by J. G. Sumner
“All right, continue bagging her until we can make sure this ventilator works. In fact, how about we just get a new one? We need to make sure this one hasn’t been tampered with in any other way.”
The respiratory therapist who found the machine unplugged rushed out of the room. Josh walked up to Laney. Her once-mottled and dusky skin had returned to a normal pinkish color. Laney was getting adequate perfusion of all her organs. Josh fought back the tears that threatened to cascade down his face. Now that she was stable, he needed to find out what had happened.
“Who was watching Laney while you were getting her medications?”
“The nurse with the patient in the next room was supposed to be keeping an ear out. Her patient woke up and started screaming, so she had to run in there and make sure he was okay.”
Josh paused and thought about the next question. “How long were you gone? I mean really. It took her several minutes to get to the point where she was in asystole! What were you doing?”
Lynn shifted her weight back and forth on her feet. She was doe-eyed looking as though she were caught in headlights. “I-I’m sorry, Doctor. I took the opportunity to go to the restroom while someone else was watching her. I thought it would be okay.”
Josh clenched his jaw and pursed his lips. It wasn’t Lynn’s fault this had happened to Laney, but he certainly wasn’t happy. “We talked about this yesterday. You were supposed to be extra vigilant between the hours of three and four!”
“I’m sorry. She was doing just fine. I arranged for someone else to watch her. I was only gone a few minutes.”
Josh paced across the room. He pulled his hands through his hair. His jaw was tight and his shoulders were knotted. He had to regain control of himself. The last thing he needed to do was unload his frustrations on this poor nurse. He was just as mad at himself for not being here.
The respiratory therapist rolled the new ventilator through the doors. He plugged the machine into the wall causing it to alarm. He pressed a few buttons and input Laney’s previous settings. “The machine is ready. Do you want me to hook her up to it?”
“Yes!” Josh wanted so desperately to wake Laney up and take her off all the machines. But her body needed to rest before a bit longer. Rushing her along was not going to help anything.
“Give Laney a five cc bolus of Propofol. I want her well-sedated the rest of the night.” Josh walked out to the nurse’s station. He picked up the phone on the desk and dialed the number for Dr. Russell who answered on the second ring. Josh filled him in on the unpleasant events that occurred and returned back to Laney’s room. Mostly everyone was gone except for Lynn and the respiratory therapist. Josh stared at the monitor, double-checking everything to ensure he wasn’t missing anything. He sat on the chair next to Laney’s bed and picked up her hand before he rested his forehead on the bed.
“What’s going on with you? Who would unplug your ventilator?” Josh sorted through the various scenarios racing through his mind. For the life of him, he couldn’t figure out what was going on. Why the tachycardia, why the unplugged ventilator? Who wanted Laney dead?
“Was the housekeeper in here earlier? Maybe she accidently unplugged the machine?”
Lynn looked up from her computer screen. “No, Doctor. She came through at the beginning of my shift. Besides, she went home early. We don’t have a lot of patients on the unit, and she had finished cleaning everyone’s room. Her supervisor sent her home.”
Josh wanted it to be an accident that the ventilator had come unplugged. He wanted to be able to blame it on the housekeeper and not malicious intent. Unfortunately, Josh was back at square one. Who could get in here without being noticed? What if it is one of my ex-girlfriends who works here? Would they be so crazy as to do something like this?
“Did you notice anyone else come in this room before all of this happened? Any staff members?”
“No. It’s just been me the entire night except for when you were in here earlier.”
“Okay, thanks.”
For the love of God! Josh couldn’t wrap his mind around everything. He had to find who was responsible. He couldn’t wait any longer.
Josh pulled his cell phone from his pocket. He had Detective Neal’s phone number programmed into it, and he dialed. He glanced at his watch and noted it was five in the morning. Detective Neal wouldn’t answer his work phone. Josh wanted to leave a message while the details in his mind were fresh.
When he finished his message, he sat and rested his head next to Laney. The humming of the machines and the warmth of her body relaxed him, allowing Josh to drift off to sleep.
Chapter 30
Josh
Josh’s body was jolted from side to side.
“Wake up.”
