Life's Second Chances: The Show Me Series: Book One

by Anne Stone

  Gabriella grabbed Angelina’s hand, and Alejandro put his arm around her.

  “I need to go there and be with my sister.”

  “Angelina, I’m not sure that is a good idea. Do you have a piece of paper handy?”

  Alejandro heard his father’s request and pulled a notepad from his pocket. He always carried a notebook with him in the event he received an emergency call. “Here,” he said.

  Angelina was shaking so badly that she handed the phone to Alejandro. He wrote the telephone number down for the hospital, along with the name of the doctor that was handling Colleen’s case. Angelina just sat mumbling, “I should have been there…”

  Alejandro disconnected the call and turned to Angelina. “What can I do?” he asked.

  “I don’t know,” she stammered. “I need to talk to my parents. I wonder if Kelly and James know.”

  While Gabriella got Angelina a glass of water, Alejandro called the hospital. He was able to get through to the nurses’ station and speak with the nurse in charge. “Hello, yes, my name is Dr. Alejandro Alvarez. I am a friend of Colleen Samuels’s sister. She is sitting right here with me. What is her condition?”

  The nurse didn’t want to divulge anything in relation to her condition since she couldn’t verify who they were. “Fine,” he said. “Are her parents nearby so that we can talk to them?”

  The nurse placed them on hold while she went to get Angelina’s mother. Angelina’s mother came on the phone. “Hello,” she stuttered.

  “Mrs. Samuels?”

  “Yes.”

  “This is Alejandro, Dr. A’s son. I am here with Angelina. I’ll put her on.” Alejandro handed the phone to Angelina.

  “Angelina?”

  “Mom… Colleen… What happened? What’s wrong with her?”

  “Sweetie, she somehow took a hard shot directly in the abdomen. She cried out and collapsed. By the time we reached her, she was unconscious. She has significant swelling in the abdomen and they’re waiting on the CT scan. She was having difficulties breathing, so they decided to put her into ICU until they can determine what’s wrong with her.”

  “Mom, I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

  “Honey, no wait. Let’s see what the test results reveal. I’m in contact with Alejandro’s father and we’ll go from there. Where is your cell phone? I tried calling several times—there was no answer.”

  “I don’t know. I had it earlier in the day.” Angelina thought for a moment and then realized that it probably had fallen out of her purse when it overturned in her car. “It must have fallen out of my purse. I think it’s in my car.”

  “Okay. Now try not to worry. I’ll call you as soon as we know something. Is Gabriella with you?”

  “Yes, she is.”

  “Good. I don’t want you alone. Is Alejandro still with you?”

  “Yes.”

  “Let me speak with him.”

  She handed the phone to Alejandro.

  “Hello?”

  “Alejandro?”

  “Yes.”

  “I want to thank you and Gabriella for being there with Angelina. I told Angelina that I want her to stay there until we know something. The doctors are in contact with your father. I’m not sure what’s going to happen, but we may have Colleen flown back to St. Louis. We have to see how she gets through the night. I would appreciate it if you could stay with Angelina as long as you can.”

  “It’s not a problem.”

  “Please watch over her. I’m sure she has some guilt since she wasn’t here. I’ll call with any updates.”

  “Thanks.” Alejandro disconnected the call and turned to Angelina. “Your mom will call with any updates. Why don’t you try and get some rest?”

  “I can’t. My sister’s in the hospital in serious condition. I want to be with her.”

  “I realize that, but the best place for you is right here. Let’s not overreact. We need to wait for a more complete diagnosis.”

  Angelina got up and ran to her car where she discovered her cell phone lodged between the seats. Gabriella decided to make coffee when Angelina returned from her car with her phone in hand. Alejandro sat with Angelina while she paced the room. “What could be wrong with her?”

  “I can’t say for sure until the test results come back. It may be nothing.”

  The three of them stayed-up the remainder of the night. There was little talking. Gabriella held Angelina’s hand while Alejandro sat, staring off into space. He was racking his brain with her possible diagnosis.

