The ride to the hospital seems like it’s taking forever. All the noises around me are jumbled together, the wailing of the sirens from the ambulance, the beeping of her heart monitor and the thudding of my own heart in my ears. The pen that the medic uses to write down her vitals, sounds like a jet plane racing across the sky. The dripping of her IV makes loud splashing noises like a cannonball falling into the ocean. And my heart sounds like it’s being torn into a million pieces.
Amelia is still unconscious and she’s as white as a ghost. I reach for her hand and it’s then, that I see all the blood on my own hands. She’s lost a lot of blood. I try to concentrate on the beeping of her heart monitor and will the next beep to sound, no I command it to. She can’t die. She just can’t, as long as that machine is beeping, I know she has a chance.
We get to the hospital and they immediately rush her into surgery. Minutes later Asher and Aiden rush in.
“They took her into surgery. They said they’ll update us as soon as they can,” I tell them both.
I’m a doctor and I know the things we’re supposed to tell waiting family. It’s not easy being on the receiving end of that ‘we’ll update you when we can’ bullshit.
A doctor comes out and tells us Chloe is stitched up and is resting comfortably. The police want to interview her before anyone can see her. They want to keep her overnight for observation and I can see her once she’s put into a room.
A nurse comes up to me and hands me a scrub top.
“It’ll be a little while before we know anything, Dr. Peters. You should get cleaned up, I promise to tell you as soon as we know anything,” she tells me with a sympathetic smile.
“I called Willow on the way here. She made me promise to come get her as soon as I checked in here. I’ll be back as soon as I get her from Amelia’s apartment and drop Abbey off at home with the nanny. My parents are meeting me at the house and we’ll all be back as soon as we can,” he tells us and runs back out the door.
“I’ll stay right here, you go get cleaned up. If they tell me anything before you get back, I’ll come get you,” Aiden insists.
I walk to the bathroom down the hall and put on the scrub top. I turn on the faucet and run water over my hands. The bowl fills with bloody water and my hands start to shake. Get it together, Kyle, I tell myself. Now is not the time to fall apart. You need to be strong for Amelia and her family.
I finish cleaning up and put on my brave face. I walk into the waiting room and find Slick and Aiden sitting in chairs. I take a seat next to Aiden. In less than thirty minutes, Asher comes back with Willow, Ava, Adrian and their parents. The nine of us wait in the surgical waiting room in agonizing silence.
Chapter 12
Amelia
I’m having a weird dream. It’s weird because, I know it’s a dream. Usually when you dream you aren’t aware that you’re dreaming, or what you’re dreaming about until you wake up. In this dream however, I’m aware that it is a dream.
I see myself on a beach, in a lounge chair wearing a knockout, killer, two-piece black bikini. I’m wearing dark sunglasses and a large brimmed, black, floppy hat. On the side table, I have a sweet smelling cocktail with an umbrella that’s speared into a large wedge of pineapple.
The sun is shining and the waves are crashing. There’s such a peace in the air it’s so intoxicating and comfortable, that I never want to leave it. The gulls are talking to each other in the sky and there are children playing in the sand, building a sand castle.
The sun is warm on my skin, but I don’t feel it. There’s a gentle breeze tickling flyaway hairs on my face, but I don’t feel that either. I see myself sitting in that lounger. I feel how content I am just sitting there, but it’s surreal.
I see myself take a drink, but I don’t taste it. This is all so confusing and feels wrong, but it feels so right at the same time. I’ve been sitting in this lounger for what seems like hours, you’d think the sun would’ve set by now.
I start to hear an incessant beeping that I wish would stop. It’s ruining my peaceful lounging. It’s getting louder and louder, then the sun starts to disappear upwards in the sky. It’s pitch black now and the beeping is still getting louder and louder.
I hear people whispering. I feel someone holding my hand, but I can’t move or open my eyes to see who it is.
“Why hasn’t she woken up yet? It’s been hours, they said she should have come out of it by now,” Asher says.
I’m here, Asher, I say, but there’s no sound.
