Baggage Claim

The Act of Not Caring

Chapter Fourteen: The Act of Not Caring

Layla’s mind wandered back to all the missed calls and unanswered text messages as the elevator ascended floors, her thoughts reliving each and every word, wondering if she had missed the cry for help or in fact had been so wrapped up in her own life she had ignored it.

Each lit number caused Layla to wince just a bit more, wishing she had listened just a little longer, or had just found the right thing to say that may have kept Kim from feeling she no longer had an option.

The doors opened with a sharp bell onto the 14th floor, allowing her a clear view of the black and white sign directing her left into the intensive care unit.

The sound of beating beeps kept in time with the respirator’s gasps and the squeaky rubber steps of the nurse’s shoes.  Layla’s conscience continued to attack her as she made her way to the nurses’ station, shamefully waiting for the scrub-covered woman to make eye contact.

“Can I help you?” Layla was secretly thankful for the nurse’s lack of attention, scared that she may see the guilt that she carried.

“I’m here to see Miss Kim Peterson.”

“Peterson, Peterson…” The rapid taps from the nurse’s finger on the keyboard abruptly stopped moments after they began, and her eyes unconsciously wandered to a room just off Layla’s right side.

Layla followed her gaze instinctively, the green suited hospital guard confirming that her friend was in fact in the hospital, quietly watched just beyond the closed door.

“I’m sorry Miss…”

“Chander, my name is Miss Chander.”

The nurse’s face drew to the left in a pinch of thought before replying. “You are family of Miss Peterson?”

“I’m listed as her contact in case of emergency, which I am assuming this is since one of the other nurses contacted me and asked me to come in.”

The woman’s eyes flitted back to the guard for a second before flying across the keyboard once more. “The doctor is in with Miss Peterson at the moment therefore she can not take any visitors. You are welcome to wait and as soon as the doctor allows, you can go in and see her.”

“Do you know what happened?” Layla leaned in slightly in hopes of catching a glimpse of the screen the nurse was watching intently.

“I’m not allowed to release that information.”

The nurse’s tone did not leave an option to argue, “Where can I wait then?”

“There is a waiting area just on the other side of the elevator entrance. You can wait there with the rest.”

Layla nodded her head in thanks and made her way back towards the hallway. She stopped to take one last glance at the closed door, the guard shifting to the right, revealing a yellow piece of paper clipped to the door.

“Security hold.” Layla read the bold black letters with a shudder.

The area past the elevators opened up into a small waiting room, the occupants spread sparingly around the room.

She located an empty seat and threw herself down into the bare plush of the chair, taking the rush of pain caused by the drop as punishment for her guilt.

The minutes passed slowly as Layla kept one eye on the magazine she had found and the other on the corridor separating her from the hospital rooms, every sound amplified as she ran through speeches and excuses in her mind. She hadn’t even noticed the tear that had escaped her eye until she felt the warmth of a hand covering hers.