Chapter 5 Emergency

Beeping machines, vibrating telephones, small chatter and loud chatter, rustling feet, and rolling wheels, the emergency ward was a busy place to be. Doctors barked orders at nurses and assistants as they tried to revive with urgency the patients that trooped in without mercy. Those that could be attended to and discharged, were attended to. Those who needed to be transferred were transferred to the appropriate department. Sharon saw firsthand how reviving life was a lot of work.

The emergency officers wheeled Ray into such an environment, and Sharon followed closely behind them. Her fear increased with every passing second. The state of the ward didn't give her hope. She watched some doctors take over Ray and place him on a bed. They tried to perform something that looked like CPR. She couldn't be sure because the last time she saw something like that scenario, it was in a medical show.

"How old is he? What happened?" One of the doctors by his side asked.

Fidgeting, Sharon rubbed her sweaty hands on her dress and stuttered, "He... He... He must have fallen. He has Corticobasal degeneration disease and is paralyzed on the right side of his body."

The doctor nodded in response and continued what he was doing. A curtain was drawn and Sharon was left outside, away from where the doctors tried to bring life to Ray. She wandered restlessly by herself. Her mind swayed, filled with fear and a minute amount of hope. She didn't know what was going on and she hated that all she could do was wait.

The doctors found a pulse and were sure he was alive, but he didn't open his eyes yet. That was the report she received almost fifteen minutes before. Ray was transferred to a private ward. Sharon thought about calling Will and Susan, but almost altogether dismissed the thought. Calling them was only going to cause agitation and worry. It was nearly impossible for them to come and make a substantial difference. It was best to keep them in the dark since Ray was still alive and he had hope. If things didn't change within the next twenty hours, she could call them then. She remembered the reunion and every enthusiasm she embodied earlier in the day evaporated. She was more concerned about Ray, concerned about how she couldn't contain it if she lost her husband.

The private ward was alive with the steady heaving of Ray's heart and the occasional beep from the machine by his bedside. Sharon sat on the only chair in the room, right by the bed. She stretched forth her hands and held Ray's face with so much carefulness. One would think that if she applied too much pressure, his face would squish in her hands. Her eyes were heavy with tears, her cheeks puffy from crying all day and her head was in chaos of its own. She rubbed her husband's face and she continued to do that until she slept off. The sound of her name on her husband's lips woke her up.

She thought it was distant, or like a dream. His voice sounded exactly like it did fifty years ago when she met him, young and full of life. She didn't want to wake up to reality. She wanted to revel in the realness of her dream, but while she struggled between reality and her dream, she heard her name again.

"Sharon!"

Her eyes dashed open. For a split second, she forgot where she was or what she was doing there. A finger traced the contour of her face, and when she began to look up, her eyes caught sight of familiar brown eyes. The eyes were staring into hers. They studied her with a dedication that could be mistaken for longing or what someone does when they have the last chance to achieve something. In them, she saw admiration and love. She jerked the hand away from her face, stood up straight, and looked at Ray who planted a full smile on his face. He was sitting up on the bed and looking only at her. She stared at him confused for a split second, trying hard to pinpoint what was wrong. She squirmed when she realized.

"You shouldn't be sitting up like this," Sharon said. She tried to get him to lay down with his back on the bed, but as she did, his stiffness and strength got her wondering if her dream won over reality and she was trapped in dreamland. Ray wouldn't budge or carry his eyes off her face. The love in them caused her knees to grow weak and she was losing the strength to stand. As much as that didn't make sense for her to be trapped in dreamland, it made less sense that Ray had enough strength to resist her. It was weird that he smiled so brightly and poured love from his eyes into her heart. It was weirder that he didn't feel any discomfort. He was supposed to be sick with Corticobasal degeneration disease. The discomfort was the order of the day.

"Sharon!" He called her again, his smile reaching his eyes. Sharon saw it then, her hands hanging in the air, the recognition was not only in his eyes, but it was also in his voice. She shivered in her seat, goosebumps exploded all over her body. She dropped her hands and helped herself up. She started to rush towards the door in search of the doctor. She needed an explanation.

She deserved to understand what was going on. Ray fainted and almost lost his life, he had Corticobasal syndrome and couldn't use the right side of his body. The doctor said there was no form of treatment. How could he suddenly act normal? It was scary and absurd. But before she could get to the door, Ray threw a hug at her from the back, she dissolved in his hands. He snuggled close into her neck and then buried his face in her hair. She froze on her feet. Her stomach churned and she would have cried.

