Point of Retreat (Slammed #2)(54)

“You can’t be in here,” he says.

“No! I need in there!” I continue to try and shove past him.

He’s a lot stronger than me. He pushes me against the wall and lifts his leg, kicking the button with his foot. The doors close behind him. “You aren’t allowed in there,” he says calmly. “Now who are you looking for?” He releases his grip on my arms and stands back.

“My girlfriend,” I say. I’m out of breath. I lean forward and put my hands on my knees. “I need to know if she’s okay.”

“I’ve got a patient… a young lady who was just brought in about an hour ago. Is that who you’re referring to?”

I nod. “Is she okay?”

He walks past me and leans against the wall next to me. He slides his hands into the pockets of his white coat and pulls one of his knees up, settling his foot against the wall behind him. “She's hurt. She has an epidural hematoma that’s going to require immediate surgery.”

“What is that? What does that mean? Will she be okay?”

“She experienced severe head trauma that has caused bleeding in her brain. It’s too early to give you any more information at this point. Until we get her into surgery, we won’t know the extent of her injuries. I was just coming to speak to the family. Do you need me to go relay this information to her parents?”

I shake my head. “She doesn’t have any. She doesn’t have anyone. I'm all she's got.”

He straightens up and walks back to the doors and presses the button. He turns around just as they open. “What’s your name?” he asks.

“Will.”

He looks me in the eyes. “I’m Dr. Bradshaw,” he says. “I’ll do everything I can for her, Will. In the meantime, go back to the waiting room. I’ll find you as soon as I know something.” He turns and the doors close behind him.

I slide down to the floor. She’s alive.

***

When I get back to the waiting room, Kel and Caulder are the only ones there.

“Where’s Gavin?” I ask.

"Joel called. Gavin went outside to meet him," Caulder says.

“Did you hear anything?” Kel asks.

I nod. “She’s in surgery.”

“So she's alive? She's alive?” He jumps up and wraps his arms around me. I return his hug.

"She's alive," I whisper. I sit down and gently guide him back into his chair. “Kel, she's hurt pretty bad. It's too soon to know anything at this point…but they'll keep us updated, okay?” I reach over and grab a tissue from one of the many boxes of tissues scattered around the room and hand it to him. He wipes his nose.

We all sit there in silence. I close my eyes and think back to the conversation I just had with the doctor. Were there any hints in his expression? In his voice? I know he knows more than he’s telling me, which scares the hell out of me. What if something happens to her? I can’t think about it. I don’t think about. She’ll be okay. She has to be.

“Anything?” Gavin asks as he and Joel walk into the waiting room. “I had Joel grab you a shirt,” he says, handing it to me.

“Thanks.” I give Gavin his jacket and pull the shirt on. “Lake’s in surgery. She’s got a head injury. They don’t know anything yet. That’s all I know.”

Gavin nods.

“What about Eddie?” I ask. “Have you heard anything else? Is the baby okay?”

Gavin looks at me wide-eyed.

Joel jumps up. “Baby?” he yells. “What the hell is he talking about, Gavin?”

Gavin stands up. “We were going to tell you, Joel. It’s still so early…we…we haven’t had a chance.”

Joel storms out and Gavin follows after him.

I’m such an idiot.

“Can we go see Kiersten?” Kel asks.

I nod. “Don’t stay too long. She needs her rest.”

They both leave.

I’m alone. I close my eyes and lean my head against the wall. I take several deep breaths, but the pressure in my chest just keeps building and building and building. I try to keep holding it all in. I try to hold it in just like Lake does. I can't. I bring my hands to my face and break down. I don’t just cry. I sob. I wail. I scream.

Thursday or Friday, January 26th or 27th, 2012

Now that I have you back, I’m never letting you go. That’s a promise. I’m not letting you go again.

Chapter Fourteen

I’m in the bathroom splashing water on my face when I hear someone talking outside the door. I swing it open to see if it’s the doctor, but it’s just Gavin and Joel. I start to shut the door again when Gavin reaches his hand in and stops me.

“Will, your grandparents are here. They’re looking for you.”

“My grandparents? Who called them?”

“I did,” he says. “I thought maybe they could take Kel and Caulder for you.”

I step out of the bathroom. “Where are they?”

“Around the corner,” he says.

I walk around the corner and see my grandparents standing in the hallway. My grandfather has his coat folded over his hands. He’s saying something to my grandmother when he catches a glimpse of me.