True Love Never Dies

PART FIVE

Billie Joe Armstrong's new silver BMW Hatchback rolled down the highway home. The police were going to accompany Tre to the hospital in their squad car while Billie Joe drove a shocked and tired Adrienne home. Jason White had offered to take Tre's and Billie's kids for the night for the night, but Mike insisted that he take Ramona to be in the company of his own daughter Stella. Billie couldn't believe what was happening; he had only spoken to Eve that morning to wish her happy birthday. Billie decided he'd be the one to take care of Tre because he knew that his friend, however strong he may appear on the outside, was falling to pieces on the inside. Turning up the car lights on full beam as he passed down a country lane, Billie stared straight ahead running the events of the night through is tired mind.

Tre looked out of the window in the police car, the pitch blackness outside matched how he felt, empty and dark. Part of him knew for a fact that she was somewhat gone but it seemed the realization of it hadn't really kicked in yet, he was still trying to digest the information the police had given him. What did he know?
He thought it through; She had been driving home and stopped at a red light, at the cross roads just down the lane from their home. Some gangsters had been doing a drive-by and she was "caught in the cross-fire" as the police had put it. What did that even mean? Had she been shot or caught up in the accident caused by the person that was shot? Had she been shot and caused all those other people to get hurt? No, she was the victim along with the others, she was powerless... unprotected.
Tre's head was thumping from being constantly sick and crying so much, trying to process all the information didn't help either.

"We're here," The male officer said snapping Tre from another trance.
"What?" He said dozily then realized where they were, "Oh okay!"
Tre was led into a private Intensive Care room, he didn't mind being on his own, his friends had family to take care of, but he felt a sense of vulnerability being there without... someone... anyone, not just the formalities of the police, but someone he felt strong with, like Eve.
"Mr Wright?" A female voice sounded through the empty and dim lit hallway.
"Yes?" Tre said turning. He was faced with a kind looking black woman wearing a pretty exotic scarf around her head. The woman smiled kindly and Tre liked her instantly she didn't make him feel as nervous which he was feeling a lot of since he'd learned his wife was in a coma.

The nurse held out her hand for Tre and he took it smiling slightly.
"I'm Nurse Mae, one of the Nurses attending Evelyn; I thought you and I should have a chat about things before you go in and see her. It might explain the reasons behind some of the unattractive markings she received from the crash."
Tre nodded, "Please, I want to know everything!"
"Okay let's go in this room right over here." She turned to the police with a nod and said, "Thank-you," then gestured for Tre to follow her.
"Alright Nurse, thanks," the male officer replied.
"We wish you well, Sir," the lady police officer said compassionately to Tre and they both placed their hats on their heads before leaving, probably to do another job.
"Thanks," Tre muttered as he followed Nurse Mae into the spacious and empty family room. The walls were lined with comfy seats and a few plants; there was a coffee table with a few out-of-date magazines which was something Eve always complained about when visiting the dentist or the doctor. They never really bothered Tre much in the past, he just liked to look at the pictures of half naked models or sexy actresses glamorized on the red carpet, although on this occasion he didn't do so much as look at them as Mae sat him down in one of the nearest chairs.
"Now I assume the police told you everything about the crash but they don't really know what happened when Evelyn reached the hospital. When your wife arrived at the hospital her breathing was severely laboured. You see, the bullet from the cross-fire had brushed passed your wife's left lung, puncturing it, we managed to get that fixed but she was lack of oxygen for quite sometime until they managed to free her from the pile-up so she was unconscious on arrival. She could suffer with what's known as, Pulmonary Fibrosis, which is basically scarring of the lung tissue that prevents the lung from performing so we have to monitor her breathing until that heals. Her legs were broken so that's why they will be cast bound as that of her arm. There was also some internal bleeding in her stomach which Dr Ramey, the surgeon, managed to stop. There is no telling how long she will be in a coma for Mr Cool, right now the ventilator his helping her breathe and keeping her alive. You also have to know that it is unlikely that she felt any pain for too long as she was unconscious throughout the wreckage and we had her on a high level of morphine when she arrived."