  Just before dawn, Angelina drifted off to sleep. Earlier, Gabriella had curled up into an armchair and had also fallen asleep. Alejandro had joined Angelina on the couch. She’d fallen asleep in his arms.

  Chapter Three

  Alejandro awoke at about seven with Angelina nestled in his arms. He softly stroked her cheek and hoped for a better day when his phone started ringing. He hated to move but knew it would be his father. Reaching for his phone, he checked the caller ID, and answered. “Hello, Dad. Any news?”

  “Not yet. It’s still early. How are the girls?”

  “Both are asleep… Dad, what’re your thoughts about Colleen’s condition?”

  “I don’t know. I’m not there, but I am concerned with how hard she was hit. She could have a multitude of injuries depending on exactly where she took the shot.”

  “I know. I was going through all of the possibilities myself. I just hope it’s not as bad as where my thoughts led me last night.”

  “I know. Alejandro, just make sure you watch Angelina. I am concerned about her. She tends to internalize everything. I know she’s probably blaming herself for not being there with her family.”

  “I know what you mean. Since I’m not on service, I plan on staying with her so that I can decipher the medical terminology for her.”

  “She’s lucky to have both of you there to support her.”

  “Call if you hear anything, and we’ll do the same.” Alejandro hung up the phone.

  Alejandro carefully moved Angelina from his arms and laid her on the couch while he stood and stretched out the kinks in his back. He glanced at her. Even in her sleep, she had a worried look on her face. Gabriella woke just as he was heading towards the kitchen to find some coffee. “How’s Colleen?”

  “Dad just called and he had no updates. He’s concerned about both Colleen and Angelina. He wants us to watch her. I told him we’d both be here for her, as I was planning on staying to explain the medical jargon when we do hear something.”

  “You’re the best,” Gabriella said as she got up from the chair, walked over to her brother, and placed a kiss on his cheek. “You don’t really know Angelina yet you’re willing to go out of your way for her. Thank you.”

  “Why wouldn’t I? She’s like a sister to you, and I feel like I’ve known her for years. She’s a remarkable woman,” he said as he thought about their dinner conversation the previous evening.

  “Yes, she is.”

  They headed to the kitchen to fix coffee and something light to eat. Angelina started becoming restless on the couch. He heard her and went to check on her. She was just about ready to fall off the couch when he caught her. “Angelina?” he called out.

  Startled, she woke and sat up. Rubbing her eyes, she asked, “Any news?”

  “My father called a few minutes ago, but he has no new news. I told him if we heard anything, we’d let him know—he is going to do the same. He’ll do his best to get some answers. I’m sure he knows someone on staff at Kansas City Memorial. He’ll find out what’s going on.”

  “Thank you, Alejandro. And please, thank your father for me.”

  The morning went by slowly, but no news was good news. Angelina’s phone rang several times, but none of the calls were from her family. She was sick with worry over Colleen’s condition. She kept thinking no news is good news over and over again to herself. She tried to think positively, but then her mind would turn negative. The what ifs started playing in her mind�
��

  While Angelina spent some time alone in her room, Gabriella and Alejandro sat on the patio talking. “What do you think is wrong with Colleen?”

  “I’m not sure since neither Dad nor I are there. I hope we hear something soon. I don’t like that it’s taking so long.”

  Angelina sat alone in her room pondering the previous day’s events. Her sister was lying in the ICU in Kansas City and she was sitting in her room. What was wrong with this picture? Her parents had told her to stay home and not travel to Kansas City and, like a good girl, she did what they said. She wanted to be near Colleen, supporting not only her, but her parents and Wyatt, too. Even though there was almost a fourteen year age difference, she had a special connection with her sister.

