My Heart

Lets REALLY Break Artie's Heart

Let's REALLY Break Artie's Heart

It was another perfectly normal day in the Warehouse. Will these people ever learn? Claudia was still recovering from her surgery and Artie had barely left her side during that time. Whether it was from guilt or just protectiveness, he wasn't quite sure. What he was sure of was that PT Barnum's Top would be staying fully gooed and on it's shelf forever if he had any say in it.

"Go. Imagine how backed up your inventories have gotten. Or how much damage Pete has caused by now. You'll want to fix that," Claudia coaxed, "I'll be fine for a few hours. I'm not made of glass, Old Man."

Artie grumbled and rubbed his shoulder. It had been bothering him since Claudia got sick. Maybe he shouldn't have carried her through the warehouse.

"Really, Artie. I'll be fine. Leena is just downstairs and I can even walk to the bathroom on my own again. See?" She swung her legs off the bed and hobbled over to the door slowly.

Artie sighed and rubbed his eyes before shaking out his hand, "Alright. Alright. Fine. Just...get back in bed. Venessa said you're not getting up and about until the end of the week."

Claudia smiled and shuffled back to her bed.

"Leena will be up in a couple hours with your antibiotics and I'll be back by lunch. No getting up up for unnecessary reasons and call if you need anything."

"Yeah, yeah. Go."

Artie took another deep breath and nodded. He made it to the door before he stopped.

"Artie? You ok?"

He grabbed the door frame, hand shaking, and pressed the other hand to his chest.

"Artie?"

He screamed and dropped like a stone.

"ARTIE!" Claudia threw herself out of bed and scrambled over to his side, her own pain momentarily forgotten, "Artie! Get up! Get up, Daddy! Wake up!"

There was a pounding on the steps before Leena ran into sight.

"Claudia! What happened?"

"I-I don't know! He-He-He was fine one moment and-and then he stopped and he started screaming and he dropped and I don't know what happened! Leena! What's wrong with him?"

The innkeeper pressed her ear to the man's chest and hissed. She pulled out her phone and balanced it between her ear and shoulder. Then, she pressed her hands against his chest and began chest compressions.

"Come on. Come on. Vanessa! Please tell me you're still in Univille! Artie's had a heart attack! There's no way he'll make it to the hospital in the next town!"

She kept the phone to her ear for another moment but let it drop without saying any more.

"A-A heart attack? Leena? Is -Is-"

"Claudia, I know you're scared. But I need you to calm down. You can't help him if you panic. Do you think you can go to his room and get it ready for when Dr. Calder gets here?"

She nodded and scrambled down the hall. She was just finishing up when she heard the door downstairs slam.

"Leena!?"

"Upstairs! Just outside Claudia's room!"

Claudia limped out. The door slammed again.

"We got your call!" Myka shouted.

"Location!" Pete shouted.

They clearly didn't wait for a reply before dashing up the stairs.

"Pete! Myka! Thank God! I need your help getting him into his room!"