Callum & Harper (Sleepless 1)

“Um, I thought you’d be more comfortable in your own private waiting room.”

“No,” I said, refusing to step through the door. Flashes of the day my parents died came flooding my senses. These were the rooms they put family of patients not expected to live. These were the rooms they stuck you in so you wouldn’t make other families uncomfortable when you lost your shit. I’d been in one of these rooms once before. “No!” I screamed, buckling under my own weight, falling to my knees once more. The woman signaled to someone for help and one of the officer’s from earlier in Ames’ apartment helped me up, leading me into the room I detested with every fiber of my being. They sat me down on a leather love seat and my head fell into my hands. “Just tell me,” I said.

“She’s in surgery,” the woman said softly, earning a soft, exhausted sigh from me. Her hand went to my shoulder, “but she’s in critical condition.” Tears began to flow freely and my fingers tore into the back of my head. “A doctor will be here shortly to enlighten you more on her condition.” She stood as Ames came into the room. I stood quickly and he hugged me tightly as I lost control of myself.

The door clicked behind the woman, leaving just Ames and I. “She can’t die,” I told him.

The two officers came into the room and waited patiently.

I pulled myself from Ames’ embrace and turned toward the officers. “What happened?” I asked.

Ames and I sat down. “Well, we’ve been in touch with the N.Y.P.D and unfortunately their prisoner, John Bell, had escaped the night he was arrested.” I sucked in a breath. Confusion, anger, and pain flashed across my chest, thinking that I’d left Harper there alone that night. “They’ve been desperately trying to get a hold of the both of you. We confirmed that John Bell was following Harper through surveillance video obtained from airport security. We suspect he engaged her on the plane and, essentially, kidnapped her.”

“Where is he?” I asked, my jaw clenched, my hands in tight fists on my thighs.

“We don’t know,” he admitted.

“Jesus!” Ames said.

“We’re doing everything we can!” He insisted. “He can’t get very far. We’ve alerted all means of transportation that he is a wanted man as well as the media. He will not be getting far.” he paused, thinking. “Is there any place you can think of that he could be hiding?”

“None,” I answered. “He has no family and I believe he knows no one in the city.”

“Good.” The officer seemed to relax a bit. “We’ll be checking all hotel and motel establishments in the area. We’ve got men manned at every airport and bus depot. We’ll catch him.” Both officers stood and shook our hands, exiting swiftly. The larger officer stood by the door and turned toward me quickly. “We’ll let you know if there is any progress.”

“Thank you,” I told him as the door clicked behind them.

Ames and I waited for hours. Each minute that ticked by, the tightness in my chest constricted to unbearable levels. I paced the length of the room at least a thousand times, praying to God, offering myself in her place, if He would just give her back. I knew God didn’t work like that. If He did, I would have had my parents back, but I wasn’t bitter about it. That was life. I just wished He’d bend the rules, just once, for me. Though I didn’t deserve it, I prayed He would.

A knock came to the door and Ames left my side to answer it. A tall man in his mid-fifties came inside, shutting the door behind him. He looked haggard, tired.

“Mr. Tate?” He asked me, my red rimmed eyes giving away my title.

“Yes?” He took my hand and shook it. “I’m Doctor Matthews. I just came from surgery with Harper.”

“How is she?” I asked, dejected.

He breathed a large sigh, removing his glasses from his red face, and rubbing his eyes. “She’s stable but still in critical condition.” He replaced his glasses on his face. “She’s in ICU and I expect her to wake within a few hours. She’s doing remarkably well...considering.”

I swallowed. “What - what happened to her?”

All three of us sat. “Her back was broken,” he said, ignoring my trembling body, a product of his profession. “Her spleen ruptured and we were forced to remove it. She had several small internal bleeds but we believe they will heal without difficulty. I’m most worried about the possible damage her spinal cord suffered as well as her kidneys. She has acute renal failure and will more than likely need dialysis while her body heals to bridge the gap.”

“Is she,” I swallowed, “ expected to live?”

“I believe she will survive but any permanent damage can’t be determined as of yet. Only time will tell.”

“Can I see her?”

“Not yet.” He glanced at his watch. “It’s close to two in the morning now. ICU visiting hours quit after nine, you won’t be allowed back into ICU again until the morning. She’ll be asleep anyway. I suggest you get home, get some rest and come back here bright and early.”

Doctor Matthews stood to leave. “Thank you, Doctor Matthews,” I said, taking his hand.

“Of course,” he said, his eyes softening. “I’d say she is nothing short of a miracle, son.”

“I already knew that,” I said, a small smile touching my lips. He smiled back and shut the door behind him.

“She’s going to live, Ames.”