After some quick persuasion done by Grace, Jessie finally willed herself to
walk through the double doors leading into the hospital. The last time that
she was in this place was after her mom's car accident; when she thought
her mom would die. She couldn't bear to lose Katie. She took a deep breath
and inhaled the sterile smelling air. The stench of ether and death filled
her senses and triggered a reaction in her brain telling her to turn around
and run home. But the fear in her heart of never seeing Katie again
overpowered this sense. Jessie turned toward Grace, took her hand and said,
"Come on."
Grace and Jessie headed to the Emergency Room main desk, "Excuse me?" Grace asked the lady behind the desk. When the irritated young woman did not respond, Grace pounded her fists on the counter and shouted in an impatient voice, "Hey!"
The young woman jumped and looked at the girls with a scowl. "Yes," she asked, her thick southern accent made her sound more precocious than she had previously appeared. "Can I help you?"
Jessie nodded, "Katie Singer?"
The woman stared at the two girls and responded, "Excuse me?"
"Kathryn Singer was brought into Emergency. Do you know which room she's in?" Grace asked, keeping one hand on the young blonde's shoulder, for Jessie looked as though she would attack the nurse.
"Room 305. Her brother is with her now," the nurse responded in a harsh tone. "Only family is allowed in the room."
Grace nodded and took Jessie's hand. "Come on Jess." Grace led the scared girl down the hall and stopped in front of room 305. The air was stale and Jessie once again found herself struggling for air. Jessie reached for the door handle, and just as she was about to turn it, a voice startled her.
"Miss, only family is allowed to see Miss. Singer." The girls turned to face a man in his mid twenties.
"She is," said Grace, "Family. This is Jessie, Katie's sister."
The young doctor looked skeptical as he held out his hand to Jessie. "Oh, well then. I'm Dr. Michaels. I treated your sister when she was brought in."
"What happened to her?" Jessie asked in a shaky voice.
"Our dad happened," a voice came from behind Jessie. She turned and was shocked to see a teary-eyed Tad behind her. "She uh, she was out earlier, and when she came home Dad didn't like that fact that she came home late. She was upset about something and when she started yelling he.he." his voice broke and he stopped and looked at the doctor for assistance.
Dr. Michaels cleared his throat. "Miss Singer came in with a blunt trauma injury to the head, as well as bruises and lacerations around the forehead, most likely from a glass bottle of some sort. She was not conscious on arrival and we've ordered a CAT scan to verify the level of trauma caused to the brain. We'll know after further analysis whether or not recovery is likely."
"Are you saying that she might be brain dead?" asked Jessie, fear enveloping her voice. When the doctor nodded his head, Jessie turned around and buried her face in Tad's shoulder. He wrapped his arms around the small girl and held on tight. She was Katie's one true love and he would make sure that Jessie was safe and happy.
"That's not all of her injuries, I'm afraid." When Jessie looked at him, he sighed and said, "It would appear as though she had fallen down the stairs. There is evidence of a spinal injury as well. We will not be able to evaluate the extent of the damage until she is awake." Dr. Michaels lowered his head. He hated being the bearer of bad news. "I'll leave you alone," Dr. Michaels said as he placed a gentle hand on Grace's shoulder and led her away from the room.
Jessie turned her teary eyes up toward Tad and said in a shaky voice, "H- How did she get here? I mean, did her father drive her?"
Tad shook his head, "That lazy bastard was the one who put her in this damn place. Katie always hated hospitals.ever since her grandmother died." He paused and looked at the young blonde. "Anyway, to answer your question.no. Her father is the reason that my best friend is lying in a coma right now. Katie got home and was upset about something." Jessie laid her eyes upon the floor knowing that she was the reason Katie was upset. "He yelled and she yelled back and before she knew it, he hit her. She was so scared and she ran upstairs and called me from her room. She told me what happened and asked if I could drive over and get her. That when I heard him screaming and a loud crash in the background. It wasn't until later that I realized what happened. I'd called the paramedics and they rushed over to her house. Her dad was gone when they arrived but Katie was there.lying unconscious at the bottom of the stairs. He'd thrown her down and just left her there. He left her there to die.he." Tad's voice broke and he fell to his knees, taking the younger girl with him. They both sat there holding onto each other, crying until the tears would come no more. Tad stood and helped Jessie to her feet.
