End of Eternity 2

by Loretta Lost

  “Wait!” I shout toward the paramedics. “How is she? What happened?”

  “Sorry. Can’t say,” says one of the paramedics as he moves to the front of the ambulance.

  “I need to know,” I insist, following him to the driver’s side of the car. “Carmen’s family is out of town and I’m the one looking out for her.”

  “Yeah? There’s another guy here who says he’s her brother-in-law. Talk to the man in the suit. We’ve got to get going.” The paramedic closes the door of the vehicle and turns on the sirens before peeling off down the driveway. The sound is nearly deafening from close range, and I stumble backward with my ears ringing.

  Squinting, I see that there is a man in an elegant dark suit, standing only a few feet away. He had been on the other side of the ambulance, so I hadn’t previously noticed him. He is standing there calmly, with his arms crossed over his chest. He looks after the retreating vehicle for a moment before glancing at his watch. He does not seem ruffled or upset in the slightest.

  “Do you know what happened to Carmen?” I ask him urgently. “I saw her earlier today, and she was perfectly fine.”

  He turns to look at me with appraisal. His eyes scan over my cheap sweater and slacks, and his lips curl up in amusement at the sight of my scarf. “Who the hell are you?” he asks me curiously.

  “I’m Owen, her sister’s…”

  “Actually, I don’t care,” the man says as he turns around and walks toward a sleek black car.

  The Audi R8 is even more intimidating than his suit; it makes my car look like a trash heap of scrap metal. However, I am used to being intimidated and it doesn’t slow me down. Moving forward so that I am standing directly in front of the man’s car, I lean down and place both of my palms flat on the vehicle’s hood.

  “Tell me what happened to Carmen!” I roar loudly, to make sure he can hear me through the confines of his glass cage.

  Frowning, the man pushes a button to roll down the window. “What do you think, smart ass? She had a miscarriage. Now get the hell out of my way.”

  I stand there dumbly for a moment as the words penetrate my skull. No. A miscarriage? But…

  “Move!” the man shouts as he revs his engine impatiently. “I’m fucking late for work!”

  It is difficult for me to do anything. My legs feel rooted to the ground like tree stumps as I try to shuffle aside. The car screams past me as soon as I am clear, nearly nicking my toes. I stare after the black vehicle in shock. Memories rush back to me of Carmen’s horrifying nightmares of losing her baby. I remember her body trembling as I held her and tried to ease her anxiety. I tried to reassure her that things were going to be okay, but it seems like she was right all along.

  Tears gather in my eyes, along with guilt. I had no idea that Carmen’s health was so critical. She was over six months pregnant, and losing her baby so late was highly unlikely. I didn’t take into account all the stress she was experiencing after her husband’s death—I thought I could be some big hero and make it all go away. Maybe if I had paid closer attention to her fears, I could have done something to help her. Maybe I could have rushed her to the hospital to get checked out after her nightmare, to make sure that her baby was healthy. But no! I had to make stupid, empty statements meant to comfort and soothe her, when I really had no earthly idea what she was going through.

  How can I even call myself a doctor? What kind of worthless physician reassures someone without checking out the facts? How can I even call myself a man?

  I stand there in the middle of Carmen’s driveway, staring after the black car like an idiot. Who was that suit-wearing asshole anyway? Her brother-in-law? Was he Grayson’s brother? If he was related to Carmen’s husband, it would explain why he was such a douchebag. I am sure that douchebaggery must run in that family.

  Realizing that I can’t just stand here doing nothing, I briskly walk back to my beat-up old car. I am strangely furious as I fish the key out of my pocket to dig it into the lock. Yes, I don’t even have automatic locks. Not like Mr. Dolce and Gabbana over there, and probably everyone else in this blue-blooded neighborhood. But if things are so great here, then why are Carmen and Winter’s lives so fucked up? Why was Winter so damaged and afraid that she ran away from home for years? Why was Carmen so stressed and unstable that she lost her baby? Do these people care more about their things than they do about their people? Do they care more about their cars and suits than their daughters and neighbors?

