benchapter19

Chapter 19

The ambulance get here and everything is rush, rush. I went in the ambulance with Pacey while, the other paramedic units were inspecting Dawson for any sign of life. It turns out Dawson shielded both mine and Pacey�s bodies from the bullets. Well, that�s what Pacey tells me. I guess Dawson wasn�t so bad after all, it was just Andie playing mind games with him. How�s this for irony, it�s Pacey�s turn for the hospital bed, put there by his ex. I have a feeling things are just going to get worse.

We get to the hospital and Pacey�s rushed into the ER and I�m left in the waiting room by myself. I walk around the room trying to keep myself busy, but it�s not working. So I sit down and pick up a magazine. Wrong magazine. I don�t need a catalogue for the NRA. Then I just sit there, wringing my hands because I am helpless. I can�t do anything. Dawson risked his life for us, trying to fix his wrongs. He�s dead now. Andie�s still out there somewhere and I fear for my life. As I do Pacey�s.

Someone walks into the waiting room, but it�s not a doctor. He sits down in the seat adjacent to mine. He has stubble on his chin and cheeks and his hair is array, going every which way. It looks like he still has his pajamas since he�s wearing a pair of flannels with a wife beater on. He�s slumped in the chair and he�s resting his head on his hand. He looks over at me and he smiles genitally, but his eyes disregard his smile. �What are you here for?� he asks me.

�There was a break-in at my sister�s house and my boyfriend was shot.� Was that what he is, my boyfriend? We never had the chance to discuss it because we were interrupted.

�How bad is it?�

�Luckily it was just a leg wound, but my other friend died, so��I can�t finish the sentence because if I do, I�ll start crying again. �What about you? Why are you here?�

�My wife woke my up at three in the morning complaining of labor pains. So I took her here, only for me remember that it�s too early to go into labor since she�s only five months. I think the baby or my wife might die or I may lose them both.� He has trouble getting out the last part as he starts to break down into tears. I feel sorry for him.

�I�m sorry.� I don�t know what else to say, because what I�m going through is nothing compared to him. Pacey just has a leg wound. He could loose his wife and unborn child. �What�s your name?� I ask him, hoping to be able to console him.

�Ben Harding.� He puts out his hand to shake, �I�m Joey Potter. It�s nice to meet you.� I take his hand and I think for the first time he feels a little comfort from the whole ordeal. And so do I.

A doctor comes into the waiting room and addresses me. �Mrs. Witter?� I was taken aback for a second. Witter? �Your husband is being placed into ICU and we�ll call you when you can go see him. The bullet went pretty deep and we think it might have gone through some muscle, so we�ll want to keep an eye on that.�

�Thank you, Dr.-�

�Freemond.�

�Thank you, Dr. Freemond.� Then he left. Just like that.

Ben turns to me, �I thought your last name was Potter.�

�So did I.� I say to him, still trying to comprehend being called Witter. �It�s probably because only family member are allowed to see the paitent, where as friends can�t find out information or see the patient.�

�That�s probably what they did.� We sit in silence and we just wait there, to hear any word on either of our �spouses.�

�Mr. Harding?� A doctor comes in.

�Yes, that�s me.� He says.

�Your wife is doing just fine. You had a beautiful, healthy baby boy.� His eyes widen in shock from the news, as do mine.

�But she was only five months pregnant. How could the baby be fine. It�s too small.�

�Mr. Harding, your wife was nine months and two days. I don�t know where you got the information that she was five months. You can go see her now. She�s in room 216.� Th doctor leaves and Ban just sits there stunned.

�She lied to me.� He was quiet for a moment, �What if it�s not my baby. She should have still been on the pill nine months ago. Oh, shit.� I just sit there, not knowing what to say. I�m as shocked as he is. he gets up and leaves.

�Where are you going?� I ask him.

�I�m going outside to get some air to prepare myself for what is to come. Then I�m going in to her room to get some answers.� I walk over to him and I take his hand in mine.

�Good luck.� I tell him, meaning every word.

�Thank you. I hope your �husband� gets better fast.� We both laugh as he says this, and I form a genuine smile on my lips. �Thank you for letting me talk to you, even how little it was. It meant a lot to me.�

�Thank you. For the same thing.� He smiles and I say, �Good bye and Good luck.�

�Same to you.� He smiles once more and I�m alone again. By myself. I think I�ll go bother some nurses by bring the annoying wife. I smile and I walk towards the nurse�s station.