“We can only wait. It’s not uncommon for anesthesia to take longer to wear off. We still have no cause to worry, just yet,” someone else says and squeezes my hand.
That’s Kyle. Oh, Kyle, I’m here. Why can’t I tell anyone I’m here?
Someone takes my other hand and I can hear them softly crying. The pain in my chest is intense and it hurts to breath. Please just let me go back to the beach, there’s no pain there, just peace. Please, I just want to go back.
“Amelia, you just have to be OK. Please wake up. Please be OK,” Willow says.
I’m just so tired. The beeping gets softer and I start to hear crashing waves and gulls and children laughing. I’m back in my lounge chair, as peaceful as before. It’s such a nice place here. The sun never sets here and there’s no pain just peace. It’s such an amazing place. I don’t think I ever want to leave. I sit there for what seems like days.
Then the beeping starts again. No, I don’t want to go back. Please, just let me stay. The sun turns black and the steady beeping replaces the waves and birds. The sharp pain in my chest is back too. Please, let me go back, I can’t take this pain.
I attempt to open my eyes and this time I can. It’s dark, but not pitch black like before. I feel warm hands in both of mine. There’s huge pressure and severe pain in my chest. It’s so unbearable. I glance down to my right. Kyle is holding my hand while he sleeps. His head is turned to the side resting on the mattress next to my hip. I look to my left and Willow is in the exact same position. My eyes adjust to the dark and I see Asher sleeping sitting up in an overstuffed chair.
There’s a cot next to him with Aiden sleeping soundly. The bed next to me has Chloe in it sleeping. Her head is bandaged and she has oxygen in her nose. My brother, Adrian, is sitting slouched in a stiff, armless, wooden chair, the same chair next to his, my sister Ava is sleeping with her head in Adrian’s lap. Practically my whole family is here.
I start to remember what happened. The man who kidnapped me had me at gun point. Then everyone started to rush at us and there was a loud bang, then I had a searing pain in my chest. The man shot me in the chest. Oh my God. I was shot.
The steady beeping I keep hearing is my heart rate on the monitor by my bed. I start to panic, as I realize the severity of what happened. This pain is too much and tears run down the side of my face. The beeping starts to get faster, and the faster I breathe, in my panic, it sends shooting pain in my chest. An alarm starts going off and everyone in the room wakes up. Then all I can see is Kyle, as he hovers over my face.
“Calm down, honey, try to take slow, calm breaths. You’re going to be alright. We’re all here. You are safe now.”
His voice has a calming effect and I try to slow my breathing. Tears continue running down my face, I just don’t think I can take this pain any longer.
“I’ll go get the doctor,” Willow says and squeezes my hand, then rushes out of the room.
Ava takes my hand and leans in and kisses my cheek, “Don’t you ever scare me like that again, or I’ll kill you myself. Do you understand me?” she says with a smile.
A bunch of people enter the room and a doctor tells everyone they need to wait in the hallway. Kyle insists on staying, but they won’t let him. I don’t want him to go. I hold tight to his hand and try to plead with them to let him stay, but I can’t talk. There’s something down my throat.
“Shh, don’t try to talk, you were intubated. It’s going to be alright. They just want to do a quick e
xam. If everything checks out, they’ll take the tube out, OK? I’ll just be right outside the door, in the hallway. I’ll be right back as soon as they’re done. I promise,” he says, leans in and kisses my forehead, then wipes my tears with the back of his hand. “I promise, I’ll be just outside in the hallway,” he reassures me again.
I let go of his hand and the room is cleared. I’m swarmed by people doing God knows what. Someone pushes a few buttons on my IV pole and, almost instantly, the pain in my chest lessens. A doctor is talking to me, telling me what they’re doing, but there’s just so much going on it’s hard to understand it all.
“Next we’re going to extubate you. We’re going to remove the tube from your throat. It may be a little uncomfortable, but it will be over before you know it,” the doctor says to me.
He pulls the tube out and I immediately start to cough, which sends shooting pain in my chest. A nurse hands me a pillow and tells me to hug it softly, that it will help lessen the pain in my chest. I do it and I’m thankful that it does help.