"Sharon!" Ray's lips were close to her right ear. The rich baritone voice tangled up her stomach. "Where are you going?" His voice wasn't soiled with slurs and the sloppiness of his words was long gone. Sharon had thought it was a passing moment. One of those moments when he remembered her and confessed his love, but he never stood up in those times. His words would remain slurred but his eyes shone with understanding. The situation at that moment was different. Sharon couldn't speak, but she had to. She thought long about what question to ask first. Who to call? How to fathom what was going on?

She relaxed in Ray's hug, slowly turned in his hands, and looked into his eyes. "What is going on?"

Ray responded with a peck on her forehead, a kiss on her lips, and an even tighter hug. He was trying to prove something, she knew. She couldn't believe it, he knew. He released her. "I'm fine." He said and Sharon shook her head.

"I'm dreaming, right? You can't be fine. You fainted in front of the recreation center, the crowd said you were talking to the sky or something. Your pulse wasn't found for a long time and I was sure I would lose you. You almost fell into a coma." She moved away from him and paced from left to right to left again. "That's not all Ray. You have Corticobasal degeneration disease. It has affected your brain and the doctor said you will only get worse, that it's impossible to find a cure. He said you will go from bad to worse and die from the disease. You're not supposed to be fine."

Ray cupped her face and brought them to look at his. "If I didn't know better, I would think you are trying to get me killed, my Sun."

At the sound of the nickname only the sane Ray, without Corticobasal degeneration disease, used, her legs weakened. She leaned into his chest and cried, a heart-wrenching cry that could make a passer-by sad. Her heart rose in heavy chants and tears poured from her eyes. "I don't want to wake up," She beat his chest as many times as she uttered the sentence.

He held her hands when she would have hit him for the umpteenth time. "If you go on, I might die from chest pain. And this is not a dream." He chuckled, she chuckled, they chuckled and tears streamed down their eyes drawing new paths with each line on their face.

"I still can't comprehend what's going on, Ray. Can you explain?" Her eyes looked into his and for that moment, she chose to believe. It didn't matter if it was a dream, or if it was only a passing moment. All she wanted was to enjoy the company of a husband who recognized her and swelled with love and pride for her. Someone who could hold her and keep her safe in his embrace. Someone whose heartbeat rhymed with hers. Someone who remembered her for who she was and how much she meant to him. She wanted to be forever buried in that experience even if it meant getting trapped in a dream. It was fine, as long as he was alive, as long as he didn't die.

"I don't know either." He said but she was locked in his embrace and couldn't see that his tears were more. "I woke up and when I looked at you, the memories jabbed at me and exploded in my head. I remember the doctor said I had Corticobasal. I remember how bad I kept getting." He raised her head and made sure they locked contact. "I realized how much I love and miss you, My Sun." He kissed her forehead. "I can't explain what happened today, but I'm glad it did and I wish it happened sooner."

Sharon wrapped her hands tight around him again. "We should tell the Doctor." She said and wanted to turn away again.

"My Sun," His husky breath gave Sharon an inkling of what flowed through Ray's mind. He used both of his hands to cup her face. "We don't have time for that. There is something else that I have missed, something we need to finish before either of us steps out of here." He barely finished the words before he grabbed her by her neck and lowered his lips to capture hers. She didn't fight, she savored the feel of his mouth on hers. The way he sucked on her lips like it was his favorite candy. His tongue swept in through her mouth and the butterflies in her stomach sprung back to life. Ray was right, she had missed this too.

His hands on her body reminded her of wandering ghosts with no definite destination. He touched her in all the places and sections that craved his touch. She mimicked his movements on her body. Her hands were tracing his chest and twisting his hair as they enjoyed a kiss that took them seven years to have again. Her shawl was off her body, lying on the floor and Ray was starting to remove her shirt. She stopped him. "Don't you think we're rushing? Doing this in the wrong place?" The guilt in her innocent eyes made him laugh.

"Oh, God Sharon! It is a private ward, more or less like our room. We aren't rushing anything. It's been too long to be called a rush. I have missed you." The love and lust in his eyes preached to Sharon that he was undoubtedly Ray, patient always, except when they made love. The feeling made him impatient, demanding, and attention-seeking, reminding her of a two-year-old who received a sibling. He walked away from her, locked the door, and raised his hands. "Are you satisfied now?" But he didn't wait for her to respond, because his hands were gliding off her shirt and he was leading her to the hospital bed. His hair was tangled in her fingers and they were back to kissing. It was impossible to tell if the intensity of the kiss stemmed from how she thought it was the first in a long time. Or because of the uneasy feeling that it would be the last time. Either way, they were on the bed, finding pleasure in each other, something they couldn't do in the last seven years.

