She Once Had

ii | lacerate

   I lunged forward and stepped over towards the man. I was completely ready for this night to be over with – for everything to go back to the way they were 24 hours before.

   "Ms. Cayce?" He asked once we were face to face and I nodded rapidly.

   "Hello, I am Dr. Welsh – I was Roy's doctor, I've been for a while now actually," he paused to shake hands with me, a boyish smirk appearing on his face, "I have good news and some rather bad news," he paused giving me a half-smile, "I had to fix Mr. Griffin's two fractured rib bones and minor injuries to his face and legs, but other than that Roy Griffin should be just fine – in fact he could probably be out of here by tomorrow morning if everything flows easily tonight. He breezed through the procedures and is up and responsive, he should be just fine."

   "That's great, that's great news," I paused swiping my tongue across my lips, "am I allowed to see him – can I go see him?"

   The grey-haired doctor paused scratching the small of his neck "That's where the bad news comes in, I'm afraid."

   I stood puzzled for a moment before Dr. Welsh opened his mouth hesitantly to speak.

   "Mr. Griffin doesn't want to see you."

   My breath slowed down, I could feel my lungs shrink as the heartbeat in my chest grew faint with every small inhale.

   "I'm really sorry Ms. Cayce, he specially requested that you not come and visit him at all," he paused as I wiped the small of a tear that dared to spill out, "I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

   Wiping my damp face, I quickly agreed reaching back to grab my small sweater from the lavender-colored cushions before rushing out of the main entrance. Everyone's eyes trailed after me including the three women at the front desk as I ran through the hospital's main double doors.

   I shouldn't have been angry, but I was. Mainly with myself, I shouldn't have went out of my way to make it all the way to this damn hospital, wait nearly three hours and be asked to leave because the man I performed CPR wanted me gone. Not only did I feel betrayed, but something about the whole situation rubbed me the wrong way. And as I paced outside in the hospital's parking lot, I began to calm myself down, praying no one inside could still see me out here.

   There was mist still falling from the sky and as I searched the hospital's parking lot, I came to the realization that I had no way of getting home with my car was still parked outside of Sweetbrew and I figured marching back inside and demanding a ride home wouldn't help one bit. "Stupid, stupid, stupid," I whispered softly, kicking at the gravel underneath my flats in rage.

   I whipped out my phone once more for the night and dialed Elise's number. Hoping she wasn't still with Nicholas.

   She answered the call on the fourth ring and as I opened my mouth to say something there was a small laughter in the background, which I immediately assumed was her boyfriend. "Vera, hey, what's up?"

   It was obvious Elise was still with Nicholas in our apartment doing God knows what. Part of me felt bad to have to pull her away from that, but I knew she'd scream Bloody Mary if I walked home drenched in the incoming rain when I could've jut called her.

   "I'm outside of the hospital with no ride home, that's what's up," I paused adjusting my position, "don't ask any questions, and just come pick me up."

   The line went fuzzing before Elise took a deep shriek of breath, "Oh my God, Vera Cayce, are-?"

   "What did I just say, Elise?" A joking smile playing on my face.