***
Almost an hour after finding out that Valerie had passed out and been taken to St. Vincent Medical Center in an ambulance, Kelly found herself entering a deadly silent waiting room; where almost all of her friends were seated, looking to be just as confused as she was.
"Hey...sorry it took me so long to get here. The traffic out there was a bitch."
While standing up so his wife could have a seat, Dylan assured her that she hadn't missed much. "We're still waiting for someone to come out and give us any information that they possibly can."
After slightly frowning over the fact that they still hadn't heard any word from anyone yet, Kelly turned her blue eyes on the man sitting beside her; outwardly asking him what happened.
"I don't know..." Steve replied, with an uneasy voice. "Janet and I had just pulled up when the ambulance was leaving and besides the E.M.T's telling us that Valerie needed to get to a hospital fast, the only thing we could get from David was that he had come by to drop off Valerie's purse that she had left at the After Dark when he saw her pass out in front of him."
Adverting her attention away from Steve, Kelly locked her gaze on an--as-usual--quiet David.
I wonder just how much of a chewing out I'd get if I asked him if there was anything else that had happened while he was there to cause Valerie to pass out--maybe like a screaming match?
Fortunately before Kelly could open her mouth to ask that question, someone else entered the waiting room, asking if anyone was there for a Miss. Malone.
"We are!" Steve quickly replied, while standing up. "Are you her doctor?"
While studying the group of people in front of him, Dr. Phillips nodded his head in confirmation. "I am...but before I can give you any information concerning Miss. Malone, I need to ask is anyone in this room related to the patient?"
Seeing only shakes of the head, the doctor continued with: "That's what I thought...normally, we're only allowed to give out information to the immediate family of our patient. But since the only person listed on Miss. Malone's contact sheet is deceased, we can make an exception and tell the person or persons who brought her in exactly what's going on."
Without even bothering to wait another second, Dr. Phillips began: "We're still waiting for the tests results to come back, but from the chest x-rays that we took of her, it looks like your friend is suffering from a slight case of pneumonia; which usually clears up in a matter of a couple of weeks."
Thank God!
Even though she had just heard that Valerie had pneumonia, Kelly couldn't help but let out a slow sigh and slightly smile at the fact that that was all the brunette had. It could've been something worse.
As if reading her thoughts, the older man continued with: "Lucky enough for Miss. Malone, the viral infection was caught before it could get too out of hand. But because of her having leukemia, it still did a lot of damage to her white blood cells; which is the reason why your friend passed out."
After hearing the last statement, the smile that was on Kelly's face quickly slipped away; being replaced by a confused stare. "Wait a minute..did you just say that Valerie has leukemia?"
Noticing that not only did the blonde in front of him have a confused look on her face, but so did the rest of the four in front of him, caused Dr. Phillips to let out a long sigh. If he had known that they didn't know that small piece of information, he would've let Miss. Malone tell them herself. Or chosen a better way to say his last statement.
Knowing he couldn't take any of it back though, caused the older man to slightly nod his head in confirmation before hesitantly replying that Miss. Malone had been diagnosed with leukemia last year during a routine physical.
"I can't believe this...she never even told me. She's been staying with us for the last two days and she seemed fine."
Realizing that this was a hard pill to swallow, Dr. Phillips waited a second before retorting: "I'm sure she was fine. But because of her weak system, any kind of activity--where she could catch a cold or anything else--triggered the pneumonia....which brings me to my next question: do any of you know if Miss. Malone has been around an adult or child with the flu or a cough as of recently?"
Before anyone could say no, David spoke up, for the first time since they had all arrived there; causing everyone to turn their attention towards him. "She was outside earlier today."
While writing this information down on the clipboard that he had in his hands, Dr. Phillips outwardly asked: "In the rain?" Causing the man in front of him to drop his eyes down to the floor while absentmindedly nodding his head. "She dropped by where I work to talk to me. And I didn't want to hear it, so I went to leave. But she followed me instead."
"Wait a minute! So, it's because of your funky attitude that Valerie is laid up in some hospital with pneumonia?" An angry Steve yelled; causing David to angrily tense up while replying: "Hey, I told her to leave me alone and she didn't. So, don't blame me!"
Knowing that that wasn't the response Steve was looking for, no one in the waiting room was that surprised when the older man made a move towards David while angrily replying: "Don't tell me who to blame...! It's all your fault that Valerie's here."
