Beca sat on the chair next to the hospital bed, stroking her thumb against Chloe's good hand. Every once and a while, she would actually say something. "You know Harper misses you, a lot actually. She was crying for you earlier, and I'm just trying to figure out how to explain all this to her, I mean it scares the shit out of me and I'm 30." She sat there a little while longer just holding her hand. "You know I probably shouldn't be telling you this, but I'm not sure you'll remember him, so Nick is going to propose when you wake up. He's out getting a ring." She smiled for a minute to collect her thoughts. "You know he loves you, so much. He told me that he thinks you're the one. We all love you so much, this is why you can't leave us." Beca started crying again. "You're going off life support tomorrow night, and I want you to try your very very very hardest to breathe on your own, and I know it will be really hard because of your asthma and pneumonia, but please, Chlo." Beca smiled. "You're my little fighter, well figuratively because you're like 2 inches taller than me, but still. I think you'll be ok." She laughed sadly. "It will kill me if you don't remember anything. We would have to start all over, all these memories we have, gone. I mean they could come back, but it will take time, and I just hope you like me. I mean what if the way I tell you something affects your personality." She sat for a minute thinking. "I'll start you right now. You are Chloe Harper Beale. You are 32 years old and you live in New York. I am your best friend, Rebeca Jade Mitchell. I'm 30 years old and I live in New York. We aren't only best friends, we're sisters, and I'll always be by your side." Beca giggled. "You know I probably won't leave your side until you get out of here in a few weeks." She smiled thinking of what Chloe's response to that would be. "You would hate this if you were awake. I would be laughing so hard i would be crying if you were awake right now. You'd say things like 'Beca, can't you smuggle me out of here?' Or 'get that shithead doctor in her to take my blood pressure.'" She started laughing really hard. "You barely ever swear unless you're in a hospital. Ok, I'll start you on good memories. Oh, that time at aca-initiation when you got super drunk and almost kissed me, yeah that was hilarious. And then you drank more and I was like, 'wow, this girl has the best drunk personality and she's not even legal yet!' That was one of my favorites." She smiled. "Everything we do together is a memory, and the funny thing is, we haven't been in a fight, ever. And it makes me so happy that we haven't." She sat there for a few minutes before gently pushing the hair away from Chloe's face. "I know that's your pet peeve. Hey, listen, I'm gonna go call Brey. Love you, Chlo. I'll be back in a few."
Beca stepped out in the hallway and slid down the wall until she was sitting.
Hey, Bree, make it back to Georgia ok?
Yeah, you seem upset, is everything ok? Usually Chloe calls me.
She got into a car accident.
What? Is she ok?
Right now she's in a coma on life support, she has whiplash, a broken leg and arm, broken ribs, and severe head trauma. It's not looking good. They're taking her off life support tonight.
Oh my god, should I come back? Will she be ok? I'm so scared.
Even if you come right now, you still won't make it in time of her going off life support, so just stay there for now.
What are her chances?
I'm not sure, but I'm really scared. She's still getting over the pneumonia, so what if she can't breathe?
She's a fighter, Bec.
Yeah, I'm just glad she's not paralyzed. I'm not sure with the whiplash where things will go from there. It could leave her paralyzed if they can't treat it.
I couldnt see her like that. How is Harper?
I haven't told her yet...well how bad she is, she knows Chloe and Emily were in an accident and Emily is ok. She just has broken ribs, dislocated shoulder and a broken knee. But how am I supposed to explain life support to a 4 year old like "oh this is breathing for them because they're dying." Or what?
Just be like, "Harper, Chloe's not doing too good, but you have to see her because we're not sure if she'll be ok, but if you want to leave, you can."
Ok, I think I'll Harper come see her. Thanks Bree.
No problem, keep me posted, ok?
Ok.
Beca went into Emily's room and saw her sitting up on the bed. "Are you feeling better?"
Emily sighed. "A little bit. My knee hurts a lot, and I'm just in a lot of pain but I'm trying to push through because I know Chloe's doing a lot worse. How is she?"
"The same. I think I'm gonna take Harper to see her. Harper, can you come here sweetie?"
Harper ran over to her mom. "When can I see aunt Chloe?"
"Right now, but we have to talk first, ok? Aunt Chloe isn't doing too good, sweetie. She's not breathing by herself, so a big machine is pumping air into her lungs for her."
"Really?"
"Yeah, it's really sad. She also has a broken arm and leg, too, and she's in a coma, do you know what that is?"
"no."
"She's asleep, and it means that she might not wake up. Her neck is in a brace too because she has whiplash, which is a thing where her neck is strained really badly."
"Is she going to be ok?"
"I'm not sure at all, Harper, right now we're not sure, and it's not looking too good. Tomorrow night, they're going to take away the machine tomorrow night, and we're all praying that she'll be able to breathe, but if she can't, then that's it."
"So she might die?"
"Yep." Beca was tearing up. "But she also has a chance to live. But if she does live, then she probably won't remember us because she hit her head really hard."
"Oh, but I don't want her to die. I love her."
Beca had a tear rolling down her face. "I know you do, and we have to see her now because daddy will be back soon."
"Ok."
