Comment and vote pls:)
An hour had passed and everyone was becoming impatient with the staff at Huntington Memorial. No type of doctor or nurse would come out. As concerned friends, we'd ask how he was doing only to have the receptionist tell us, "There's a full house tonight." It enraged me and everyone else.
I hunched over the chair, thinking about everything that was happening. I couldn't think of what would happen if we lost him.
We can't lose Brian. I've heard horror stories about alcohol poisoning and might I add, they don't end in taking someone home, but to a morgue. I couldn't fathom why this was happening.
"The family of Brian Haner?" At the sound of his name, every single one of us stood up. The doctor looked quite shocked walking into the waiting room, "I'm going to assume you're not all family."
"They are." Brian's dad said, "We're all his family. I'm his father. These are his brothers and this is my wife and his younger sister."
The doctor bowed his head excusing his assumptions, "My apologies. Since you're all family, I came with an update. I'm sorry it's taken so long to give you any type of news. We've had two deaths in the past hour. It's not pretty back there." My stomach turned thinking one could be Brian.
"Brian is doing fine now. He suffered from alcohol poisoning. He's on a drip to rehydrate. We pumped out his stomach. He's getting his color back slowly. He's still very weak."
"Oh thank God." I heard Suzy cry into Mr. Haner's shoulder.
"Who found him unconscious?" Johnny and I raised our hands in sync. "May I ask, what did you find? What did he drink?"
"Everclear and Cazadores. About three bottles total. There was vomit everywhere."
The doctor nodded, "Of course. Well once he's in a better state, it's protocol to give him a lecture on this. Everclear has over ninety percent alcohol. Not a very good idea or combination. As far as visiting him going, he's still a little out of it but you can visit him now. Two people at a time until we move him to a room over night. He should be going home by tomorrow."
"Thank you Doctor." Matt thanked as the doctor stepped away from us and made his way back thru the double doors. "So who's going in?"
"Well, I don't want McKenna to see Brian like this. I mean now that we know he's fine, maybe you should go home. It's getting late and you have homework." Mr. Haner informed her.
She seemed a little bummed.
"C'mon, I'll take you home Kens." Valary said throwing her arm over McKenna's shoulder. "We can go eat something, yeah?"
"I guess." McKenna spoke in a dull voice. "See you guys later and tell Brian I love him."
Mr. Haner gave her a kiss on the head then sent them on their way. "So I guess I'll go in. Anyone want to come?" No one answered. If we all can't go in together, no one goes in. "Zacky, c'mon. You were pretty worried and a wreck when I got here. Let's go check up on him."
I hesitated to go but Matt's nod assured me that it would be okay. Everyone else sat back down and suddenly the atmosphere was better. It wasn't dark and depressing compared to moments ago.
We made our way to the room in the far corner where Brian was being held at. His dad knocked on the metal door frame, gaining Brian's attention. He looked so much better. I was seriously about to shit rainbows. However, his eyes were drooping and the oxygen mask made the situation look worse.
"Hey brother." I said, seeing a weak smile grow on his face.
"Hi." He replied in a sore, faint voice.
"How are you doing son?" His dad asked, sitting on the bed beside him. "Gave us quite a scare."
Brian silently chuckled, "I'm sorry. I gave myself a scare too, to be honest."
"What happened man? Where was your phone? You could've called us. We're always gonna be here no matter what." I told him, sitting on the opposite side, giving his arm a gentle rub.
"I don't know. I just remember feeling so sick after I drank the last Cazadores bottle. I felt like I was gonna throw up. So I ran, I didn't make it." He paused, taking small breaths, "I fell on the stairs. I just remember little bits after like walking into the restroom. After that, I can't remember anything. I guess it goes to show I'm not a light weight like Johnny." He teased, making us chuckle. At least he held a sense of humor.
His dad's face grew serious. He wasn't finding any humor in this. "Why did you drink so stupidly?"
He turned to me then looked down at the pink cover draped over his body. "I don't think you want to hear this dude."
I vigorously nodded, "I do."
"Jackie. I came back with out her. She's moved on from me."
"How do you know that?" His dad asked.
He shrugged, "I heard a male voice in her parents' house. I just gave her the shit I bought then left. I..." He sighed, "It's done. She's making me do this and don't say she's not. Because just thinking about her makes me want to down a forty ounce. I'm not going to because this shit scared me... I mean, her parents don't even like me, no one in her family does. Things wouldn't work out. So... I think I'm done with Jackie. For good."
"Are you sure that's what you want?" I chimed in, trying to be the glue that keeps them together.
"It's what's best for me now. I mean I know I'll be seeing her at your wedding but, until then, I don't want anything to do with her. And you can tell her that too." He intensely looked deep into my eyes, "I almost died because of her--"
"You almost died because you were drinking as a way to cure your problems," Mr. Haner said, "This isn't her fault."
"Tell her," Brian still demanded.
I shifted between him and his dad. I really hated delivering terrible news like that. "I will. I'm gonna let Johnny come in here. He was pretty worried. Don't ever do this again," I said in a stern voice, "I will personally come and shoot you. Jimmy doesn't want you up there just yet, so don't force anything. See you later man." I leaned over and gave my best friend a kiss on the head... Which smelled pretty bad.
Here goes nothing.
Jackie's POV
I'd be lying if I said I wasn't staring at my phone since the last time Zacky called me. I was worried sick about Brian. The tears coming from my eyes explained everything. I made matters even worse when I Googled 'alcohol poisoning' and the words 'death may occur' came up on a page.
Zacky's name appeared on my phone and I quickly answered.
"How is he?" I asked with out giving him a chance to speak.
"He's fine Jacks. He had alcohol poisoning. But they pumped his stomach out and giving him fluid thru an IV he's good now." His voice seemed so much more relaxed than what it did when he first called me.
I breathed a sigh of relief, "Thank God. I was praying like crazy. I want to go visit him. What hospital is he in?" For a mere ten seconds, Zacky didn't reply. Something was up. "Dude, what hospital?" I repeated.
"Jacqueline... Listen. I'm sorry okay? But well when Bri came back home, he pretty much drank his feelings away. He said it was because of... You."
I prayed he was kidding with me. Why me? What had I done?
"Zacky! What hospital is he at?! I'm seriously going to go over there and tell him how I fee-"
"He doesn't want to work things out anymore Jackie..." He said sympathetically. "He's done." My heart literally shattered. I was numb and shocked, unaware of the feelings I was feeling. I was speechless and scared. "Jackie... This is why I didn't want to tell you but... You can't come. He doesn't want you to."
"I have to go." Was all I could say.
"Jacks... Come on. I'm sorry. Don't-"
"Zacky, I have to go. I'll call you later okay?"
"Fine." He said, "I love you okay? Don't forget that."
Instead of returning the gesture, I hung up and felt myself turning into Alice from Alice in Wonderland; I was falling down a deep, dark hole.