Post by stormechaser on Nov 21, 2006 20:26:12 GMT 10
Oh my, sorry this took so long to post. I am going crazy with finals and with the OSU win, it is crazy on campus as well. I should have been finishing a paper, but his was so much more fun. I hope you all enjoy!!
**This part is rated PG-13. (Don’t worry, I am not setting up a Carby reunion. YUK!!) And, these hospitals all exist. They say when you write, you should write about what you know!
Part Three
The hours that ticked by left a cold feeling in Abby’s chest. She was crumpled up on their bed listening to the tick tock of the clock on the wall. She could hear Neela talking to Carter downstairs. Their hushed voices were only interrupted by Joe’s howling. Her breasts were sore, so she knew it was because he was hungry. As if on cue, she heard someone climb the stairs while trying to comfort the crying child. Abby rolled over in bed to see that Neela was bringing her Joe.
Propping herself up, she took her son from her best friend’s arms and settled him at her breast. Joe began to hungrily nurse as Abby looked at him. He looked so much like his father. He had a head full of thick black hair and a strong, yet a little bit pointy chin. His eyes were definitely Abby’s, but overall he was a replica of his daddy.
Neela sat down next to them and tried to speak. She couldn’t find the words that wouldn’t be grim. Delivering bad news was never her forte.
“Don’t say anything, please Neela.” said Abby.
Neela looked down at her feet and tried to swallow her fear. “Abby, I think we need to consider the possibility that Luka didn’t make it. Have you tried to call Cleveland police again or the hospitals?”
“They keep telling me the same thing- when they have something to tell me, they will call.” Abby switched sides and started to gently rock her son to sleep.
Neela rose from the bed and wandered back downstairs to again glue herself to the TV. Carter was in the kitchen talking to Kem on his cell phone. Neela let him be and went back to her vigil. The reporter was again going over the facts.
The flight had experienced trouble do to the storm that was rolling along the Midwest. Somewhere near Toledo, Ohio it took a direct hit from lightening and radioed in for emergency landing permission. However, due to the storm Toledo couldn’t accommodate them. The pilot made a desperate attempt to make it the last few miles to Cleveland, but ended up putting the plane down in a field just short of the target. There were only a handful of passengers on the plane, but a few bodies were found outside the fuselage-and not any of them or any of the survivors had been identified at this time. However, three victims had been Life Flighted to area hospitals.
Each time they called any of the hospitals, they were told that all of the patients were in “guarded” condition and they could release no information until the next of kin could be reached. Neela knew they weren’t going to tell them anything, so a thought began to form. Why not just screw it all and go to Cleveland? It was about eight hours driving, but as she figured it, they would spend those same eight hours camped out here doing nothing and finding no answers, so why not be productive and get an answer?
Carter had finished talking to Kem and came and sat next to Neela on the couch. She told him her plan and he emphatically agreed. Now, they just had to convince Abby.
Neela again climbed the stairs and this time she found Abby curled up on her side of the bed clutching a shirt of Luka’s It was one that he’d worn recently and his spicy scent still clung to it. Joe lay next to her asleep with his thumb in his mouth. Abby was silent, but not sleeping. Neela sat down next to Joe, careful not to wake him, and began to talk quietly to them both.
“Abby, would you like to drive to Cleveland?” asked Neela.
“Isn’t that a long drive? What good will it do?”
It was clear Abby was shaken up. She wasn’t her usual go get ‘em self. Neela quietly explained her plan.
Abby listened and felt a tiny shred of hope penetrate her soul. It was a proactive move, she needed that.
“Yes, I want to go.” Abby replied.
As Neela was starting to get up, Abby reached for her hand. Neela looked down into her friend’s teary eyes and squeezed her hand reassuringly.
“It’s going to be alright, you know. No matter what. I will be here for you.”
“Thank you…for everything.”
Neela nodded in response and helped Abby up and got her going to pack a small overnight bag for herself and Joe. She left Abby to her task and went down to join Carter again. She was in for a bit of a surprise. Carter had pulled a few strings and chartered a private flight for the five of them, Kem included. Neela threw her arms around him and kissed him on the cheek. Carter blushed and told her to go home and pack; he’d swing by and pick her up when they were ready.