"C-Can I see her?" Jessie asked, voice shaking from fear of what she would discover beyond the door. Tad nodded and moved aside, allowing the blonde entrance into the room. Jessie held out her hand and placed it on the handle. She turned the chilling metal and entered the room. It was silent except for the beeping of the heart monitor. Jessie's eyes fell upon the seemingly lifeless body of Katie Singer. Jessie moved closer and sat in a cold metal chair next to the bed. The metal stung Jessie's bare legs as she leaned forward and took the older girl's soft hand.
"Oh Katie," she whispered, gently stroking her thumb over Katie's hand, "You have to pull through." Jessie gently pushed a strand of brown hair out of Katie's face and softly caressed her forehead. "I never got the chance to tell you." she paused and searched for the right words. "You told me you wouldn't leave me. You said you'd wait for me.I need you Katie. I." her voice trailed off as she saw Katie's eyelashes flutter. "Katie," she said in a soft voice, rubbing the older girl's forehead. Katie, much to Jessie's dismay, continued to lay silent and still. Jessie lowered her head and closed her eyes, allowing her tears to fall once more. Jessie was drained and she felt her eyes droop. She took Katie's hand in her own as she slouched in the hospital chair. "I love you Katie," Jessie whispered before she allowed herself to return to her dreams.
*****
Grace paced in the hallway as she waited for Jessie. She felt a warm hand on her shoulder and instantly she knew who was there. She leaned slightly into the touch and then turned to face him. "Eli," She said and she smiled at the older boy. "What are you doing here?"
Eli grinned and motioned for Grace to sit down beside him on the bench. "Mom called after you guys left. You gotta believe I wasn't happy waking up in the cold garage after midnight." he glanced at Grace and noticed that she was sincerely listening to him. He hadn't been with a girl this amazing since.well, he'd never been with anyone this amazing. He realized that Grace was waiting for him to continue. "Anyway, once I heard what had happened, I knew I needed to be here. For Jessie," his eyes locked with Grace's deep brown eyes, "and for you."
Grace leaned her head against Eli's, slowly breathing in his scent. She closed her eyes and allowed herself to say the words she had been yearning to say for the past year. "I love you Eli."
A smile worked its way onto Eli's face as she gently kissed the top of Grace's head. "I love you." And there they stay, wrapped together in a mixture of love and exhaustion, until the morning hours would awaken them.until the fate of a friend was determined.
Grace and Jessie headed to the Emergency Room main desk, "Excuse me?" Grace asked the lady behind the desk. When the irritated young woman did not respond, Grace pounded her fists on the counter and shouted in an impatient voice, "Hey!"
The young woman jumped and looked at the girls with a scowl. "Yes," she asked, her thick southern accent made her sound more precocious than she had previously appeared. "Can I help you?"
Jessie nodded, "Katie Singer?"
The woman stared at the two girls and responded, "Excuse me?"
"Kathryn Singer was brought into Emergency. Do you know which room she's in?" Grace asked, keeping one hand on the young blonde's shoulder, for Jessie looked as though she would attack the nurse.
"Room 305. Her brother is with her now," the nurse responded in a harsh tone. "Only family is allowed in the room."
Grace nodded and took Jessie's hand. "Come on Jess." Grace led the scared girl down the hall and stopped in front of room 305. The air was stale and Jessie once again found herself struggling for air. Jessie reached for the door handle, and just as she was about to turn it, a voice startled her.
"Miss, only family is allowed to see Miss. Singer." The girls turned to face a man in his mid twenties.
"She is," said Grace, "Family. This is Jessie, Katie's sister."
The young doctor looked skeptical as he held out his hand to Jessie. "Oh, well then. I'm Dr. Michaels. I treated your sister when she was brought in."
"What happened to her?" Jessie asked in a shaky voice.
"Our dad happened," a voice came from behind Jessie. She turned and was shocked to see a teary-eyed Tad behind her. "She uh, she was out earlier, and when she came home Dad didn't like that fact that she came home late. She was upset about something and when she started yelling he.he." his voice broke and he stopped and looked at the doctor for assistance.
Dr. Michaels cleared his throat. "Miss Singer came in with a blunt trauma injury to the head, as well as bruises and lacerations around the forehead, most likely from a glass bottle of some sort. She was not conscious on arrival and we've ordered a CAT scan to verify the level of trauma caused to the brain. We'll know after further analysis whether or not recovery is likely."
