From Sleep May Come: Contemporary Romance

by Julie Miller

  The operator sounded, “What is your emergency?”

  “I, I don’t know. I mean a huge pick up truck just crushed a Jeep. And the front door won’t open. She is injured. There is blood all over her face! The window shield has glass everywhere!” The boy with a fascinating hairstyle signified. His appearance was meant to be scary but now, he was scared.

  Rachel Abram sat in the remaining position on the drivers seat. The way of the road someone would be headed who would be driving along the day, if not for her accident. The young woman stuck in the drivers seat had planned on doing some shopping while her mother marked off the food items for the Fourth of July celebration. Who knew that one seizure could lead to such a dangerous car accident. All Rachel wanted to truly do was also surprise her mother with a pink rose.

  Rachel was gone.

  The Measure of A Man

  January hit like a bull chasing a red flag. The chief of Richard Harding Memorial Ward at McMurray Regional Hospital welcomed Dr. Michael Randall with open arms. Given the certain circumstances, he was bothered to make conversation about how good life was being treated. He knew little about the doctor’s situation. The resignation sheet stated that the reason for new location listing was, “other”. Chief Sloan eased his kind manners to the new doctor on his team. Why the doctor had been moved for relocation was definitely unknown but the situation was to be properly taken advantage of. Dr. Randall had positive reviews on several medical websites. Any fine doctor with satisfying reviews would be welcomed on his staff. Michael smiled but was in internal thought.

  A measure of a man told a very long story. If that man were loyal to his wife then world peace would be possible. Loyal men gave the beloved wife’s a chance to be happy in a world full of single fish. Michael will not betray his wife. He needed to be fulfilled as a man who accomplished his goals. No, he truly did not want to move to Richard Harding Memorial Ward but he would do it to continue on the road of succeed. At least, success of his life goals in being a doctor that did not sadly involve his unstable mute partner and life would surely be fine.

  A measure of a man was based on his dedication, bravery as if he were either a villain whom concentrated on vengeance or an epic hero like Beowulf. A hero continued to be loyal in times of need for his village people. Beowulf did not need to protect the Geats. It was an option to be a hero. Battling Grendel, Grendel’s mother and the wicked dragon was optional and in the end, battles had been won. What was a lonely man to do about a personal problem. Michael quickly considered going to a bar. He could drink as much as he wanted with a side of roasted almonds but thought better of it. His last visit at the bar had paid to be one awful absolute disaster.

  “Have you ever worked at a ward that specializes in the extended care of patients in a comatose state? If not, I’m sure you’ll do goodly.” Chief Sloan said in a matter fact tone. He was the big man in charge of one huge hospital.

  “I have knowledge about it but this is my first time.” Michael said when he looked straightly into Sloan’s dark brown eyes.

  Chief Sloan nodded once very slowly as if the process to acknowledge something new was buffering as it might on a computer screen. “Please follow me. There, over there is the nurse station. As I’m sure you already know. The nurses that will be assigning you are Taylor Springs, Taylor Martinez, Dellarobria Ovid and lastly, Dovey Preston. You holler and they’re there. Okay. I am on the fifth floor. Have a good day.” Sloan hoped that his Chinese take out order had arrived by now.

  Each night meant different nurses. None of the nurses on the same floor he would be working with would stay all at once in the same shift. Nurses Preston and Ovid lefted around 2 AM. Springs went home with a tired smile at 11 PM and Martinez stayed from 3 AM to 8 AM. McMurray Regional Hospital was much different than Samuel Made State North Regional Hospital. There were more nurses assigned to him. And it was fairly bigger too of 74,600 square feet. Samuel Made State North Regional was only big at 63, 700 square feet. Here held more patients in the lobbies as well. He was determined to make the new change of environment work to his personal benefit.

  “Hello doctor.” Libby Worth invited. One of his newer patients had recently woken up from a coma as she displayed an optimistic mood.

  “Hi, Worth. I mean Libby. As you might know, I’m rather new here. So I think we might need to make a small friendly relationship. I mean… all professional, of course. Hm. Sorry about that.” Dr. Randall appointed with hesitation. It was foreign to him of how to make a personal relationship with his patients. Might he need to ask the patient about their days, he wondered. That would surely be strange for him to do. The nurse named Dovey stared at her new boss. He was making a mess of himself, acting like he had no control of what came out of his mouth. Dovey was white, about 216 pounds overweight, oak green colored scrubs with colorful butterflies design and her orange hair was cut really short and it was spiky enough to go into the air. Dovey’s hair was fierce.

  “Okay. Thanks.” Libby said as she looked to her father with a gossiping expression. She was going to be one of those patients, who talked behind people’s back. Good thing she would be leaving tomorrow morning.

  “Wait!” Libby called out hoping to be answered before the doctor ran out of the room.

  “Hm. Umm. What is wrong with you?” Michael asked as he immediately received a expression from the nurse, that said, ‘are you crazy!?’

  “Since my coma is done. And I won’t have to be in this stupid bed anymore. Can I have each of you guys write your names on my shirt? For like… a memory?” The nineteen-year-old lady asked for a quick surprise. She needed the moment to be special.