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The flight was uneventful. Abby and Neela huddled together on one side quietly talking while Carter and Kem slept fitfully across the aisle from them. This had been a Hell of a day. Joe was sleeping as well, blissfully unaware of what they were traveling towards.
“You know Neela, I’m afraid Luka didn’t know that I loved him.” Abby said, tears choking her words.
“He knows.” Neela said, hoping to keep Abby talking about Luka in present terms.
“You probably don’t want to hear this, but, uh, we made love this morning before he left. It was so, so…I don’t know, um...” she drew in a ragged breath before continuing, “it was like he knew it’d be the last time.”
“Oh Abby, I am so sorry.” Neela took Abby in her arms while silent tears coursed down both there faces. They just needed to get there already before Abby cracked up completely.
Finally, they touched down and found the waiting car that whisked them off firstly to a hotel so they could freshen up. It was early morning and they didn’t want to start perusing hospitals in the dark. Carter checked them all in, and much to the protest of Abby and Neela, paid for everything. Abby was in no shape to fight, so she let it go. She’d chastise him later-after she knew more about Luka.
Joe needed to be fed again and the others were hungry too. They sat down to a quick meal that Abby only picked at. She knew she needed to eat, but the food stuck in her throat. Finally, she relented and had some coffee and perked up enough to begin seeking out the hospitals.
They arrived firstly at Cleveland Metro. This was a first stop for most helicopter transports. Unfortunately, none of the three victims had been Life Flighted there. The hospital had received a few victims by ambulance, however they had all been identified and none were Dr. Luka Kovac.
Fear gnarled itself in Abby’s gut. They had two more hospitals to check out. Luka’s chances were growing slimmer and she was feeling more frantic. The group consulted the ICU nurses and left with instructions to the Cleveland Clinic. This highly skilled hospital had indeed received two of the helicopter rescued victims; both had unfortunately died and were waiting to be identified.
Carter once again had the grim task of looking for his friend’s body. He schooled his emotions and followed the nurse to the morgue, leaving the women alone to wait. He glanced back once and saw Abby following him with her eyes. She was pleading with him silently to not find Luka. He only wished he had the power to do it for her. He lost sight of Abby as he turned the corner and entered the morgue.
Relief washed over him and threatened to make him collapse when both bodies were not that of Luka. He thanked the nurse and then flew out the doors to tell them the good news. Abby sobbed silently in relief, yet she didn’t allow herself to feel complete joy. They still hadn’t found Luka yet. They still didn’t know if he was alive-and they had only one more place to check besides the county morgue.
Another ride to another hospital in silence. The occupants couldn’t take much more. Only Joe seemed to be free of the melancholy that hung over them like a thick fog. Finally, they reached University Hospital in downtown Cleveland. They parked in the garage next to the hospital and began the long walk to the ICU. Carter had phoned ahead and knew there was one person received from the crash in that department, but that was all the information he could get from them, and they were lucky to even have gotten that much. There were a few more down in the ER waiting for beds, but like the previous hospital, they had all been identified.
Abby and Joe, Neela, Carter and Kem rode the elevator up to the ICU floor. They all feared the worst at this point, and Neela refused to leave Abby alone. Not to mention that Abby clutched Joe in her arms as if he were her lifeline to Luka. Neela was pretty sure Abby could use the help with Joe.
The nurse at the station saw the small group approaching and cringed. She’d had her share of stragglers all night looking for lost loved ones. Carter met the nurse and discussed the situation. Yes, they had a gentleman matching Luka’s description, but until they located his family, she couldn’t give out any information. She was very sorry, but this was policy.
Abby felt her blood begin to boil. Joe, sensing his mother’s emotional rollercoaster, started to fuss. Neela was quick to take him from his mother before she erupted.
Abby strode up to the plump nurse and stared her down. “Look, I am a doctor and I know all about policies. How can we identify him if you won’t let us see him?”
