Remembrance.
Days had past and Luka was already at home. Susan her doctor had asked Abby if she could watch Susan, she wasn’t hurt or in need for care so she could go home if someone would be with here. Abby had said yes and took Susan home with her.
Yesterday she picked up Luka and took him home as well. She made them both a bed in the living room so they could lay down when ever they wanted and she wouldn’t be alone all the time.
“Abby?” Susan asked when she walked into the kitchen. “Yes.” Abby said and turned around. “When is Pratt his funeral.” Susan looked at her and Abby noticed the little tears in her eyes. “Today. You want to go?” Abby asked her as she walked over to Susan. “Yeah. I have this feeling I need to be there.” Susan said when she let Abby guide her to a chair. “Ok. We’ll go together.” Abby said and handed Susan a cup of coffee. Susan took it and looked at Abby. “Suz? Are you ok?” Abby asked. “Yeah. Thanks Abby for everything.” Susan said. “It’s no problem Susan. You would have done the same.” Abby said and placed a hand on Susan her shoulder. “I know. But thanks is in a right place.” Susan said and glanced at Abby.
Abby helped Susan into the shower and washed her hair. After Susan it was Luka his turn for a shower. Finally they had some time together.
“You have to wear that plastic mall Luka.” Abby said to him when he walked in. “Can you put it on cause I can’t do it myself.” He said and glanced at her. “Sure.” She sighed. “Thanks babe.” He said and smiled at her.
She helped him into the shower and stepped in after him. She washed his body, missing not a spot and washed his hair. She started to wash herself but Luka took the sponge out of her hand. “Luka.” She said and looked at him. “Let me do it Abby.” He said looking into her hazel eyes.
He sponged her back first softly, Abby enjoyed it and she sighed. “You like this don’t you?” He asked her. “mm.” Was all she could say. With one hand he turned her around to see her face. “You’re beautiful.” He said. She smiled at him and closed her eyes. He took her into his arms and they just stood there, holding this moment as it would last like forever. He felt her fingers caressing his back and the tiny little hairs in his neck.
She felt him caressing her back, with one hand he still knew how to turn her on. She felt that he kissed her top head. His warm body against her made her meltdown on her feet. “Are you going to sleep up tonight?” She asked him. “Yeah.” He said knowing what she was thinking of. “Good. We need to stop now cause we need to go to Pratt his funeral.” Abby said looking up in his eyes. “I know. You dry me?” He asked smiling at her. “Sure.” She smiled back.
After Abby dried Luka she helped him in his black suit, knot his tie and his shoes. He stayed upstairs to try to fix his hair. Abby went downstairs to help Susan, although her memory was coming back piece by piece Susan was struggling a trauma. She couldn’t do much on her own and needed help with everything. Abby thought Susan didn’t had a memory loss but was back in her childhood.
So Abby helped Susan into her clothes, brushed her hair and tied up her shoes. “Ready to go chickens?” Luka said when he walked into the living room. “Yeah were ready.” Abby said and took Susan by the hand. “Were are we going to?” Susan asked for the third time. “Pratt his funeral Suz.” Abby said again. Luka looked up at her and his look made Abby feel uncomfortable. “I know.” Abby said to him. “Ok. Let’s go ladies.” And Luka opened the front door.
The once who were out of the hospital were at Pratt his funeral, Kerry told something about Pratt as a doctor and how he was for his patients. Susan was there in body but her mind was far away. Abby saw it and took Susan her hand. “What’s up” Abby whispered. “Abby I don’t know how to make coffee any more.” Susan said looking at Abby. “Sh. Come on.” Abby said and guide Susan away from the funeral.
They sat on a bench away from the funeral and from all the others as Susan cried, finally she cried. Since the day of the explosion there was no feeling in Susan her body but now she finally cried. It made Abby sad and happy at the same time. And she knew, Susan needed more help than the help from her friends.
That afternoon there was an ‘remembrance meeting’ at Ike’s for the ER staff. Everyone was there.
