Love Sparks

Chapter 3

A faint, beeping sound was the first thing that Katie heard when she awoke from her cocoon of darkness.

Her eyes fluttered open to a bright ray of sunlight, and she shakily lifted her hand to shield her face.

Where am I? Katie thought, her brain as fuzzy as a blanket.

She proceeded to sit up and look around, but she stopped when a coughing fit overcame her again. 

Within seconds, a young nurse ran in and placed her hands on Katie's chest, forcing her to lay back down.

"Easy there," she soothed. "You've had quite a day."

When she could speak, Katie asked, "Am I in a hospital?"

"Yes," the nurse nodded. "Cedars-Sinai Medical Center."

"Why am I here?"

"We'll explain everything once Dr. Carter is free," she replied. "I'll go and let her know you are awake."

"But-" Katie didn't get to finish her sentence before the nurse hurried out of the room.

I can't be in a hospital! I need to get back to Leah and tell her my answer!

Katie attempted to sit up on the bed, but she violently coughed again, and she only slumped back in defeat. 

What on earth happened to me?

As if her question had been heard, Dr. Carter walked in and smiled warmly. 

"It's good to see you awake," she said. "I've been worried about you since you arrived."

"How long was I unconscious for?" Katie asked.

"Three days."

Her eyes widened to the size of dinner plates, and her jaw dropped. 

Three days? 

She thought she had been out for at least a few hours, but no. 

That wasn't the case at all.

"What. Happened?" Katie enunciated.

Dr. Carter put on her reading glasses, inspected a clipboard, then replied, "It appears you had a blockage in your airways due to the cystic fibrosis. I'm amazed you even made it here."

"What do you mean?"

"You were barely getting any oxygen through your system. If it weren't for your friend, you probably wouldn't be here."

Katie was confused for a second, but then she remembered how she had pressed the call button to Emily right before she had passed out, and she sat up in response.

"Is she here?" she asked frantically. "I need to speak with her."

Dr. Carter nodded and said, "She hasn't left since you got here. I'll fetch her for you."

"Thank you."

When Dr. Carter left, Katie rubbed her eyes from exhaustion, confusion, and misery. 

How could she have let this happen? 

It was her own fault that she hadn't been taking her meds for three months, and she nearly got herself killed because of it.

If Katie couldn't take care of her own body, then she certainly wasn't the right person to be the CEO of Forever 21. 

It would only spell disaster for the people around her, and she would never wish for such a thing.

Suddenly, she saw movement out of the corner of her eye, and she barely had time to react before Emily rushed up and hugged her tightly.

"Oh, thank God!" she exclaimed, her voice muffled in Katie's shoulder. "I thought I had lost you."

She wrapped her arms around Emily and patted her back. 

"I'm alright, M&M. There's nothing to worry about."

"You certainly didn't look that way when I found you," she said, pulling back to look at her long-time friend. "I've never seen you so pale and lifeless before."

Katie's stomach twisted into a knot at the word lifeless, and she knew she had messed up, big time. 

"I'm sorry, Emily," she choked, her throat becoming tight. "I never meant to scare you in such a way. I promise it won't happen again."

"That's good to hear," Dr. Carter chimed in. "Does that mean you'll finally start taking your meds every day?"

Katie glanced over at her and nodded firmly. 

"You have my word, Dr. Carter. I'll take them every day before work-"

"I'm afraid it's not going to be that simple, Katie," she interrupted. 

"Sure it will be," Katie replied. "I'll put reminders all over my fridge so that I don't forget in the morning, and I'll be able to get to work on time."

"You nearly died, Kat," Emily said with a shake of her head. "This isn't something you can fix overnight."

"I know that," she answered in a patient tone. "But it'll definitely be an improvement if I start now."

"Katie, Ms. Thompson is right," Dr. Carter spoke up. "This will not be a quick recovery process. You'll need time to heal and recover from such a dramatic event."

"But I don't have time," Katie stated. "My boss just proposed a major career advancement for me, and I need to answer her back."

"You could call her," Emily suggested. "I'm sure she would understand if you told her what's going on."

"No," she shook her head stubbornly. "It needs to be in person, and it needs to be soon. When can I leave, Dr. Carter?"

Dr. Carter paused for a second, then asked, "Emily, would you mind stepping outside for a bit? Katie and I need to talk."

"Of course," her friend replied. "I'll be right outside, Kat."

Katie nodded her thanks, then focused all her attention on the doctor. 

With a heavy sigh, Dr. Carter said, "Katie, your condition has worsened to a degree that I haven't seen in all my years of treating patients like you. It's truly a miracle that you survived this episode."

Katie could feel her skin going white, but she refused to believe it and replied, "Come on. I'm sure it's not that bad."

Dr. Carter gave her a disapproving look.

"The smog in the air has been terrible here," she continued. "It's the most significant reason why your lungs are in such bad shape." 

"So what do you want me to do?" Katie asked in a sarcastic tone. "Move out of Los Angeles and go to a small town that's 'healthier' for me?"

"That's precisely what I want you to do," Dr. Carter nodded. "You can't live here, Katie. This is not good for your delicate health."

"I can't just walk out and leave!" she exclaimed wildly. "I have a job to do here, and my friends are relying on me to lead them towards the future. I will not abandon them."

"You don't understand the severity of the situation," she shook her head. "If we don't do something now to treat this, you might not be so lucky next time."

Katie opened her mouth to say something back but closed it as the words sunk into her system. 

If you don't do something, you'll die.

No.

She could not, and would not, die.

Katie had her whole career ahead of her, and she was going to be there for it, no matter what.

Rubbing her eyes tiredly, she glanced at Dr. Carter and quietly asked, "Where do you want me to go?"

"Until I figure out the right place, you will remain here," she replied. "We will monitor your health and make sure it's safe to travel."

Katie could only sigh in response, and she fell back onto the bed with a crushed heart.

What's going to happen now?