Undercover Disaster
Keiko Fujiwara
Chapter Twelve:
Peace
~BEAUTY AND THE BEAST~
A few minutes passed and a nurse came in to detach Catherine's IV and BP cuff from her arm before asking Vincent to lift her up and place her into a wheelchair. As Vincent carefully slid his arms underneath Catherine's body, she winced in pain but told him to continue.
The nurse wheeled Catherine down towards the OB/GYN department and Vincent followed behind.
"Please place her in the birthing chair and get her into a lithotomy position." Dr. Danford stated as they entered the department. Vincent picked Catherine up, placed her in the chair, carefully setting her legs on the special leg rests. Vincent walked behind her and laced his fingers with her right hand as the OB/GYN unbuttoned the lower half of her hospital gown.
"In order to find out how far down the burns go into your vaginal region, I'm going to have to insert a speculum inside your opening. It will feel very similar to a Pap smear test. I'm sure you've already had one before."
Catherine nodded.
"Okay. It will take slightly longer than a typical Pap smear since I'll be examining your walls and make sure they are healthy." Dr. Danford said as she slowly inserted the speculum into Catherine's vagina.
Catherine winced from the pain of the speculum rubbing against her burns. Vincent kissed her forehead and she stared into his eyes to disperse some of the awkwardness of the examination. After a few minutes, Dr. Danford removed the speculum as slowly as possible and said, "There's good news and there's bad news."
"Good news first." Catherine stated.
"The burns don't run too deep. It looks like I'll be able to remove the dead tissue, and over time, the tissue will be able to repair itself. If I conduct the surgery during your stay, you'll have to stay at this hospital for six days to make sure there aren't any post-surgery complications."
"What's the bad news?" Catherine asked, holding Vincent's hand as tight as she could.
"Well, technically there's two. The first piece of bad news is obvious for you: No sexual activity for at least four weeks. Four weeks after your procedure, you must schedule an appointment with your local OB/GYN to have your vagina re-examined and make sure the stitches are healed. Then, if your local OB/GYN okays you, you may start having sexual intercourse again. The second piece of bad news may change your mind about the surgery. Of course, the surgery is always up to the patient."
"What is it?" Catherine didn't like the feeling in her stomach she was getting.
"There's a chance the surgery will leave you infertile due to scar tissue. Of course, you will not know that unless you start trying to conceive. Are you still willing to have the surgery?"
Catherine looked at Vincent for support and he smiled. "I'm behind whatever choice you choose."
"I…I'll go for the surgery." Catherine stated.
"Alright. I suggest we wait until your body has time to rest before we start another surgery. I'll schedule you for 6 AM tomorrow."
Catherine nodded as Dr. Danford re-buttoned her hospital gown. "You can take her back to her recovery room."
Vincent helped Catherine back into the wheel chair and left the OB/GYN department to take Catherine back to her room.
~BEAUTY AND THE BEAST~
"Vincent, I'm hungry." Catherine whispered after taking an hour nap.
Vincent woke up from one himself and smiled. "Alright...I think you should be able to order food from in here. At least, that's how it worked at the hospital I worked at." Vincent picked up the phone next to Catherine's bed and saw a button that said, "Food" on it. "Just press the button to the far bottom left."
"Okay." Catherine answered, taking the phone from him with her right hand. "Do you want something?"
"Yeah, I'll take a little something." Vincent replied as he checked her clipboard for the fifth time that day.
"Okay." Catherine said as she pressed the 'Food' button. "Hello…My name is Catherine Chandler and I'm in room 354 and…well…I'm kinda hungry and never really ordered food from a hospital before…so…what's on the menu?"
Vincent chucked at Catherine's cluelessness and handed her the menu that was sitting on the little table beside her.
"Oh…wait…my boyfriend found the menu…ummmmm….I guess the Chicken Salad sandwich sounds good….with water as a drink….and…." Catherine looked up at Vincent and whispered, "What do you want?"
Vincent took the menu and replied, "A ham and cheese sandwich…water."
"…and a ham and cheese sandwich also with water…yup….that's correct…$25?..That shouldn't be a problem…Bye."
Vincent took the menu back and placed it on the table before saying, "I'll pay for it. Don't worry okay?"
"Are you sure?"
"I'm sure." Vincent smiled. "Oh…by the way…Tess came in here while you were sleeping…she wanted me to tell you something."
"What?"
"Well, she told Joe what had happened…and…didn't mention that you didn't want your family to know about your injuries."
"Joe told my family!?"
"Yeah…so it turns out they are on a plane over here this very moment. They arrive around 7 tonight." Vincent replied. "So that means…I will have to disappear when they arrive."
"No!" Catherine exclaimed a little too loudly, causing her to feel pain from her lower abdomen. "Vincent, just tell them you're Vincent Zalanski."
"Are you sure?"
Catherine nodded, squeezing his hand. "I think it's about time you met the family anyways."
"I've kinda already have…indirectly at least." Vincent chuckled.
"Well, now it's time for them to actually know a man exists in my life—that I didn't just make Vincent Zalanski up." Catherine smiled.
"Well, technically…"
"You know what I mean." Catherine snapped and tried to laugh but winced from the sharp pain around her stomach.
"You should take it easy. The food is here." Vincent said, turning around to pay for the food. He carried two treys over to Catherine and placed it down on his seat. He then helped her sit up so she could eat without adding choking to her clipboard of injuries.
The two of them ate in silence as they heard the door open. Tess.
"You have to turn on the TV now!" Tess exclaimed.
"Why?" Vincent asked.
"Just do it!" Tess stated, stealing the remote from Catherine's table and turning on the TV.
Suddenly a flashing BREAKING NEWS REPORT blinked red on the screen.