Sharon held tightly to Ray's chest. His right hand grabbed her and kept her locked in a hug. It had been twenty minutes since the pleasure time erupted. Sharon wanted to mention the high school reunion, but she wasn't sure if it was the right time. She didn't know if Ray was truly fine or if it would pass.

She needed to learn to live past that fear because if the past hour was any evidence, Ray was normal. She wanted to go to the 50th high school reunion with him. She wanted the two of them to be in the circle of friends from all those years ago. Things were bound to happen to them as time elapsed as Jess mentioned. Sharon didn't want to miss out on anything.

She stretched her hands and opened her mouth to talk, she purred instead and found it funny. She sounded just like she did after her first night with Ray. He was hers, she was his, there was no better fit. She finally raised her head, his eyes were devouring her. He seemed to never have enough. She couldn't either. "The school reunion is today." She blurted before she could control herself. "We should go." She ended up adding.

"Of course, we should." He kissed her lips and she blushed. "I was wondering when you would say it."

Her eyes widened. "You knew?!"

"Of course, I didn't." He laughed and she smiled in embarrassment. Her eyes tingled.

"You keep trying to convince me that you're fine." She smiled. "I know."

"Good! Now, let's get ready for that reunion."

"But we need to get you discharged first." She smiled at him and pecked him on the forehead.

She proceeded to see the doctor and also sign the necessary forms and documents. Some moments later, the couple left the hospital hand in hand, Ray walking without any help and Sharon shining so bright with her twinkling eyes.

Some hours later, Ray was dressed in a black tux and Sharon in an exquisite royal blue gown, they entered hand in hand to the venue of the reunion. The hall was welcoming, with cream-colored lighting and smiling faces. Sharon was glad she could make it. She was more glad that she didn't have to leave Ray in an adult day center and that he was fine enough to go with her to the reunion.

"There you are!" Jessica Payne was the first to see them as they entered the hall. Her shrill voice ran faster than the subtle music playing in the hall. Her legs were certainly as fast because before Sharon could blink, she was locked in a hug with her favorite friend. "You said Ray was under the weather and he wouldn't make it. See you two, beaming with smiles, and holding each other like teenagers who just found love." Sharon blushed at her friend's comment.

"Your words convinced Ray to get fine, fly off the bed, and come with me." She giggled.

Jessica hugged Ray too and Sharon took the time to study her. Her hair which was once golden locks seemed to be getting grayer and straighter. She had bags under her eyes and her makeup struggled to hide them. Sharon chose to keep mum about it. If Jessica had anything to tell, she would. Her friend was still pretty. It only seemed the prettiness was giving too much way to aging.

"You should see the others, Sun."

"You would never stop calling My Sun, Sun, will you?"

"Never!" Her face twitched up in a tease and the three couldn't stop their laughter. "But have you seen Mark Pence and his wife, Freda, and her husband too? Come! Come!!" Jessica trotted off in front of them and the two of them tagged alongside.

Mark Pence smiled at the sight of Sharon and Ray. So also did the other couples who happened to be around the same table where he stood. The greeting process warmed Sharon's heart and she was glad once again that she didn't get to do it alone. She squeezed Ray's hand to show how glad she was that they were there together. Ray didn't pass up the opportunity to elevate the mood of the reunion with jokes too. Sharon could never get enough of how much he liked to tease.

She was glad when he asked to dance with her, although unsure at first, not sure if her body could still remember the steps or if Ray's disease would allow him the pleasure of the body movements dancing required. With the cheers and encouragement of the others, she mounted the dance floor with Ray. His calculated steps and exact body language evaporated every doubt that Ray's disease remained somehow. Sharon couldn't help but be glad all through the party.

The rest of the reunion created a memory she was sure she would never forget. Old friends bonded and rebonded, it didn't matter that there was a little bad news here and there, but they created happiness with the memories they had and the memories they were willing to create. It was like a song she once heard by the influence of her chef's daughter, Frankie. That day, Frankie came with her mother to work as usual during summertime, but her ears were plugged all day. Sharon wanted to reach out to her somehow, so she started with the song she was listening to. She could tell it was a song because she was lip-syncing and nodding her head to whatever beat.

