Page 10 of My Destiny
“Does it look like it?” I snap. I’m not usually so abrupt with him, but in my defence, I’m a mess. I’ve never been in a situation like this before. Leaning forward into the back of the limousine, I lay her down on the back seat before climbing in.
“Has she had too much to drink?” he asks.
“No! Stop making assumptions and just get us to the hospital.”
“Of course, Mr. Cavanagh.”
Gently lifting her torso, I take a seat before laying her head on my lap. A few seconds later, she regains consciousness. “We’re getting you help,” is all I say as I lay my tuxedo jacket over the top of her to keep her warm. I’m trying my best to keep my composure, but I’m struggling. She draws her knees up towards her body before crying out in pain once more. “Chris, hurry.”
“We’ll be there in a few minutes,” he says, eyeing me through the rear-view mirror. “Thankfully the traffic isn’t too bad this time of night.”
I turn my attention back to her, stroking my hand down her face. It’s the best I can do in this moment. “We’re almost at the hospital. Everything in going to be okay.” She’s ghostly pale and clammy. “I won’t let anything happen to you, I promise.” I have no right to make promises to her, but I mean every word.
Chris comes to a halt outside the emergency entrance to the hospital. I don’t even wait for him to open my door. Gently lifting her head from my lap, I slide out of the car. I see Chris jogging towards the building as I reach into the back seat for Brooke. I’m grateful that he’s proactive; the quicker we can get her seen to, the better. I’d be lost without him. Although he’s my employee, I’d like to think that we’ve become friends over the years.
Brook is semi-conscious, but I can tell by the sounds she’s making that she’s in agony. I’m not sure what is going on with her, but my gut tells me it’s not good.
“We’re at the hospital,” I say, as I lift her into my arms once more. The interior light is on in the car, and I momentarily freeze when I see a pool of blood on the leather seat where she was just lying. “Shit!” The sight of it has me internally freaking out.
“Jake,” she cries.
“I’ve got you. Everything is going to be okay.” I’m not even sure I believe my own words, but I feel compelled to say them. “Just hang in there.”
Chris is already speaking with the triage nurse when I rush through the automatic glass doors. “I need a doctor,” I say, panicked and heading in their direction. “I think she’s haemorrhaging.” I can feel the dampness from the blood on her dress, and also on my hand as it trickles between my fingers.
The nurse gets up and opens the door that leads directly to the emergency rooms. “This way,” is all she says, turning and briskly walking down the hall, and I follow. She abruptly draws back the curtain surrounding one of the cubicles. “Lay her down there. I’ll get the doctor in here immediately.” Stretching her arm, she presses the emergency button behind the bed, and within seconds the hospital staff come running from every direction.
“Can you tell me what happened?”
“I don’t know, to be honest. She appeared to be in pain. She was holding her lower abdomen before collapsing. She’s been in and out of consciousness ever since. When I lifted her out of the car just now, there was blood on the seat.”
“I’m going to have to ask you to step outside.”
“But…”
“She’s in safe hands now. I’ll get the doctor to come and speak with you as soon as he’s had a chance to look her over.” I open my mouth to speak again, but the nurse flicks her hand, shooing me out. “Please. We can’t give her the care she needs with you in the way.”
Nodding, I turn and leave. Everything in me wants to stay by Brooke’s side to comfort her, but the nurse is right—I’ll only be in the way.
“Please look after her,” I ask, but it comes out more like a plea. I’m beyond concerned, and although I hardly know her, I don’t want anything to happen to her.
“We will,” she says, giving me a sympathetic smile before closing the curtain and shutting me out. I stand there in shock. I should feel relieved that she getting medical care, but I don’t. Her cries are going to haunt me.
I probably should make my way back out to the waiting room, but I can’t. I want to stay close. Looking down at my hand, I see it’s soaked in her blood, and the cuff of my white dress shirt is stained as well. I remove the cufflink and shove it into my pocket before rolling up the sleeve up a few times. There’s a sink by the wall, so I head in that direction. The sight of her blood is only increasing my grave fears for her wellbeing.
Bile rises in my throat as the water in the basin turns pink.Please let her be okay,I silently pray. She has already been through so much tonight. I stare blankly into the mirror above the sink, as I wipe my hands with a paper towel.
As I pace back and forth, I hear voices coming from the other side of the curtain, but nothing seems to register.
A few minutes later, I’m startled when the curtain flies back and they wheel Brooke, bed and all, straight past me. I grab hold of the nurse’s arm as they pass. “What’s going on?”
“We’re taking your wife for some scans. The doctor needs to know exactly where the bleeding is coming from.”
“Is she going to be okay?”
“She’s in good hands,” she says, placing her hand on top of mine. “I’m sorry. That’s all I can tell you at this stage. Go out into the waiting room and someone will call you when we have more answers.”
I feel a lump form in the back of my throat. I’m taken aback by how much this situation is affecting me. I’ve never felt so helpless in my life.
