He entered the Emergency Room and saw that the paramedics who had brought Kendall were leaving. He asked at the desk and was told that Kendall was in a trauma room and he had to remain in the waiting area. For the next fifteen minutes, Zach paced like an angry cat… pausing at the desk with a question on his face before making another circuit of the room.
Finally, as he made another stop at the desk, the clerk asked him, "Are there any other family members we can call, sir?"
"Family… what… oh, yeah… of course. Thank you for reminding me," he answered. He started to reach for his cell phone when he realized that he had not retrieved it from the driver of the car that had hit Kendall, "Is there a phone I can use to call her mother?"
"Just give me the number, sir, and I'll call her for you," the clerk offered kindly.
"No… thank you… I think I ought to do this myself," he answered.
The clerk indicated a phone on the desk, "You can use this one, sir. Just dial nine to get an outside line."
Zach turned and looked toward the room where Kendall was being worked on before picking up the telephone and dialing the office of New Beginnings, Erica Kane's latest venture. After waiting a few moments to be connected by her secretary he said without preamble, "Erica. I'm at the hospital… there's been an accident."
"What kind of accident? What have you done to my daughter Kendall?" Erica asked him in concern.
Zach heaved a deep sigh before answering, "She was crossing the street… and was hit by a car. I don't know how bad it is, but I think you better get here as soon as you can."
"Hit by a car? How did that happen?" Erica asked frantically.
"I'll explain when you get here… they're working on her right now… but they haven't told me anything. Just get over here. Now," Zach said firmly before severing the connection. He felt fairly certain that Erica would have continued to pepper him with questions unless he forced her to take action to get her answers. He looked at the clerk, "Thank you."
Zach resumed his pacing, stopping every few moments and looking hard at the doors to Kendall's room as if willing them to open. With his concentration completely focused on the doors behind which they were caring for Kendall, he moved quickly toward them as they opened and wheeled her out heading for a hallway.
Noticing Dr. Joe Martin, the Chief of Staff and an old family friend of Kendall's mother, standing in the doorway he said quickly, "Dr. Martin… how is Kendall?" Zach asked tenuously, almost afraid to hear the answer based on the seriousness of the physician's facial expression. "Where are they taking her?"
Joe Martin shook his head, "Mr. Slater…"
"She's… she's not…" Zach said haltingly as a cold hand squeezed his heart in fear.
"No, she's not. We need to do a CT scan to assess her injuries, Mr. Slater," Joe answered.
Zach frowned and replied, "Could you elaborate please?"
The doctor replied, "She's suffered a severe trauma. We'll know more when we get the results of the CT. Have you contacted her mother?"
Zach nodded, "She's on her way. I'll be waiting right here when you get the results."
"Very good, Mr. Slater, I'll be out to speak with you soon I hope," Joe answered before turning to walk away.
Zach wanted to let the doctors take care of Kendall, but after the conversation with Joe Martin he found the waiting even more unbearable. Worrying about the extent of her injuries and not knowing what was happening to her was wearing on him just as much as his restless pacing, but he could not stop himself from doing either. He tried to get a glimpse of her as they wheeled her back into the trauma room following the scan, but the trauma team closed the doors quickly behind them without acknowledging his presence.
Finally, after what had seemed to be an interminable wait, the doors opened once again and Dr. Martin walked out to the younger man.
Zach quickly strode across the waiting room to meet the man, "What's going on with Kendall, Dr. Martin?"
"Well… she's in critical condition. Let's sit down somewhere private so that I can explain," Joe said as he steered Zach toward a secluded area where they could discuss Kendall's condition quietly.
After being seated Zach asked agitatedly, "Just how bad is it, Dr. Martin?"
The doctor looked at Zach with compassion as he replied plainly, "The most significant injury is a severe brain trauma where she struck her head. The resulting skull fracture caused an epidural hemorrhage – a torn artery in her brain that is causing increased pressure and swelling which requires immediate surgical repair. In addition to the head injury, there are internal injuries, a broken leg, a dislocated shoulder and some broken ribs."
"Is her lung punctured? Is that what made it so hard for her to breathe?" Zach asked while trying to absorb the information.
"No… an epidural hemorrhage can cause autonomic dysfunction, such as the labored breathing. We're hyperventilating her, and giving her medication to keep the swelling in her brain to a minimum, but it's only a very temporary treatment. She needs surgery to repair the artery and remove the clot in her brain. Her other injuries are not life-threatening," Joe answered as he reached out his hand and placed it on Zach's arm.
"But this… epidural hemorrhage is? That is what you're telling me, isn't it Dr. Martin?" Zach said.
"Yes… that's what I'm telling you. We need your consent to do the surgery," the doctor said quietly.
"Of course… whatever she needs," Zach answered quickly. Joe already had the necessary paperwork ready and presented it to Zach. He read it over briefly before affixing his signature on the form. As he returned the papers Zach asked, "What about her internal injuries? Will she need surgery for them as well?"
"Not at the moment. The contusions to her liver and kidneys are not severe enough to require surgical intervention," Joe answered him.
"Dr. Martin… do whatever it takes to save her life… don't let her die… whatever you do… don't let her die," Zach answered hoarsely, his emotions overcoming him for a moment.
"We'll do our best. Would you like to see her for a moment before we take her up to surgery?" Joe asked compassionately as he stood, placing a hand on the younger man's shoulder.
"Yes… thank you," Zach answered before standing to follow the doctor into the trauma room.
Kendall lay very still on a hospital gurney hooked up to several different machines. There was an endotracheal tube in her throat attached to a ventilator that was helping her lungs to breathe, an intravenous line was in her right arm and her left arm was immobilized against her body although they had not reduced her dislocated shoulder. Her broken leg was splinted and there were probes connected to her chest from an EKG.
Zach walked over to her bedside and gently held her right hand as it lay beside her and leaned down with his lips close to her ear. Without even realizing that he was crying, tears rolled down his cheeks while he spoke, "Kendall… sweetheart… please don't leave me. I… I don't… have many friends… and I can't afford… to… to lose the one that I've got. You've got to pull through this… Kendall… I'll be right here… waiting for you. Your family will be here, too. We… we love you, Kendall."
At a tap on his shoulder, Zach stood and squeezed Kendall's hand gently before relinquishing it so that the orderlies could take her to the operating suite. After she was wheeled away, he stood in the now empty trauma room and quietly cried without bothering to wipe away his tears. Several minutes later, he was still standing with tears on his face when Kendall's mother entered the room.
Taking note of Zach's tears coupled with his damp and bloodstained clothing, Erica cried "Zach? No… Oh, dear God… please… no!"
He shook his head, "No… she's in surgery… but… Dr. Martin said… he said it's not good."
Without another word he held out his hand to Erica. She placed her hand in his and they stood for a moment sharing what little comfort they could offer each other. Neither one had changed their opinion of the other – but at that moment their shared grief and concern over Kendall was more important than anything that had passed between them before.