Isabella 'Bella' Marie Rickman: I'm Still Standing

Part 2

"Is this Mr Rickman I am speaking to?" The female on the phone had asked.

"Yes, this is he. Who am I talking to?" Alan replied to the woman on the phone.

"My name is Nurse Taylor, I'm calling from the Wellington Hospital A&E. We have a patient named Miss Isabella Marie Rickman. Is she your daughter?" The Nurse asked him again.

"Yes, Isabella is my daughter. What is this all about? She was with her Aunt Emma for the day and having a sleepover. Why are you calling me? What's gone off?" Alan was panicking with what was going on.

"I presume that Mrs Emma Thompson is the aunt that you are referring to?"

"Yes, please get to the point."

"There has been a car accident involving Mrs Thompson and your daughter. A drunk driver has crashed into them whilst they were driving to their destination. Your daughter is in a critical condition at this moment and is currently on her way to surgery. We need your authorisation to go ahead with the surgery."

"Anything. Just save my daughter, I need to leave and get there to be with her." Alan hung up the phone and started to cry his heart out.

Alan dialled for his driver to pick him up and take him to the hospital. He also called his sister and brothers to let him know what has happened.

Alan arrived an hour later. He got to the reception area of the accident and emergency department and asked what was happening to his daughter.

"She's currently in surgery Sir. If you would like to sit in the family room where it is private." The receptionist got up and escorted Alan to the private family room. Michael his driver was with them.

"Has anyone called Emma's husband? He should be here." Alan asked of the receptionist.

"Yes, he's on his way in."

"How is Emma?"

"I will get the Doctor to come and talk to you when he is free." The receptionist closed the door behind her and then headed back to her desk and called security to be on alert as they had a couple of celebrities in the department.

"Hey Al, are you ok? I got here as soon as I could. Do you know how Emma and Isabella are?" Emma's husband asked.

"I don't know about Emma, but Bella is in surgery. I'm just waiting to hear from the doctors." Alan replied.

Ten minutes later, the Doctor came in and spoke to both Alan and Emma's husband.

"I'm Dr Jasper Edwards, I have been looking after both Mrs Thompson and Miss Rickman. Apparently, it was a bad crash and that the drunk driver had died on impact. Mrs Thompson got away with some cuts and bruises from the glass that shattered from the accident. But Miss Rickman took the brunt of the accident as the driver smashed into the passenger side of the car. She's currently in surgery to drain off a bleed in her brain and, she has a cracked rib that has punctured her lung, so they're currently trying to correct the issues. She has also two broken legs and a fractured arm. Miss Rickman will be here for a while yet." The doctor explained.

"But is she going to be, ok?"

"We are not too sure as we think that her brain was starved of oxygen, but we won't know for sure until we have scans done after the surgery. She may have some brain damage and that she won't be able to do things like some of the other children, or she may have a normal life. We can't know for certain until we fully examine Miss Rickman after the surgery."

"Thank you. Can we see her when she's out of surgery?" Alan asked.

"Of course, you can. I will send a nurse in to take you to the recovery area. Everything will be ok." Dr Edwards walked out of the room and left the two men to take in what he had just said.

"I will need to call David Hayman and tell him that I won't be in for a few weeks. They'll have to plan around me as I don't want to miss another minute with Bella. Also, her school will need to be informed of the accident." Alan started to list off what he needed to do over the next 24 hours.

"What about the kids from Potter? They were her friends. They too will need to be informed." Michael mentioned.

"Yes, I will phone them all and let them know what has happened."

"It's going to affect one of them badly." Michael mentioned getting his phone out to start calling someone.

"Who are you on about?" Alan looked up to his driver.

"I'm sorry sir. Miss Rickman promised me not to say anything and that includes yourself."

"Since when has Isabella confided in you then Michael?"

"I can't tell you. I'm sorry if this ends our professional friendship but your daughter told me a few things and she has also spoken to my wife." Michael walked out making a call.

Alan looked at the closed door.

"Sophie, it's me. I'm at the Wellington Hospital with Mr Rickman. It's Bella, she's currently in surgery after being involved in a car crash. Yes, could you speak to Tom personally for me? Yes, before Alan calls his house and speaks to his mum. Thank you, how is Jacob doing? Please tell him about his big sister and bring him along, he will want to see her. I love you." Michael hung up the phone and then went outside to have a smoke.