Chapter 6: Sanity

Andrew made his way down the hospital corridor in the direction of Steve’s room. He found Felicia seating on a bench at the door waiting for him. She was preoccupied with the filing of her nails and chewing some gum.

As he came to a stand in front of her, she raised her eyes and when she spotted him, quickly put the nail file back into her purse and stood up to hug him. The hug was loose, and lacked in terms of passion but Andrew paid it no heed.

“Hi, your parents are inside,” Felicia told him. Andrew nodded and hand in hand they both entered the room.

“Drew, thank goodness you are here,” his mother announced. His mother was a quiet woman but Andrew had learnt as a child to read in between the lines of his mother’s quiet nature.

Her steel grey eyes always had a way of saying much more than her words would articulate, like they were doing now.

Mrs. Logan looked at Felicia and her gaze travelled down to her hand that was clasped in Andrews.

“Hi, Mom. Hi, Dad. How is Steve? Any updates from the doctor?” Andrew inquired.

“No, the doctor wasn’t in when we arrived. We will be going home to freshen up and eat since you are here. We will return soon,” his father replied.

On the bedside stand, Andrew noticed a food warmer. He could tell from the aroma wafting from it that his mother had prepared some chicken lasagna. Steve’s favorite dish.

Andrew noticed that Felicia had also caught sight of the food. She shook her head in a pitying fashion.

Mrs. Logan was a very observant woman and the gesture didn’t go unnoticed. “Is something the matter, Felicia?”

“Oh, no, Mrs. Logan. I just noticed that you brought food for Steven yet again,” Felicia pointed out and Andrew couldn’t help but squeeze her hand in warning.

His mother frowned as she regarded Felicia coldly. “What is wrong with a mother cooking for her son?”

“Oh, I don’t mean to be rude by pointing out the obvious. People in a comma can’t eat!” Felicia answered plainly, to Andrew’s dismay.

“I know that! However, doctors say people in a comma respond to familiar stimuli. The aroma of the food he loves might aid in doing that!” Andrew’s mother replied. Although her tone was level and calm, Andrew could tell that his Mom was not charmed by Felicia’s catty statements.

“Oh, I see. I doubt doctors know what they are talking about. People in a comma are in a void! The black veil between life and death. I don’t think they are aware of anything happening around them!” Felicia answered.

This time Andrew let go off her hand in resignation. The girl lacked certain empathy. “Stop being insensitive, Felicia!”

Felicia shrugged and proceeded to blow a bubble with her chewing gum. It was clear from her facial expression that she felt no remorse for what she had just said.

“Son, you surely can pick them!” his father stated sternly before putting his hand on the small of Mrs. Logan’s back and guided her out of the room.

After they had gone, Andrew turned to face Felicia. He felt as angry as he felt frustrated. “What the h*ll is wrong with you?”

“What? Did you want me to be one of those people that support myths? Your brother is in a comma! Food aroma will not awaken him!” Felicia answered as she continued to chew her gum noisily.

Andrew closed his eyes as he reminded himself to breathe. He was not going to fight with this girl right here. He pushed the anger into a different part of his head, and decided to save it for the right place. He was more concerned about what the doctor had to say.

Steve’s hospital bill was rising. Paying for the very air he needed to breathe to stay alive was having a toll on Andrew. Steve didn’t have any health insurance and Andrew knew his parents were not in any condition to help anyone financially.

He was an award winning journalist, talented in his craft but at times he felt like the stereotype starving artist. Just then the doctor came in through the door, with a chart file in hand.

“Andrew, I am glad to have found you here! You do recall you insisted I only talk to you with regards to Steve’s hospital bills?” the doctor started and Andrew swore beneath his breath.

How was he going to get the money? Maybe he should consider becoming a gigolo.

“Yes, doctor. What are stats of what is owed?” Andrew asked, unsure if he wanted to hear the reply.

The doctor flipped through some pages in the file.

“Well, you don’t owe anything,” the doctor replied. Andrew’s eyes shot open in surprise.

“What do you mean? I haven’t paid the bill for the past two weeks! How is it possible that I don’t owe anything?”

The doctor pushed his thick rimmed eyeglasses up the bridge of his nose. “Have you heard about the Heart of Mercy Foundation? They take on different cases of patients and pay their bills. They took an interest in your brother’s case and have cleared all his bills. They will continue to pay for everything for the duration of his stay here!” the doctor answered.

Andrew felt like a weight the size of a train had been lifted off his shoulders. He had never had about the mentioned foundation but he would be sure to look them up.

“Is it government organization? How do I contact them to extend my gratitude?” Andrew asked.

“Well, it is private owned. Run by a, Gayle Rudolph. You can try search for the foundation on line. I am certain that their contact details are on their website,” the doctor answered. Before Andrew could ask anything else they had a sneeze coming from Steve’s direction.

They all turned in time to see Steve’s eyes flutter open. The doctor rushed to his side and started shining a small torch into his eyes. Andrew also rushed to stand on the other side of his brother.

“Steve, can you hear me?” the doctor was asking.

Steve shifted his head and his gaze fell onto his brother.

“Dreeeewww? Do--- I smell Mom’s chicken lasagna? I am so hungry!”