Glad You're Here

Chapter 6: It Would Take A Mountain

          Once I left Mark, I headed to the waiting room to meet with Dee and Tom. I was still a bit hurt that Dee had made me stay behind, but I was also grateful. I don't think I would have been able to handle it. Dee had dark circles under her eyes and her hair was tangled, but she ran up to me and gave me a hug with all of her usual strength.

"I'm so glad you're here Caitlyn." She said. I remembered she'd said something like that to me when we were in Cracker Barrel, when Mark was healthy and wrestling Tom for the food. It seemed like so long ago, but really it was less than 24 hours ago.

"How's he doing?" Tom asked, his face and tone calm. Some of his calm-ness washed over me and helped me to take a deep breath.

"He's fine. He woke up and was talking to me for a while. He's still his same old self. He insisted on making a video for his fans to let them know what's up." Dee sobbed, a single release, before she controlled herself again.

"He's always so persistent. It would take a mountain to stop him from helping his fans." Or a blockage in his intestines, I thought, but I didn't say anything.

"Yeah," I said instead. "He's a great person."

"We're having a meeting with the doctors soon to figure out what we're going to do and we want you there," Tom said. "You were with him the longest and so you know what he's been like the past few days."

"Yeah, yes of course I'll be there." I said, my hand on Dee's shoulder. She smiled and gave me another hug. It was comforting having her there, like she was my mom too.

Just then a woman about as tall as me ran up to us, her face stone-like in its seriousness. At first I thought she was a nurse, but she wasn't wearing hospital attire and her brown eyes and skin tone were...familiar.

"Where is he." She asked in a monotone, directing the question completely at Tom.

"He's...He's in room 304." Tom managed to get out, looking as surprised as I felt.

"Thank you." She said, and she whipped around, her loose black hair flying behind her as she ran. I glanced over at Tom as he mouthed the word. Mom.