  On an impulse, I slam my foot outward to viciously kick the side of my car. Wincing at the pain in my toes, I turn around and lean weakly against my vehicle. I really hope that Carmen doesn’t actually lose her baby. The guy in the suit was an idiot, and he didn’t know jack shit about what he was saying. Miscarriage? Technically, at twenty-six weeks, it’s not even called a miscarriage. Yes. He was probably wrong. This thought gives me hope. Maybe Carmen’s going to be okay. I glance down at my car with guilt. The pathetic little machine really didn’t need any more dents; I’ve abused it enough over the years.

  As I climb into my vehicle, my chest aches for Carmen. That poor girl.

  Nothing seems to be going her way. Maybe Caroline had the right idea; maybe it’s not worth the pain and heartache of actually trying to be a normal human being and start a family. Maybe all we are is isolated city people, living on mechanical schedules like cyborgs without souls. That’s what I feel like, most of the time, working all day and night at the hospital. Robotic. Like I’m not even made from flesh and blood.

  And what am I even working for? I have nothing.

  Carmen was the first person I’ve met in the longest while who seemed really and truly human. Being around her made me feel more human. She wasn’t just a patient, a barcode, or a price tag, like everyone else in New York City. She was real.

  And I wanted her to be okay. I wanted her to have a happy, healthy baby and a bright future. I’ve never wanted anything quite as much as I wanted this.

  I’m not even quite sure why.

  Chapter Three

  The hospital gift shop is filled with flowers, get-well-soon cards, and little teddy bears. The doctors wouldn’t allow me to see Carmen right away, so I came down here to pace back and forth in agitation, trying to choose a gift that could lift her spirits. Somehow, I can’t stop staring at the “new baby” selection. There are colorful balloons, welcome-home baskets, and a bizarre tower called a “diaper cake.” It is painfully hypnotic to stare at all the items I could have gotten her if things had gone a little differently. I still can’t accept that this is real.

  I know that the chances of a baby surviving a preterm birth at twenty-six weeks are rather low. There is at least a fifty percent chance that little Grace will die—even with current medical advances—that is, if she wasn’t already dead to begin with. The doctors won’t tell me what’s going on with Carmen. It’s so weird being on the other side of things like this. I’m used to being the doctor who is always in control of the situation and gives other people information—now, I’m just a random loser sitting on the outside and looking in.

  Reaching down to the pocket of my leather jacket, I pull out my phone. Without even thinking, I automatically go through the motions of calling my best friend. I know that I shouldn’t bother Liam right now; he has his own serious issues to deal with. Unfortunately, he has always been the only person I could turn to in a fix. He has the uncanny ability to easily discover the answers to every problem that leaves me miserably stumped. When his voice filters through the line, I immediately feel relieved.

  “Hey, Owen,” he says lightly. “How’s it going, man?”

  “Not so great,” I respond softly. “Is Winter with you? Is she feeling better?”

  “Yes,” Liam says, and his voice sounds unusually exhausted. “We’re calling her Helen for the time being—her body is healing, but she is still really confused.”

  “Then you probably shouldn’t let her hear what I’m about to tell you,” I say with warning. “Try not t
o react to what I’m about to say, okay? There’s no use in giving her more pain when her mind has gone to such great lengths to block out years of trauma.”

  “Owen? What’s wrong?” Liam asks me with worry.

  “It’s Carmen,” I tell him in a low voice. “It seems like she’s suffering some serious pregnancy complications. I don’t know the extent of the situation, but she might have lost her baby. I’m at the hospital now, waiting on news about her condition.”

  “Shit,” Liam curses. “God, Owen. I’m so sorry. I’ll tell Mr. Winters right away.”

  “No,” I say suddenly. I remember Carmen mentioning that her father’s health was sensitive, and that he had experienced chest pains upon learning of Helen’s accident. He probably didn’t need to hear that another one of his children had been hospitalized. “Let’s not give the poor bastard a heart attack, Liam. So much has happened lately… Let me take care of Carmen until her father returns home. We’ll let him know once things are more stabilized, and Carmen has recovered a little.”

