A Nobodies Heart

Chapter Twelve: Black Roses

‘’My girlfriend…she is…’’ I couldn’t even construct a proper sentence without grasping for air. While the receptionist was asking me pointless questions; a doctor walked out from the back and was about to call for the next person but must have noticed Emily first. He dropped his clipboard and bolted over to me while commanding a nurse to get a stretcher. The nurse wasted no time and fetched one.

‘’What happened?!’’ The doctor asked while he pushed the stretcher to the back.

‘’I don’t know…I just got home and found her like this.’’ I felt completely useless. It was my girlfriend’s life on the line here and I didn’t even bother to remember any basic first aid skills.

‘’Well, don’t worry. She is in good hands now! Just wait outside please.’’ He smiled. I swear doctors must spend an hour in the mornings just looking into the mirror smiling trying to perfect it because all doctors have this charming ‘’no worries’’ smile. I suppose it would come with the job having a perfect smile so people don’t stress. Never worked with me though. Whenever Doctor Liam smiled I knew a needle soon followed.

 

I sat on the edge of my seat. Just waiting for the doctor to tell me how Emily was going. I couldn’t stop tapping my boots loudly on the floor. Eventually someone complained but I just shrugged it off and continued to intensely stare at the doors to the back. There was this kid walking around the room checking out everyone’s injuries. He must have been about seven years old and was naturally curious; I understood that much but when it came to examining me he received a bitter glare and a cold shoulder. The mother went into ‘’defensive mummy mode’’ and called him back. Ignoring his mother, he continued to scan my body for noticeable injuries.

‘’What’s wrong with you?’’ he asked with a typical childish smile.

‘’Nothing,’’ I answered quickly still staring at the doors. Hoping they would open so I wouldn’t have to talk to this kid.

‘’So, why are you here?’’

‘’Because my life is in there.’’

He was confused by what I said. I didn’t expect a simple minded child such as him to understand. After all, this was all amusing to him. He probably thought of it as a carnival of freaks. I know I would have at his age.

‘’Is your girl…friend hurt?’’ He paused because any boy his age would be too afraid to say the whole word at once. Girls have cooties and interaction with them is forbidden.

‘’Yes.’’

‘’Is she sick?’’

The mother finally stormed over and dragged him by the collar back to his seat. I could have sworn she was muttering something like this under her breath: ‘’Lucky we’re in a hospital or else I’d messed him up.’’

 

Mothers are so short tempered. I encounter them on a daily basis and it’s never pleasant. Whether it is on the train, in a coffee shop or at work. Every encounter I have with them always ends the same…them vomiting cursive words at me. It’s not my fault children are oddly attracted to me.

 

A young female doctor approached me slowly. I quickly got up and straighten my back. She had this look of concern in her eyes, as if to say ‘’I am sorry, but did the best we could’’ but she tried her best to hide it.  I was wiggling my fingers anxiously. The doctor didn’t even say a word. She grabbed my hand and guided me to the back. I felt like a blind man looking for my walk cane. I didn’t know which bed had Emily lying spiritless. Finally, we stopped in front of a curtained off bed.

‘’I am sorry.’’ she said frowning. I immediately released her hand and turned to look at her. In case, she was just sorry about suddenly grabbing my hand. But her face said it all ‘’I am sorry but there was nothing we could do to save her.’’ I didn’t want to open the curtain…the mere sight of Emily’s body being empty would just shatter my heart. However, without even asking the doctor opened the curtain for me. A light blue blanket covered her body. I very slowly stepped towards the bed side. My hand slowly lifted up and stretched towards the corner of the blanket. I couldn’t control it from shaking.

‘’Emily…’’ I whispered.

In one quick movement I pulled the blanket off, prepared to burst into tears…instead I fell backwards frightened because it wasn’t her. It was an old lady. My heart must have skipped a beat (or two) but I was relieved.

‘’This isn’t Emily.’’ I gasped.

‘’Oh sorry! Doctor Smart told me a man with a grey tee on. You were the first one I saw.’’ She tried smiling. But I wasn’t in the mood to laugh. After all, her mistake therefore almost sending me into a breakdown. She directed me to Emily’s real bed. She wasn’t dead. Thankfully.

‘’We managed to stabilise her condition,’’ The doctor informed me. 

‘’Is she awake yet?’’ I asked.

‘’Not yet but when she does awaken be sure not to cause too much confusion or despair. It might stress her out.’’ She added. I nodded and was about to walk off before turning to her again to ask a question.

‘’Do you know what happened to her?’’

‘’Well purely judging on the psychical condition, I would say drug overdose.’’

‘’Impossible…Emily would never overdose on painkillers. She is smarter than that!’’ I bit back.

‘’Perhaps, it’s not painkillers.’’ the doctor pointed out.

I didn’t have an angry remark to fight back with. Instead, I retreated and went to Emily’s bedside. She tossed her spiritless head. I watched from the door for a while before finally summoning the courage to sit next to her. I placed my hand on her cheek and used my thumb to stroke her soft skin.

‘’They’re wrong about you.’’ I tried fighting back the tears but I felt one run down my cheek.

‘’I am scared, Emily. I don’t want to be alone again. Please…wake up.’’ I leaned over and rested my head on her stomach. ‘’I want to hear your heart beat. I want to know that you can hear me.’’ I spoke into her stomach. I could hear her heart beating. It was like music to my ears. ‘’I love you and in my dark times, I can feel your love. I need it to live.’’ I cried. Her heart started beating a little faster. I lifted my head off her stomach and saw her eyes open.

 

‘’Emily…’’