New Life in Chicago (English Version)

Chapter 5

I'm falling asleep in Kelly's bed. I wake up around 6:00 pm, but he's still not back yet. I realize that everyone is in intervention so I decide to start the meal. My pasta casserole has just finished cooking and I see all the firemen entering the common room. They look exhausted. I say with a big smile, "I've made dinner, you just have to settle in". "You're the best", Kel says, kissing me on the forehead. After I've served everyone, they all chat and include me in the conversations. At the end of the meal, I clean up and tidy up for everyone, say goodbye to Kel and go back to my apartment to go to bed before starting a new shift.

I wake up the next morning with my alarm clock ringing at 3 o'clock. I run into the shower, change into a simple t-shirt and sweatpants. I have a good breakfast with a bowl of cereal and tea to stay awake. Then I run to the hospital. My shift is going relatively well, we don't have any serious cases coming in. I spend my day off quietly at my apartment. The next shift starts on Friday at 10:00 am. It's also a fairly quiet shift. I sometimes see Gabby and Sylvie when they bring in new patients.

I spend my Saturday night with Kel. He comes to my apartment and we talk over beer and TV. As I don't have a second bedroom, he sleeps with me in my bed. When I wake up late the next morning, he's already gone because he has to help Matt Casey before his shift.

I eat last night's leftovers and quietly get ready for my shift which starts at 4pm.

At the hospital, the first part of the shift goes quietly. I even have the opportunity to rest for a few hours, which is quite rare. But unfortunately the peace and quiet will be short lived.

At 10 o'clock, the ex-boyfriend of a pregnant girl starts to get angry and makes a big commotion. Luckily, security gets him out. I'm busy taking blood for different tests for a little boy who has a high fever when the ex-boyfriend reappears in the emergency room but this time with a gun.

We hear several gunshots. The little boy, Danny, starts to panic. I close the curtain on the treatment room and notice that there are more than a few people and doctors stuck in the ER. All the doors are blocked and covered with sheets. I try as hard as I can to reassure him when all he wants is his mother. The ex-boyfriend gets even more upset and pulls the curtain on the treatment room.

They have managed to get the father of the pregnant girl out, who is badly injured.

My patient's condition is not improving. But all the doctors are busy with the other patients so I'm trying to bring his temperature down as much as I can. Danny's dehydrated and vomiting. I'm putting him on oxygen and keeping him calm as best I can. That's when I tell myself fortunately I worked in the military to know how to deal with that kind of stress.

The ex-boyfriend starts coming into the treatment room because Danny is always panicking and complaining about stomach aches. He points his gun at Danny and tells him to shut up right away. To protect Danny, I stand in front of him as he shoots. The bullet enters my shoulder and a cry of pain comes out of my mouth but I force myself to stay in front of Danny.

Mrs Goodwin comes running into the treatment room and tells the ex-boyfriend to come out of the treatment room so that someone can take care of me. With no doctor available and the bullet still stuck in my shoulder, Mrs. Goodwin does what she can to stop the bleeding. Danny being even more panicked after that, I reassure him and give him a hug with the right arm. 5 minutes later, police officers arrive in the emergency room and shoot the ex-boyfriend before he has time to react.

I tell the doctors and nurses who arrive to take care of Danny and tell them everything I did before I am taken to the operating room to remove the bullet and repair the damage.

I wake up with the machines beeping. I can barely open my eyes because of the light shining on me. I'm lying in a hospital bed. A doctor I don't know comes to check my vitals. He gives me a glass of water and tells me that the operation went well. I'll be out for two weeks, but I don't need any rehabilitation. He tells me that he's going to tell the people who came to see me that I'm awake.

A few minutes later, Maggie, Will, April and Mrs. Goodwin come to see me. They check up on me. I ask how Danny is and I hear he's doing very well and will be discharged by the end of the day. They all stay about 10 minutes and then they all go back to work.

At the end of the day, Kel comes to visit me, gives me a hug and a kiss on the cheek. "So, Lia, can't you have normal guards like everyone else?" he says, laughing. "Very funny Kel!" I answer with a smile.

"All kidding aside, don't do that to me again. I've just found you not to lose you again", he says with tears in his eyes. "Don't worry, Kel! You're not about to see me out of your life" I move over to my bed to make room for him. He lies down next to me and I hug him with my good arm. We stay like this for an hour just talking.

Around 8 p.m., I can finally get out of the hospital and go home. Having discussed with Kelly before, I add him in my emergency contact information on my chart, this category being empty.

At the time of signing the release papers, I am told that it would be good that I stay with someone to help me at least for the first few days. Kelly immediately proposes to me to come at his place because Stella moved at Hermann's. I accept with pleasure.

We stop by my place to pick up some stuff and then head over to Kelly's. He gives me a tour of his place and then drops my stuff off in his guest room.

We spend the evening on his couch watching a movie on TV. Around 11pm, I go to bed after giving him a kiss on the cheek. Unfortunately, I have trouble taking off my shirt so I have to call Kel to come help me. The same goes for putting on my PJ's top. I'm laughing even if deep down I feel like a little baby again.