“Abby, can we talk?” Kerry asked her. “Sure.” Abby said and they stepped outside, Abby looked across the street once their had been a hospital now it was a mess. “How is Susan doing?” Kerry asked Abby. “Not well. She remembers tiny bits of her work and her friends but doesn’t know how to dress herself or how to brush her hair.” Abby sighed. “Strange. She needs a CT-scan. It worries me that she’s not showing any feeling.” Kerry said and looked at Abby. “Well today she did, finally. She cried when we walked away from your speech. I think part of the things are coming back slowly. Real slowly.” Abby sighed again. “Must been hard for you with two people in need at home.” Kerry said to Abby. “It is but I love it. It feels like work. It takes my mind away and I don’t need to worry about them cause I watch them all the time.” Abby says with a spite of axioms in her voice. “We are opening not before Christmas this year. Maybe not even New Year. We have arranged shift for most of the people at Mercy for less hours but it’s something. Do you want to work shifts as well?” Kerry asked her. “No. I have my hands full with Luka and Susan. Luka could stay alone but he can’t help Susan. I really hope the hospital will open sooner then we hope.” Abby says looking across the street were fire trucks are still coping with small fires. “Me too.” Kerry says. The walk back inside were Dr. Anspaugh is just beginning his speech.
“Staff of County General Hospital, I’m happy to see all of you. Especially those members of the ER staff. We still are missing a few of those ER members, still in hospital or not strong enough to handle a crowd like this.” Anspaugh clears his throat to continue his story. “Today, the ER said their finall goodbye to Dr. Gregory Pratt, a fine young doctor who died during his work. Before I go to the official part I first want to update you all. Dr. Mark Greene is doing fine at home with his family, Dr Corday gave birth to a daughter 2 days ago. Dr. Luka Kovac was send home yesterday and his recovering fine at home in the hands of Dr. Lockhart. Dr. Susan Lewis, she’s still suffering a loss of memory but I heard she’s going to be just fine with the help of Dr. Lockhart and Dr. Kovac. Haleh is still in the hospital but will soon be discharged. Chuny could have been here with us but has attending a shift in Mercy.” Anspaugh stops talking when Kerry hands over a piece of paper. “Thanks Kerry. The ER staff members want to thank one person for all her worries and support during the last days. Abby can you come forward please?” Anspaugh says. Abby looks up and walks up to him. “Abby was not in the ER when the explosion took place, she was out on a call with chopper two. During her work in the field she heard the news of the explosions. Along with her co-flyers they flew to Mercy to find out how her ER family was coping. She was lost in the people among her and thought she lost her life right there. When she heard about the blonde woman who needed to be ID-ed the worst scenario came across her mind. No, Susan wasn’t dead, she was alive but didn’t remember who she was. Bit by bit Abby found all her friends back, talked with them, cried with them, helped them. At last she found Luka, finally she could cry about her feelings. Abby as chief of the hospital I want to thank you for all the proud work you’ve done during the first hours and first days afterwards. We honour you as a person, as a friend and as a member of our staff. Abby, you are one of a kind.” Anspaugh handed her over a baguette of flowers and all the other clapped their hands. “Abby, if you want to say something the microphone is all yours.” He said and stepped back.
“Right. Thanks to all of you who’ve done this for me. I don’t need a thanks or flowers. All I need is my friends. When I was working in the field I lost a young girl, the paramedic told me he would take her in. When I asked him to bring her to County and he told me what happened I felt my life torn away. From the chopper we saw how bad it was and I couldn’t believe there were so many survivors. When we reached Mercy and I found Dr. Corday we shared together. A nurse, a young one just like me when I started in the ER, came over and asked us to follow her. We did and we heard the news about the Blonde MD that needed to be ID-ed. It was if someone took my heart out, cause all I could think of was my friend Susan. When it turned out she was still alive but suffering a memory loss I could breath again. Later on we heard about Mark and his glasses. We heard Kerry and her eyebrow, Luka and his broken bones, Haleh and her collapsed lung, Pratt, who died. I visited them all, one by one. Tear by tear. For each and single one of them I was there, to support the loss of Pratt, to talk about nothing, to take away some pain, to lean on my shoulder when they needed to cry.
After a long evening I finally walked to Luka his room to find some comfort for myself. He was there and did what I thought he would do. What I didn’t think of was that all these friends I saw this day did the same as he did. Support me, comfort me in their deepest pain. So, I want to thank all of you who were there for me that day. Who were there when Luka was in surgery. Who were there when I didn’t know what to do. Thanks to each and of every single one of you. I’m proud to have you as my friend.” Abby said and looked around the place. People had tears in their eyes. She again touched their hearts, like she did that day a year earlier when they lost Romano.