Breakfast Club For Grievers

Chapter two: The last Plea

"So, you are very lucky to be alive" said the doctor, who was wearing a white coat. He was standing a mere feet away from her, so close she could smell his tuna sandwich he had clearly had for his lunch. Yet it seemed she was unable to hear what he had said, as she was still fixated on the wall in front of her. And she hadn't moved an inch, since he had come in 10 minutes ago. The doctor (called Mr Gilbert, not that Emily had taken any notice of his name) had started discussing how she had just missed the most important vein by a few centimeters. This vein would have secured you a place in heaven the doctor had told her (in a more formal and nicer way). He also discussed how grateful she should be for her mother, as "if it wasn't for her arriving just when she did you wouldn't be sitting here right now". A burning sensation went through Emily's body, when he said the word 'mother'. What kind of mother deprives their child of escaping torment? The doctor being in his late 60s seemed tired, having been at the end of his shift and whilst he had been speaking, Emily swore she could see his hair becoming more grey and his face appearing more troublesome with his increased efforts on concentrating on the information he was delivering. So, after all necessary medical information had been addressed he did not hesitate to leave. He requested for Mrs Wilkes to follow him outside.

The doctor was looking deeply into Maria's eyes, as if examining her soul. He knew these next words would be crucial to her and would replay in her mind for years to come. " Firstly, I want to say that we are going to take really good care of your daughter. I know tonight has not been easy, so if we can get you anything at all just ask. It has been a long evening so a tea or a coffee won't hurt." Maria half smiled but was not in the mood for joking and was slightly fearful of leaving her daughter alone again. "We are going to keep her here for at least two weeks. As, we don't want her harming herself again and this will help her fully heal. In the meantime, you should consider your next steps; a psych ward could be a possibility, if you don't believe she will be safe at home and is intending to harm herself again. Or of course, there is always the option of counselling or medication. I would suggest telling family members and her closest friends. Some patients find it hard adjusting to life after an attempt, so having people close to her may significantly help her recovery. I would say right now a break from school will be necessary..." Maria turned to face her daughter and saw she was still facing the wall in front of her. The doctor continued talking, as if Maria was still facing him "we wouldn't want to put too much on her plate, she should just focus on getting better...".

He then put her hand on her shoulder and she turned to face him again. "But the most important thing to remember is that she will get better. As a parent, it is incredibly hard to see your child in pain. I have two daughters myself... However, with the right support and effort from you, her mental state will improve. It will not be an easy road, however it is very much possible." The doctor paused, after seeing a tear innocently fall down the sorrowful mother. "You will one day see your daughter happy and this will be a distant memory. Although, right now you need to be strong. She is in a difficult moment in her life these next few months could make or break her. So, she will need a strong parent by her side to support her. Will you be able to be the support she needs?".

Maria locked eyes with the man, who two hours ago was a complete stranger and with a new fight inside her replied with "yes...Yes I will be there for her. You have no doubt about that..". Maria whipped the tear from her cheeks. And now looking onto the mother you would not see that she had been crying or had even been upset. You would see a woman standing strong.

"Hello, Emily" said a sweet voice from the left of the teenager. Emily for the first time since getting to the hospital gave her attention to someone in the room. It was a nurse, who was greeting her. She had two beautiful curls cascading down her face paired nicely with a soft smile. "My name is Michelle Overs. I'm your nurse. But I wanted you to know I'm more than that. I have been assigned to look after you and ensure the best care possible. My staff and I are going to ensure you heal physically. But, I'm going to care for you in every means, so if you ever want to talk I am here. I'm a stranger to you and sometimes it can help talking to a stranger. If you are worried about something or need anything at all just ask me sweetie."