Chapter 5 - Bolton Inc.
Hearing her say the words, I feel my heart breaking. She can feel it coming, but she didn’t want me to hurt so she didn't say anything. It hurts so badly.
I slip back to my room and shut the door behind me. Falling back on the bed, I hear footsteps in the hallway, and the doorknob jiggling.
I lay there, face down on the bed, I can hear her crying outside the door. I myself am crying into the pillows. It’s the first time Katie’s ever cried that I’ve heard. Throwing myself off the bed, I walk to the window. Opening it, the road to the creek beckons to me in the distance. Dropping down, I dash towards the safety of the creek.
Making my way to the fishing platform, I sink down against the tree and drop my head into my hands. She wouldn’t tell me… I think to myself, sighing softly.
“Why Katie, Why do that to me?” I whisper, dropping my head.
“Cause I didn’t want to see you like this…” she whispers, slipping up behind me.
“But you know I wanted to know. You know how bad I wanted to go through this with you,” I choke out, fighting not to cry in front of her.
“Justin… I may have days… It’s that bad now…” she whispers, resting her head on my shoulder.
I wrap my arms around her, her heart beating steadily, lying about her condition.
“It’s spreading isn’t it?” I ask, rubbing her back.
She nods and I slowly let my hand brush her cheek. The rain has slowed just a little and then I feel it. The missing fourth beat of her heart. I had never noticed it, even though she said it was there. Just then, a bolt of lightning struck the water less than a hundred feet from us.
“This morning…” she whispers, her eyes closing and passing out on my shoulder.
“Katie…” I whisper. Slowly, I pick her up and walk back towards the road. She’s laying limply in my arms, her head resting on my shoulder, her hair plastered to her face from the rain. I stop, laying her down on the sidewalk, and wrap her in my jacket. Picking her back up, I look down the street and start walking in the direction I know the hospital is. The rain has dropped back to a soft drizzle and the street is slick from rain.
Walking in the emergency entrance, I walk up to the front desk.
“Dr. Owens, if you could point me that direction,” I state, lifting Katie’s head just so she was visible over the desk.
“Down the hall and take a direct left. It’s the third door down,” the nurse says, a bewildered look on her face.
“Thanks,” I toss back over my shoulder, striding towards the hallway she had pointed out.
Knocking on the door with my foot, I push it open and walk right into the office.
Jumping up, Katie’s doctor gasps.
“Oh good Lord… What happened?” he asks, walking over and leading me towards a room.
Throwing open the door I walk in behind him and lay her on the bed, pulling off my jacket, revealing her still paling face and body.
“Where has she been?” he asks, starting to take tests and stabilize her.
“She wanted out of her house. She came out to the creek with me, then back to my house. I… I left and she followed me while it was still raining. She told me she hasn’t had her meds since this morning and I don’t know her time schedule, but she’s having some issue,” I reply steadily.
“Stacie! Get me an IV now!” he shouts, and the desk nurse runs in with an IV drip in her hand. Running it through a holder, she swiftly has the needle in Katie’s arm and has the IV started.
“Her vitals are good, her heart beat is off though…” she nurse says, looking at the monitors.
“Her heart naturally skips every fourth beat.” I say bluntly, standing at the foot of her bed.