Voilà

The Incident-II

BLAKE’S PERSPECTIVE

          We reached Lennox Hill hospital within twenty minutes. Ashley had not regained consciousness despite our efforts. Her face had lost its natural colour and she looked pale and frail. Her appearance scared me. The red colour of her cheeks had drained off her face. If something happened to her, I would never forgive myself.

          Since the minute I picked up Ashley from that ill- fated room, what happened next was a blur. I didn’t care what people in the hall were saying when I ran past them towards the entrance. I remember asking Michael to drive faster. When we reached the hospital, doctors and nurses surrounded us and Ashley was taken to the Intensive Care Unit. It has been thirty minutes since they had taken her inside.

          “Mr. Acre?” Someone called out from what seemed like a far away distance. It was the doctor. I literally ran towards her, alarming her. I did not care, though. For alarming her, I mean. 

          “How is she?” I asked.

          “The treatment is going on. This is not an accident. The drug we found in her is very rare and dangerous. Have the police been informed?”

          “It’s not an accident. Her drink was spiked. And yes, the police are aware and an arrest has been made”

          “Okay.” the doctor said. She was about to go inside the Intensive Care Unit when I heard June call out to her.

          “Doctor, is she going to be fine?” she asked, tears welling up in her eyes.

          “We are doing everything we can.” With that, the doctor went away.

          June sat down in one of the folding chairs and sobbed silently. Michael got up to stand beside her and put his arm around her shoulders and reassured her. 

          “She’ll be alright, June. Trust me. Please don’t cry”

          That was the last thing I wanted to do. Trust.  As the hours dwindled, hope was disappearing and panic took its place. I started pacing the corridor and was aware of the worried glances everyone was giving me. She said the drug was dangerous. The doctor’s words refused to leave my mind. I shut my ears to cut out her voice out, but in vain.

          My legs gave away eventually and I sank into a chair. The doctors and nurses were rushing in and out of the room where Ashley was, but nobody gave us a freaking clue so as to what was happening. 

          After what seemed like a millennium, a nurse came out of the room and handed me a clear, plastic bag with some blue material in it. “The patient’s belongings,” she said and left. No sooner did the nurse leave, than the doctor came out wiping her brow. Before I could ask anything, she laid a reassuring hand on my shoulder. 

          “Everything went well,” she said. “She’s completely fine. We’ve flushed her stomach and she’s a little weak, so don’t exert her”. Everybody around me let out sighs of relief.

           “Thank you. Thanks a lot,” I managed to mutter.

          “Can we go see her?” Stacey asked the doctor.

          “Of course,” the doctor replied.

          As I clutched the bag to my chest, my vision blurred as tears welled up in my eyes. I didn’t understand the reason for these tears. I mean, I’m supposed to be happy, right? While I was trying to clear my thoughts, I felt someone touch my shoulder. I glanced up to see Michael.