THE AFTERMATH
"WHAT could've caused this?" was the biggest question of all and that's all that everyone could ask.
In the lobby, all of Bianca's closest friends were there — including myself, of course. It was me, Trev, Johnny, and Candice. I spent most of the time pacing the room and on the phone with Bianca's father and step-mother, who were asking me over a hundred and fifty questions — while I didn't know the answer to even one of them.
The doctors were keeping quiet and not saying anything to us, but we were becoming very agitated and were demanding answers. Candice kept crying, while Johnny comforted her, as she blamed herself for it — but it wasn't her at all. Then, there was Trevor, who would occasionally run out to the car and cry it out there. I know this because, every time he returned, his eyes were bloodshot and he was sniffling.
I was just... there. I couldn't comfort anyone and I definitely couldn't comfort myself in this time. I went through all our old text messages and even all out photos together. We had really grew-up with each other and traveled everywhere together.
Now, she is laying in a hospital room with doctors and nurses surrounding here, and trying to figure out where the hell it all went wrong at. I noticed how she always looked down and like she had lost a lot of sleep. Yet, I didn't know it had gotten this bad for her.
"Excuse me," I suddenly heard somebody say and, looking up, I noticed that it was Bianca's main doctor, so I jumped up and approached him. "Are you the people that came in with Bianca Masterson?"
"We are," I told him in one breath as Trevor, Candice, and Johnny stood behind me.
"Has her parents made it here yet?" he asked and I shook my head. "I'm sorry, but I won't be able to say anything unless her parents are—"
"She's my sister," I suddenly blurted out and the doctor stared back at me. I could also feel everyone else's eyes on me. "She's my sister and we all deserve to know what happened to her right this very minute."
I think that the doctor realized that I was lying, but also probably noticed that I was desperate for answers, too. Nevertheless, he straightened himself up and the clipboard in his hands, too.
"Okay," he simply said and gulped before saying anything else. "From the looks of it, Bianca hasn't slept in days. My best guest is a week, tops. However, that actually isn't the biggest issue here."
I held my breath and blinked my eyes, preparing for the worst. "What else is there?"
He bit his bottom lip and replied, "Bianca hasn't eaten in over a week as well. Looks like she's been living off of water, but it can only do so much for her body, y'know? With her career being a professional wrestler, she has to eat in order to do perform in her next match. From the lack of sleep and eating, Bianca's body just finally... shut down."
"Is she...," Trevor stepped up and touched the doctor's arm. "Is she dead?"
The doctor held back for a moment and, then, licked his lips after he looked deep into Trev's eyes. He faced me again and answered that: "She's alive and she's breathing on her own now. However, I don't think it's best for her to see anyone just yet. Maybe tomorrow morning will be your best bet of seeing her face to face again. Yet, for now, I think that it's best for you and your friends to go home and come back tomorrow morning. Ask for me, Dr. Reynolds, and I'll show you where to go."
"Thank you, Doctor," I concluded, and, with a nod, he went on his way back to wherever he came from.
Slowly facing my friends, I seen Candice cry into Johnny's chest as he hugged her with all his mite. I looked to Trevor and he instantly wrapped his arms around me, as we all embraced and mentally thanking God that she was going to be okay after all.
THE NEXT MORNING
WE all decided that it would be best that Trevor just stay over at mine, Candice, and Johnny's place. He slept on the couch and, then, in the morning, we would go together to go see Bianca.
So, we all woke up around eight-thirty, got dressed, and headed to the hospital. Immediately arriving there, we asked for Dr. Reynolds and he showed us the way.
When we all walked in the room, she appeared to still be asleep with bags underneath her eyes. It was probably the best sleep she's had in weeks, as she slept happily.
"We could just come back later," I whispered to Dr. Reynolds, who held his hand up and shook his head.
He leaned in and gently shook her, and she finally and slowly awoke. "Hm?" she hummed under her breath, facing the doctor. "Am I dead?"
"No, Bianca, you're not," Dr. Reynolds smirked, almost finding humor in her question. "How did you sleep?"
"The best in a long time," she murmured out, as if she had just awoken from a hangover. "Where am I?"
"You're at the hospital, Bianca," Dr. Reynolds continued to answer each of her questions while she kept her eyes right on him the whole time. "She collapsed last night and you were rushed here. You haven't been eating or sleeping, have you?"
She shook her head before she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "I haven't been feeling good," she answered, which would connect to depression. "I have lost everyone."