"What's the title, sweetie?" She asked and Frankie seemed glad that someone was interested in her song. She was only seven years old.

"It's Maroon 5's Memories. Do you want to listen?" Sharon had never seen a brighter smile on the little girl's face. She nodded and the girl gave her one of the pods.

Tonight, she was reminded of that song. Not only was Ray back, but she also got to spend the day with friends. Her heart couldn't contain the joy, she shone all day. Because it was cheering to the ones they got, cheers to the wish that those they wanted to be there weren't, cheers to the drinks that brought back the memories of everything they had all been through, cheers to the ones who were there that night, cheers to those they lost. It all didn't matter, because no matter what, cheers!

As Sharon and Ray went back to their apartment in the senior community that night, Sharon remembered the prayer she made the night before. She thought that maybe somewhere in the sky, there truly was a God. Although the conflict that someone like Naomi died if God did exist soiled her faith, it made solid the resolve that Ray would go back to being the same way he was. Maybe she was right, maybe not.

***

Don couldn't tell what exactly woke him up, whether it was the way his head felt like a tinkling cymbal or the sharp pain that danced through his body, but he was glad he woke up. It had been almost twelve hours since he found the seemingly lifeless body of Edith at the doorstep. He looked up from where he sat in the hospital ward beside Edith's hospital bed. She was attached to machines, and her breathing was possible by the oxygen that was attached to her bedside. Don's heart ripped apart. His chest hurt and tears stung his eyes.

His hands cupped the little face of his eight-year-old. A teardrop landed on her soft chubby cheek and Don wiped it away with his thumb. He wanted her to wake up above all else. He wanted to see her pretty eyes staring at him with admiration. He didn't mind if she asked him for her mother every day. If she wanted, he would search every town and city for her mom until he found her. As long as it made her happy and kept her alive, he would do anything for his precious little Edith.

He sniffed and wiped his cheeks with the back of his hand. "Edith!" He grinned. "I miss you." His face creased into a frown and he squeezed his eyeballs to stop the heavy flow of liquid that lurked behind them. He took Edith's hand in his and placed a kiss on the back of her palm. "You'll stay alive for daddy, right?" He paused, expecting a reply. He knew very well that he wouldn't get one.

"You don't have to worry about mom." He continued. "You just need to wake up and I'll bring her back to you. I'll search every city in the world if I have to. You know I love you, right? I'm sorry that I had to let you walk out by yourself in the cold. Please, honey, get well." He stood up, bent over her, and placed a peck on her forehead. The door of the ward swung open.

"You are such a good father." The nurse who appeared behind the door said. She was black. Her hair was dark brown, tucked in a neat bun on her head. She was short, shorter than Joan, but something about her made Don feel good. He would have blamed his vulnerability, but it felt thrilling that someone called him good and suddenly, he wanted to say more and hear her say more. She had a nice shape, curvy in all the right places. Don stopped himself from staring. He couldn't. The nurse uniform hugged her body very tight and accentuated her curves. Her skin glowed even beyond the fluorescent bulb that lit the ward.

He covered his face with his hand and sighed before looking at her again. "Do you really think I am?"

The nurse shut the door behind her. She proceeded towards Edith with the metal tray in her hand. She did a hand signal and Don interpreted it as her asking them to exchange spots so that she could have better access to Edith. He moved away and stood where she previously stood, while she took her place beside Edith. She studied her for some time and checked her pulse, the drip, and the machines she was attached to. She administered some injections before turning on him again. "Where's her mother?" She looked beyond his shoulders. Don looked behind him towards the door. "You're expecting her, aren't you? Did you inform her?"

Don nodded.

"I thought as much." The nurse responded.

"I sent her a message. She may not have seen it. It's not what you think."

"It's not about what I think. I only wanted to prove to you that you are a good father. I need you to believe it because you need it to convince your child back to life. I overheard you speak to her." The nurse pointed towards Edith. "She'll be out of it soon." She wore a smile that charmed Don' heart. She turned and started to leave the room.

"What's your name?"

The nurse turned, "Jasmine," she said and exited the room in one swift step. Don looked back at Edith, moved to her side, and pecked her forehead before leaving the ward and following Jasmine.

