Untitled (for now)., chapter 5
The ambulance pulled up to Oakland Local Hospital in a matter of minutes. Tre was rolled out of the ambulance quickly, with his bandmates struggling to keep up as he was wheeled down a hallway. A new ER doctor had taken over Tre, and he was speaking to doctors as they passed. Mike was deep in thought, and only snatches of conversation registered in his brain.
"Prepare the room...alcohol poisoning victim...possible comatose...resuscitated by defibrillation..." Soon he tuned out altogether. Billie didn't say anything; he had a fear of hospitals. It was a long walk down the stark, white, puritanical hospital hallway. The two barely even noticed when the doctor and gurney stopped at a room. Another doctor had joined the party, and began to speak to Billie and Mike.
"Sirs, excuse me, you're not authorized to enter the Emergency Room. I'm going to have to escort you to the waiting room, if you're intending to stick around." Seeing their angry faces, the female nurse assured them, "I can give you hourly reports on his condition; you'll be kept informed. I can make sure of that." Mike nodded, stone faced and followed the nurse to a waiting room.
The waiting room had a few dozen straight-backed chairs, sitting on the standard, white hospital tile. It made Billie Joe uneasy, but nevertheless, he took a seat in the corner next to Mike. Their escort, who's name was Marsha, left.
"God, I can't believe this. I can't believe this is actually fuckin' happening, y'know, Mikey?"
"Me neither. I guess all we can do is sit here and...wait. This is going to be a long night."
"I know, Mikey."
***
2:07 AM; an hour had passed since arriving at the hospital. Mike was dozing, head flopped on down on his chest.
"Mike, wake up. Marsha's here." The nurse was approaching.
"Hey there, again. I've got some news for you. The doctors have officially diagnosed Mr. Cool; he's in a coma. He's not responding to any sort of stimulus, which indicates extremely severe internal conditions. He's got an IV in, and he's on oxygen. The best we can do now is wait. As far as now..." Marsha shrugged. "I think you would both be better off going home, and getting a few hours of sleep. We're doing all we can to keep him stable right now; doctors don't think his condition will fluctuate much in the next 20, to 24 hours." Billie looked at Mike, and raised his eyebrows.
"Alright. Thanks for all your help, Marsha." Mike shook her hand as he spoke.
"C'mon, Bill. Let's go give Adie a call, see if she can pick us up."
***
"Frankito...Frankie...wake up, honey..." Adrienne was hovered over the sleeping child, shaking him gently.
"Adrienne? Where's uncle Billie?" Frankito said sleepily.
"Shh...I'll tell you later. We're gonna take a little ride, but you can just keep sleeping, alright, hun?" Frankie managed a nod as he dosed back to sleep, and Adie lifted him up. She carried him to the car, and placed him gingerly in the booster seat of Tre's car.
Fifteen minutes later
"Hey baby." Billie Joe kissed his wife on the cheek, and climbed in the front seat. Mike was already settled in the back next to Frankito, who's small hand was wrapped around his finger.
"Thanks for coming to get us, Adie," Mike said quietly. The mood in the car was somber. A cloud of worries and anticipation hovered over them all, and it wouldn't go away.
"Prepare the room...alcohol poisoning victim...possible comatose...resuscitated by defibrillation..." Soon he tuned out altogether. Billie didn't say anything; he had a fear of hospitals. It was a long walk down the stark, white, puritanical hospital hallway. The two barely even noticed when the doctor and gurney stopped at a room. Another doctor had joined the party, and began to speak to Billie and Mike.
"Sirs, excuse me, you're not authorized to enter the Emergency Room. I'm going to have to escort you to the waiting room, if you're intending to stick around." Seeing their angry faces, the female nurse assured them, "I can give you hourly reports on his condition; you'll be kept informed. I can make sure of that." Mike nodded, stone faced and followed the nurse to a waiting room.
The waiting room had a few dozen straight-backed chairs, sitting on the standard, white hospital tile. It made Billie Joe uneasy, but nevertheless, he took a seat in the corner next to Mike. Their escort, who's name was Marsha, left.
"God, I can't believe this. I can't believe this is actually fuckin' happening, y'know, Mikey?"
"Me neither. I guess all we can do is sit here and...wait. This is going to be a long night."
"I know, Mikey."
***
2:07 AM; an hour had passed since arriving at the hospital. Mike was dozing, head flopped on down on his chest.
"Mike, wake up. Marsha's here." The nurse was approaching.
"Hey there, again. I've got some news for you. The doctors have officially diagnosed Mr. Cool; he's in a coma. He's not responding to any sort of stimulus, which indicates extremely severe internal conditions. He's got an IV in, and he's on oxygen. The best we can do now is wait. As far as now..." Marsha shrugged. "I think you would both be better off going home, and getting a few hours of sleep. We're doing all we can to keep him stable right now; doctors don't think his condition will fluctuate much in the next 20, to 24 hours." Billie looked at Mike, and raised his eyebrows.
"Alright. Thanks for all your help, Marsha." Mike shook her hand as he spoke.
"C'mon, Bill. Let's go give Adie a call, see if she can pick us up."
***
"Frankito...Frankie...wake up, honey..." Adrienne was hovered over the sleeping child, shaking him gently.
"Adrienne? Where's uncle Billie?" Frankito said sleepily.
"Shh...I'll tell you later. We're gonna take a little ride, but you can just keep sleeping, alright, hun?" Frankie managed a nod as he dosed back to sleep, and Adie lifted him up. She carried him to the car, and placed him gingerly in the booster seat of Tre's car.
Fifteen minutes later
"Hey baby." Billie Joe kissed his wife on the cheek, and climbed in the front seat. Mike was already settled in the back next to Frankito, who's small hand was wrapped around his finger.
"Thanks for coming to get us, Adie," Mike said quietly. The mood in the car was somber. A cloud of worries and anticipation hovered over them all, and it wouldn't go away.
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