"Hello and welcome back to WSAZ, I'm Sarah Morris. About an hour ago, we've received shocking news from Chief Alexander Willard concerning a tragic case at Greenbrier Resort in White Sulfur Springs, West Virginia. A few days ago, CEO Thomas Gilmore reported two dead bodies to 27th precinct of the NYPD of New York City to keep the murders quiet from the press as well as Greenbrier guests. The team sent to investigate this case was originally Detective Tess Vargas, Detective Catherine Chandler, M.E. Evan Marks and later joining them, Detective Andrew Wolansky and Detective Samuel Philmore.
"These detectives and the M.E. went undercover as Greenbrier guests to quietly investigate the murder case. According to NYPD's lieutenant Joe Bishop, the team found not only two bodies but seven others as the investigation continued. Victims included are a family of five, a Greenbrier maid and CEO Thomas Gilmore's wife herself. Names of the victims have yet been released but as soon as we have updates, we will be releasing them immediately.
"As the investigation was underway, the suite where the five family members were murdered exploded and CEO Thomas Gilmore's personal suite burned up in flames as well. Luckily, before the flames engulfed the late Mrs. Gilmore, a brave doctor ran into the fire to fetch her body. Identification of the doctor is unknown but whoever he is, he is a hero. His saving Mrs. Gilmore's body proved very beneficial to the WVPD and NYPD's Evan Marks. DNA of her killer was embedded underneath her nails indicating she put up a strong fight before the person responsible shot her in the head. The man responsible for all of these murders is none other than Greenbrier's CEO Thomas Gilmore.
"Det. Catherine Chandler suspected Gilmore all along contrary to her colleagues' belief and bravely sought evidence when not warranted. Whether or not her actions will be infringed is still unclear but her bravery allowed her to find the murder weapons in Gilmore's suite. She took swabs of the blades and placed them in plastic bags for further analysis. Whether or not she was the one who initially found Mrs. Gilmore's body is unknown but we have reason to believe she called the mystery doctor for help.
"Unfortunately, as she made her way back to the main floor of the Greenbrier building, she was knapped by Gilmore and taken down below Greenbrier almost 200 feet. The extent of her injuries will not be released based on patient privacy rights but she's currently being treated at Greenbrier Valley Medical Center, room 354.
"Gilmore's charges are still being decided as well as his court date. Catherine Chandler as well as any other witness will be asked to appear and give their testimony. It seems as if the names of the victims have been released. They are: Zachary Phillips (35), Lilly Phillips (34), Timothy Phillips (9), Colette Phillips (5), Eliza Summers (24) and Agatha Gilmore (36). More information will be release once informed. Thank you, this is Sarah Morris from the WSAZ."
Tess turned off the TV and said, "We're going to have police stationed outside your recovery room. I don't know who leaked out the information about where you are staying but you definitely DO NOT need camera freaks up in your face as you're trying to recover."
"Thanks. But I want to know who leaked out that information." Catherine replied. "That was supposed to stay private."
"I know…I'll get right on it." Tess stated before leaving Vincent and Catherine alone.
Suddenly a nervous thought crossed Catherine's mind. "Vincent…we may be in trouble…"
"Why?"
"That news reporter bitch released my name…and hinted that I might have called you to help me with the investigation."
"And?"
"She said doctor friend, Vincent. What other doctor friend does Muirfield know I have besides you?"
Vincent froze. He never even thought about that. "Shit…this…this could be bad."
Suddenly, his phone rang and he answered it on speaker.
"HAVE YOU SEEN THE FREAKING NEWS?! MUIRFIELD IS PROBABLY ON THEIR WAY TO THAT HOSPITAL RIGHT NOW! VINCENT, I TOLD YOU TO LAY LOW!"
"And I told you to let me live my life the way I want to, JT. Besides, Muirfield wouldn't be too stupid to barge into a hospital when Catherine is surrounded by policemen do you?"
"THAT DOESN'T MATTER, VINCENT! YOU ARE A NEON TARGET RIGHT NOW! THEY COULD BLOW UP THE ENTIRE BUILDING IN ORDER TO GET YOU! WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING?!"
Catherine suddenly snatched the phone with her good hand and placed the phone to her ear, "Listen, JT, don't blame Vincent for this. He was helping me so if you want to blame someone, blame me. Okay? I've had one hell of a day so if you know what's good for you, DON'T YELL AT MY BOYFRIEND!"
With that, she handed the phone back to Vincent before caressing her stomach. She really shouldn't have yelled but she thought it was necessary.
"Woah…boyfriend? Since when did THAT happen?" JT asked, changing the entire conversation's focus.
"That's nothing you need to know about, JT. Don't worry about me, JT. If even one Muirfield agent comes to get me, he won't be so lucky." Vincent said, ending the call before JT could have a chance to blow up.
"Nicely done." Vincent smirked before leaning over to kiss her.
"Thanks." She smiled. "I'm getting a little tired…"
"Okay…just rest, Catherine. Don't worry; I'll still be here when you wake up." Vincent replied.
"Will you…hold me?" Catherine asked, sheepishly.
Vincent nodded and walked around to the other side of her bed. He carefully slid himself beside her as he wrapped his arm around her body. Catherine fell asleep almost instantly as Vincent laid next to her. Even if she was lying in a hospital bed with hundreds of stitches among other things, she's never felt so at peace.
"I love you Vincent." She whispered.
He kissed her forehead and muttered, "I love you too, Catherine."
And all of their worries slipped away as they gently embraced each other to sleep the night away.
I know, short but there's still a chapter or two left for this Fiction! :)
Have a good night!
P.s. Don't shoot me if I'm wrong about medical stuff! I am certainly no doctor and the internet is limited.