An oxygen mask is placed over my nose and mouth, and soon I’m breathing comfortably. Next my gown is opened and my eyes bulge out of my head when I see the huge gauze pad covering the left side of my chest.
“You’re one lucky girl. The bullet missed your heart and all the major blood vessels. We were able to remove the bullet and stitch you up. You also had a collapsed lung. We inserted a chest tube, but removed it shortly after surgery. You have a few stitches on the left side of your chest from the incision. All in all, you were very fortunate. We want to keep you for a few days to monitor you, but you should make a full recovery. If you don’t have any questions I can send your family back in,” the doctor says.
I shake my head no, then a nurse steps in, closes my gown and covers me back up. She checks on Chloe, then everyone exits the room. My family comes back in and everyone starts asking questions all at once. Kyle comes to the side of my bed and buries his face on the side of my head in my hair. I reach for the oxygen mask to tell him I’m alright.
“Kyle, I’m here, I’m fine,” I tell him in a hoarse whisper.
He looks me in the eyes and I’ve never seen sorrow and relief in one look, but it’s written all over his face. He places the mask back on my face.
“Leave that on, honey. OK,” he tells me and kisses my cheek.
I’m just so tired, but I’m scared to close my eyes again. What if I don’t wake up again? The beach and the lounge chair were nice, but there’s nowhere else I’d rather be than right here with my family.
“You rest, honey. We will all be here when you wake up again. Your parents were here, but they went to Asher’s to be with Abbey for the night. They said to tell you when you woke up that they’ll be here in the morning,” Kyle says, placing his hand on my cheek and I just can’t keep my eyes open any longer.
I don’t know how long I sleep, but when I wake up, I hear whispering again. This time, it’s Kyle and Chloe. He’s listening to her as she tells him everything that happened the day she was kidnapped and about the two years she was held. I feel bad for eavesdropping, but I don’t want to interrupt them talking either.
“The police questioned me in the emergency room. I told them everything. They said it was self-defense and I won’t be charged for his death. Kyle, I don’t know what came over me. I saw the gun and I just took it. He had Amelia, he would have killed her. I don’t feel guilty for shooting him. I do feel guilty that he died. I never meant to kill him,” she tells Kyle.
“You have nothing to feel guilty about. I’m just so glad you’re here. I never lost hope that you were still out there. I could always feel you still here,” he says.
“Every night, before I would go to sleep, I’d talk to you. Every night I would send you my wonder twin powers and tell you that I was alright. I always knew you would hear me,” she replies.
“I did hear you,” he assures her.
“Mom and Dad have both been here, but something is different. What’s going on with them?” she asks.
“After you went missing, the police told us they thought you left because you were upset about the deaths. They told us there was nothing they could do. Mom and I never believed them, but Dad believed the police and it tore the two of them apart. They got divorced six months after you went missing.”
“Oh, Kyle no! I can’t believe I caused all this to happen. This is all my fault,” she says and starts to cry.
“Listen to me. I never want to hear you say that again. None of this is your fault. Mom and Dad are grown adults, they made their own decisions. None of what happened is your fault. The man who took you, is to blame for all of this. He’s lucky he’s dead. Because I would have strangled him to death with my bare hands if he weren’t,” he says, raising his voice.
“Shh, Amelia is sleeping. She needs her rest,” Chloe whispers.
“I’m sorry I didn’t mean to be loud. I’m just glad you’re here now. The doctor has set you up with a psychiatrist and I need you to promise me you’ll go.”
“I have every intention of seeing her,” she reassures him.
“You’ll be discharged today and you’ll be staying with me until we can get everything figured out,” he tells her.
“Kyle, I could never just intrude on you. You have Amelia to think about too.”
With my eyes still closed I say, “You aren’t intruding. I insist you stay with your brother. No arguing about it either.”
With a smile on my lips, I still pretend to be sleeping.
“Amelia, I’m so sorry, did we wake you up?” Chloe asks.