  When Angelina first started college, Colleen was almost four. She loved playing in Angelina’s dorm room when she visited. Then, after she graduated and returned home, Angelina took time helping Colleen with her homework. And when Colleen got involved with field hockey, she tried acting as a goalie for Colleen as she took shots towards a make-shift goal. They often ended her practice sessions in a fit of giggles as Angelina was definitely not a goalie or even a field hockey player. She lacked the talent all the way around.

  Angelina also established a Christmas ritual with Colleen. They spent a Saturday during the holidays shopping. Angelina would treat Colleen to lunch at one of the department store restaurants, and she had paid for Colleen’s gifts until she had started earning her own money to pay for them. They both spent all year waiting for their next holiday shopping spree as it was the highlight of the year for them. What it we can’t do it any longer, she thought. And then out of nowhere this feeling she couldn’t place overcame her, and she started to cry. She sat on her bed hugging herself and crying as silently as she could.

  Her window was open and Alejandro heard her cries. Gabriella had just received a call from their mother and had walked to the car to give her some information, so Alejandro rushed inside to Angelina.

  Softly, he knocked on her door, but there was no answer and her crying seemed to intensify. He opened the door and saw her sitting on her bed with her back to the doorway. She had no idea that he’d entered her room.

  “What have I done wrong in my life? How can I correct it?” She cried to herself. She thought she felt a presence, but she must just be overreacting. Next, she felt a hand on her shoulder. Slowly, she turned and there stood Alejandro. He squatted before her, reaching for her, and she fell into his arms. He held her and let her cry. Sweeping a hand across her face, she apologized for her tears. “Sorry.”

  “For what?”

  “For falling apart.” She calmed herself as she pulled from his embrace and walked across the room. Glancing out the window, she asked if he had any updates. Alejandro shook his head no, but just then the bedside telephone started ringing. Angelina answered it with a breathy hello.

  “Angelina,” One word. Her name… The tone. She knew it was bad news. “Colleen is in acute liver failure,” said her father.

  “Wh-what does that mean?”

  “The blow has caused her liver some damage and it has begun to fail.”

  “And?”

  “Is Alejandro nearby?”

  “Yes, he’s standing right here.”

  “Please put him on the telephone.”

  She turned to Alejandro and handed him the phone. He said, “Yes?”

  “Alejandro?”

  “How’s Colleen?”

  Angelina’s father detailed her condition.

  “Yes… I understand. I’ll contact my father. Yes… I will let Angelina know. What time do you expect to arrive?” Not only had her father discussed Colleen’s condition with him, he’d also asked Alejandro if he would be her doctor in the event that she needed a transplant.

  Angelina’s father told Alejandro that they were having Colleen flown home. She would arrive sometime late afternoon, early evening. He wanted Angelina to be waiting for her at the hospital. Her parents would leave Kansas City as soon as possible, but they expected that their drive would take at least four hours since there was road construction. They would meet Angelina and Alejandro at the hospital. He and Gabriella would both wait with her. Alejandro disconnected the call while Angelina sat in silence.

  “What did my father tell you about Colleen’s condition?”

  “Same thing that he told you. He wants me to contact my father and asked that I take you to the hospital to wait for the helicopter. Your father expects their drive to take about four hours. Angelina, I’m not going to make light of the situation. This is extremely serious.”

  Alejandro walked over to where she stood staring out her bedroom window. “Will she live?” Angelina asked.

  “I don’t know. If this becomes more critical, she may require a liver transplant.”

  “Transplant?”

  “Yes.”

  “Can we find a donor? I thought people were on waiting lists for years for donors.”

  “Generally they are, but it’s quite possible that we could find a donor quickly. It just depends. Let’s cross that bridge when and if we need to.”

  “Are you going to be her doctor?”

  “That’s what your father was asking me. We’ll see. Right now my father is her primary doctor, and that’s one of the reasons why your parents wanted to get Colleen home. We need to let Gabriella know what’s going on, and then we can leave for the hospital.”

