All I Can Do

A nurse appeared in Patrick Kane’s room moments later. She was dressed in a turquoise green scrub suit and had matching green glasses sitting on top of her nose. She walked in almost expecting Jonathan to be there, eyes ride and face white, waiting to know if he had killed somebody or not.

She smiled half-heartedly and nodded at the boy in the bed, before looking at the captain, “Mr. Toews, I assume it was you who called?”

Jonathan ignored the irritated tone and spun around in his chair, “I hit that girl,” he said seriously, not bothering to hide any information, “What happened to her? God, please tell me she’s okay?”

The nurse let out a breath and watching his face turn even more pale. She didn’t know what to say, how to ease the blow, but she tried anyway, “Mr. Toews, the lady you hit was 19 year old Farren Walker. She is in the ICU, in a coma.”

Jonathan let out a cry, but the nurse was quick to keep him optimistic, “There is a very, very good chance that she can overcome her injuries Mr. Toews. She’s not brain dead and she hasn’t suffered any severe trauma to her organs, she can beat it- there’s a very great chance.”

Jonathan didn’t hear anything after coma. He buried his head in his hands and once again, began to cry. Within seconds, there was a large hand placed on his back, comforting him. His best friend was there for him, even when he could’ve taken his life, he was there to tell him that everything would be okay.

The nurse turned to leave, figuring it was best to leave the two alone to cope. Jonathan looked up, “Wait,” he said, stopping her in her tracks, “Is it possible... for me to see her?”

Patrick was quick to pipe up, “Jonny...”

Jonathan ignored him, still staring straight at the nurse, “Please?”

The nurse could only consider, but Jonathan knew it was a long shot. Obviously, the girl was beaten up, nearly dead and was laying on a hospital bed in ICU. There was a slim chance that he’d be able to see her, especially if the family wasn’t allowed in yet, and even though it’d kill him, he’d obey if she said no.

Patrick let out a heavy sigh. He had to disagree. There was nothing good about Jonathan going to see the girl. For one, by the sounds of it, she was in rough shape and if Jon saw her, it’d only make him feel worse. He wouldn’t be surprised if it drove him to a full on depression. He didn’t want Jonathan to step foot in that room, not by any means.

The nurse, however, seemed to have noticed the pain, “I’ll see what I can do,” she said softly, “I’ll have to talk to the doctor... and the patients family, I’ll try.”

Jonathan smiled lightly, completely genuinely, “Thank you, so much, really.”
“It’s not a problem Mr. Toews. Now you really should be resting, along with you Mr. Kane.”

Patrick Kane gave her a striking smile and nodded, “We’ll rest soon, thanks nurse.”

With a nod, the nurse left the two friends alone. Jonathan wheeled his chair back to Pat’s bed and rested his forearms on it, though it killed with pain. Patrick let out a soft groan as he adjusted position, his ribs practically on fire.

Within a second, Jonathan was pressing the subject again, “I really hope she can do something.”

Patrick sighed, rubbing his face with his hand, “I don’t think you should do it, Tazer.”

Jonathan glanced up, eyeing down Patrick’s sleepy face, “What? Why not?”

Patrick just shrugged, picking at his IV, feeling the need to just tear it off. However, if there was anything he didn’t have right now, it was strength. He grunted, dropping it all together and boringly leaving his arms lifeless at his sides.

“You might not like what you see,” He said finally.

Jonathan had already imagined the worst. He’d imagined a girl lying on a bed, black and blue, dismembered and disfigured, cuts here, broken bones there, struggling for her life. He imagined that any second the line would go flat and along with the scream he remembered, he’d hear a loud, straight beeeeeeeep to go along with it. It couldn’t be any worse.

He put his head in his hands again and sighed. This was all avoidable, this entire thing, he hurt two people because he’d been careless. That lump was back and he could feel the vomit at the pit of his throat. He’d hold it down, for Patrick, he’d already put him through enough.

He thought about the sound again, the scream. Now that he remembered it, it was going to haunt him. It was such a scared, deathly scream, one that took just one last breath. He gripped his stomach absent-mindedly, trying to clear his brain. He pictured blood, lots of blood, tire marks on the street and that girl in her car... alone, wondering if she was going to die.

He sat up, wheeling himself quickly to the bathroom, throwing up directly into the toilet. He heard Patrick calling him, asking if he was OK, but he could only respond by vomiting up a bit more. Catching his breath, he shook his head, he fucked up. He’d pay the consequences; as long as that girl lived... he needed her to live.

“TAZER!” Patrick finally screamed, “What the FUCK is going on?”

Jon sighed, running the water and washing his mouth out. He made his way back to the bed to explain himself, but the door opened and the nurse walked in, holding a clipboard and a pen.

“Alright, Mr. Toews,” She said with a long, dragged breath, “The family said its okay and her doctor said its okay. You’re free to see Ms. Walker, you’ve got 15 minutes. I’ll take you now.”

Jonathan glanced back at Patrick, who only gave him a solid look back. He wasn’t going to force him to stay or go... Jonathan already knew his opinion. Jonathan looked back at the nurse and nodded, wheeling himself towards him.

“Thank you.”

She began to push him out of the room, “You should be prepared for this, Mr. Toews.”