I open my eyes and look at the two of them. Kyle is sitting on her bed holding her hand, and looking at the two of them together brings tears to my eyes. I’m just so happy he has her back. Kyle jumps off the bed and is immediately at my side.
“Are you in pain? I can go get the doctor. It’s almost time for more pain meds, I can see if they can give it to you early,” he says and starts to leave.
“No, Kyle, I’m fine. I was just looking at the two of you and I’m just so happy for you both, that’s all. Really, I’m fine.”
The door opens and in walks my entire family. And I mean everyone. My parents, all my brothers, and sister, and even baby Abbey is here. They all come bearing flowers and gifts not only for me, but for Chloe too. Leave it to my family, man I love them all so much. I’m pretty sure Asher pulled some major strings to allow this many people in the room.
Later that day Chloe was discharged and Kyle took her back to his house. My sister, Ava went with them too. She said she would sit with Chloe, while Kyle came back to the hospital to be with me. Kyle didn’t want Chloe to be left alone at all. Between my sister and my mother though, they each agreed to take shifts and assured Kyle that someone would always keep her company.
I, on the other hand, need to stay in the hospital for a few more days. The doctor said since Kyle is a doctor and he’ll be there to keep an eye on me, and since he’s torn between spending time with me and Chloe, they agree to let me go home a few days early. I couldn’t be happier about that. I feel bad for Kyle. He’s running himself ragged trying to see to both mine and Chloe’s needs. He has to be exhausted. If he’s not here with me, then he makes sure someone else from my family is here with me.
By the end of the day, I just can’t keep my eyes open. Kyle went back home to shower and check in on Chloe about an hour ago. My brother Adrian is sitting with me and my eye lids are just so heavy. I close them for just a second and I’m fast asleep. This dream though isn’t of warm beaches and crashing waves. I’m being held at gunpoint by that man. I struggle and like before, I can’t get away. I wake up screaming, Adrian is quick to my side, at the same time Kyle comes rushing in the room.
“What happened? What’s wrong?” he questions, looking from Adrian to me.
“She was sleeping, I don’t know, I think she had a bad dream,” Adrian tells him.
“Amelia, are you alright?” he asks with concern.
“It was just a dream. I’m fine now,” I tell them both, breathing heavy.
Adrian leaves for the night and Kyle settles in to stay with me. I try to assure him that he doesn’t need to stay, but he won’t hear it. I’m glad he insists on staying. I want to keep him close and I wish he could hold me all night. He’s afraid of hurting me while he sleeps, so I reluctantly agree to let him sleep in the bed next to me. Kyle insists that I need to see a psychiatrist too, he said he’ll go with me and be there with me every step of the way.
It wasn’t the ideal way to meet Kyle’s parents, but they’ve both been here every day, at different times of course. Kyle’s mom, Mary, has been watching Chloe like a hawk and their dad, Steve, always has this guilty look in his eyes. I know he loves his daughter and he’s over the moon happy she’s home safe. I think it was just easier for him to accept that she ran away on her own, and not just missing or kidnapped. Everyone grieves in their own way and I think it was easier for him to move on in his life, if he had the finality of some sort of sabbatical and not the unknown of being out there somewhere hurt or alone.
Kyle
Amelia is sleeping in the hospital bed next to me and I can’t sleep. My mind keeps playing over and over the horrifying events in that basement. Seeing Amelia laying on the floor covered in blood was the worst thing that’s ever happened to me.
I was devastated when Chloe went missing and not finding her for two years was agonizing. Seeing the woman I’m in love with, lifeless on the ground with a gunshot wound to the chest, was by far the most gut-wrenching thing I’ve ever lived through.
The waiting and worrying while she was in surgery, took years off my life. I’m so worried for both my sister and Amelia. I hope the damage that was done can be worked out through therapy. It’s not a good sign that Amelia is having nightmares about that day either. She doesn’t know it yet, but I’m going to move her in with me and take care of her and Chloe. I’ve taken a leave of absence from the hospital for a month.
Running Into Love - The Complete Box Set Page 28
