There will be Blood

39-The Old Man and the Wheelchair

''There is a certain way of doing things and you have to follow protocol. Your Edward isn't here," she sneered.

"Is everything alright, Maureen?" A nurse poked her head out from behind a corner.

"Yes, I'm fine."

"No, can you tell me where Edward Cullen is?" I asked the new nurse. "She can't seem to do anything."

"Oh, um, well are you family?"

"Yes, I'm his wife," I lied easily.

"She's lying," Maureen snapped.

The new nurse looked between us with confused glances. "Okay…." she drawled.

We just stood there and I was about to cry. I really was. From frustration or anger or worry, I wasn't sure but the tears were about to flow.

"Ma'am, I'm not sure if we can help you," New Nurse said apologetically.

"Fine." I started to walk off, but instead of going back to the elevators, I started opening every door I could reach.

"Stop that." Maureen was busy shutting them behind me.

"Tell me where he is. His name is Edward Cullen, and he's supposed to be here. I got a call from his father, and he told me to come down."

"We don't have a patient by that name," she growled.

"Yes, you do."

This was getting very old, very quickly.

I was on the sixth or seventh door—I wasn't sure—when I heard the familiar sound of Italian loafers on tile, which was uncommon in a hospital.

I looked around frantically for the man who I knew the shoes belonged to.

Carlisle rounded the corner with his head bowed and his hands jammed into the pockets of his jeans. He looked more identical to Edward now than I had ever seen him. I'm sure Edward would resemble him exactly—minus the hair and eyes—in about thirty years.

"Carlisle," I shouted and ran towards him.

He raised his head, surprised, and looked at me. "There you are. I was starting to think that you weren't coming."

"No, I was being detained." I shot a look at Maureen, who was glaring daggers at me. "What happened?" I asked him.

"We should go see Edward."

"She can't go back there." Maureen stepped between us.

"Young lady, I suggest you move out of the way. I pay a lot of money to this hospital, and if Bella wants to come back, then she will." He gave her a stern eye.

"Maureen, why don't we go back up front?" New Nurse suggested and tugged her away.

I didn't want to say "I told you so", although, it would make me feel a hell of a lot better. I watched her lips twitch as New Nurse dragged her all the way back down, only looking away from her when she finally rounded the corner.

"What happened to Edward?" I asked; my mind re-focused back on the situation at hand.

"Well," Carlisle combed through his hair, "we have a problem."

"Is he dead? Tell me he's fine."

Carlisle chuckled, "No, Bella. He's not dead, but he did have a little… issue."

"Where is he? Can I see him? You have to tell me something."

He guided me down the hallway, and I noticed that we seemed to be getting further and further away from civilization as we went. There was absolutely no one in this section of the floor, and even the lights were dimmed.