He slowly opened his eyes and lifted his head. The kinks in his neck were becoming more debilitating with each night he spent hunched over Laney’s bed. If he had to sleep in her room any longer, he would have to find some sort of recliner or cot to sleep on. With any luck, though, this was the last time he’d have to stay.
“Good morning, sunshine.” Peyton stood over him with a smile from ear-to-ear.
Josh rolled his shoulders trying to work out the kinks. “You’re here today. I thought you weren’t working for a couple of more days.”
“Well, this is the day my best friend is supposed to wake up. I didn’t want anyone else taking care of her. I put in a special request last night to be her nurse.” Peyton was especially jubilant for this time of the morning.
“I assume there haven’t been any more issues with her heartbeat.” Josh studied the monitor.
“What do you mean?” Peyton’s brow furrowed and she shifted her head sideways.
“Didn’t Lynn share the report? You know about her respiratory arrest?”
“What? No! She didn’t say anything! She seemed to be in a rush to leave. Oh my God! What happened?” Peyton’s hands were shaking as she placed them over her mouth.
Josh stood up, rolling his neck from side to side. “What do you guys tell each other in the report anyway? It seems like that would be something pertinent you’d want to pass on to one another.”
“Just tell me what happened!”
Josh related the events of the morning. “Someone was definitely trying to harm her.”
“Wh-who? Why?”
“I don’t know. I thought maybe the housekeeper did it unknowingly, but she went home early. I was thinking it may have been the stalker.” He sighed. “I’m beginning to think you are right. It may be an ex-girlfriend. That’s the only thing that makes sense. Who else could get up here to Laney’s room without being noticed? I checked with security, and they couldn’t find anyone entering the ICU through the main visitor entrance between two and five in the morning. It has to be someone who knows the back elevators and stairwells that don’t have the security cameras.”
“A nurse who works in the hospital and looks like they belong here,” Peyton recited in unison with Josh. “Do you have any inkling of who it could be?”
“Not really. I mean I gave a couple of names to the detective, but I haven’t heard anything. What time is it?”
Peyton looked at her watch. “It’s about eight-thirty. I’m a little surprised no one else has shown up yet. I thought for sure Laney’s parents would be here.”
“Yeah, me too. Maybe they’re having issues with the movers.”
“Oh, yeah! I spoke to Laney’s mom yesterday. I can’t believe they changed their minds about moving her back. That’s wonderful news!”
Josh tried to sound upbeat. “It’s almost too good to be true. They actually sat down and attempted to get to know me. It really surprised me.” He rubbed his eyes trying to get the sleep out. He really did need to get a good night’s rest. The lack thereof and the stress were definitely taking their toll.
“I’ve always thought Eileen loved Laney in some twisted way. She was so controlling, manipulative, and spiteful. It just made her appear so evil. I don’t think she even realized it. I
’m not sure what changed her mind. It’s a good thing she did before Laney found out. Otherwise, I don’t know if she would’ve ever talked to her mom again.”
“We’ll have to see how things play out. I’m sure Laney won’t be thrilled about having been moved out of her apartment.”
“Geez, I hope I’m not the one who has to break that news to her.” Peyton cringed.
“The next few hours should be interesting.”
“Hmmm hmmm.” Josh turned to find Dr. Russell standing in the doorway. “Am I interrupting?”
“No, come on in. We’re just discussing how surprised we were that no one has shown up yet.”
“I’m sorry. I’d planned on being here much earlier. I had an emergency with one of my other patients.”
“No worries. It gave me time to get a couple of hours of sleep.” Josh rubbed his neck. No matter how hard he tried, the tightness refused to surrender its hold.
“Were there any more episodes since last night?” Dr. Russell pushed some buttons on Laney’s ventilator.
“No, she’s been stable. No other issues. She’s doing well.”
“How’s the urine output?”
Peyton happily provided the good news regarding Laney’s kidney function. “She’s putting out urine at about a rate of one hundred cc per hour. Her labs all look good. Her BUN is twenty-five and her creatinine is point eight. I’ve brought her to an even fluid balance with the dialysis machine. She seems to be right on track for coming off the dialysis today.”
Dr. Russell and Josh exchanged a look and quiet approval.
