Rebuilding Paradise

 

Chapter 6:  Saying Goodbye

 

As I had predicted, we all sat around for hours waiting for any word on Anita.  The nurses knew nothing and weren’t bothering to ask.  So we sat in the dark.  Nick and Howie had shown up after a quick call from Kevin.  They paced around the waiting room unable to sit still.  As I poured myself my umpteenth cup of coffee a little girl no more than six years old walked up to me.
   

“Are you Brian’s girlfriend?” she asked me, her big blue eyes stared up at me.
   

“Um, yeah,” I replied taken a bit aback.
   

Usually only teenagers came up to me to get autographs.
   

“I’m sorry,” I continued.  “But Brian is sick right now so I can’t get you an autograph.”
   

The little girl giggled as if what I had said was funny.
   

“No silly,” she said.  “I don’t want no autograph, I know Brian’s sick.”
   

I was puzzled and extremely curious.
   

“So what then?” I prompted.
   

“I want you to keep this,” she said slipping a ring out of her pocket.
   

She handed it to me.  It appeared to be a gold plated band with several gems imbedded in it.
   

“But why?” I asked still a bit confused.
   

“Well, when I was sick in the hospital with cancer my mommy gave it to me for good luck.  She wore it when she was sick and got better.  I wore it when I was sick and got better, so now it can help Brian get better too.”
   

Right then and there my heart melted.  It was about the sweetest thing anyone had ever done for me.  Tears stung my eyes.
   

“Are you sure it’s all right?” I asked.
   

She nodded quickly and looked over towards an older woman who must have been her mom.  She nodded too.  I dropped to my knees and hugged her.
   

“Thank you so much,” I whispered into her ear.
   

“You're welcome,” she said.
   

I stood back up.
   

“How would you like to meet the other Backstreet Boys?” I asked her.
   

Her face brightened.
   

“Really?” she asked anticipation dripping from her voice.
   

“Yes really,” I said and offered my hand.
   

She took it and I led her back out to the waiting room. And that was almost the best part of all.  The good deed had come straight from her heart.  She’d expected nothing in return.  If only the world had more people like her.  I introduced her to Kevin, Nick and Howie.  It was wonderful to see her, Jenny, so thrilled.  They spent about a half an hour with her before she had to go home.  It was a nice diversion for those thirty minutes.
   

I looked up at the clock on the wall.  It was 11:00 p.m.  We had arrived here at the hospital at six o’clock.  It had been five long hours.  The minute hand had made it halfway around the clock before we heard anything. A doctor emerged from the double doors.  We all sat straight at attention hoping that he was going to tell us something about Anita.  He walked up to the nurse and spoke to her for a moment.  She motioned in our direction and the doctor approached us.
   

“Are you Anita’s friends?” he asked us.
   

We all nodded.
   

“I’m Dr. Carson,” he said introducing himself.
   

I held my breath without even realizing it.
   

“If he said . . . If he said,” I couldn’t finish the thought.
   

Dr. Carson sighed and ran his hand through his thinning grey hair.
   

“Well,” he started then paused seeming to collect his thoughts.  “She is still alive.”
   

We all breathed an audible sigh of relief.  I didn’t know if we could handle another death.  I loosened my grip on Michaela’s hand.  But he sighed again looking at us wearily.  He had to deal with death every day.  I did not envy him.
   

“Is she going to live?” I asked voicing everyone’s thoughts.
   

My voice shook a little.
    

“It’s not likely,” he replied the sorrow evident in his voice.  “She ingested an incredible amount of medicine.  The dose Anita took was way beyond lethal.  You are lucky you even found her alive.  All of her systems just shut down.  If you want to say goodbye I suggest that you do so now.  If you wait any longer it could be too late.  I’d give her a couple more hours, max.  I’m so sorry,” he finished and went back over to the nurse’s desk.
    

A couple hours my mind echoed.  How was that possible?  He had just told us that another one of my best friends was going to die.  Say goodbye?  How could I possibly?  It had been hard enough to say goodbye to A.J.  I weakly got up barely able to support my own weight.  But none the less I had too.  I’d never forgive myself if I didn’t.  I slowly made my way to her room with Michaela by my side.  I was going to need the support.

 

***

 

 

ß Back | Next à