I am trying to branch out a bit away from Mike at tmtcltb's suggestion. He will still be the main character, but each chapter will be from a different character's POV after Mike has a breakdown; starting with Tom. Please enjoy and review! Mentions of attempted suicide.
The Breakdown
Chapter 1-Tom
As Tom rushed to the hospital, he couldn't remember a time in his career that Mike hadn't been a part. A lot of people thought Mike was kind of dumb, but he was extremely well read and could figure people, far better than Tom. He had gotten a call that Mike had mixed a copious amount of alcohol, with over the counter sleep medications. His landlady had found him, and since Tom was Mike's next-of-kin, he had gotten the call.
It confused Tom. Mike wasn't depressed. He had made no mention of even being down. The reality was, mentally; Mike was in far better shape then Tom…or maybe he wasn't and no one had noticed. Mike was the sort that just blended in to the background. He was there for everyone; but no one really thought much about what he needed. It also confused Tom, because if Mike wanted to kill himself, he could have just shot himself in the head. He certainly had the means. Overdosing on sleep medication and alcohol was sloppy, and even a bit painful. Tom pulled up to the hospital and walked into the E.R. to look for Mike. Admissions had him go in, and a doctor was waiting on him.
"You must be Admiral Slattery's next-of-kin?" The doctor asked.
"Yes. I'm Tom Chandler. What's going on? Why are his hands tied down?" Tom asked as he looked into a hospital room. Mike was asleep, with heart monitors hooked up and his hands tied to the rails.
"Its standard procedure. He attempted suicide. I am Dr. Steven Taylor, by the way." Dr. Taylor explained as he shook Tom's hand.
"I'm sure it was accidental. Mike isn't suicidal. He's happy-go-lucky." Tom said.
"Follow me. The nurse is monitoring him." Dr. Taylor said, leading Tom away. Finally, they sat down in a conference room. "It was not accidental. There was a note. The police gave me a copy. Perhaps you think your friend was happy, but he was actually quite the opposite. I understand he recently retired?" Dr. Taylor asked.
"Yes." Tom answered.
"And his wife and children died?" Dr. Taylor continued.
"Correct. There was a mass grave dug up in Deer Park, Virginia about six months ago. He received DNA confirmation about two months ago. His wife and two daughters were located. His wife had told him of their son's death while were still in the Arctic. But, he still seemed okay. I actually thought he was relieved to finally know for sure." Tom remarked.
"Does he have any other family?" Dr. Taylor asked as he made notes.
"Mike was an only child of only children and I think Christine was an only child. His mom died while Mike was in the Academy and his dad was killed in a car accident six months before we went to the Arctic. Drunk driver." Tom answered.
"That's a lot of loss for one person to handle. What was he like as a husband and father?" Dr. Taylor asked.
"From what I saw; Mike adored his kids. He and Christine had some troubles. Stuff every military couple deals with. Lack of money, PTSD, he was gone eight months of every year, missed events. He was wild about her though." Tom explained.
"He mentioned that he came back to the ship? It didn't make much sense to me. We sedated him before I could get a better view of it." Dr. Taylor questioned.
"When we landed in Norfolk, after Baltimore; Mike took a land team to Deer Park and then to their house, looking for Christine and the kids, but he didn't find them and came back to the ship at his own choice. I would have understood if he wanted to continue looking, but Mike is a good officer. He practically mutinied for a while, but we would have not gotten the cure home had it not been for him." Tom answered.
"At great personal cost." Dr. Taylor remarked.
"So, what now? Mike is highly…public because of his position when he was in the Navy. If this gets out…" Tom questioned.
"It won't. I will protect his identity." Dr. Taylor told him.
"What about him medically?" Tom asked.
"There is a concern that he might have aspirated on the vomit. We've pumped his stomach, and sedated him just to get through the worst of it. Honestly, if he was a smaller man, the amount he took and drank would have killed him. There was a receipt for the sleeping pills, bought today. He took probably three quarters of the bottle, drank a bottle of whiskey." Dr. Taylor said
"It makes no sense, because Mike has access to firearms. He could have shot himself. No pain and it would be over." Tom said.
"He wanted to be in pain. We will be monitoring him for pneumonia, and will be holding him, at least seventy-two hours. Probably longer. I would suggest removing any firearms, medications, and alcohol. Consider letting him stay with you. He will probably feel shame for not succeeding, and may even attempt again, hence his wrists being strapped to the rails. You can look in on him, but no visitors. Once he wakes up and is out of the woods where the aspiration is concerned, he will be in for some intense counseling and I will be moving him to the tenth floor." Dr. Taylor explained.
"Tenth floor?" Tom asked.
"Psych ward. If you'd like to bring some clothes by, that would be fine. Shoelaces will be removed, along with any draw strings. I would suggest comfortable clothes." Dr. Taylor said as he stood up.
"What about pictures of his wife and kids?" Tom asked.
"You can certainly bring it, but I will probably withhold it until he's ready. You and any friends can write notes of encouragement, how much he means to you, that sort of thing too. People like Mike tend to think they are only there as a help to their friends and have no real value beyond that. He needs to know you think otherwise. You and any other friends. You can check in daily and you can bring the items to the tenth floor, but it is a lockdown unit so you won't see him once he is there." Dr. Taylor explained.
"Thanks. How long do you think?" Tom asked as they began walking towards Mike's room.
"Minimum of seventy-two hours. After that he can sign himself out, but I am going to encourage him to stay. In your notes, it might help if you also encourage it." Dr. Taylor answered as he let Tom into Mike's room.
"He looks almost child-like." Tom remarked.
"With adult sized pain that has gone unrecognized until now." Dr. Taylor said.
"Mike was so busy checking on the rest of us, that we kind of forgot about him. We went on with our lives. Remarried, had kids, careers. Mike…had his career, but he is retired now." Tom remarked.
"He only has his friends now, but he might come out of his stronger. Just be patient with the process and with him." Dr. Taylor said before he left. Tom looked at Mike for a moment, feeling bad for not recognizing the signs. Not being a better friend.
"We'll get you through this, buddy. Just hang on." Tom said before he left.
