Writing Destiny lIDreamwastaken x ReaderIl

Chapter 11: Emergency Room

Sunday May 3rd, 2020

Red lights flash outside our window and the sound of sirens fill the air. It's been almost ten minutes since I placed the call. "It's alright," my mom says. Then I scream as my dad topples over. He hits the ground hard before either of us can catch him. "What's going on!" my mom shrieks.

"I-I think he passed out!" I yell. I look around frantically, but there is nothing I can do.

My mom rushes to the door. Two medical workers burst in carrying a stretcher. I have my hand over my face. I just stand there and watch as they load my unconscious father onto the stretcher and carry him outside. "You two can follow us in your car!" one of them shouts over their shoulder.

"Come on!" my mom says. I didn't even realize I was staring dumbly into space. We scramble to put on our shoes, mom grabs the keys, and we jump into the car. I jerk back into my seat as my mom slams the gas pedal. The ambulance is already moving.

I sit rigid with fear. I can see my mom's knuckles are white against the black steering wheel. The red lights from the ambulance dance over her face. I've never seen such an intense look on her before. It scares me. Everything scares me right now. We race down the dark highway, street lamps flashing past, going probably 25 miles faster than the speed limit.

My mom hits the breaks when we arrive in front of the double doors of the hospital. We are both out and running even before the car comes to a complete stop. I slam my car door and we run towards the main entrance where the medical workers have already disappeared with my father. We run inside to find an empty waiting room. "Where is he?" my mom shrieks, as we look around frantically. I'm breathing hard.

"Ms, our staff has taken your husband to the emergency room," that's when I spot the squat secretary behind the glass to the right. "Please don't panic, you are required to stay here."

"What?! But I need to see (Dad's name)! Is he alright?" my mom says.

"I understand, but we do not allow family members into the emergency room until the patient's condition has stabilized," I am suddenly overcome by a seething hate for this receptionist. She doesn't look directly at us and looks so bored as she speaks.

"No! We have to go in!" my mom says again.

"Sorry, I can't do anything, you've just got to wait here," the receptionist says, waving around one of her hands lazily.

My mom looks like she is about to explode. "Mom," I say as I reach for her arm. She blinks and stares blankly at me. She simply nods and takes a seat in one of the blue plastic chairs.

We stare at the white floor tiles for a long time, neither of us saying a word. I'm in a daze. I check the clock, 10 pm. 10:30. At one point I look over and see my mom crying. I put an arm around her. The silence in the wait room is deafening.

Finally a man in a white doctor's coat comes out. My mom and I both immediately jump out of our chairs. He has a grim expression on his face.

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I'm sitting in a chair beside my father's hospital bed, holding his hand as he fades in and out of consciousness. Mother is sleeping on the couch. We've been here all night. Even sitting here with my father as proof, I can hardly comprehend what happened last night. My father sinking to his knees. The red lights flashing outside our house. The people who carried him out. Mom and I driving behind the ambulance to the hospital. I remember Mom crying on my shoulder as we waited for the doctor to tell us what was happening. Thankfully it is curable, but it causes a lot of pain. My father has a stomach ulcer, and a cold explains his uncontrollable sneezing, an action which makes his stomach pain worse.