  Angelina changed her clothes and gathered some things for her parents, Wyatt, and of course, Colleen. Alejandro carried the bags to the car while Angelina locked up the house. Gabriella was waiting for them in the car. She was on the phone with her father. “We’re just about ready to leave. We should be there in less than a half an hour.” Hanging up the phone, she relayed her conversation with her father to Alejandro. “Sounds like she’ll be there in an hour or so.”

  “Great,” said Alejandro. “Let’s get moving.” As Alejandro drove towards the hospital, his thoughts were on the what ifs, Angelina’s were on Colleen as well as her parents, and Gabriella was worried about her friend. She wasn’t talking. She was just sitting there, and that scared her more than anything. She was going to have to keep her focus on her. If she couldn’t get through to her, maybe Alejandro could. He should know what to look for, as well as how to approach her and what to say.

  They parked in the doctor’s lot and, as they exited the car, they heard the helicopter’s approach. Angelina started to shake. Gabriella reached for her hand as they hurried into the hospital. Alejandro was a few steps ahead of them.

  “Gabriella, take Angelina to my office. I’ve already contacted my assistant who is prepared to let you in. I’ll touch base as soon as I know something.” Alejandro squeezed Angelina’s hands and hurried down the corridor. Gabriella put her arm around Angelina and guided her to Alejandro’s office. Suzie, his office assistant, was waiting for them. She led them into his office where she’d gotten a fruit and cheese platter from the cafeteria. She also had an assortment of juices and water. “I thought it might be a while, and I wasn’t sure when you last ate. I’ll let you know when Dr. Alvarez knows something.”

  Angelina sat on the couch while Suzie led Gabriella to the office kitchenette to retrieve some glasses for their drinks. “Suzie, let my brother know that he needs to come up here as soon as possible. I need to talk to him privately without Angelina knowing. I’m sure you will be discreet in advising me when he is available.”

  “No problem, Gabriella. I’ll page him and let him know.”

  “Thanks.”

  They sat in Alejandro’s office for almost two hours before Suzie let Gabriella know that Alejandro was available to speak with her. Since Gabriella was a volunteer at the hospital, Suzie asked if she could get her help with something for the Children’s Hospital. She led Gabriella to an examining room where Alejandro was waiting. “Sis, what’s up? Suzie told me you wanted to see me privately.”

  “Before we get started, any news?”<
br />
  “No, they’re still stabilizing her and will take her to ICU within the next half hour. Now, what did you want to see me about?”

  “Angelina.”

  “Yes?”

  “I’m worried about her. I know Dad’s also worried. Can you talk to her? She hasn’t said a word since we got to your office. She just sits there, staring off into space. I don’t think she’s eaten anything today or, if she has, it’s been very little. Please, Alejandro, do something.”

  “Why don’t you go take a break, and check with Suzie to see if they’ve moved Colleen? I’ll talk with Angelina.”

  Angelina sat in Alejandro’s office. So much had happened in the last twenty-four hours. She still couldn’t believe that she’d run into Alejandro at the bookstore. And then, they’d gone out to dinner. She’d had a fabulous time with him, walking through Old Towne, dinner, and then when he held her in his arms and they danced. Talk about perfection. That’s what she’d call their night together. It had come as a complete surprise to her, her attraction to him, if that’s what she called her nervousness after their dance. And then he had asked for her phone number. She knew she shouldn’t think along these terms, but she did. They’d gone on a date, if that’s what you called their time together. And then, less than an hour later, all hell had broken loose. He’d returned with the news that would change all of their lives forever. Colleen was injured—no one knew her condition, and no one knew if she’d survive. The memories of the prior day overwhelmed her as sat alone in Alejandro’s office. And then, she heard a noise.

  Alejandro knocked on his office door. There was no answer, so he slowly opened it and entered. He noticed she was sitting on the couch gazing down at the floor. As he gradually approached, she didn’t move a muscle, even when he was directly in front of her. He reached for her shoulder, lightly placing his hand there. She appeared to be in a coma. She never moved. Finally, Alejandro gently squeezed her shoulder and said, “Angelina?”