One night in Manhattan

Hey There.

*

"Fatima, Fatima can you hear me?" Zachary asked. The paramedics began administering medications, moving around him with ease and precision. Thankfully the hospital was only a few short minutes away. When they arrived in the ambulance bay, the doors opened from the outside as a team of medical doctors and nurses jumped into action, helping to retrieve her from the ambulance. He followed them closely as they rushed her into an empty trauma room.

Back to Present

Zac was done speaking with the detectives. Unfortunately, the information that he provided them with was going to be very useless in identifying the suspects responsible. The nurse returned shortly after the detectives left with the clothes, she promised him. "Any word on how she is?" He asked.

"They have taken her into surgery. The police recovered her personal belongings at the scene and we are trying to find her family now. If you're planning on sticking around for a while, I can let you know when she's out of surgery."

"Would you please?"

"Yea. Sure. The paramedics told us that she wouldn't let you leave her sight."

Zachary offered her a smile and thanked her for her kindness.

**

After sitting alone in that room for more than an hour, Zac began to get restless. He hadn't heard anything yet from the nurses, so he figured no news was good news. He was growing tired and wanted nothing more than to go home and sleep the remainder of this day away, but he couldn't bring himself to leave. Especially before knowing whether or not they were able to contact her family. Or if she was even ok. He left the room in search of the nurse from earlier. He didn't make it far before his cell phone rang. It was his best friend, Jordan.

"Hey, bro. I just peeped ya text about a ride to the airport. What time you gotta be there?"

In the midst of the chaos, Zachary forgot that he needed to be at JFK airport at 4 am for his 6 am flight."

He looked at the time on his phone. "It's cool bro. Imma catch an Uber. My flight is hella early."

"You sure?" Jordan asked.

"Yea. I'm straight. I'm not even home right now to pack."

"Where you at?"

Zac filled his best friend in on his run and all that transpired since. He intentionally left out why he was running that late to begin with. While Jordan was his best friend, he was also good friends with Shelby. It was Jordan who Introduced them. Jordan is a photographer and videographer. He had worked a few of the events that Shelby coordinated, and they'd developed a friendship. He introduced Zachary to her at a kickback Shelby was having, and the rest was history. Zachary was intentional over the years not to bring his relationship woes with either of them to the other person. He never wanted to make the other uncomfortable or feel like they had to choose sides.

"Damn. That's wild!" Jordan responded after he heard the accounts of the night. "So, you're really staying?"

"Yea man. I'm trying to. It just feels weird. All I know about this woman is her name but here I am holding my breath hoping that she survives."

"I swear shit like this only happens to you bro."

Zachary had to admit Jordan was right. Ever since he was young, he was always finding himself in the weirdest of situations. Most of them having nothing to do with him. "Oh, I found the nurse. Lemme, call you back bro."