It was night time but the hospital made it almost impossible to tell, not only with the bright lights but also with the truckload of activities and humans that filled the entire place. He took his eyes off the people in wheelchairs and other supporting instruments. He blocked his ears from imbibing the screams that emanated from rooms he couldn't physically locate. He kept his mouth sealed until he was ready to call the one person he came outside to look for. Jasmine. She was only a few steps ahead of him. When he was sure she would hear, he called her name. "Jasmine!" His voice came out a little more emotional than he wanted it to be.

She stopped in her tracks and looked back at him with a smile. "Is there a problem Mr. Reed?"

"Can I have a few words with you?"

"Of course. I just attended to my last patient for the day. A drink?" She pointed toward the only vendor machine in the corridor. Don shook his head. She nodded. "I'll get dressed and meet you." She said and disappeared for exactly ten minutes. She reappeared dressed in a short gown that showed off her pretty thighs. Don took his eyes from them. He needed to constantly remind himself that he had a wife. At least, a letter didn't equate to divorce papers and his daughter still needed her. He strolled out of the hospital with Jasmine.

"How may I help you, Mr. Reed?" They were outside, standing in front of the hospital's entrance. "You shouldn't be comfortable with leaving Edith by herself for too long."

Don chuckled and rubbed his sweaty hands on his pants. "That's why I wanted to speak with you."

"Oh! Go on. That's fine. She's my private patient after all." Jasmine's blank facial expression showed off nothing but her nonchalance.

"She is?" Don's eyes widened and he chuckled nervously.

Jasmine laughed at his reaction. "Of course not." Don relaxed and laughed, realizing she was trying to make a joke. The serious expression returned to her face, "But I can be if you want me to."

"I don't have money." His fingers ran through his hair and he sighed. "The truth is, Edith has Rett Syndrome." Jasmine's eyes widened. If she wanted to say anything or felt remorseful or surprised, she didn't throw off any more signs. She remained silent. He took her silence as his urge to keep speaking.

"Her mother left two weeks ago because of this and I have been watching her ever since then. I spent yesterday looking for a day center because I can't do my job while taking care of Edith. I got home exhausted and still had to rush to the pharmacy to get Edith's pills for when she got down with a cold. I was tired by the end of the night and slept till very late in the morning." He purposely skipped the part of the prayer since it didn't seem to end well. "I woke up to see her outside, cold and fragile." He snorted and coughed.

"I'm sorry," Jasmine said and was quiet again.

He ruffled his hair as he continued. He hated that he was nervous. "That's why I didn't think I deserved to be called a good father. If indeed I was good enough, Edith would not be in a coma right now." He paused, her eyes were on him. "I need your help to watch Edith. You think she'll wake up, right?"

"It's okay, Mr. Reed. I'm a nurse and watching over people until they are fine is my life's mission. Like I said earlier, I don't mind being Edith's private nurse. And no, I'm not doing it for money. I'm doing it because I believe in Edith." She looked square into his eyes. Don thought he felt his stomach twist in knots. "And I believe in you."

His knees failed him. They quivered at her last four words and Don wasn't sure if she was trying to seduce him or not. He longed to know if she felt the quiver in her spine like he did. He wasn't sure if the reaction was only in his body. He wanted to find out so badly, that he took her by the hand and pulled her closer to him. He kept their eyes locked as he brought his hand to her face and would have leaned in to kiss her if she hadn't made a sound. A sound that sprung them back to their senses and launched them to the reality of their worlds.

"We should keep things official, Mr. Reed." She cleared her throat. "You have a wife." She walked past him and Don watched her sway away from his grasp.

It was for the best. His concentration was supposed to be on the well-being of his daughter. He was supposed to be finding other means to reach Joan. He had gone to her previous office two other times excluding the first. No one gave him an audience, not even his high school friend. He had given up, but with Edith in a coma, he needed Joan.

Jasmine was supposed to be a good help until he got Joan, but even without trying Don knew getting Joan to come back because Edith was in a coma was everything close to impossible. Still, he wanted to try. If not for anything, for Edith.

He headed back into the hospital and went back to the ward where Edith stayed. The soft beeping of the machine beside her bed calmed him. At least, with that, he could hold on to the hope that she was alive somewhere. She was fighting to live and he would help her to win the fight.

"I'm with you, baby girl." He squeezed her pale hand and sat back in the chair. He rested his head on the bed but resisted the overwhelming urge to pray again. He learned his lesson. Prayer may not always be the way.

He wished he hadn't gotten too overwhelmed the previous night, wasting hours staring at the sky, at a God that didn't regard him. If he slept early and woke up early as usual, perhaps Edith would be fine.