C5 - Family
"Not tonight, sorry I already have plans," Alex says annoyed. Identity
"Are you avoiding me? You forget, I know where you stay," Amber says teasingly.
"No, really babe, I want to get the rest of this story, you are more than welcome to camp out with me, but I am waiting for one of them to wake up," he said honestly and grateful for having a legit excuse as to not spent time with the most-bitch of a woman he has ever come across. She was such an angel the first week or so but then she turned into a possessive love-crazy bitch. She is like spilled super-glue that you cannot get of your skin without hurting yourself.
Amber plugged an unexpected kiss on his lips and walks off with a spring in her step as if she is the happiest person on earth. Alex sees her walk away and feels nothing but distaste for her. Alex takes a seat in one of the nearby seats. He checks the time on his iPhone. Almost 1 pm.
Alex notices Cindy walking towards them with a middle-aged woman with silver hair neatly tighten back, almost looking like a strict and uptight principal of an all-girl school. "Alex this is the hospital manager, she knows Gabriella well and will be able to recognize if the patient is in fact Gabriella as you said."
"You really should not hang around the hospital, people might mistake you as part of the furniture," Mrs. Finn said stiffly, looking at him through pointy glasses. Alex stood up with a hand drawn out to introduce himself. "I am Alex, it's an honour to finally meet you Mrs Finn, I love your glasses, you have such eccentric taste."
Mrs. Finn passes by him without shaking his hand and walks into the room leaving Cindy at the door. "Don't worry she doesn't like to touch people," Cindy reassures Alex.
"Poor girl, is that frostbite on her nose?" Mrs. Finn look at Gabriella's wrapped up hands. "Pass me her charts! What on earth happened to her?" she asked, eyes filling up with tears to see Gabriella in such a state.
"I found her tied up under monkey bars at the park near the bus stop this morning around four am. She is completely naked," Alex took the chart off the wall before Cindy could, using the opportunity to get into the room. He passes the chart to Mrs Finn. Mrs. Finn started to write Gabriella's full name on the chart. She reads the diagnoses. Alex looks at her face and knows exactly what she is reading when she gasps in shock.
Alex realized that he looked like shit and decided that he might as well go home as for right now it seemed he won't get a story out of these two patients because one is on a ventilator and the other one most likely dying on the operating table. No info on the bus stop man as he had nothing on him but a bloody white sheet.
Alex took a brisk walk home in fear. He always felt very safe and having grown up in the area this is the first time he ever witnesses such brutal attacks. He kept on looking around and over his shoulders making sure he is safe. When he finally got to his Penthouse, he decided to try and sketch the Bus-stop man from the few glimpses he had.
He drew the man with a man-bun as he thought; that is perhaps how he would wear his long hair. The man had more than a scruffy beard, but it did look trim and taken care of. He gave the man broad shoulders as he is well built. Alex darkens the hair and beard as the man's hair looked black. Once he is done giving the man a strong jawline and deep eyes, he posted the drawing on his News-site with an update that he was taken into theatre and that Gabriella is on a ventilator. He titled the piece; "Do you know this man?" Alex took a quick shower and drank a smoothie for dinner.
Zurier had spinal fluid build-up in his spine and brain and needed a tap to drain. The doctors were ready to proceed with a shunt placement but needed approval whether the bill will be for the hospital's account or to wait for the man to wake up. It did not get Mrs. Finn's approval at this stage. She felt just after one week of no sign of recovering that it might just be a waste and then the hospital will have to cover the cost. She decided to reject it for now and leave him on the tap; until at least he wakes up.
She sends an email to the hospital donors as they had a lot of people willing to pay for people that could not pay and she put out the request with John Joe's story to see if one of the donors were willing to pay. Much to her surprise, she has not even locked out of her emails and already got four different responses and even some people offering to pay for Gabriella's medical needs.
Mrs. Finn requested for Gabriella to be moved to the exclusive floor near her office.
A week later Gabriella is taken off the ventilator and looked around. Mrs. Finn passed Gabriella a glass of water. She felt sick and signal that she is about to vomit. One of the nurses quickly grabbed a nearby bucket while another helped Gabriella into a sitting position. Unfortunately, the bucket is too late, and Gabriella vomited on herself and choked a bit on her own vomit.
"Don't worry, we will clean you up in no time. Do you think you can get out of the bed and take a couple of steps to the bathroom?" Mrs. Finn asked, pointing to the bathroom that is part of the room.
Gabriella took in her surroundings and realized that she is in one of the hospital's most private rooms.
The nurses slowly turned her in position to stand up from the bed. With wabbly legs and support from the nurses, she made her way to the bathroom.
Mrs. Finn sends one of the nurses out to clean the room and bedding and insisted on cleaning Gabriella herself.