“We have to protect our patients’ confidentiality, ma’am. You may be a doctor, but you are not a doctor here at this hospital. You may all have a seat and I will get the attending to come and talk to you.” The nurse replied, her huffy attitude indicating her interaction with them was over. She turned and went back to the safety of the nurse’s station and began to page the attending.
Carter tried to take Abby to the waiting area where Kem and Neela had taken Joe, but she was having none of it. She threw his arm off of her shoulder and, completely ignoring the warning of the hostile nurse, went down the hall to search for herself. She was only half aware of John following behind her and the call overhead for security.
She started to run down the hallway, stopping only for a second to glimpse inside of each room looking for her. She was getting more and more desperate as the number of rooms left to search began to dwindle. There was one room left to check.
Abby looked in the glass enclosed room and felt her heart drop into her feet. For there lying on the bed, hooked up to a ventilator and covered in soot and bandages, lay Luka. She felt the floodgate of emotions manifest into sobs that rocked her body. As she started to collapse from sheer relief, two sets of steely gripped hands caught her. It was security trying to pull her away from the glass wall of the room.
“Ma’am, you’ll have to come with us.” One of the guards said.
Carter tried to pull them off of Abby as she herself fought to be released, but the hostile nurse kept telling him to back off or she’d call the police. It was a jumble of yelling and cursing and Abby couldn’t get her bearings. Finally she broke free from the security guards just as the attending physician finally made his way to the scene. Abby rested her hands on the glass wall trying to take in all that she could see of Luka. The now agitated nurse stood in front of the door barring Abby’s entrance. The attending listened to all sides of the story and dismissed the guards. He looked at Abby and put his hand on her shoulder. She turned her tear streaked face and looked him in the eye, daring him to deny her the ability to see Luka.
“Ma’am, I understand that you want to go in there, but in the ICU we can only let relatives in. I am very sorry.” He said his voice genuine and caring.
Abby inhaled deeply and turned to fully face him and the sarcastic nurse. She held out her left hand and pointed at the ring on her finger with her other hand.
“Let me tell you something, you will let me in there, and you will do it now. That is my husband in there. And I am his wife.”
**This part is rated PG-13. (Don’t worry, I am not setting up a Carby reunion. YUK!!) And, these hospitals all exist. They say when you write, you should write about what you know!
Part Three
The hours that ticked by left a cold feeling in Abby’s chest. She was crumpled up on their bed listening to the tick tock of the clock on the wall. She could hear Neela talking to Carter downstairs. Their hushed voices were only interrupted by Joe’s howling. Her breasts were sore, so she knew it was because he was hungry. As if on cue, she heard someone climb the stairs while trying to comfort the crying child. Abby rolled over in bed to see that Neela was bringing her Joe.
Propping herself up, she took her son from her best friend’s arms and settled him at her breast. Joe began to hungrily nurse as Abby looked at him. He looked so much like his father. He had a head full of thick black hair and a strong, yet a little bit pointy chin. His eyes were definitely Abby’s, but overall he was a replica of his daddy.
Neela sat down next to them and tried to speak. She couldn’t find the words that wouldn’t be grim. Delivering bad news was never her forte.
“Don’t say anything, please Neela.” said Abby.
Neela looked down at her feet and tried to swallow her fear. “Abby, I think we need to consider the possibility that Luka didn’t make it. Have you tried to call Cleveland police again or the hospitals?”
“They keep telling me the same thing- when they have something to tell me, they will call.” Abby switched sides and started to gently rock her son to sleep.
Neela rose from the bed and wandered back downstairs to again glue herself to the TV. Carter was in the kitchen talking to Kem on his cell phone. Neela let him be and went back to her vigil. The reporter was again going over the facts.
The flight had experienced trouble do to the storm that was rolling along the Midwest. Somewhere near Toledo, Ohio it took a direct hit from lightening and radioed in for emergency landing permission. However, due to the storm Toledo couldn’t accommodate them. The pilot made a desperate attempt to make it the last few miles to Cleveland, but ended up putting the plane down in a field just short of the target. There were only a handful of passengers on the plane, but a few bodies were found outside the fuselage-and not any of them or any of the survivors had been identified at this time. However, three victims had been Life Flighted to area hospitals.