  “I don’t know if that’s wise,” Liam responds. “Just give me a minute, man.” He clears his throat as he excuses himself from Helen’s side. “Look, Owen. Secrets and lies are how I got into this mess. I’m the one who hurt Helen like this, by concealing information from her. Indirectly, I also hurt Carmen. My one stupid lie was the first domino in a giant chain of destruction. I promised Winter—Helen’s father that I would try to be more honest with his daughter from now on. Helen losing her memories is a fresh start for us—a blank slate. I can’t go right back to being a deceitful prick.”

  “Liam, please don’t let your guilt cloud your judgment right now,” I beg him softly. “This family has already been through so much. We can’t dump this on them now, not before I even know what’s really going on with Carmen! She could be perfectly fine. The doctors might be able to save her baby—you know that medical improvements might afford her a slim chance. Carmen is strong. I don’t want to give up on her yet, and deliver bad news to her family when there might not be any!”

  “But don’t you think she needs her father there by her side right now?” Liam asks me hesitantly.

  “She does, but not if it kills him in the process.”

  “You’re right,” Liam says with a sigh. “Okay, Owen. I’ll hold off on telling them for now; at least until we have something to tell them. But you need to give me your word that you’ll protect Carmen and be there for her. She’s an innocent in all this.”

  “I’ll be here. I’ll be glued to her side,” I promise.

  “Good. Her dad’s phone died a few hours ago, so he hasn’t been able to take any phone calls about Carmen’s state. I’ll keep him in the dark for now, but I expect you to call me regularly with updates.”

  “I will,” I confirm with an enthusiastic nod. “But can you do me a big favor, Liam? Can you ask Helen what Carmen’s favorite flowers are? I’m in the gift shop now, and I want to get something to cheer her up.”

  “Flowers? Yeah, sure. Just a second,” Liam says, and there is a shuffling noise over the line. Hardly a minute has passed before he gets back to me. “Blue roses, Owen. Helen says that she loves blue roses.”

  “Dammit,” I curse softly as I scan the shelves of bouquets. “I don’t see any in this shop. Maybe there’s another flower store nearby…”

  “Owen… what’s going on? Do you like her?” Liam asks me in surprise.

  “Yeah. I think I do.”

  “But what about Caroline?”

  “What about her?” I ask with frustration. “It’s just flowers, Liam. It’s not a big deal.”

  “You two had a fight again, didn’t you?” Liam asks gently.

  “Relax, man. It’s just flowers.”

  “Uh huh,” Liam says knowingly, and I can picture the skeptical look on his face. “Just don’t be a jackass, Owen. You’re the best guy I know, and I don’t want you to ever feel the guilt I felt after fucking up my relationship. I know that you’re not as retarded as I am when it comes to women, but I don’t want to see you or Caroline get hurt.”

  “You don’t know the whole situation, Liam,” I inform him quietly. “But this isn’t the time to discuss girls, bro. I’m a man on a mission. I need to hunt down some blue roses.”

  “Owen…”

  Hanging up the phone, I exit the hospital’s gift shop and move out onto the street. I’m not totally familiar with this neighborhood. It’s obviously a lot wealthier than where I’m from—even their hospitals are nicer than the one where Liam and I do most of our work, and this makes me a bit jealous. I’m not sure how a gloomy place like a hospital can even be nice, but this one manages to be. Everything seems shiny, new, and sophisticated—the glass positively sparkles, and there are nifty LED screens everywhere to guide you to your destination. It feels more like a boutique hotel than a hospital.

  I just hope that their medical care is of similar quality to their interior design. Shaking off my annoyance, I use my phone to search for the nearest florist. I bet that I can rush over there and get some blue roses for Carmen long before I am finally allowed in to see her.

  Chapter Four

  Sitting in the dreary waiting room, I am growing sick of watching the flowers wilt. I also bought a teddy bear in a sombrero, and I’m fairly certain I must look ridiculous to all the hospital staff passing by. If I saw a poor schmuck waiting around with flowers and a teddy bear and a doleful look on his face, I’d probably joke about him behind his back to the other doctors at the first chance.

