Another Heart Calls

Patrick stayed back with Janelle, watching as Meredith took Marty out of the waiting room. He had never seen Marty like this, not that he’d ever had a reason to be this upset before. His fiancée was in the hospital unconscious. Patrick was positive he would be acting the same way if it was Meredith lying in the hospital bed instead.

He stared at Janelle, waiting on her to say something. When she didn’t he decided he would. “Are you planning on explaining yourself?” he asked, trying to remain calm.

“About what?” Janelle asked innocently.

“You were never pregnant?” Patrick questioned, upset at himself for ever believing her in the first place.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Janelle replied. “Of course I’m pregnant. You saw the sonogram yourself,” she told him.

“Cut the bullshit, Janelle,” Patrick ordered angrily. “One of my best friends is in the hospital unconscious right now because of you. Just because she found out the truth. How the hell can you be like this? How the hell could you put her in the hospital?”

“Patrick, I’m sorry, it’s just…” Janelle began.

“I don’t want to hear it!” Patrick yelled. “Janelle you have not only hurt me, but you’ve hurt the people I love. Stay the hell away from me and anyone I know!”

“Patrick,” Janelle called as Patrick began walking to find Meredith and Marty, but he simply ignored her, picking up his pace.

Patrick found Meredith and Marty standing by the nurses’ desk, trying to find out any information on Charlotte. “Hey,” Patrick said softly, putting one arm around Meredith.

Meredith spun around, wrapping her arms around Patrick. “They still won’t tell us anything,” she told him. Patrick looked over at Marty, who was still trying to keep himself together.

“Hey, how are you doing?” Patrick asked him, worried for his best friend.

“I just need to know she’s alright. I just need to see her,” Marty said quietly as a nurse walked up to them. He quickly turned around to face her. “Is there any news?” he asked.

“There’s no change, but you can go in and see her,” the nurse told them. “But try not to spend too much time in there,” she added as all three began walking towards Charlotte’s room.

Meredith was the first person to reach her door, but she stopped outside, allowing Marty to go around her and enter the room first. As soon as he walked in, his heart dropped as he saw Charlotte helplessly lying in the bed. He walked to the side of her bed, grabbing her hand.

Meredith and Patrick slowly walked in behind him, trying to give Marty some space. Meredith clutched Patrick’s hand, as she looked at her best friend. Why did this have to happen to her?

“Charlotte,” they heard Marty begin. “Char, you have to wake up for me. I honestly don’t know what I’m going to do if you don’t. I can’t live without you, you know that. Please, just wake up,” he begged.

Meredith looked up at Patrick sadly. This shouldn’t be happening to her two best friends. Marty shouldn’t have to be dealing with his fiancée in a hospital bed. Marty turned around to look at her. “Mer, why don’t you try talking to her?” he choked out, knowing he was unable to continue talking without crying.

Meredith nodded her head, walking to the other side of the bed and grabbing Charlotte’s other hand. “Charlotte, I don’t even know what to say to you,” Meredith began. “You’ve been my best friend for only a few years, and yet I feel as if I’ve known you my entire life. I seriously don’t know where I’d be today if it wasn’t for having you in my life. You’ve been there for everything these past few years. Char, I need you, we all need you,” she said, allowing the tears to flow freely down her cheeks. She reached her hand to her face, using the back to wipe the tears away.

Patrick walked over to Meredith, trying to comfort her. “Why don’t you say something?” Meredith asked him.

“Sure,” Patrick said, sitting down next to Meredith. “Charlotte, I don’t really know what to say that these two haven’t already said. You know that you’re loved by everyone, and we all need you. I’ve seen what an amazing person you are over these last couple of years. You’re the best friend anyone could ever ask for,” he continued as he looked up and saw the doctor walk in.

“Hi,” the doctor smiled. “I’m sorry to interrupt.”

“No,” Meredith said immediately. “Do you have any news?”

“Well, first let me introduce myself. I’m Dr. Jenkins,” he said.

“I’m Meredith. Charlotte’s my best friend. This is Charlotte’s fiancé, Marty, and this is my boyfriend, Patrick,” she introduced, pointing to each guy as she said his name.

“Nice to meet you,” Dr. Jenkins said, shaking everyone’s hand.

“So,” Meredith said. “Do you have any news on Charlotte?” she asked once again.

“Oh, yes,” Dr. Jenkins said. “We’ve run some test, but we’ve got to run some more to be one hundred percent sure,” he began.

“Please, just tell us what they said,” Meredith interrupted, anxious to know how her best friend was doing.

“I’m sorry to say that it’s not a guarantee that she’s going to wake up,” Dr. Jenkins told them.

Meredith stared at him, letting the words sink in. “What do you mean it’s not a guarantee?” she questioned.

“Well, it’s about a fifty-fifty chance.”

“You mean she’s only got a fifty percent chance of ever waking up?” Meredith clarified.

Dr. Jenkins nodded his head. “Yes, I’m sorry. But the way that Charlotte fell and hit her head was a bit unusual. The patients only wake up fifty percent of the time,” he explained.

“And what happens if she doesn’t wake up?” Meredith questioned as she looked over at Marty, who just stood there frozen.

“Well, technically that’s up to the family. Often times, the family will decide to just end the life,” he said quietly.

“But, there’s still a chance she’ll wake up,” Meredith stated.

“Yes, there is. We’re going to be monitoring her very carefully over these next few days. But, I just want to warn you, it may be this week she wakes up, it may be in a few weeks, it may be never,” Dr. Jenkins told them, as they all remained quiet. “Well, I’ll give you all some more time with her,” he said, exiting the room.

Meredith tried to keep the tears from falling, but she couldn’t hold them in any longer. She looked at the two guys standing next to her, and she saw they both had tears in their eyes. She wrapped her arms around Marty, not knowing what else to do to comfort him.