Each time they called any of the hospitals, they were told that all of the patients were in “guarded” condition and they could release no information until the next of kin could be reached. Neela knew they weren’t going to tell them anything, so a thought began to form. Why not just screw it all and go to Cleveland? It was about eight hours driving, but as she figured it, they would spend those same eight hours camped out here doing nothing and finding no answers, so why not be productive and get an answer?
Carter had finished talking to Kem and came and sat next to Neela on the couch. She told him her plan and he emphatically agreed. Now, they just had to convince Abby.
Neela again climbed the stairs and this time she found Abby curled up on her side of the bed clutching a shirt of Luka’s It was one that he’d worn recently and his spicy scent still clung to it. Joe lay next to her asleep with his thumb in his mouth. Abby was silent, but not sleeping. Neela sat down next to Joe, careful not to wake him, and began to talk quietly to them both.
“Abby, would you like to drive to Cleveland?” asked Neela.
“Isn’t that a long drive? What good will it do?”
It was clear Abby was shaken up. She wasn’t her usual go get ‘em self. Neela quietly explained her plan.
Abby listened and felt a tiny shred of hope penetrate her soul. It was a proactive move, she needed that.
“Yes, I want to go.” Abby replied.
As Neela was starting to get up, Abby reached for her hand. Neela looked down into her friend’s teary eyes and squeezed her hand reassuringly.
“It’s going to be alright, you know. No matter what. I will be here for you.”
“Thank you…for everything.”
Neela nodded in response and helped Abby up and got her going to pack a small overnight bag for herself and Joe. She left Abby to her task and went down to join Carter again. She was in for a bit of a surprise. Carter had pulled a few strings and chartered a private flight for the five of them, Kem included. Neela threw her arms around him and kissed him on the cheek. Carter blushed and told her to go home and pack; he’d swing by and pick her up when they were ready.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
The flight was uneventful. Abby and Neela huddled together on one side quietly talking while Carter and Kem slept fitfully across the aisle from them. This had been a Hell of a day. Joe was sleeping as well, blissfully unaware of what they were traveling towards.
“You know Neela, I’m afraid Luka didn’t know that I loved him.” Abby said, tears choking her words.
“He knows.” Neela said, hoping to keep Abby talking about Luka in present terms.
“You probably don’t want to hear this, but, uh, we made love this morning before he left. It was so, so…I don’t know, um...” she drew in a ragged breath before continuing, “it was like he knew it’d be the last time.”
“Oh Abby, I am so sorry.” Neela took Abby in her arms while silent tears coursed down both there faces. They just needed to get there already before Abby cracked up completely.
Finally, they touched down and found the waiting car that whisked them off firstly to a hotel so they could freshen up. It was early morning and they didn’t want to start perusing hospitals in the dark. Carter checked them all in, and much to the protest of Abby and Neela, paid for everything. Abby was in no shape to fight, so she let it go. She’d chastise him later-after she knew more about Luka.
Joe needed to be fed again and the others were hungry too. They sat down to a quick meal that Abby only picked at. She knew she needed to eat, but the food stuck in her throat. Finally, she relented and had some coffee and perked up enough to begin seeking out the hospitals.
They arrived firstly at Cleveland Metro. This was a first stop for most helicopter transports. Unfortunately, none of the three victims had been Life Flighted there. The hospital had received a few victims by ambulance, however they had all been identified and none were Dr. Luka Kovac.
Fear gnarled itself in Abby’s gut. They had two more hospitals to check out. Luka’s chances were growing slimmer and she was feeling more frantic. The group consulted the ICU nurses and left with instructions to the Cleveland Clinic. This highly skilled hospital had indeed received two of the helicopter rescued victims; both had unfortunately died and were waiting to be identified.