“Great job!” Dr. Russell complimented. “It looks as though she’s ready to fly. I saw Dr. Arnold out there. Let me see if I can get this show on the road.” Just as Dr. Russell had turned to leave, Laney’s parents sauntered into the room, refreshed and smiling.
“Good morning.” Herb nodded to Peyton. “How’s my lovely daughter doing?”
Dr. Russell was the first to speak up. “She looks great. I was just going to find Dr. Arnold and see if we can get her off the dialysis.”
“That’s wonderful!” Eileen squealed.
“I believe Dr. Stone has something he wishes to tell you. In the meantime, I’m going to see if we can get this show rolling.” Dr. Russell left the room.
Josh turned to find both Eileen and Herb staring at him. His nerves were suddenly on edge. His stomach was tying itself in knots. Josh took a couple of deep breaths to steady himself.
“Well, what do you need to share with us, Josh?” Eileen asked skeptically. Her smile had disappeared.
Josh cleared his throat and gave a recap of the night’s events. Herb and Eileen appeared to take the news well…until Josh told them about the CPR. Their expressions turned from shock to alarm, and finally to fear. Josh waited with bated breath for them to say anything.
Eileen crossed her arms and used one to cover her mouth. “What caused that to happen?”
She was surprisingly even-keeled about the situation. She wouldn’t be after she heard the rest of the story. Nervousness coursed through his veins. Josh inhaled deeply. He took a second to mentally put his big boy pants on, then straightened his posture. “Someone unplugged her ventilator. She couldn’t breathe on her own due to all of the sedation she’s receiving. When she stopped breathing, her heart rate slowed and eventually stopped.”
Eileen pursed her lips. “Who unplugged her ventilator?”
“We don’t know. We’ve ruled out the housekeeper or any of the people directly caring for her.”
“Where was the nurse when all this happened?” Eileen’s gaze shifted to Peyton.
“She had stepped out to get Laney some of her scheduled medications. Another nurse was supposed to be watching Laney, but she was pulled away to care for her own patient.”
“Who has access? Who would’ve done it?” Herb gasped.
“I’m not sure. At that time of night, I’d think it could only be someone who works within the hospital. As you’re aware, it’s not easy to get in here. The staff has to buzz you in unless you have a badge. I left a voicemail with Officer Neal.”
Eileen was silent. She held on to the back of the chair before she slowly paced the room. “You would think he’d be right on it. I mean it sounds like someone was trying to kill my daughter. If it weren’t for all of you, she’d be dead.” Herb reached for his cell phone. “I’m calling him myself. I want some answers, and I want them now.”
Just as Herb started to dial, Dr. Russell and Dr. Arnold entered all smiles. Their smiles faded as soon as they saw the look on Herb and Eileen’s faces. Josh updated the men on what had happened. Dr. Arnold nodded. “While I understand your urgency for wanting to get hold of the detective, I wanted to first inform you that your daughter is ready to come off the dialysis machine. Dr. Russell and I also feel she’s ready to wake up once we stop it.”
Herb and Eileen forced a smile. The good news was bittersweet in comparison to the information they had just received. “Are we sure she’s ready?” Eileen inquired.
“Yes, I believe she is. She had the brief setback last night. I don’t think it’s any reason to keep her sedated.” Dr. Arnold walked over to the dialysis machine and whispered some instructions to Peyton. She smiled happily as she began to shut it down.
“It should just take a few minutes to get everything removed. Once that’s done, we’ll wait a little bit to turn off her sedation. I want her body to adjust to being off the dialysis and make sure her vital signs are stable.”
“How are her kidneys?”
“It looks as though they are going to make a full recovery. There should be no long-term damage. I believe the worst is over.”
Herb sighed. His previously forced smile now lit up his face, allowing his eyes to twinkle just as Laney’s did when she smiled. Eileen had tears in her eyes as she wrapped her arms around Herb. “Thank God.”
“If you don’t have any more questions, I’m going to round on my other patients. I’ll stop by later to check on Laney.”
“No, sir. Thank you very much.” Herb stuck out his hand to shake Dr. Arnold’s.
