Recovery
Part 15
A/N: Anything in bold italic is being spoken in Italian
For the very first time in its history, the ER was completely quite. Everyone looked at each other and then back at Abby.
Abby: How is that for news, guys!
Haleh: Are you sure you haven't been sniffing too much of this disinfectant?
Abby: Positive. I'm not crazy. I know what I heard.
Mark: I'm sorry, Abby. It's not that I think you are just making up some kind of rumor, but I'm having a difficult time with this.
Abby: Alright Dr. Green, if you don't believe me why don't you just ask your wife.
Mark: What does Elizabeth have to do with this?
Abby: She was in Dr. Romano's office and she and Dr. Romano were telling Dr. Benton.
Mark: Are you telling me that she knew about this?
Abby smirkingly smiles.
Luka: Well, it's impossible. Malucci died 5 months ago. We were there when it happened.
Kerry: Abby, I will not have you running around here starting nasty rumors.
Abby: But, but...
Before Abby could say anything else, the entire admit desk turned towards the lounge as Jing-Mei, Carter and Lydia walked out and headed towards them. The ER went silent again and everyone stared at Jing-Mei. Jing-Mei looked at one another and then around the ER.
Jing-Mei: Did we miss something? What's going on here?
Abby: Actually...
Kerry(clenching her teeth): Let it go, Abby and get back to work everyone.
Lydia: Why did everything get so quiet out here when we came out?
Luka: I don't think we know what you mean?
Carter: We heard conversation coming from here when we were in the lounge and we come out here and now you are all standing around not saying anything.(laughing) Who died?
Abby: It's not who died, it's who's...
Kerry(interrupting): Abby!! I told you go back to work, now!
Abby: Look, if I am wrong and it is just a rumor then it's best if they hear it from us first, right?
Luka: Please Kerry, let's just put this gossip to sleep at once and fill them in?
Kerry, defeated, throws her hands up in the air and limps over to the board.
Jing-Mei: What is this all about?
Luka: There's this crazy story going on from a re...uh,(staring at Abby) unreliable source that, I don't want to upset you Jing-Mei...
Jing-Mei: Well, that's exactly what you're doing now.
Mark: The source says that Malucci is alive.
Lydia, Carter and Jing-Mei momentarily remain in shock. Then Jing-Mei puts her head in her hands and leans up against the admit desk. Carter goes over and comforts her.
Luka: I knew that would upset her. Maybe that will teach you, Abby to keep your ears to yourself.
Lydia: Dr. Chen, are you alright?
Jing-Mei recovers from the statement and starts rubbing her forehead.
Jing-Mei: Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy...how did you find out?
Haleh: From Cook County's own Rona Barrett---Abby Lock...
Then Jing-Mei's last statement hits the ER Staff at once. Kerry comes back over from the board.
Kerry: Wait a minute, Jing-Mei---you knew? It's true, then?
Jing-Mei looks at her coworkers' faces and grudgingly nods.
Jing-Mei: Yes everyone, it's true and I knew.
Carter: How long have you known? When did you find out?
Jing-Mei: I've known since the day that Dave was shot at Antonio's christening.
Carter: But how? We saw him get shot. There's no way he could have faked that or no way he could have survived it.
Kerry: The baby's christening that was a setup?
Jing-Mei: No, absolutely not. I would never use my son or his christening for anything like that.
Kerry: I'm sorry. I know you wouldn't.
Jing-Mei: Alright, before I explain any of this to you, you have to understand that I never wanted to lie to any of you. This wasn't even my idea. It was Capt. Amos'. I was as shocked as any of you.
Carter: So, what happened?
Jing-Mei: As I said, the christening was legit. No one expected someone to be cruel enough to make a hit on Dave in a room full of people, at his son's christening so there was very little reason to increase security---a big mistake that we will never make again. As you saw, Dave was shot in the head and rushed up here and then into surgery. (pause) I swear I was completely in the dark, like you were. It wasn't until I insisted on going up to see Dave after Romano and Elizabeth came down and told me that Dave was "dead".