Carter once again had the grim task of looking for his friend’s body. He schooled his emotions and followed the nurse to the morgue, leaving the women alone to wait. He glanced back once and saw Abby following him with her eyes. She was pleading with him silently to not find Luka. He only wished he had the power to do it for her. He lost sight of Abby as he turned the corner and entered the morgue.
Relief washed over him and threatened to make him collapse when both bodies were not that of Luka. He thanked the nurse and then flew out the doors to tell them the good news. Abby sobbed silently in relief, yet she didn’t allow herself to feel complete joy. They still hadn’t found Luka yet. They still didn’t know if he was alive-and they had only one more place to check besides the county morgue.
Another ride to another hospital in silence. The occupants couldn’t take much more. Only Joe seemed to be free of the melancholy that hung over them like a thick fog. Finally, they reached University Hospital in downtown Cleveland. They parked in the garage next to the hospital and began the long walk to the ICU. Carter had phoned ahead and knew there was one person received from the crash in that department, but that was all the information he could get from them, and they were lucky to even have gotten that much. There were a few more down in the ER waiting for beds, but like the previous hospital, they had all been identified.
Abby and Joe, Neela, Carter and Kem rode the elevator up to the ICU floor. They all feared the worst at this point, and Neela refused to leave Abby alone. Not to mention that Abby clutched Joe in her arms as if he were her lifeline to Luka. Neela was pretty sure Abby could use the help with Joe.
The nurse at the station saw the small group approaching and cringed. She’d had her share of stragglers all night looking for lost loved ones. Carter met the nurse and discussed the situation. Yes, they had a gentleman matching Luka’s description, but until they located his family, she couldn’t give out any information. She was very sorry, but this was policy.
Abby felt her blood begin to boil. Joe, sensing his mother’s emotional rollercoaster, started to fuss. Neela was quick to take him from his mother before she erupted.
Abby strode up to the plump nurse and stared her down. “Look, I am a doctor and I know all about policies. How can we identify him if you won’t let us see him?”
“We have to protect our patients’ confidentiality, ma’am. You may be a doctor, but you are not a doctor here at this hospital. You may all have a seat and I will get the attending to come and talk to you.” The nurse replied, her huffy attitude indicating her interaction with them was over. She turned and went back to the safety of the nurse’s station and began to page the attending.
Carter tried to take Abby to the waiting area where Kem and Neela had taken Joe, but she was having none of it. She threw his arm off of her shoulder and, completely ignoring the warning of the hostile nurse, went down the hall to search for herself. She was only half aware of John following behind her and the call overhead for security.
She started to run down the hallway, stopping only for a second to glimpse inside of each room looking for her. She was getting more and more desperate as the number of rooms left to search began to dwindle. There was one room left to check.
Abby looked in the glass enclosed room and felt her heart drop into her feet. For there lying on the bed, hooked up to a ventilator and covered in soot and bandages, lay Luka. She felt the floodgate of emotions manifest into sobs that rocked her body. As she started to collapse from sheer relief, two sets of steely gripped hands caught her. It was security trying to pull her away from the glass wall of the room.
“Ma’am, you’ll have to come with us.” One of the guards said.
Carter tried to pull them off of Abby as she herself fought to be released, but the hostile nurse kept telling him to back off or she’d call the police. It was a jumble of yelling and cursing and Abby couldn’t get her bearings. Finally she broke free from the security guards just as the attending physician finally made his way to the scene. Abby rested her hands on the glass wall trying to take in all that she could see of Luka. The now agitated nurse stood in front of the door barring Abby’s entrance. The attending listened to all sides of the story and dismissed the guards. He looked at Abby and put his hand on her shoulder. She turned her tear streaked face and looked him in the eye, daring him to deny her the ability to see Luka.
“Ma’am, I understand that you want to go in there, but in the ICU we can only let relatives in. I am very sorry.” He said his voice genuine and caring.
Abby inhaled deeply and turned to fully face him and the sarcastic nurse. She held out her left hand and pointed at the ring on her finger with her other hand.
“Let me tell you something, you will let me in there, and you will do it now. That is my husband in there. And I am his wife.”