"Well, no one told her that she had to come to California. So, the way I see it, this is what she gets!"
"Screw you!" Steve angrily yelled back, while once again advancing towards the younger man; fortunately enough being held back by Dylan. "She came here because she's your friend and she was worried about you. And now that she's paying for it with her life, all you can do is sit there and say: that's what she gets! I guess we all know what kind of friend you are."
Without even waiting for a second to go by, David--remembering his conversation with Valerie from before--seethingly replied: "Apparently not any of yours," before standing up and making his way outside of the waiting room; leaving everyone else behind him to look on in shock and disbelief.
"Asshole."
After waiting a couple of minutes, until Steve looked like he wouldn't go running after the younger man, Dylan let the blonde go and turned his attention back to the doctor: "So, uh, when can we see her?"
As if wondering if he'd regret saying this later, Dr. Phillips waited an entire minute before saying: "Follow me.."
"Miss. Malone...you have visitors."
Turning her attention away from the window she was looking out of, Valerie let out a small curse as she saw Dr. Phillips making his way into her room, followed by Kelly, Dylan, Steve and Janet.
"Hey guys.."
While looking between Miss. Malone and the four others beside him, Dr. Phillips realized that he should give them a few minutes of privacy, so he quickly replied that he'd be back after checking on a couple of his other patients, before silently leaving the room and unfortunately leaving Valerie to deal with her friends silence by herself.
I feel like a lab experiment gone wrong. Valerie inwardly commented to herself as she watched Dylan and Steve examine the IV tube that was in her arm while Janet and Kelly looked anywhere but near Valerie's wondering eyes. "Okay, I'm starting to get the feeling that I might've lost my hearing. Can someone please say something?"
As if appointing himself as the group's leader, Steve slowly replied: "Why didn't you tell us?"
A question which caused Valerie to briefly feign confusion until Kelly chimed in with: "The doctor told us that you have leukemia...why didn't you tell any of us that before?"
After adverting her eye's from the people in front of her to the IV tube that was in her left hand, Valerie let out a slow sigh. She had been asking herself that same question for months now. Why hadn't she told any of them yet?
A part of her believed that it was because she was hoping if none of them knew it, then none of it could be true. But knowing they wouldn't understand that answer, Valerie reluctantly replied: "I didn't want any of you to worry about me."
A statement which caused Dylan to respond back with: "Val, it's our duty to worry about you. We're your friends," and Kelly to add: "All of us are."
Without even bothering to blink it back in, Valerie let a small tear come down her face while she silently apologized to each and every single one of them for not telling any of them sooner. "I just didn't know how to tell you guys."
After a few more minutes of reluctantly answering any questions that the group sent her way, Valerie was somewhat relieved when Dr. Phillips came back in the room, saying that visiting hours were over.
"All right." Steve replied, before moving his eyes back down towards Valerie and questioning when the doctor thought that she would be able to return back home.
"Miss. Malone should be free to leave sometime tomorrow afternoon after we run a few more tests. But in order for her to leave, I'm going to need some reassurance that someone will be with her at all times until she gets slightly better, just so someone will be around if she has anymore fainting spells."
Looking at the four in front of her, Valerie watched on as they each sent one another inward messages; ones that she was guessing meant that none of them could afford to take off of work to baby-sit her.
I should just change my flight to tomorrow night so that no one will have to use their vacation days to stay with me. And Angie will get her wish and I'll come home sooner.
Interestingly enough, before Valerie could open her mouth to say that statement outloud, a voice from behind everyone said: "She can stay with me." Causing Steve to mumble, so only she could hear: "Over my dead body."
I guess they found out about our argument outside of the After Dark.
Waiting until after everyone had cleared out of the way so Valerie could fully see him without having to slightly sit up, David continued with: "Besides my Sunday night gigs at the After Dark, I'm not scheduled for anything else outside of the house for atleast a couple more months--I'll be there morning, noon and night if Valerie ever needs me--unlike the rest of you who have jobs and families to take care of."
Even though no one wanted to admit it, Valerie knew they all realized that David was right and that he was the only one who wouldn't have to move anything aside to accommodate her.
"Well, if that's okay with Miss. Malone, then that's fine with me."
Realizing that that was more of a question than a statement caused Valerie to risk a glimpse in David's direction while replying: "I'm game if he is."
***
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