***********************FLASHBACK******************************
Five months ago, the day of Antonio's christening and Dave's shooting:
Dr. Romano, Elizabeth and Capt. Amos escort a hysterical and grieving Jing-Mei up to a room on the sixth floor.
Dr. Romano: Dr. Chen, please step in here?
Jing-Mei(crying): I want to see Dave. I need to be with my husband right now.
Dr. Romano: And you shall, but first we have to show you something.
Jing-Mei(crying): What?
Elizabeth: Relax dear, I think you will like what you see?
They enter the room and Jing-Mei sees a hospital bed with a patient lying motionless in it. The patient's head is completely bandaged and he's on a ventilator.
Jing-Mei: Why am I here? Why did you bring me to this patient's room? Is it suppose to make me feel better or what?
Elizabeth: Jing-Mei, take a good look at who the patient is.
Jing-Mei focuses on the patient and a confused look comes across her face.
Jing-Mei: Dave?
Dr. Romano: That's right.
Jing-Mei: I don't understand. Why is he still on a ventilator? Is Dave brain dead?
Elizabeth: No Jing-Mei. Dr. Dave isn't brain dead, in fact, he isn't dead at all.
Jing-Mei: But you said...
Dr. Romano: Never mind what we said.
Capt. Amos: Please Dr. Romano, let me explain it to her. Dr. Chen, after Dr. Malucci was shot, and my men once again failed to apprehend his assailant before the damage was done, I got an idea. While Dr. Malucci was in surgery, I went to the courthouse and got an injunction from the judge on duty that would release anyone and everyone involved from legal action or prosecution.
Jing-Mei: What kind of an injunction?
Capt. Amos: Before I presented it along with my idea to Dr. Romano, I wanted to make sure that Dr. Malucci survived and when I found out he did then I approached The Chief of Staff. The injunction states, that for investigational purposes, the first party---that would be Dr. Malucci---be pronounced dead. And the second parties---Dr. Romano and Dr. Corday---would sign the death certificate, in which neither of them would be held legally responsible or charged with filing a false death report.
Jing-Mei: An the purpose of this is...?
Capt. Amos: To give you, Dr. Malucci and your family a break. If whoever is responsible for Dr. Malucci's injuries and such believes that he is dead then the threats should stop. There should be no more threat for your family. You and your boys will no longer need guards following you everywhere. You can go about leading normal lives.
Jing-Mei: At Dave's expense. What happens to him?
**********************END OF FLASHBACK***********************
Kerry: So, what did happen with Malucci?
Jing-Mei: Dr. Romano called Dr. Jackson at the Chicago East Rehab Center and arranged to have Dave transferred there.
Luka: So, that's why you've been spending so much time at the rehab center.
Jing-Mei: Sure, I needed to be with Dave. I had to assure him that I didn't desert him. That I was still here and praying for his recovery. He's my husband and I love him.
Mark: How did they get him over there?
Jing-Mei: That was the tricky part. How to sneak Dave out of the hospital without anyone noticing? First, Dave couldn't travel too soon after brain surgery. He remained in this hospital for a week after his shooting, when Dr. Romano thought it was safe to transport him.
Kerry: Hold on, now I remember. There was a room that was sealed off on the sixth floor about that time. I needed to speak with Dr. Romano and his receptionist said he was on the sixth floor so I went up and I saw him coming out of a room that had a sign on it "Authorized Personnel Only". I asked him what was so secretive in there but Romano did his usual double talk and I never found...Dave was in that room, wasn't he?
Jing-Mei: Yes, he was. They had to keep him away from the rest of the staff with the exception of the few people who knew. Anyway, Dr. Romano thought about transferring Dave in a body bag but...
Carter: How could he if Dave was still on a ventilator?
Jing-Mei: Right. They couldn't because if anyone had been watching and saw that body bag move because of the vent, Dave wouldn't have gotten far. So he waited until it was nighttime. It was pitch dark on the roof when Dave was air flown out of here and over to the rehab center.
