A Special Encounter

5

Gaga ran out of her room and saw Ed in the hallway.

“Gaga? What’s wrong? Are you alright?”

He asked as Gaga ran up to him.

“It’s Kaelynn!”

“What? Tell me Gaga!”

“She’s in trouble!”

“Where is she?”

“At her apartment! Please we have to help her!”

“Alright come on! You need to tell me how to get there!”

The two ran to the car and Gaga gave him directions to my apartment. He pulled into the parking lot and looked at Gaga.

“Stay here! Get into the back!”

She nodded and went into the backseat as Ed ran into the building. He kicked the door in and ran to Marcus’ room to see me passed out and Marcus dragging me out of his room. Ed ran to him and grabbed the back of his shirt to pull him away.

“Who the hell are you?”

“You’re nightmare buddy! Who do you think you are beating up on a woman like this?”

Ed asked as he pushed Marcus into the nearby dresser causing him to yelp in pain. Ed checked to make sure I was breathing, thankfully I was but barely, and carried me to the car. He put me in the backseat by Gaga, resting my head in her lap. She cried and started running her fingers through my hair like she had once before. Bruises were forming everywhere and my right arm didn’t look right. When we got to the hospital Ed carried me in with Gaga running behind him.

“We need help here!”

He shouted. Two nurses and a doctor came running over with a rolling bed and he placed me onto it. The nurses rushed me towards a room while Ed and Gaga explained what had happened to the doctor. Then the doctor stood in front of them not allowing them to go into my room.

“You two need to wait out here while they do what they can for her. Now, is there any family we should call that you know of?”

Ed turned towards Gaga.

“Uhm, no. She hasn’t spoken to her family since she was fourteen.”

The doctor nodded and led them into the waiting room.

“You said she hasn’t spoken to her family since she was fourteen?”

He asked. Gaga nodded.

“So she has been alone for four years?”

"Yeah.”

“Did she say why?”

Gaga could tell he was just trying to make conversation but she could also see the concern in his eyes.

“She’s bisexual. She came out when she was fourteen and her family practically disowned her. They couldn’t accept it. Kaelynn has been through a lot.”

He shook his head and looked towards my room.

“She’s just a kid! Poor kid. Why would she stay with Marcus?”

It was an indirect question but Gaga knew the answer.

“Because he was the one keeping her off of the streets.”

A different doctor walked over right after Gaga spoke looking down at a clipboard.

“Stefani Germanotta?”

Gaga jumped up and Ed stood beside her.

“How is she?”

He asked. The doctor offered a small but reassuring smile.

“She is stable but her left wrist is broken and she’s pretty bruised up.”

Gaga shook her head. She felt like she could have stopped this from happening.

“When can I take her?”

“Tomorrow. We need to keep her overnight for observation. Kaelynn had a seizure earlier and almost didn’t make it. She is at risk of more seizures and many other unstable conditions. But it looks as though you should be able to take her home tomorrow.”

“Oh my God. Well alright.”

“She is awake now and you two may go in and see her.”

The two walked into the room and I slowly looked over at Gaga. Then at Ed.

“They said it was you who got me out. You saved my life Ed.”

I said with tears rolling down my cheeks. Ed nodded and held my hand.

“I did.”

“Thank you. Thank you both so much.”

“Don’t thank us sweetie. We will always be here for you.”

He said and Gaga nodded at me. She walked towards me and planted a kiss on my forehead.

“I am not letting you like that anymore okay? I don’t care how much danger I will be in.”

“Okay.”

I responded quietly. They stayed with me that night.