Risking it All

13

There's nothing more painful than knowing that you can't help in a crisis. That's how I felt when I ran into he hospital. First of all, I fear coming into them. The sounds, sights and smells do not help conquer that. The sound of crying and coughing, the sights of people being rushed in on a stretcher, and the smell. Oh, the smell. The one reason why I hate it. It's like Laytax, medicine and death all mixed into one. Every time I walk in I get nauseous. But that day, that was the least of my concern.
I ran into the hospital and looked around wildly for Nick. I knew I wouldn't get here in time. I ran up to the front desk and said, "Excuse me, can you tell me where Nichols Straight is?" A nurse wearing multicolored pastel scrubs looked up from her paperwork. "Nicholas Straight?" she asked. I nodded. She flipped through a binder until he pulled out a sheet of paper. "Oh," she said. "Nicholas just came in. Are you family?" She gave me a look, as though she were happy, but really tired. "I'm his girlfriend," I told her. Her smiled faded as she said, "I'm sorry, but no one is allowed to see him right now." My mouth dropped open. "What about his father?" I cried. "That's different," the nurse protested. "We can't reach his father anyway. Please go sit down now." Suddenly, her phone rang. "Hello?" she answered. There was a pause and with a sigh she said, "Okay. I'll be right there." The nurse hung up the phone and rubbed her temples. She turned to the nurse and said, "I was called to the E.R. Make sure everything is fine." She gave me a dirty look and I stood there, helpless until I walked to the waiting area. I sat there, tears falling from my eyes. I can't see him, I can't help him, I can't do anything. I sat there until my parents ran into the hospital lobby. They looked for me and then ran over and embraced me in a huge hug. "Mackenzie," my mom said. "Are you okay?" I nodded and breathlessly said, "I'm fine. Where's his dad?" Mom pulled away and we sank into three chairs. "We can't reach him right now, but hopefully he'll get here." I nodded and leaned back in my chair, somewhat relaxed. My parents walked up to the desk and talked to another nurse and I stayed were I was. I waited and waited until the nurse who was at the desk with the cranky lady got my attention. She started motioning me to come up to her. Confused, I walked up to her. She looked around, making sure the mean nurse wasn't there before she leaned in and whispered, "He's on the next floor, room seventeen. Elevators on your left." I smiled. "Thank you," I whispered. She winked and smiled back. I started to run down the hallway and took a left.
In the elevator, I was practically pacing, waiting for the doors to open. When they opened, I ran down the hall, trying to find room seventeen. As I ran past other doors on this floor, I noticed that a lot of them were open, including Nick's. When I walked in, the sight of him made me gasp. He sat in bed with a tube up his nose. There was an IV in his left arm and his eyes were closed. I started crying by then, and I walked to his side. I was shaking and my voice cracked when I spoke. "Nick," I whispered. "Nick, baby, answer me!" He didn't stir, though he was still breathing. I wanted to puke. I ran to him, a blubbering mess. Tears pouring down my face, I said, "Please, baby. Wake up!"
For a moment, he didn't move. But a few seconds later, his eyes fluttered open. He looked like he was in a daze, but he then recognized me. "Mackenzie?" he whispered. "Nick!" I cried. Tears of relieve came to my eyes, but I held them back. "Are you okay?" I asked. His eyes were half open, making me fear that he would fall asleep and never wake up again. "I don't even know what happened," he croaked. My breathing was coming out shakily. "It's okay," I told him. "You'll be okay." A guilty feeling stabbed my stomach because I didn't know if that was true or not. "Is my dad here?" Nick asked. I shake my head. "Not yet," I said. We just stand there in silence, not knowing what to say or how to say it.
Finally, I said, "I have to go before a nurse catches me. I'm technically not allowed to be here. But I'll come back as soon as I can. I love you." I held his hand for a few more seconds before I painfully walked away. But when I got to the door, I heard Nick calling me. "Mackenzie," he said. I turned around and raised my eyebrows. "Yeah? I said. "You okay?" he asked. I smiled, only making a tear fall from my eyes. Before I ran out the door, I said, "Perfect."