Chances (Chapter 2)

II.  Grief

How Devon managed to reach the hospital was a mystery for her.  She was numb all throughout the taxi ride.  She was fervently praying and calling all the saints to hear her pleas.  The taxi driver noticed how upset she was and offered few kind words to calm her. She tried to control her emotions for the sake of the worried taxi driver.  She tried to smile and say she’s alright, but inside was a riot of emotions.  She’s so worried that she almost forgot to pay the kind taxi driver.

Mr. Pied was already at the hospital when she arrived.  They hugged tightly and tried to hang unto each for support.  Mr. Pied looked as if he cried.  Who wouldn’t when you are standing near the emergency lobby, with wounded bodies passing them by.  They kept on wishing that somehow, James would not look so devastated as the other patients.

Devon was sitting on the lobby chairs, waiting for the doctor who was in charge of James’s care.  She was stricken that she was unable to notice the arrival of her friends.  A hand touched her shoulder and she saw her friends Freya and Yen.  James’s friends Bren and Ryan were behind them. 

She opened her mouth to try to explain what happened, but no voice came out.  She choked and tears started to fall. Freya and Yen hugged their friend dearly, while Bren and Ryan looked on. My James, my James, she kept saying with each word breaking her heart more. 

They heard footsteps and saw Mr. Peid with the attending doctor. 

The doctor started to explain the condition, “James suffered from a severe trauma in the head.  He was thrown forward and hit the windshield very hard.  There’s an internal hemmorage or bleeding in the head, but we were able attend to that.  We already sent him to the recovery room where he will be monitored for a while.  Once his signs are stable, he could be moved to his room.”

Devon found her voice and asked,  “Is he going to be alright?”

The doctor smiled and offered her assurance. “Currently, he is doing fine.  But I suggest that several tests be administered just to make sure that there are no serious brain problems.”

Devon squeezed Freya’s hand on the last word that the doctor said. Brain problems, so it’s not over yet.  Mr. Peid saw Devon’s worried face and he held her hand. 

“He’s gonna be okay,” Mr. Peid assured her.  “He got us to take care of him.”

Devon nodded and thanked Mr. Peid.  He is right, Devon thought. I’ll be there for James,no matter what it takes. She looked at the engangement ring in her finger.  No matter what it takes.  

***

When James was taken to the room, he was still asleep.  The doctor said that it would take a while before he wakes up.  Devon looked at James’s bandaged head.  His face and arms were covered with shallow scratches. 

Devon asked for a leave from work so she would be able to devote time in taking care of James.  Mr. Peid is more than happy to have her around to take care of his son.  He knows how much Devon loves his son.

It was late in the evening when James started to mumble in his sleep.  Devon squeezed his hand, whispering into his ear, saying that everything’s okay and she’s there.  Early the next day, he woke up and asked for a glass of water.  Devon let him sip from a straw and then he went back to sleep.  That moment pacified Devon’s emotions.  At last, he’s awake.  Even if he keeps on drifting back to sleep, they know he’s going to wake up any time soon. 

It was Saturday and Freya, Yen, Bren and Ryan was there in the hospital. 

“When is he going to wake up, this is the third day,” Ryan said frustratedly.

Bren tried to explain, “He was already awake a few times.”

“I know, but he just kept on asking for water and going back to sleep,” answered Ryan.

“The doctor said the drug could wear off today,” Devon answered. 

And as if the gods were listening,  James shifted and opened his eyes.  Freya and Yen excitedly called Mr. Peid who was having a conversation with the stationed nurse outside.  He rushed inside and saw a smiling James.

“Hi,” James smiled towards his father.  But he kept his eyes averted from the woman sitting beside her.

Mr. Peid smiled and sat on foot of his son’s bed. James glanced towards Bren and Ryan, his college buddies and did a little wave. They walked towards him and clasped his hand.

“Welcome back, James,”  Bren said. 

“Oh my god,” Ryan exclaimed. “You have no idea, how bad you look.”

James gave a weak smile and looked at the girl who was sitting beside him.  She was teary-eyed and smiling at him.  James’s forehead creased and took a look at the two girls who were standing beside the one who’s sitting.

James glanced at his father who was obviously waiting for James to react.  But the only thing that James could say to the girl was, “Do I know you?”

***

Do I know you, Devon was biting her lower lip and she kept pacing outside the room.  Freya and Yen have left already.  But they kept assuring her before they left.

“He’s just in shock,” assured Yen.  “He’ll remember you.  It’s impossible to forget your own fiancee.”

Freya nodded and tried to stop her friend from crying. “Devon you’re a strong woman. You can get through this.  This is just a temporary thing.”

I wish what they say is true, murmured Devon.  Mr. Peid and the doctor is still inside with James. They called the doctor immediately after realizing that James don’t remember much after the accident.  He can’t even remember where he came from that day. 

Devon overhears the series of question the doctor was asking James, about his address, his work, his parents names.  She sat down on the chairs outside the room and bit on her fingers. She does that when she’s nervous.  She heard the door opening and closing. Mr Peid and the doctor went out of the room to talk to her.

“Well, I think he’s suffering from what we call retrograde amnesia. In this case, the person would have problems remembering things that happened before the accident,” explained the doctor.

“When would he recover his memory?” asked Devon.

“We cannot say.  There are cases when the patient gets to recover very quickly, but ‘v there are also cases when it would take years before a patient recovers.”

“Years?” exclaimed Devon.  “But he remembered his farther and his friends. Why can’t he remember me?”

The doctor tried to explain gently, “A patient does not have to forget everything when he has amnesia. In his case, it seems that he was unable to recall things that happened a few years back.  I think that his friends were with him everysince college, so that is why he remembered them.”

“To help him regain his memory, family and friends need to be with him.  This could be very frustrating for the patientm so what he needs is support,” continued the doctor.

“James needs to undergo several tests, I’m signing him up for a CT and MRI scan.  I need to know if there are any damage caused in his brain  to fully diagnose this as amnesia. But other than that, physically he is recovering just fine.”  He started giving Mr.Peid and a nurse the instructions for the test.

Devon looked inside the room and saw James talking to his friends. He was smiling at Ryan’s antics.  Ryan never failed to make him laugh.  I make him laugh too, Devon whispered to herself.

James glanced at the door and he saw her looking at her.  Devon flashed her warm smile and waved.  He just looked at her.  Looked at her as if he does not know her.  He took his gaze back at his friends. 

Devon’s hand fell to her side and she closed her eyes. 

How painful could it be that the person you’re waiting and praying for, would be completely ignorant of your existance?  Dismiss you casually as if you never shared the same soul?

Devon glanced at the engagement ring on her finger.  She would help James remember. I would love and be with him, no matter what.