Cherry Orphan

Chapter 61

Chapter 61

Community Hospital sat squarely on 17-Mile Drive near the junction with Highway One. Generally, at two-thirty on a Saturday morning, things were reasonably quiet.

This morning Emergency fairly buzzed with the news. Night shift orderlies tried to glimpse into the glazed intensive care unit as rumor on rumor spread through the wards like a bushfire.

"I'm telling you, that's Colleen Green."

"Who's the guy?"

"She was married once. It must be her ex. The poor girl looks just like her."

"What happened to the girl?"

"Toxicology just went panic. Probably drugs."

"How's it look?"

"Mm, not good. Full life support. I think she's fried."

"Jeez, why do they do it?"

"Beats me. Wanna hand me that bedpan?"

Colleen looked down at all the tubes and paraphernalia attached to her daughter and sobbed to her core. She felt wracked with more pain than she ever thought possible. When Robert tried to take her hand she snapped it away, making a stiff claw, as if she'd scratch his eyes out rather than let him touch her.

The specialist stormed in, all white coated and flapping from the helicopter ride. "I'm afraid everyone will have to leave ICU. You can wait in the next room."

From Colleen's expression anyone would have thought the doctor represented her worst enemy in the world. Somehow Colleen knew these precious moments with Calley were the last she'd ever have.

Robert fairly choked inside as he complied. "Let them do their work, Colleen."

Sonia ran to her mother as she emerged and both females hugged and cried to the point of exhaustion. Eventually the girl looked over at Robert through streaming eyes and screamed: "YOU FUCKING BASTARD! YOU LET THEM KILL HER!"

Although totally distraught, Colleen somehow knew there had to be more to this outburst. "Why did you say that to your father?" she said, shaking the girl by the arms.

"Tony told me."

Robert turned away, hunched and disgusted with himself.

More shaking. "Tony told you what, dammit?"

"Oh, Mom. They sent Dad a note on the car. He always thinks he's better and smarter."

Colleen drew herself to her full height and went over to Robert. "Is that true?" she whispered hoarsely, half choked up.

Robert couldn't look at her. All he did was nod once.

"You knew this and you left them alone with a house full of strangers?"

"Coll, the police were there. I thought..."

"Yoooou bastard." She drew the two words out in a long intone. Her hand lashed out and took him hard across the face. The blow had more power than he expected, almost making him lose balance. Heads inside the ICU cubicle went up and a nurse turned.

***

Dawn broke before anyone went to them. The specialist looked weary and drawn as he sat opposite the two women and leaned forward. "I'm sorry, Mrs. Nameth."

She wanted to throw the name back at him, but let it go. "Is she dead?"

He breathed in sharply, presumably finding this sort of thing unpleasant. "No, but only alive because of the machines. I'm afraid we have no brain activity. The dose was too massive."