Luka: One thing I still don't understand. Dave was shot, right?
Jing-Mei: Yes, he was.
Luka: I know he was because I was one of the attending doctors in with him and I saw the injury, how could he have survived it?
Jing-Mei: That had me a little curious too, at first. Then Dr. Romano explained it to me. He said that if anyone, except Malucci, was shot the way Dave was then they probably won't have made it out of the chapel let alone survive.
Abby: What makes Malucci so special that he wasn't killed?
Jing-Mei: Not special---different. The bullet hit Dave in his head but something no one counted on, especially his killer.
Carter: Which was?
Jing-Mei: The bullet struck Dave's metal plate in his head causing it to shatter. Fragments of the bullet landed in Dave's skull, mostly up in his frontal lobe where there was little chance of serious damage. Dr. Romano and Elizabeth operated and removed the fragments and replaced one of the shunts in his brain that was destroyed.
Luka: Well, I guess if you have to be shot in the head then that's the way to do it.
Kerry: Jing-Mei, you said the few people who knew about Dave. Who knew?
Jing-Mei: Myself, Capt. Amos, Dr. Romano, Elizabeth, Dr. Jackson at the rehab center, Rusty and Mr. Santini---Rusty's tutor.
Abby: Little Rusty knew too. Could have fooled me. He seemed very broken up at the funeral.
Jing-Mei: Yes, he did do a good job. I had to tell him. It hasn't even been a year since he lost his mother and aunt. I couldn't let him believe his daddy was dead too. I thought about sending him away before the funeral but I thought that would raise suspicion. Rusty was on another continent when his mother and aunt died and he went to their funerals but he was right here when his daddy passed. It would have seemed strange if he weren't at the funeral. And in order to tell Rusty, I had to have Mr. Santini translate for me. Believe me, only the people who were vital to carrying this out knew.
Mark: Like Elizabeth.
Jing-Mei: Sorry Mark, she was sworn to secrecy. Please don't be mad at her. And I hope the rest of you understand why I couldn't tell you guys about what was going on. It was for Dave, mine and the boys safety and protection and it's just as important that no one else find out, especially since Dave will be coming back here tonight.
Kerry: Tonight, why?
Jing-Mei: Dave recently suffered another mild heart attack. He needs the prosthetic valve in his heart replaced. He's coming back for the surgery.
Mark: You have my word, Jing-Mei, no one will give away your secret.
Carter: So, how is Dave doing?
Jing-Mei: He's coming around. He still can't walk or move very much but he's talking more. His aphasia is still there, along with his stuttering. Some of his memory is coming back, but he's not there yet. He's finally off the vent---at least he was before his upcoming heart surgery. Oh, and he goes by the name Erik Evad now, for the time being.
Carter: Erik Evad? Where did that name come from?
Jing-Mei: I'm not sure how they came up with the name Erik but Evad is Dave spelled backwards. I know it sounds weird but this alias has kept Dave or Erik alive for the last five months.
Mark: Whatever works, then.
Carter: I still can't believe that Malucci is still alive.
Jing-Mei: SHHHHH!!! John, please. Keep your voice down. If word gets out about this, then we will have to go back to having the guards around us.
Carter: Sorry Deb. I forgot. (pause) It must be nice to come and go without having someone following you around all the time.
Jing-Mei: Yeah, it is. I almost forgot what that was like. Rusty's been able to go to school and outside to play and he's even made some little friends. (pause) Which reminds me, I have to go home straight after my shift is over. A friend from Rusty's school is having a birthday party and I have to take him there.
At the end of her shift, Jing-Mei is in the lounge gathering her things. She is deep in thought when Carter walks in.
Carter: Finally off, Deb?
Jing-Mei doesn't respond.
Carter(waving his hand in front of her face): Yo, Deb. Earth to Deb.
Jing-Mei: Huh, did you say something?
Carter: Yes, but it's not important. Looks like whatever you had on your mind is important. Are you okay?
