Doctor Strangelove

Chapter Five

EDITED AS OF NOVEMBER 4, 2016.

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Rachael yawned and put a bookmark in her book. She checked her phone and saw no messages from Stephen. She shrugged and decided to go to bed without checking in on him. His speaking engagement had probably just run late, that was all. She curled up in bed and fell asleep, exhausted from her performance and safe in the knowledge that when she woke up in the morning, Stephen would probably be in the kitchen getting food.

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RING! RING!

Rachael woke up, blinking and wondering what (or rather who) had disturbed her sleep. She looked at the caller ID on her cell phone. It was Stephen. She wondered why he was calling her so late at night as she picked up.

"Hello?" She said groggily.

"Is this Rachael?" an unfamiliar voice asked.

"Yeah...who's this?" Rachael asked.

"Do you know Stephen Strange?" the voice asked.

"Yes, why? Did something happen to him?" Rachael was now worried.

"He was in a pretty bad car accident. You should get down here." the voice said.

"Where is he being held?" Rachael asked.

"New York Hospital." the voice said.

"Okay. I'll be right there." Rachael said.

Rachael flung herself out of bed, grabbed her phone and purse, and ran out to the parking garage. She hadn't even bothered to fix herself up. She drove to the hospital, praying that Stephen would live. She parked the car and ran inside. Fortunately, everyone knew her due to her friendship with Stephen and she was taken to the waiting room right away. She was given a rundown of what was wrong. Probably due to the rain, Stephen had lost control of his car, had hit another car (that driver was okay, just shaken), flipped, and landed right on the front bumper. There had been cuts and broken bones, and things were pretty bad. They told Rachael that it would be a long wait to see him and when she did, he would probably either be so out of it that he wouldn't even know she was there or asleep.

"If you want, you can go home and get changed." the doctor concluded.

"No, I'll stay here." Rachael said. She went and sat down on the couch. She looked throughout her last texts with Stephen and felt guilt wash over her. Why hadn't she called him?

Stop it, Rachael. You didn't know he was going to get hurt. He does this all the time, so you didn't think anything of it. She thought, trying to lessen her guilt.

Hours passed without any news of Stephen. Rachael did anything to distract herself. She played on her phone, watched TV, went to the drinking fountain. She even got up and paced for an hour. Finally, the doctor came out. Rachael stood up.

"He's stable." the doctor said. Rachael breathed a sigh of relief.

"May I see him?" she asked.

"Yes, but be warned. He doesn't look to good, and he's unconscious. He won't hear or understand a word you say." the doctor said. "Come on."

Rachael followed the doctor to Stephen's room. He was laying down on the bed, but Rachael barely recognized him. No longer was he the handsome doctor who all the female employees in the hospital dreamed of dating. His face was bloodied and bruised, and his right eye was swollen. Rachael saw that a bruise was already beginning to form. Stephen's hands had stitches in them. His nose was broken. There were bandaged cuts that decorated his face.