  Dovey grinned with gratitude. “We would love to, Libby. Where would you like us to sign?” Miss. Preston asked when she pointed a demanding look to her new boss, Dr. Randall.

  “Yes. I think that might be interesting.” Michael finished. It was silly to write his name on Libby’s shirt when he had known her less than one day.

  Libby’s father thanked them for the support. He claimed that his appreciation was going through the roof. He personally followed Dr. Randall outside of the room and told him he would like to have a quick chat. Michael accepted the wish, trying to keep in mind how to make a personal relationship with a patient and her family.

  He had a foreign accent. “When I found out my daughter went into a coma, her past doctor… you know, before you told me that I needed to take her on life support. That she could not breathe on her own. My wife, god bless Marinna died when Libby was but a child. I didn’t know what to do, I didn’t. If she was going to die then I would have nobody to live for. Thank you for being helpful to her. It means the world to me. Thank you.” Mr. Worth said with tears rolling down his eyes. He snugged Michael like a teddy bear. The lonely doctor felt awkward and completely out of his element. Though, the sincere thank you notice made Dr. Randall remember why he was inspired to be a doctor in the first place. No, he could not do this hugging crap anymore. Samantha used to hug him every morning before he went out the front door for his work commute when he had still lived in Colorado.

  “Okay. I think that’s enough now. You’re welcome. Have a nice day.” Mr. Randall responded then went to check on his other patient in room 317. This time an old man was asleep in his coma state. The chart hanging on the edge of the huge hospital bed provided information. Had a heart attack, felt better, rested and went home with a medical prescription and had another heart attack. Now, is in a coma. It is the particular sort of case that he desired. Simple but nothing serious enough to actually think about. Michael was not avoiding his mission to success. Matter of fact, he welcomed the new change. But it would take some getting used to. He read more on the chart that the old man had been in a coma for two weeks. Fairly new case too, he thought.

  An angry nurse marched to her new boss. “What was all that about, huh? Wow. You are definitely the way they say you are. You are a robot without any feelings. If a patient’s dad hugs you... then don’t you think you sh
ould hug him back?” Dovey said without meaning to end her question with a question mark. The devious nurse walked away and opened her mouth up like she was trying to get corn from out of her back teeth.

  Michael was slightly confused as to why his nurse just spoke to him in such a manner. She should know her place. He had the ability to move her onto a different floor. She must think about that. Dr. Randall felt no invitations to even sign a shirt because he did not want to. Though, he agreed to sign Libby’s shirt to be kind. Anyway, he did not want to sign a patient’s shirt but he figured that it was all about making a real connection with a patient so he did it only because it was a fresh start to being seen as a human being.

  Two rushing paramedics came rushing in from the elevator. They were talking very quickly. Something about a coma, life support and a car accident.

  “Hey, what are you guys doing on my floor?” Dr. Randall said.

  “Here is a new person for you, doc. Her name is Rachel Abram and she just came from a very rough car accident.” The more mature guy said.

  “Yeah.” The paramedic that appeared to be new stated with happiness. Almost like he discovered a new insect and was ready to make his way to the bank for money.

  The newbie continued, “Very rough. Get this, she had a car accident with a gas tank truck. You believe that? The truck came out with almost nada. Nothing. She on the other hand, is all marked up as you can see. She won’t wake up. She’s all yours.”

  Opening his mouth again. “She might even be dead.” The blonde young man said very quietly as in secret. He put his left hand over his mouth so that only few people who were close by would be able to hear. It was a team challenge. And he would be the winner for the world’s bravest secretor.

  Michael replied, “Hey! Don’t stay that about her. What time did the accident happen?” Michael found himself upset. And tired, exhausted but thrilled to have something to do than just wait around. He could not go home. His work commute took two subway rides. Each doctor joyfully headed on home hoping to do something not related to medicine work. However, it was always a guaranteed fact that as soon as that doctor went home, they were beeped right back for an emergency.

  “Just fifteen minutes ago.” Not letting the new paramedic talk. Brian, a much older looking fellow forced a serious grin on his face to tell his new team member to shut his trap.

  Dr. Randall appointed, “Anything else I should know?” The asking was to be considered moronic. After all, simply reading the chart would soon discover any other knowledge on the patient. Both of the nervous wrecking paramedics starred at one another, as to say, “duh”. They were rushing to get their job done. Brian slapped a heavy metal binder, needing a signature from the doctor. Michael signed his name, the two available free nurses ran over to the bed. And helped push it into the empty room with no patients in it. It was the room that was nearer to the elevator too.

  “She has cuts everywhere.” Such a bossy nurse stated with utter shock. Dovey Preston was thus far, proving herself to be rude. It was obvious that the nurse had not seen real action like this in the past. Her job was easy. Wait for patient’s to be moved onto the coma floor and do nothing except for talk badly to her superior.

  Three years had passed. Michael hadn’t received a fast thrill case like this one for quite sometime. He bit on his lower lip in amusement. To command this type of attention was a one in a lifetime chance. And it felt too thirsty. “This the proportion you were looking for, Nurse Preston?” Michael was happy to stress. But Dovey was still helping push the heavy medical bed over to room 321. No noise or rude comments to the real man in charge. The second nurse stopped pushing the hospital bed as she rushed to the nurse station to get a new medical sheet for use.

