“But she’s okay?” he asks.
“Mr. Adler, let me explain. I’m only talking about her fractures. Evelyn’s still in a coma. She’s been stabilized and moved to the ICU, but the rest we can only determine with time and more testing.”
“When can I see her?” her father asks.
The doctor looks him over then takes a small step closer, lowering her voice. “Mr. Adler, have you been drinking?” With tears in his eyes, he can only give her a soft nod. “Sir, unfortunately, with the state you’re in, I can’t allow you into the ICU. I’m sorry, but it’s hospital policy.”
“I understand. Can he see her?” he asks softly, looking in my direction.
The doctor smiles at me. “Of course. Once she’s settled in, one of the nurses will be down to show you up. You won’t be able to stay long, but that will change once she’s a little more stable.”
Mr. Adler and I thank her. When I turn to look at him, Joan’s moving in beside us. “Mr. Adler, Stu’s got you a motel room.”
“Oh, I don’t need a room. I want to wait here.”
Joan looks to me then back to Mr. Adler. “Have you ever detoxed?”
He shakes his head. “No, but I should be fine in a couple of hours.”
“Mr. Adler, my father was an alcoholic. He tried many times to get sober, and each time was the same. Anxiety, shaky hands, insomnia, and severe vomiting, and all that’s just after the first few hours you stop drinking. Within the next three to four days, you could experience more serious problems like hallucinations and seizures. That’s not even the most severe. The fact is Mr. Adler; you can’t be going through withdrawal in a hospital waiting room.”
With his face gone pale, he asks, “What do I do?”
Joan takes his hand. “Stu’s going to be staying with you. He did it with my father, and he’s the one you want to help you.”
Mr. Adler shakes his head. “I can’t ask him to do that.”
“There’s no choice. You can’t be alone through this either,” Joan replies.
I look to Joan and ask, “What about Velyn?”
“Before Stu takes her father, we’ll have to get papers signed where he gives me the authority to make any medical decisions in his absence. Mr. Adler, I promise I will not decide anything without consulting you first, but in the chance that you’re not coherent, someone needs to be able to,” Joan explains.
He nods. “Okay, I'll do it.”
A nurse walks into the room. “Is the family of Evelyn Adler present?”
“We’re here,” I call out.
“We’ve moved her into a room. She’s able to receive one visitor at a time. Immediate family only.”
“I’m her father. I won’t be able to stay, but I ask that he be able to go in my place. She has no other family.”
The woman looks to me and nods. “Follow me, please.”
Mr. Adler takes my hand in his. “Tell her I love her. Tell her I’m sorry and that I’m making it right, and as soon as I can, I’ll be up.”
“Mr. Adler, she’s still in a coma” I explain
“I know, but maybe she can hear you.” I nod then head out with the nurse.
I’m terrified. Terrified about what I’ll see, but even more so that I haven’t heard anything about my brother. God, please let him be okay.
Another two hours have passed, six hours in total since I walked into this hospital, and I’m still waiting to hear something about Chase. Thankfully Connie and Joan are downstairs waiting for any updates while I sit at Velyn’s bedside.
I was right when I said I’d be terrified. When I walked in here, I wasn’t prepared for what I was about to see. This is all one big nightmare. Velyn’s completely helpless, and I can’t do anything to fix it. I can’t even touch her because she’s covered from head to toe in bandages from the surgery. I just sit here and listen to the machines as they pump air into her lungs and sound off, indicating what her levels are.
This shouldn’t be happening.
I lean forward, placing my elbows on my knees. “Hey babe, it’s me again—” I try and continue, but I can’t. I can’t even get enough air into my lungs. It’s like my whole body’s shutting it all out.
Needing to move, I get up and head out. When I step out of the room, Joan’s making her way down the hall.
“Dylan, the doctor is looking for you. They need you downstairs.”
She doesn’t even have time to finish the sentence and I’m already sprinting down the hall. I bypass the elevator and take the stairway, leaping flight by flight. When I reach the waiting area, Connie’s sitting there by herself.
“What’s going on with Chase? Where’s the doctor?”
She taps the seat beside her. “Sit, mi amor, the doctor will be here soon.”
I start to pace the room. “I can’t sit. It seems like that’s all I’ve been doing.”
Connie sits back in the chair, and when I look down to her hands, I notice the rosary. It’s nothing new, she’s always praying for something. But today, I don’t know; I almost feel the need to tell her to make it count.
“Mr. Dandridge?” I turn to the door, Connie standing up at my side when a tall older man walks in, closing the door behind him. “I’m Dr. Stalin.” He motions to the chairs. “Let’s take a seat.”
I let out a low rumble. “I don’t want to