Josh brushed the hair off Laney’s forehead and kissed the tip of her nose. “Everything’s going to be okay, baby. I can’t wait for you to open those beautiful green eyes of yours. I’ve missed you so much.” Sobs exploded from Josh’s chest. His entire body shook. All the fighting with Herb and Eileen and the stress of Jillian and Laney had finally taken over Josh’s body and was screaming for a release. Josh never cried, let alone in public. This past week had changed him. His life had spiraled out of control. The two women he loved most were fighting for their lives and his hands were tied. All he could do was watch as the events unfolded before him. Josh’s heart was broken, his pain visceral. His gut-wrenching display of emotion left everyone frozen in place unsure of what to do.
Peyton placed a hand on Josh’s back. A few more guttural sounds escaped from his lungs before he wiped his eyes and straightened up.
Josh squeezed Peyton’s shoulder. “Thank you. I’m sorry. I don’t know what came over me.” Josh picked up Laney’s hand and brought it to his lips. “I love you, baby.”
Silence blanketed the room. No one dared to move. Josh and Laney were the center of attention.
Finally, Dr. Russell broke the awkward silence. “With any luck, you should be talking to your daughter by the end of the day. I don’t want you to tax her too much. She’s still needs plenty of rest. Once we wake her up, we’ll change the ventilator settings which will allow her to breathe on her own. As long as she does well at that, we should have her off the machine this afternoon.”
“Sounds good. I have to ask again, are you sure we aren’t moving too fast?”
“Yes, absolutely. Laney is doing much better. Also, I have some other good news for you.”
Eileen wiped the tear that had fallen down her face at the sight of Josh with Laney. “What’s that?”
“I’ve found an accepting physician in St. Louis. If everythin
g goes right, Laney could be transferred in the morning.” Eileen glanced at Josh as the corners of her mouth formed a smile.
“Wow, that’s great news! Right, Herb?”
Herb flashed Eileen the stink eye. “Doctor, we appreciate you doing this. However, my wife and I may have had a change of heart. I think we may need to talk to our daughter about this. Do you think she would be up for it this evening?”
Dr. Russell paused. “I wouldn’t see why not. Just don’t get her worked up. It’s important she stays calm and continues to rest.”
“We’ll do our best. Right, Eileen?”
Eileen nodded unconvincingly as Josh played with Laney’s hair. He didn’t care what Eileen thought or did. Laney was going to wake up and that’s all that mattered.
“I think after last night’s events, we may want to consider transferring immediately. I’m not saying we should necessarily transfer her to St. Louis, but I think we should get her to a hospital where we won’t have to fear for her life!”
Josh’s eyes met Eileen’s from across the room. They bore into her soul, forcing her to catch her breath. He squinted his eyes into a glare and furrowed his brow. The woman had no limits to the pain and hurt she could cause. “Eileen, Herb, if you don’t mind me suggesting…we could place a guard in front of Laney’s room. No one will get in unless they’re authorized.”
Eileen smirked; daggers formed in her eyes. She straightened up, squared her shoulders and readied herself for battle. “I’m sure that would fit into your plans well, wouldn’t it, Josh? Everything would be perfect for you. Your girlfriend would be just where you want her. Well, let me tell you, that’s not what’s best for her. She needs to leave all this behind.” Eileen waved her arm through the air as she included Josh in what needed to be left behind. “She doesn’t need to worry about her boyfriend being a man-whore and all his crazy ex-girlfriends coming after her. She needs to have a life without all this drama. A life where we can provide her the stability she needs.”
Josh’s jaw was as tight as a vice grip. Veins popped out of both sides of his head. His fist clenched and unclenched as he ground his teeth. “You have a lot of nerve, lady! You walk in here determined to take over Laney’s life to get back something you lost. Never once have you put Laney’s wants or needs before your own. You are selfish and narcissistic! If you would just take minute to look around you and see how many people love your daughter and want nothing more than to protect her and make her happy, you might realize that hiding her away in some house in the middle of nowhere will do nothing but upset her. I know what Laney wants and it’s certainly not moving home with you! Now you can either get on board and help her recover, or I will make damned sure she knows what a conniving and meddling person you really are if she hasn’t figured it out already!”