Jing-Mei: Yea...no, I don't know. It's Rusty.
Carter: What's wrong with Rusty?
Jing-Mei: He had a nightmare last night.
Carter: Kids have nightmares. Hell, everyone has them at times.
Jing-Mei: I know and he use to have them alot after his mama and Aunt Sophie died and that incident with Frankie. Even now, I still hear him crying at night but it's been awhile since he had a real bad nightmare that woke him up out of a sound sleep. He was shaking and sweating and absolutely terrified.
Carter: Did he tell you anything about it?
Jing-Mei: No, all he said was that there was a monster trying to get him and Antonio. It took me an hour to calm him down. I thought it was just a kid's nightmare, but now that our secret is out...
Carter: It's got you worried, right.
Jing-Mei: Sure.
Carter: Are you thinking about asking Capt. Amos to put the guards back on?
Jing-Mei: Part of me wants to, but another part has gotten to like our freedom. I'd hate to tell Rusty that he'd have to have a guard with him again. He hated that before. Da...Erik still has his guard on him, plainclothes of course. (pause) No, it's just paranoia, is all. I am not going to become an overprotective mother that I smother my children. As long as no one knows about Erik, we will be safe. (looking at her watch) I have to get going.
Carter: You on tomorrow?
Jing-Mei: Tomorrow graveyard. But I'll be back later when Erik is brought in. You'll be here?
Carter: Til 11:30. See you later.
Jing-Mei: Bye.
At home, Jing-Mei gets Rusty bathed and dressed in a suit. She brushes his hair and stands him in front of the full length mirror.
Jing-Mei: Boy, what a handsome young man we have here.
Rusty: Yeah I am, ain't I?
Mrs. Peterson walks in holding Antonio.
Mrs. Peterson: Baby's ready to be fed...(looking at Rusty and smiling)Well Dr. Chen, I didn't realize you had company...who is your gentleman caller?
Jing-Mei(smiling): Well, I've always been attracted to younger men, Mrs. Peterson.
Mrs. Peterson holds her hand out to greet the little man.
Mrs. Peterson: How do you do, sir?
Rusty(worried): It's me, Gramma Peterson, Rusty remember?
Both Jing-Mei and Mrs. Peterson laugh at a still confused Rusty.
Mrs. Peterson: I know sweetheart. I'm only kidding. You just look so much older and sophisticated in a suit. I'm going to feed your little fellow.
Jing-Mei: There should be some food in the refrigerator for him.
Mrs. Peterson head into the kitchen while Jing-Mei finishes prepping Rusty.
Jing-Mei: There all nice, neat and clean. Now Rusty, I want you to be polite and behave yourself.
Rusty: Si, Mama Jing. But why do I have to go anyway?
Jing-Mei: Because Gina was nice to invite you and the manly thing to do is go. (smirking)Besides, you wouldn't want to hurt your little girlfriend's feelings by not showing.
Rusty(angry): She is not my girlfriend!!
Jing-Mei: If you say so.
Rusty: Rascal, come too.
Jing-Mei: Rascal was not invited. Besides, he has to stay here and keep Mrs. Peterson and Antonio company.
Almost on cue, Rascal enters the room and heads over to Rusty but Jing-Mei stops him before he can shed on Rusty.
Jing-Mei: Oh, no you don't pal.
She takes him by the collar and leads him into the kitchen. She reaches into a cabinet and pulls out a rawhide bone and gives it to the hyper little doggie.
Jing-Mei: That should keep you occupied and happy for awhile. Rusty, come on we have to go now. Do you have the present?
Rusty: Si, Mama Jing.
Rusty hugs Mrs. Peterson and Antonio goodbye. He tries to hug Rascal too but Jing-Mei prevents it.
Jing-Mei: Geez Rusty, you're going to a birthday party not the electric chair. You'll be back. Now come on.
After dropping Rusty off at the party, Jing-Mei heads to the hospital. She goes up to the sixth floor room that they have set up for Erik's arrival but nothing is happening. She goes to Dr. Romano's office. She catches him on his way out the door.