"Not very true," Dr. Reynolds countered before he signaled towards us at the door. "You have some people here today to visit you."
That's when she finally looked down and seen us standing there, and her face told the mixed story of confusion and nervousness. He slowly motioned us to come closer and, so, we did as we kept our distance with one another as close as possible.
"I'm going to leave now, but," Dr. Reynolds paused, looking directly down at Bianca, "your breakfast will be here any minute, okay? You have to eat." She slowly nodded, understanding, before he took that and slipped out of the room.
Once we were all alone with Bianca, we slowly turned away from the door back to her. She didn't talk or showed much emotion on her face, but her breathing was heavy and loud. It was like, as if, she was terrified of us — like we caused her to be here, in a sense.
Candice sighed loudly before she stepped in front of me, grabbing Bianca's hand and asking her: "Do you remember anything from last night?" Bianca shook her head, but didn't dare utter a word. "We were in a match and it barley got started when you suddenly collapsed out of nowhere. You were unresponsive and everyone thought that you were dying. We were all very scared, Bianca."
Still, she didn't say anything. It was like Candice was speaking gibberish to her while she only understood English. Not only that, but she was looking at us like we were strangers.
Johnny, too, stepped up and smiled down at Bianca, trying to brighten the mood up some. "You sure did give everyone a scare, B," he told her and, still, she remained silent. "Are you okay? I mean... You're looking at us like you don't know any of us at all."
Finally, I thought to myself after Johnny finally cleared the air and ask her the question that I was about to ask.
She gulped and practically whispered out: "Why are y'all here?"
That's the first thing she asked? No 'I'm so glad that y'all are here for me'? We could've just let her stay here by herself, but instead, we're here for her. Has she seriously lost her memory?
"We're here because—"
"You almost died last night," I suddenly said, cutting Candice off completely. I wasn't about to show Bianca any sympathy for her careless actions. "You do realize that, right? Wanna know why you almost died? Because you suddenly decided that eating and sleeping isn't in your schedule anymore. Why the fuck would you do that for?"
"Nicole," came Johnny's warning tone as he turned and faced me. "C'mon, dude."
"Don't 'C'mon, dude' me," I spat back in his face and looked to Bianca once again. "Why would you try to kill yourself for?"
Everyone was quiet, especially Bianca, who — after I asked the question — turned her head away and looked to the window than at us. Seriously?
"Bianca," Trevor whispered out her name and even tried to tangle his hand with hers.
As soon as she felt his touch, she snatched her hand away and demanded: "Get out. All of you. Just get the hell out."
"Bianca—"
"Get out," she growled, cutting Trevor off. She held a strict eye contact with him before she looked away again, towards the window.
Somehow, we managed to get out of there after having to drag Trevor out of there. He didn't want to leave, and I don't blame him, but we had to go.
Before we left, Dr. Reynolds stopped and asked to see me before we left. We stepped away from my friends and he asked me: "How did it go?"
"Not well," I honestly answered him, shaking my head. "She barley had anything to say to us. It was like she was trying to avoid us."
"That's not good," he commented and I nodded in agreement. "I wanted to let you know that I've decided to treat her for major depression, so starting tomorrow, after she's had enough sleep and food again, she's going to start taking the medication. I think that her choosing not to eat and sleep has a lot to do with her wanting to kill herself. If anything and she decides not to take the medicine, she may have to attend rehab."
I couldn't believe what he just said, but it wasn't my call. She needed something to get herself back on track with. Personally, I don't believe that medicine can cure anyone, but it sometimes gives people comfort and a peace of mind. If it gives Bianca something to live for, then so beat it.
Alas, I nodded and whispered: "Whatever you think is best, Doctor."
"We'll try her out on the medicine for a week," he further explained, gulping. "If she doesn't approve, we may have to turn to counseling and even rehab."
"Thank you," I simply said and, with that said, he nodded and we both went out separate ways.
When I met back up with the others, they asked what he wanted and I told them. Johnny and Candice nodded, keeping their comments to theirselves. However, Trev shook his head and grunted under his breath: "It's not fair."
Life wasn't fair, but we have to live through it to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
• I hope this doesn't offend anyone with depression because I, myself, went five years with depression and it is NOT something to joke about! 🥀 Life always gets better and, when you live your life for Jesus... You can always see through the bad and see the good that He can give you 💕 All the love .xx •