POISE

Chapter 12

Glancing through the review mirror, Carlos could see Mary looking out the car window while she held onto Tim's left hand tightly. To his side he saw Dena still turning the sliver bracelet on her arm. As Winwood hospital came into view, he didn't miss Dena's sharp intake of breath. He didn't stop the car properly when both Dena and Mary swung the car door open and run to the hospital entrance. Tim thanking him for the ride pulled him out of the daze state he was in as he starred at the girls. Before he could reply Tim was already out the car and jogging after the girls. Shaking his head he drove the car out the hospital and back home.

"Patient Claire Mane," Dena heard Mary said as she tried to calm her breathing.

Before the hospital nurse could answer Dr Clayton's voice calling their names had both women looking at him before they quickly walked towards him.

"So how is she doing doc," Mary asked.

Feeling someone holding their hand, both women looked up to meet Tim's smiling face. In their panic and rush they didn't notice Tim till he held their hands.

"I am so sorry, Claire is in a coma."

As soon as he said coma Dena felt her whole body going numb with shock. They knew the chance of Claire going into coma was high however they were never prepared for it, how does one even prepare for such events.
Feeling her back hit the hospital wall she looked at Mary to see her sobbing quietly into Tim's chest while Tim placed his hand around her. Looking at the doc she could see his mouth moving, she knew he was explaining Claire's condition to them but all of this is lost to her, all she could picture was Claire's sleeping face. Feeling a hand on her shoulder and the Doc's face infront of her pulled her out of the shock state she was in.

"You okay," he asked.

"Yeah I'm fine."

Looking at Tim, she quickly walked towards Mary to give her a hug before they follow Dr Clayton to Claire's bed. Seeing their best friend break down as she held Claire's hand had Dena and Tim mustering all their strength to keep them both from crying. Seeing her connected to all the tubes made Dena looked at Tim with unshed tears in her eyes, seeing his stretch left hand Dena couldn't help but let a few tears drop as she hugged Tim.

"If she wakes up, I think you and Mary will have to tell her everything," he said while Dena hugged her from the side.

"Yeah, she never said it, but I'm pretty sure she wanted Claire to know she's her mother," Dena said.

"Yeah and I'm pretty sure, Claire would want to know she got a real sister all this time."

"You still gonna be here when all the shitty secrets blows up," she mumbled into Tim shirt.

"Honey I'm going to be here during and after all those shit," he replied as he hugged Dena tightly before slacking his arm around her.

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Looking up from her intertwined hands with Claire, Mary saw Dena sitting on the other side of the bed holding Claire's other hand and starring at her face.

"You look like shit," she said as Dena turned from Claire to her.

"Thanks love," Dena replied before they both let out a small chuckle.

"You should go home, take a shower and rest, Tim's here with me, I'm pretty sure he won't be going anywhere even if I tell him to."

"I don't feel like leaving," Dena replied.

Checking her watch, she realized she was holding Claire's hand for two hours now.

"You just got out of jail, you were in there for a day."

"I am coming back after I have that shower you insist on." 

"You are one stubborn ass," Mary said as she got up and kissed Claire on the head.

"Right back at you Mama," she said before she hugged Mary.

"It's okay, you don't have to walk me out, watch over them," Dena said when Tim closed the door behind her. Rubbing the back of his neck Tim looked undecided for a minute before he ruffled Dena's hair and watch her leave.

As Dena walked out the hospital, she could feel all the emotion she held in when the doctor said Claire was in a coma, seeing her lying on the bed and Mary breaking down infront of her and Tim had her quickly jogging out the hospital before anyone could see the tears that run down her face.
As she neared the hospital exit, a young girl who looked to be in her teens walked through the door holding her stomach. Dena quickly run to the girl as she saw her holding onto the wall for support.

"Help me, my father, raped me," the girl said as some nurses came running towards them, looking at the girl, Dena was pretty sure the girl's fear filled eyes mirrored her own.

Once the nurses took the girl, Dena walked out the exit door stumbling along the way as the memories she kept hidden for over a decade came rushing back.

One would think Dena was drunk from the way she's walking down the road from Winwood hospital, Carlos would've made the same assumption too if he didn't personally drop her off at the hospital earlier.
He was on his way back from dropping Mary their parents guest at her home, when he saw Dena walking or more like stumbling barefoot pass the hospital bustop with her high heels in one hand. Driving back through Winwood hospital road he hoped he'd see the three friends, the last thing he expected was seeing Dena walking barefoot alone in the night.

"Yup, here we go again," he mumbled as he parked the Mercede just ahead of Dena and got out. He knew once Dena sees him, they'll definitely start arguing with each other, he would've avoided such encounters with her on any given day, just not tonight. Her body language told him, she wasn't in the right mental state.

Hope you enjoyed this chapter;)
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