How to Save A Life (Anthony Rizzo)

24- What Happens Next?

Anthony

"That's not fair" I whine as Kris celebrates yet another Mario kart victory in my face.

"I won fair and square" he claims.

"No one gets this good at Mario Kart over night" I argue.

"They do if they spend all their free time learning the courses and looking up how to get power boosts" Jessica accuses and Kris just smiles at me.

"That's cheating" I whine.

"It's not cheating. It's thinking ahead, you should try it" he teases.

"I like playing by the rules thank you very much"I claim and he rolls his eyes.

"Whatever" he brushes me off as he sets up another game. I used to enjoy game night here until Kris randomly got really good at all the courses. Now he's just kicking my ass and I can't seem to beat him.

My phone starts to ring in my pocket and I excuse myself to answer it. I see that I was getting a call from Jon and I answer it.

"Hey Jon, are you guys on your way over" I question. The party doesn't start until him and the family join us.

"No we're not, and I don't think we will be there any time soon. There is a emergency situation at Clara's place" he says and I feel my chest tighten.

"What... what happened" I whisper.

"I don't know. I heard gun shots so we called the police then we heard them again. The cops and ambulance and fire department showed up this time so I know something bad happened. They took Clara in the ambulance and they've been trying to take Eddie but he's fighting them. They're in a stand off right now and I don't see this ending well. I have the kids in their rooms distracted but it's chaos out there" he explains. I can hear the sirens in the background of the call.

"Well keep them and Farrah safe. Don't leave until they all leave, I don't want you getting caught in all of that. I'm going to go find Clara and see if she's going to be okay. Do you know where they took her" I wonder.

"Wherever the nearest possible hospital is" he tells me.

"Okay, I know where that is. I'm about to leave. Keep me updated and let me know you and your family are okay" I beg.

"Alright man. Good luck" he says.

"Thanks" I say softly. I end the call and quickly go to pick up my things.

"Where are you going" Kris asks. "There's still three more courses I have to beat you in" he claims.

"Clara is in the hospital. I don't know why but that doesn't really matter. I'm going to make sure she's going to be okay" I say.

"Oh no. Do you want us to come with" Jess asks.

"I appreciate it, but until everything gets figured out it's better if there's less people involved. She would kill me if I dragged you guys into this mess" I explain and she nods.

"Alright. Well please keep us updated. Let us know when we can come see her" she says and I pull her into a hug.

"Thanks. I'll tell you as soon as I know what happened" I assure her. I give Kris a hug before running out the house.

I drive like fire to the hospital closest to Wrigleyville. The same one she got taken in the first day I saw her. I park in the emergency section and run into the hospital. I find the front desk person and ask where Clara Simpson was.

"I'm sorry but unless you're family I cannot let you up there" the woman tells me and I shake my head. That's not the answer I wanted.

"Can you at least tell me what happened, or if she's dead or alive" I beg.

"I'm sorry sir, I can't" she apologizes. "But I can take your name and when things get cleared up I can let you up there" she tells me and I nod.

"Okay, I guess. My name is Anthony" I say.

"Wait, Anthony Rizzo" she asks and I nod.

"Yeah, that's me" I assure her.

"Oh. Well that's the one name she was able to give us so I guess you can go up there. I'll call a doctor to come get you" she tells me and I nod.

"Thank you so much" I say.

It feels like forever I was standing there. There was so much going on around me but my mind was blank. The possibilities of what could have happened to her goes through my head as the world around me starts to spin. I get knocked out of my trance when someone starts to call my name. I look up and see a doctor standing there trying to get my attention.

"I'm sorry. I spaced out" I explain.

"That's okay" the man says. "Will you come with me" he asks and I nod.

He takes me up a few floors to the emergency surgery section of the hospital. We walk up to a room and he stops me there. He points inside and I see Clara laying there hooked up to a few machines. She has a bandage on her chest and shoulder area and you can see the blood seeping through. But she was still breathing and it was on her own so that was a good sign.

"What happened to her" I ask.

"She was shot. The bullet missed her heart and some major arteries my meer centimeters. She's a very lucky girl, if that bullet would have moved in the slightest in any direction she would be in a lot of trouble right now" he explains.

"Do you know how this happened" I ask.

"Not really. Just that someone who should never have had a gun had one and was supposed to be protecting us and instead he used his gun to hurt someone he claimed to love" he explains.

"Did you know Eddie" I ask and he laughs.

"I thought I did" he claims and I nod.

"Am I allowed in there" I ask.

"Yeah. We ask you not bother her though, she had surgery to remove the bullet and if she was to wake right now she would be in a lot of pain. We want her to sleep it off some before we figure out where to go from here" he insists.

"Alright. Thank you doctor" I say and he nods.

"Of course."

I walk in there and close the door behind me. I pull up a chair and sit right beside her. I look her over and let out a long sigh. I hear chaos come from outside as everyone starts running around and I'm just thankful it wasn't because of Clara.

I pull my phone out and dial Jon's number. He answers and I can still hear the sirens in the background.

"How's it going" he asks.

"Okay I guess. She's alive and it seemed a angel was looking out for her. She was shot but it missed anything important, barely.

How are things over there" I ask.

"Not good" he admits. "It ended in a shootout. Eddie... he didn't make it. They pulled his body out of the house a few moments ago and it was too late" he explains.

"Holy shit" I whisper.

"I know. He got away with it for so long I didn't believe it would ever end like this" he admits.

I look over to Clara as she lays their peacefully. Probably the most at peace she's felt in years. I watch as her chest rises and falls slowly as the sound of her pulse blares through the machine monitoring her.

"What happens next" I ask.

"That's up to her. But I think we both know what happens next" he admits.

"I know what I want, but it doesn't mean she wants the same thing" I insist.

"Trust me Tony, she wants you too."