FOREVER MINE

Admitted at the Hospital

After a while, Alex’s phone started ringing. Irreated by the sound, he opened his eyes lazily to check the caller ID. It was an unknown number, wondering who it could be. He picked up and answered with a hoarse voice.

“Hello! Who is this?”

‘Alex?’

“Yes, how can I help you, who am I speaking…?”

Before he could finish, the voice at the other end spoke.

“It’s Sydney, she was unconscious in her room last night. I called an ambulance as soon as possible and rushed her to the hospital, I just called to let you know what’s going on.” Vivian, Sydney’s friend said.

“How come? What happened to her?”

“I don’t know, the doctors are performing a series of tests on her, they are trying to figure out what went wrong.”

“Okay, give me the address of the hospital, I’ll be there shortly.”

Vroom, vroom, the message drops. St. Anthony hospital. 10, Hilltop avenue, Moore Street.

He looked at Linda, who was fast asleep, and he thought about what he should do. He couldn’t wake her up at this odd hour. That won’t be fair, seeing that she had slept really late because they were making out, and besides, Sydney is not her headache, he would quickly check up on her and be back in no time.

He tore out a paper sticker and wrote on it. I’ll be back shortly. Please make yourself comfortable. He stacked it on the table beside her, and dressed quietly, shutting the door, trying not to wake her up.

On his way to the hospital, he kept wondering what had happened to Sydney, why was she found unconscious, was she attacked by someone? Did she harm herself? His heart skipped a bit at the thought of that, he wouldn’t be able to leave with the guilt of her harming herself because of him. He remembered Linda’s advice to tell her what she had done wrong, but he had kicked against the idea, he just wanted her out of his life. What would he do now?

After about ten minutes’ drive, he pulled over at the hospital’s car park and rushed down to ask about her. As he was talking to the nurse at the reception, he saw Vivian walking towards him. He went over to her and asked her about Sydney.

“The doctors are yet to say anything, though she’s out of danger now, but she’s sleeping” Vivian said, robbing her forehead with her fingers as she was exhausted.

“You mean the doctor has not said anything?”

“Yes, they haven’t.”

Both of them walked towards her room to checkup on her. She was still sleeping, though she was in a bad state when she was brought in newly, but now she looks better. Her face still pale, with the IV connected to her vein, she lay in the sterile hospital room, and her frail form a stark contrast to the lively woman she was. They both went out of her room and sat in the corridor to wait for the doctor.

A lady in her early thirties walked up to them, one hand in the pocket of her white coat and the other hand holding some reports.

“Hi! I’m doctor Becca, you must be the patient’s friend that brought her in. Is there any member of her family around?”

“Hi! Doctor, we’re friends. We can’t reach her family now. You can tell us whatever the problem is.” Vivian said as she looked at Alex’s face for assurance. Alex, in return, gave her a nod to show that he’s with her.

“Alright then, after conducting a series of tests on Sydney, we found out the extent of her actions. A blood work revealed a cocktail of substance in her system. A mixture of substances actually, which exuberated the effect that led to the consequences of unconsciousness, severe headaches and the likes. Heroin and valium were also found in her blood.”

Both Vivian and Alex were shocked at the doctor’s report.

Was she willing to kill herself or what? Alex thought.

Vivian was grappling with a mix of emotions – fear, sadness and, above all, disappointment. When did Sydney start taking drugs? Why can’t she reach out to her when she needs help? She would always be there for her. She wondered why Sydney had not told her what was wrong that made her almost kill herself.

The Sydney that she knew had always been the life of a party, the one who could light up any room with her laughter and positive vibes. Sydney had failed to show up at a gathering they were supposed to go together. At first, they thought she was running late, but after some hours went by and still she didn’t show up. Vivian, worried sick, what could keep her friend this late, tried to contact her and ask about her whereabouts only for the phone to ring and nobody picked up.

Dressed in her skimpy gown, she rushed to Sydney’s house to see what was happening. She knocked continually but no one opened the door. She peeped through the window but couldn’t see anything. Furious, she went back to the front door and kicked it but all her efforts proved abortive. She screamed her name but had no response. She tried calling Alex. The call wasn’t connected. She tried one more time. Gathering all her strength, she kicked the door again, and it opened this time around. She quickly went in and found her unconscious and barely breathing. She nippily called the paramedics, who came almost immediately and rushed her to the hospital.

Vivian was thankful that she had went to her house when she did or else she would have died just like that.

“Thank you doctor” Alex said as the doctor turned to take her leave.”

“Why is she taking drugs? With the nonsense I caught her doing with my friend, or had she been taking it and I just didn’t know, because I was too stupid to see who she truly was? Well, I’ll find out when she wakes up.

He turned to Vivian. "I want to be on my way now its daybreak. I will call to check up on her, or you call me when she’s awake."

Just as he was about to take his leave, they heard sounds from the ward. Sydney was staying and went in to see her.

She was awake, her eyes became blurred but after some few seconds it became clear. Taking in her surroundings, she realized she wasn’t in her house. She tried to sit up but was pulled back by a strong headache.

Wondering where she was, she looked to her side and saw Vivian and Alex standing by her bed.

“Alex! My love! You are here. What happened to me?”

“I found you unconscious in your apartment. We were supposed to meet at the party, but you didn’t show up. I then decided to come check up on you, only for me to see you lying on the floor barely breathing. I called the paramedics, and they came to the rescue.” Vivian explained to her friend.