard her. "God, Luka. I don't know what I'm going to do. I guess Susie can stay here until I finish my shift tonight but then tomorrow I'm on six 'til two - that's at night. What am I going to do with her then?" Susan lamented. "I could watch her." Luka offered. "What?" Susan almost laughed. "Sure, my shift finishes t seven, you just bring her along and then I'll take her back to my place. Or yours. Which ever's better." "My place would be better, I could set up the couch if you'd like, if it would be easier for you I mean!" "Okay then, your place tomorrow." Luka told Susan laughing. She walked away to grab a bite to eat. "It's a date." He muttered under his breath as he watched her go.