"Are you saying that she might be brain dead?" asked Jessie, fear enveloping her voice. When the doctor nodded his head, Jessie turned around and buried her face in Tad's shoulder. He wrapped his arms around the small girl and held on tight. She was Katie's one true love and he would make sure that Jessie was safe and happy.
"That's not all of her injuries, I'm afraid." When Jessie looked at him, he sighed and said, "It would appear as though she had fallen down the stairs. There is evidence of a spinal injury as well. We will not be able to evaluate the extent of the damage until she is awake." Dr. Michaels lowered his head. He hated being the bearer of bad news. "I'll leave you alone," Dr. Michaels said as he placed a gentle hand on Grace's shoulder and led her away from the room.
Jessie turned her teary eyes up toward Tad and said in a shaky voice, "H- How did she get here? I mean, did her father drive her?"
Tad shook his head, "That lazy bastard was the one who put her in this damn place. Katie always hated hospitals.ever since her grandmother died." He paused and looked at the young blonde. "Anyway, to answer your question.no. Her father is the reason that my best friend is lying in a coma right now. Katie got home and was upset about something." Jessie laid her eyes upon the floor knowing that she was the reason Katie was upset. "He yelled and she yelled back and before she knew it, he hit her. She was so scared and she ran upstairs and called me from her room. She told me what happened and asked if I could drive over and get her. That when I heard him screaming and a loud crash in the background. It wasn't until later that I realized what happened. I'd called the paramedics and they rushed over to her house. Her dad was gone when they arrived but Katie was there.lying unconscious at the bottom of the stairs. He'd thrown her down and just left her there. He left her there to die.he." Tad's voice broke and he fell to his knees, taking the younger girl with him. They both sat there holding onto each other, crying until the tears would come no more. Tad stood and helped Jessie to her feet.
"C-Can I see her?" Jessie asked, voice shaking from fear of what she would discover beyond the door. Tad nodded and moved aside, allowing the blonde entrance into the room. Jessie held out her hand and placed it on the handle. She turned the chilling metal and entered the room. It was silent except for the beeping of the heart monitor. Jessie's eyes fell upon the seemingly lifeless body of Katie Singer. Jessie moved closer and sat in a cold metal chair next to the bed. The metal stung Jessie's bare legs as she leaned forward and took the older girl's soft hand.
"Oh Katie," she whispered, gently stroking her thumb over Katie's hand, "You have to pull through." Jessie gently pushed a strand of brown hair out of Katie's face and softly caressed her forehead. "I never got the chance to tell you." she paused and searched for the right words. "You told me you wouldn't leave me. You said you'd wait for me.I need you Katie. I." her voice trailed off as she saw Katie's eyelashes flutter. "Katie," she said in a soft voice, rubbing the older girl's forehead. Katie, much to Jessie's dismay, continued to lay silent and still. Jessie lowered her head and closed her eyes, allowing her tears to fall once more. Jessie was drained and she felt her eyes droop. She took Katie's hand in her own as she slouched in the hospital chair. "I love you Katie," Jessie whispered before she allowed herself to return to her dreams.
*****
Grace paced in the hallway as she waited for Jessie. She felt a warm hand on her shoulder and instantly she knew who was there. She leaned slightly into the touch and then turned to face him. "Eli," She said and she smiled at the older boy. "What are you doing here?"
Eli grinned and motioned for Grace to sit down beside him on the bench. "Mom called after you guys left. You gotta believe I wasn't happy waking up in the cold garage after midnight." he glanced at Grace and noticed that she was sincerely listening to him. He hadn't been with a girl this amazing since.well, he'd never been with anyone this amazing. He realized that Grace was waiting for him to continue. "Anyway, once I heard what had happened, I knew I needed to be here. For Jessie," his eyes locked with Grace's deep brown eyes, "and for you."
Grace leaned her head against Eli's, slowly breathing in his scent. She closed her eyes and allowed herself to say the words she had been yearning to say for the past year. "I love you Eli."
A smile worked its way onto Eli's face as she gently kissed the top of Grace's head. "I love you." And there they stay, wrapped together in a mixture of love and exhaustion, until the morning hours would awaken them.until the fate of a friend was determined.