Jing-Mei: Any word yet on when Erik arrives?
Dr. Romano: I spoke with Dr. Jackson and he said he's got a med-copter schedule to pick Erik up in two hours. Now, if you'll excuse me I have a hot appendicitis waiting for me.
Jing-Mei: Sure. I'll be down in the ER lounge waiting. You'll have me paged the moment he arrives, right?
Dr. Romano: Top of my agenda.
Jing-Mei goes down into the lounge, fixes herself a cup of coffee and sits on the couch with a magazine and waits. She sees staff members coming in and out and watches in hall as the ER takes on a construction site accident. After an hour, Elizabeth comes into the lounge and joins her.
Elizabeth: You still here, Jing-Mei.
Jing-Mei: Actually, I just got back a little while ago. Had to take Rusty to a friend's party but I wanted to be here when Erik arrives.
Elizabeth: Oh. By the way, word has it that some other people know our secret.
Jing-Mei: Thanks to Abby.
Elizabeth: Remind me to have a talk with that young lady.
Jing-Mei: Definitely. After all, you never had a problem telling Dave what you thought of him.
Elizabeth: I don't understand what you mean.
Jing-Mei: That PID girl that Abby misdiagnosed that Dave never even saw because she said he wasn't needed even though he was supervising her as a medical student.
Elizabeth: That bothered you.
Jing-Mei: Sure it did. I know Dave isn't any Ben Casey or Marcus Welby but given the chance and opportunity, he was a decent doctor. But, everytime he messed up even a little bit and no one was injured he got blamed. He was yelled at, lectured, suspended, or written up. He's only a junior resident himself. He's still in the learning process too. He makes mistakes, who doesn't. But not everyone who makes mistakes is dragged over the coals like he was by everyone.
Elizabeth: I'm sorry if I upset you and hurt Dave's feelings. Didn't know he was so sensitive.
Jing-Mei: He is. And you're right---you didn't know about him or his feelings. (pause) Sorry, I shouldn't be yelling at you about this after all in a few hours you're going to have your hands all over (whispering)my husband's heart.
Elizabeth: Do you think I would jeopardize a patient's care because of a past incident?
Jing-Mei: No, I don't. You're one of the best and that's why I wanted you to do his surgery despite the circumstances. I'm sorry if I offended you.
Elizabeth: It's alright. I guess I just got a taste of how Dave must have felt all those times myself and the other doctors criticized him.
Both Jing-Mei and Elizabeth's pagers beep.
Elizabeth: Sixth floor?
Jing-Mei: Sixth floor, let's go.
Jing-Mei and Elizabeth head up to the sixth floor. They wait outside the elevator and watch as it comes down from the roof. Within the next ten minutes, the doors open and two orderlies and Peter are pushing in the gurney carrying Erik. Jing-Mei walks up next to the gurney and looks down at the patient. He's unconscious, restrained to a backboard and connected to a ventilator.
Jing-Mei(smiling): Erik, I missed you so much. How's he doing?
Peter: Stable. We have to get him settled into his room and start running some tests before his surgery tomorrow. If you will excuse us.
Elizabeth: Go back down to the lounge and I'll call you when I know anything.
Jing-Mei: Alright, and thank you guys.
Jing-Mei walks down into the ER and heads out towards the admit desk when she is stopped by Kerry.
Kerry: I saw you and Elizabeth leave the lounge earlier. Da..Erik arrived?
Jing-Mei: Yes, Peter and Elizabeth are examining him now and are going to call me with the news.
Randi: Dr. Chen, phone call.
Jing-Mei heads over to the admit desk and takes the phone from Randi.
Jing-Mei: Thanks Randi. Dr. Chen, here. How may I help you?
Mrs. Peterson(crying): Dr. Chen.
Jing-Mei: Mrs. Peterson, what's wrong?
Mrs. Peterson(crying): RUSTY'S MISSING!!
To be continued. Please read and review.