Tre couldn't bear the thought that his soul mate was piled under a lorry and a few cars, that she had been penetrated by a bullet, that she had damaged both her legs and that she bled continuously from inside-out until she was so physically damaged that she ended up in a coma.
"Other than those major damages there are a few cuts and bruises on her skin, you'll see mostly on her face and neck at present."
All Tre could do was nod, it was kind of the nurse to inform him that his Eve hadn't undergone any pain as soon as she got to the hospital. But all Tre could think about was: what about before that?

The Nurse stood up and Tre followed her out of the family room and down to the ward.
"Now I'll be right by you if you need anything," she told him reassuringly.
Tre nodded as they entered the warm and clammy room to reveal the woman he'd spent the past four years of his life obsessing over. The day he met her flashed into his mind, followed by that morning which they shared full of happiness, in both those memories she had a clear face of an angel, no scars or cuts or bruising and then as Tre looked back at the bed the realization hit him... she wasn't the same...

He walked forward to the bed where she lay. She was no longer wearing the suit he'd bought her, she was dressed in a hospital gown and the smell of TCP from her body filled his nostrils causing his stomach to churn once again. Tre reached out and stroked her hair, his hand ventured to her cheek, The cuts, bruising and swelling made tears well in his red, puffy eyes, she looked wrong, so entirely wrong. He pulled himself together and leaned down to gently kiss her inanimate lips, "Hello baby... " he whispered, a tear creeping down his cheek. She didn't kiss him back, she didn't smile like she normally did when she received a kiss from him, and she didn't do anything she used to do when they were together.
"When will she wake up?" Tre stammered to Nurse Mae.
"There's no telling when she wakes up it good be at anytime but sometimes people are in a coma for years, it really depends," Nurse Mae explained solemnly.
"Depends on what?" Tre ventured.
"On her... she'll wake up when she has too!"

Tre looked on speechless.
"But many people hold on to the one thing that really works... "
"What's that?" Tre rasped.
"Faith... you believe in her...and when she's ready, she'll wake!" Nurse Mae said normally and rounded the bed to look at the monitor.
"I'm done!" Tre suddenly blurted as he turned and rushed from the room, Nurse Mae followed him. She took him back into the family room then fetched a plastic cup of water from the dispenser in nearby.
"Here you are... " Tre nodded thankfully and accepted the water but he didn't drink it he just leaned over resting his elbows on his knees and his gushing eyes in one hand crying vigorously.
"I'm sorry... I'm so sorry... " Tre said apologising to the kind Nurse for being so blubbery, but by the second time he said it he wasn't saying it to Nurse Mae anymore, he was saying it to Eve, for not saving her, for not being there to pick her up and then maybe she would not have been the one to get shot and she would still be alive.
"You don't have to be sorry, just let it all out," Nurse Mae said rubbing his back supportively.

Once Tre had fallen back into zombie mode of staring into space, full of thought, he gently and slowly sipped the water.
"There's something else you should know... " Nurse Mae began but was cut of when someone burst into the room.
"Tre... " Billie said worriedly and took a seat beside his friend, hugging him, Tre was only too glad to see him, he would have returned the hug but the nurse had just announced she had more news. He nodded to Billie in greeting and turned back to Nurse Mae, "You were going to tell me something Nurse?"
"Yes, it's about Evelyn, while operating on your wife Dr Ramey discovered something I feel you should know about. Now I understand your wife had trouble conceiving, her medical records say so, is that correct?"
"Yes we tried for a long time but every attempt was unsuccessful," Tre confirmed searching her face for answers as she pondered over how to tell him her news.
"Well, Mr Wright, I think I should tell you that on this occasion you were successful, Evelyn is pregnant... "