In another life

28

Hospital waiting rooms are the most quiet yet loud places on earth. The mix of the people talking and doctors calling out names, the receptionist typing on the computer and the Tv in the corner that only had one channel. Yet despite all this it can be so quiet. Like the world had just stopped for a minute. So quiet that all you can hear is the small clicks of the wall clock and the person breathing next to you.

You'd think hospitals would have a level of comfort of such, but truthfully they were awfully bland. The fluorescent light brightening the long halls filled with gloom and reflecting on the shiny floor that squeaks upon every step.

Charlotte paced while frantically biting her nails awaiting the inevitable. Eventually a doctor or nurse would walk out of that door and tell her news she could only pray was good. Because if it wasn't, she wasn't sure she could come back from that.

The sudden touch on her shoulder frightened her as she spun round to see Reece and let out a breath,
"Hey, sorry" Charlotte couldn't even prop up a smile this time. All she could do is try not to cry.
"Hey, it's gonna be okay. She's a fighter" Reece attempted a smile but was just as worried. But someone had to keep it together.

It wasn't long before Autumn got to the hospital too, Reece had called her straight after Charlotte called him.
"What's happening?"
"I don't know they haven't told me anything" Charlotte's breathing began to shake again and Reece attempted to calm her by sitting her down on the chair.

"Charlotte? Here for Amelia Roberts?" A nurse questioned the brunette,
"Yes that's me"
"Hi, we managed to stop the bleeding from her abdomen but your friend has sustained serious head trauma as well as a torn lining to her stomach. Do you have any idea what happened?"
"No I just found her that way. Is she going to be okay?"
"The surgery was successful and she's stable. But these wounds are serious. I can take you too her if you'd like"

Charlotte, Reece and Autumn were led into a room and Charlotte almost gasped at the sight. Seeing her love lying there on that hospital bed with all sorts of wires and tubes was terrifying.

"Oh my gosh" was all Autumn could mumble as she looked at her former friend, the woman she saw as an older sister. Reece couldn't even say anything. He didn't know what to say. Charlotte cautiously went towards the bed in the middle of the room and stoked a peice of red hair away from Mia's face.

For a moment it was quiet. Excruciatingly quiet. Until Reece notices the smallest twitch of her fingers,
"Mia?" Charlotte questioned quietly and the woman's eyes fluttered
"Charlotte?" Her voice was weak and slow but it was all Charlotte needed to release the breath she was holding onto.

She places her hand on Mia's with a small smile,
"I'm so sorry" she began, she wasn't strong enough to even keep her eyes open fully but she felt Charlotte's hand on hers, and she needed that.
"It's okay Mia"
"No you don't understand, I just wanted to protect you"
"I know" Charlotte smiles softly and Mia closes her eyes briefly.

"Charlotte, I don't deserve you" she breathed out, "But maybe, in another life, things could be different"
"What are you talking about?"
"I love you Charlotte"

The excruciating sound of the monitor could get quite annoying to some, beeb... beeb... beeb... but the only thing worse than the constant ringing, was when the line stopped moving up and down. Beeeeeeb and suddenly the world went quiet. A type of quiet like no other.

"No" the brunette stepped back, "No! MIA!" Suddenly a swarm of doctors came piling into the room with machines and shouting codes as they surrounded the bed.

"You're gonna need to step outside" one of them said to Charlotte but she stood there unable to move, "No! No she can't leave me! Mia!" Charlotte screamed as Reece pulled her aside and they watched at the nurse let the blinds down.

"No!" Charlottes pleads were nothing like Reece or Autumn had heard before. They couldn't bare it as the brunette fell to the floor and sobbed in Reece's arms. The blond couldn't control his own tears that gathered in his eyes and he looked up at his little sister. Autumn stood in silence as she was forced to watch the scene unfold. A small single tear on her cheek.

Hospitals can be so quiet yet so loud. How can that be? The silence of that final beeb, to the horror of the screams that echoed the halls after. In this life, you are born, you live, and then you die. Eveything that happenes in between are just experiences. Some that we love, and some that we hate. And some that we wish we could have had. Maybe one day we will have that second chance to experience all those that we missed out on. In another life.