VERSUS (Second Chances 2)

“I’m Dr. Noelle Sufford.” Noelle rakes a hand through her hair. “I’m here to see a patient. Eden Conrad.”

The woman taps on a keyboard in front of her. She pecks away with one finger. “Yes. Ms. Conrad is here.”

“Where?” I blurt out.

The woman behind the desk looks up at me. “She’s under the care of one of our physicians. If you have a seat, I’ll have the doctor come speak to you.”

“What’s the attending physician’s name?” Noelle looks down a long corridor. People dressed in green scrubs and white lab coats are darting in and out of doorways.

“Dr. Joy Yelena.”

Noelle points at a phone on the woman’s desk. “Please let her know that Dr. Noelle Sufford is here waiting to speak to her.”

The woman gives her a nod.

“Do you know Eden’s doctor?” I ask, hoping that Noelle has enough influence to get us in front of Eden as soon as possible.

She offers me a small smile. “We’ve met. Let’s sit and wait.”

I follow her to a row of plastic chairs and take a seat next to her. “She needs to be okay.”

Noelle’s hand lands on my shoulder. “She’s the strongest person I’ve ever known. I have faith that she’ll come through this.”

She has to. I can’t live the rest of my life without her.

***

Dr. Yelena’s gaze is trained on Noelle’s face.

She’s explaining Eden’s condition to her in terms I don’t understand.

I listen intently, tuned in to words I recognize.

They are few and far between.

Tired of waiting for their discussion to end, I interrupt. “Is Eden going to be all right? Can I see her?”

Dr. Yelena looks directly at me for the first time. “Who are you?”

Noelle stutters out a non-answer. “Eden and…they went to high school…but they have something now…I don’t know how…”

I let out a deep breath. “I love her.”

Noelle gasps. “You love her?”

I look over at her. “Deeply.”

Her eyes widen. “Does she know that?”

“She will.” I turn my attention back to the doctor. “As soon as I’m allowed in to see her, she’ll know how much I love her.”

Dr. Yelena nods. “I’ll make that happen as soon as I can. We’re running tests. Give me some time.”

“Is she conscious?” Noelle asks, her voice wavering.

“She is.” Dr. Yelena steals a glance over her shoulder to the corridor. “I need to get back to her. I can tell you that she’s awake. She’s disoriented and in pain. When I have an update, I’ll be back.”

I turn to Noelle when the doctor walks away. “Is she going to be all right?”