Can't Live Without You (Sequel to CGEOY)

Can't Live Without You (12)

Happy Holidays!

Chapter 12- Penelope's Point of View:

"Ugh," I said, spitting out the unsatisfying hospital cafeteria food that sat on a table in front of me. I put the food down and laid back on the bed. I began to flip through the channels in hope to find something that would entertain me. Evan walked through the door as I stopped at Say Yes To The Dress. In his hand was a wrapped box which had my full name written on it and a fan's signature. Evan set it aside next to the overflowing mountain of other fan get well gifts that I had received and not opened yet. "What are you complaining about now?" he asked as he sat in the chair closest to my bed.

"This food is disgusting and unsatisfying," I complained, motioning to my barely eaten plate. Evan rolled his eyes, taking the spoon I had just eaten from and putting it in his mouth. "It can't be that bad," he said. I watched his expression, waiting for some sort of reaction. He quickly spit it out five seconds later, grabbing for one of my napkins to scrub off his tongue. "You're right, that's disguting."

"I told you," I sang. Evan looked at me with annoyance as he continued to try to get the taste out of his mouth. "Now can we go get some real food? Like hm..Oh! How about burgers and fries?"

"Uh..I don't think that's good for you cause ya know you're in a hospital."

"It's not." I looked up to see my doctor, Erin Rogers leaning in the doorway. Beside her was another doctor I didn't recognize. Erin and the other doctor strolled into my room and stood at the foot of my hospital bed. "Penny, Evan, this is Dr. Tyler who is the head of the psych wing of the hospital," Erin introduced.

I cocked an eyebrow at Dr. Tyler. The word psych left a stale taste on my tongue. I never liked psychiatric wings. They were depressing and boring. And also highly expensive for no reason. If someone was mentally ill and needed help, what was the point of making the help they needed so expensive? Plus the people there weren't always the best, well the ones I've been to anyway. "Wait," Evan interjected,"Psych wing? Why is the head of the psych wing here?"

Erin opened her mouth to respond, but Dr. Tyler's voice stopped her. "Your sister tried killing herself. That is a sign of mental illness. Now that she is healing nicely, she has no reason to be in the surgical wing anymore. It's time for her to move to the psych wing so that she can get the proper care she needs," Dr. Tyler said.

I could feel Evan stiffen beside me as tears began to well in my eyes. "Are you saying that my sister is crazy?"

Dr. Tyler cleared her throat. "No. I don't think your sister is crazy, but she is suicidal and that means she needs help."

"Help?" Evan began to raise his voice. "The only reason she tried killing herself was because of those stupid people who can't keep their mouths shut and the paparazzi who don't know how to keep their cameras in their own damn business!"

Erin gripped her clipboard tighter against her body. Dr. Tyler was obviously getting fed up. "I understand that stress is an overpowering thing and it can lead to many negative things, but trying to kill yourself is a crazy choice. Your sister needs to learn positive coping skills so she can learn how to deal with stress instead of resulting to suicide. So if you could sign these papers, we can start her on her treatment," Dr. Tyler said, sweetly. I hated this woman.

I could feel a lump forming in my throat and I was ready to cry. "So that's it? People out there can hate and say shit and drive my sister to want to kill herself, but she's the one at fault? She's the one who gets cooped up in a facility by herself and no one's going to do anything about the people actually at fault? If we didn't get to Penny in time, she could be dead right now because some asshole decided to put her private life onto the front page of every magazine, article, and newspaper in the country, but do they get punished? Nope. Penny gets sent to a private facility where she's told she's crazy while those assholes get to run free continuing to talk shit about my sister!"