  I hate this.

  It’s been hours, and no one will even tell me what’s going on. I finally understand how Liam felt when he was denied access to Helen. A buzzing sound against my hip alerts me to a text message. Pulling my phone from my pocket, I am disgruntled to see that it is work demanding my presence in thirty minutes. It is because I promised to cover Liam’s shifts in addition to my own. There is no way I can be there on time, but I suppose people are used to doctors always being late. As long as I can be there at all…

  But I can’t leave without seeing Carmen.

  I wish I could emulate Liam’s style and put on a caveman-esque chest-beating display to get what I want, but I fear that I’m not quite as convincing as he is at the macho-man routine. I am more of a sweet-talker, infiltrating my way behind enemy lines with honey instead of brute force. Standing up with the flowers in my arm, and the teddy bear clutched in my other hand, I feel armed and ready with my ammunition. If I can only find a weak spot in the hospital’s defenses—perhaps a hardworking nurse in desperate need of male attention? Walking swiftly through the halls, I begin hunting for my target. It occurs to me that if this fails, I can merely find a doctor I know in this hospital and ask him to borrow his clothes and sneak in…

  An older female doctor exits a room a few dozen feet away, and I instantly recognize her wizened features and stylish, salt-and-pepper updo. I am suddenly positive that I can shift this situation in my favor.

  “Karen!” I exclaim, waving with my teddy-bear-holding hand. “I can’t believe it’s you!”

  The woman turns to me with a quizzical look. She pushes her gold-rimmed glasses up higher on her nose in order to examine me. “Why, is that Owen Phillips?” she asks in surprise. “The class clown! I haven’t seen you in years, young man. Not since you dropped my course. Did you end up flunking out of med school like I predicted?”

  “No way!” I tell her with enthusiasm. “I’m an ophthalmologist now, Karen. Thanks to your encouragement and ass-kicking, of course.”

  “You can call me Dr. Robinson or Professor, young man,” she says sharply. She then observes the flowers in my arms. “Ophthalmology? I always thought that gynecology was your passion, Owen.”

  “It was,” I tell her with a sad little shrug. “Unfortunately, life likes to push us in unexpected directions. Speaking of which… I was hoping you could help me. I’m here to see a patient at this hospital. Carmen Winters?”

  The doctor’s face is blank. Sh
e stares down at the clipboard she is holding, and begins scanning for data. “I’m sorry…”

  “Blonde, beautiful, pregnant?” I say in order to prompt her. “Twenty-six weeks?”

  “Oh, yes,” she says at once. “She’s not in good shape. Are you a family member? If so, I can take you in to see her.”

  I hesitate and shift from foot to foot. Dr. Karen Robinson could always tell when I was lying, and I don’t want to risk it. “I’m not family, Professor. But I care about her, and I would really like to be by her side through this. I don’t want her to be alone right now.”

  “I’m sorry, Owen. You know the rules.”

  “Can you at least tell me about her condition?” I ask desperately.

  She stares at me with pity evident on her face. “I shouldn’t but… I’ll make an exception for you,” she says softly. “Carmen’s lost some blood, but we’re replacing it. We’re doing everything we can to increase her baby’s chance of survival.”

  “Relaxing her uterus and trying to speed up the baby’s lung development?” I ask pressingly.

  The doctor nods slowly. “I don’t know what to tell you, Owen. The baby’s heart isn’t very strong, and the mother is mentally out of sorts. She has been muttering strange things and talking to people who aren’t there. If she doesn’t cooperate with us, we may need to perform an emergency C-section.”

  “No, there shouldn’t be any need for that,” I say quickly. I remember reading that babies born this early by C-section have a significantly lower survival rate than natural births. “Carmen will be okay. She’s not crazy, just grieving. Her husband killed himself two days ago.”

  “Oh my goodness,” Dr. Robinson whispers in horror. “I didn’t know. Well, that explains a lot. The poor girl.”