As the ambulance carrying Seth, Ryan and the paramedics got to University Hospital, the entrance doors flung open and the workers carried Seth into the crowded hallway.
Louisa’s mind reeled as she surveyed the unfamiliar surroundings. The buzz of activity around her detached her somewhat.. She tried to talk to Ryan but the words…the sounds… weren’t there. She couldn’t even force them.
This has to be a dream. This isn’t happening to us. No, any minute Seth will wake me up from my nap and we’ll go into the kitchen and fix dinner. Something light. With a bottle of his best wine, of course.
As she tried to find a place to sit down, the noises of crying babies, impatient mothers and suffering humanity anesthetized her, much like the patients undergoing surgery there today.
Ryan, on the other hand, was in his territory. He assisted the paramedics with the stretcher, and wheeled Seth into an examining room, where Maria met them. As Ryan started to take his father’s vital signs, Maria quietly tapped him on the shoulder.
“You may leave now, Mr. MacPherson. We’re in control now.”
“I want to see this case through. I helped to bring him here.”
“I told you we can cover it. Why don’t you contact the rest of your family?”
Ryan either didn’t hear Maria, or didn’t want to. As he started to listen to his father’s heart, Maria gave an order to a nurse and then turned to Ryan.
“You shouldn’t be in here. You’re much too close to the situation. We really do have this under control. Now, if you’d just leave here, I’m sure there are cases for you to review at the front desk.”
Maria turned back to her patient as Ryan bowed his head and walked away. He understood what she had to do but he was still interested, both as a student and as a caring son.
As Louisa saw Ryan enter the waiting area, she was jolted back to reality. He answered her as she demanded to know what happened.
“Dr. Escalante and her team are working on him now. I really wanted to be in there, but she was right. All I’d do is get in the way. I can promise you she’s among the best doctors we have here. Come on. Let’s sit down.”
Ryan’s unusual lack of confidence worried Louisa. She was able to tell by his hesitation and quivering voice.
“How bad is it, Ryan? Please tell me. I can’t stand the wait. It’s agony to me,” Louisa choked back the tears.
“The first thing we have to do is to get him stabilized. We won’t know anything else until that happens. Dad’s a strong man, though. A real fighter. ” Ryan spoke in almost hushed tones. This did not soothe Louisa’s worried heart.
“Please, Ryan. Talk to me like a friend, not like a doctor. I can tell by the tone of your voice that you don’t think he’ll make it.”
As tears came streaming down Louisa’s face, she took a tissue to wipe them away. They just kept coming, and she buried her head in Ryan’s shoulder for support. As an attempt to regain her composure, Louisa tried a diversion tactic.
“Just last week we were enjoying a wonderful dinner, just the two of us. We talked about your graduation.”
Ryan managed a smile, even during this horrible moment.
“Your father and I both think you’ll make an excellent doctor. He’s so proud of you.”
Maria came out of the exam room, carrying her stethoscope. She walked straight to Ryan and held out her hand. Louisa stepped back, fearing what the doctor might tell them. She couldn’t read Maria’s face, which made it all the more terrifying. Maria looked at Louisa and then at Ryan.
Maria took in a deep breath and told Ryan and Louisa the news. Even though she’d done this so many times, for so many people, it still didn’t get any easier.
“He’s stable, but the next several hours will give us a better idea. There doesn’t appear to be any extensive damage to the heart muscle but he isn’t out of the woods yet. We are awaiting word on a space in ICU now.”
“Please? May I see him?” Louisa asked Maria.
“I’m afraid that right now his condition is critical. We’ll move him as soon as we can. The best thing for him right now is to get some rest. It wouldn’t be such a bad idea if you two got some. Ms. Carroll, it’s nice to meet you. Mr. MacPherson, I’ll see you in conference tomorrow?”
Ryan nodded silently as Maria walked away. Louisa exhaled a sigh of great relief.
“Thank God. I knew he’d make it. He should be good as new in no time.” Louisa was cautiously optimistic about the outcome. “By the way, has anyone told Patrick yet?”
“I don’t know. Someone may have gotten hold of him. I wouldn’t get my hopes up, though. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if he didn’t show up here.”
Ryan did not try to conceal his disappointment in his brother.
*****
Thérèse, feeling exhausted after tossing and turning in her bed throughout the night, waited in the terminal inside Toronto’s Pearson International Airport. Her family was with her, though they hated to see her leave. As she hugged Stephane, he held her gently, but tightly.
Since they married, they had never been apart for more than a day or two. Even though she would only be away for a couple of weeks, Stephane would miss her desperately.
Noelle looked out the window at the plane, unloading passengers from one leg and getting ready for the next. She’d hoped the detachment would dull the pain she’d feel upon her mother’s departure. The stubbornness between mother and daughter was strong.
“Cher, could you give me and Noelle a moment alone?
Thérèse took Noelle’s hand and walked with her across the corridor to an empty table at a coffee shop. They each ordered small cups of cappucino, and Noelle stirred the froth in her cup slowly as Thérèse spoke.
“I know this has been such a terrible time for you. If you don’t want me to go, tell me. I’ll understand.”
“Maman, if you wanted to stay you wouldn’t have to ask. You just want to make it easier on yourself. ”
Noelle tried hard to conceal her ambivalence towards her mother’s quest.
“I know how important this is to you, to make amends, to fill in the blanks. Don’t worry about me. I’ll be so busy with classes and rounds you’d hardly notice.”
As if she’d noticed anyway.
Thérèse sipped her coffee as they heard the announcement.
“This is the first call for flight 228, with nonstop service to New Orleans, now boarding at gate 6…”
They threw their paper cups away and started to walk to the gate. Thérèse’s anxiety was making itself prevalent now.
As they got to the gate and she stood in line, she drew Stephane and Noelle close to her for a group hug. It had been a long time since they all did this, but it gave Thérèse a certain feeling of security. No matter what happened down in the bayou, she would always have her family in Claypool to come home to.
Once airborne, Thérèse listened to her body and gave into the exhaustion which communicated rather emphatically to her. Three hours later, a flight attendant awakened her, directing her to bring her seat to an upright position. As she opened her eyes, her confusion gave way, and she gave the flight attendant a sleepy, puzzled look.
“We’re there already? I feel like we just took off.”
“Yes ma’am, we’re getting ready to land.” The flight attendant walked away.
Thérèse took a couple of deep breaths. She was nervous and relieved that finally that moment had come. In a few minutes she would be reunited with her family. Hopefully the healing could begin.
Thérèse was one of the first passengers off the plane. As she stepped into the terminal, she heard the lively sounds of brass bands and tambourines, the sounds of Mardi Gras. The party atmosphere sparked her own enthusiasm as people embraced and laughed with loved ones arriving from different places. Many of them were obviously there to take part in the Fat Tuesday festivities. As a trumpeter threw her a string of Carnival beads, she caught them, smiled and thanked him.
I can’t believe I’m finally here. After so many false starts, I am meeting my family again, face to face. It’s time to stop hurting and start healing. I WILL do this. I have to.
Thérèse was so deep in her thoughts that she didn’t realize that the terminal had emptied out. She looked around and saw only a handful of uniformed gate agents. The brass band had moved on, beads had fallen to the floor and she was alone. Why couldn’t anyone meet her flight? She’d written and e-mailed the family with her travel plans. I-10 couldn’t have been this crowded…or was it, being so close to Mardi Gras?
She couldn’t call Stephane or Noelle. Not now. This was something she’d have to do for herself. She slowly turned around and went back to the waiting area to sit down. Seeing her concern, a gate agent tapped her on the shoulder.
“May I help you?”
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