  “What do you mean?” Dovey asked with low self- esteem. She had underestimated the new doctor on the floor.

  “Now, this is real business. Do me a favor and do your job. Try to find her family.” Michael wavered the nurse that seemed to have opinions but not brains. She was wavered away with both of his hands. Rachel was now where she should be. Dr. Randall ran over to the cabinets to place the young poor thing on an IV. Where were the IVs, he needed to know. The second nearest cabinet held two clear see- through water bottles that had been very eco- friendly with plastic material that also included simple measurements. Third cabinet carries needles. But where were the IV fluids? That truck really did a number on her. Michael tried to stretch to reach the fifth nearest cabinet but nearly fell from the slippery floor. The floor had pee on it as apparent due to the yellow urine smell and awful appearance.

  With a fascinating discovery, a bigger hospital was not always the better. Hence the janitor cleaning procedures that could have had pee on the floor, gone unnoticed for days.

  Michael cursed, “shit”. A quick break was needed, go outdoors where the winter air would take him to a high entirely different level where irritations did not exist. Wife speak to me or not, be as you are even if you can really talk. Refuse to let a word slip out of your mouth. Only take your weight gain pills and treat a kids puzzle like a best friend. Leave your good loyal husband out to die in a world full of nothing. Feeling empty, being sadly depressed by going to sleep on a bed that consist of one body and not two. Shake hands til they are rested on hair, begin to braid your hair again into two separate hair ties. Do what is necessary. Be true to your roots again. Be Samantha, please.

  “Doctor Michael?” Ovid sighted in the dark room.

  Dr. Randall saw the short Asian nurse. Not normal for that kind of wonderment to be on a nurse’s face.

  “You fell asleep four hours ago. One of our patient’s parents is here. They want you.” Apparently, Preston finally discovered the whereabouts of the parents. Good. It should not have taken her two hours though. Pathetic.

  “What time is it?” Yesterday had slept by extremely fast. Falling asleep was a good easy task to perform.

  Ovid turned his head for clear way. Two nurses were talking about their pets as both sat on the rolling office chairs. Would they purchase matching outfits for their pets out of random? Instagram was offering a new getaway for pet owners. Fourteen prizes would be given out. Though, the first five winners would win a vacation getaway to Paris. The winners would be known. Clearly, thousands of motivational competitors who had been overdue for a good time out of the office as the two nurses spoke with glee in their voices. But only fourteen prizes would be won. Dress your pet in a funny matching costume and win. Butterfly bones showed on the wrist of the Asian short doctor, he had a blue electric fitness wrist watch. “Um. Let me check. It is 6 AM. You were sleeping half of the day. I came in a little early. Preston and I agreed to switch shifts. She had some emergency. I’ll go ahead and tell those parents you’ll be right in. Um. Bye.” Ovid politely shut the door.

  Mr. Abram calmed his wife who had been in tears. These parents were worried out of their minds. Mr. Abram examined the condition of his daughter. A girl with scratches all over her sleek cheeks and she rested, breathing on a support tube. A machine box had a lot of power. Michael walked into room 321 like he owned it. Pulling out his palm so that the nice parents would shake it. Yes, this is lovely. Finally, beginning a blossoming relationship with an unfamiliar family.

  They observed the hand that was meant to be shaked. Mr. Abram patted his wife’s back as she sobbed into his chest. With each sob, came a higher dramatic volume.

  Diane gathered herself as much as she could. “Normally we don’t see her at all. She took my car and had gone…” Tears and loud sobs let out more than three times.

  “Please feel free to call me Dr. Randall… or Michael. Anyway, Rachel is going to be fine. She, as you can see is in a fatal crucial condition. This machine here will keep her alive. Mrs. and Mr. Abram, could you please tell me what happened? Was she drinking under the influence?” Michael tried to ask without pushing the “it- could- of- been- her- wrong doing” attitude, after he stopped starring at the live support machine.

  “Oh, no! Our R
achel would never. We think that that hillbilly moron hit her on purpose! HE was the one drinking. We will make sure he is put behind bars. Even if it takes all of me!” Diane shouted.

  Michael stared at two policemen overtake the hospital room. “Mrs. Abram, we do not know if the car accident had been his fault. The police report states that, if you’ll like to see. The witnesses said that Rachel was driving too slowly. And when the light changed, then the truck hit her. But he has not been charged because he did nothing wrong.” Channeling his deepest voice of sincerity, the dark American confessed. Dr. Randall noticed a dizziness transform into his body structure. It was simple to comprehend the main cause for the sudden internal feeling because he needed more sleep. Being quiet like a red little ant carrying his food around a heap of grass, Michael excused himself from the policemen and the rash thinking parents. He would deal with them in a bit. Bending down to touch his toes, he thought best that the policemen had been waiting a small period in order to speak with the overly emotional parents. Good. He would not have to deal with that part of the situation. He had not even been there when it happened.