Alexa B-Side: #19 - ER

“I love you Jenny” came through the phone, but before I could respond in kind, I heard the sound of twisting metal.

“Alexa! Alexa!” What the hell just happened? Where was she? I have to get to her? I was at a loss as to what my next move should be. I instantly called the foundation. Allison, the receptionist answered the phone. “Allison did you see what time Alexa left?”

“I think it was about 15 minutes ago. Did you try her on her phone?” Allison told me. I couldn’t take it. “UHG” I growled and hung up. I couldn’t just sit there and I raced to my car. I hopped in and started driving as fast I could towards the west. I began thinking about it. If she was going to stop at Byerly’s like she had said, I could only think of three along the way, and one was a bit off course, so I disregarded that one. I raced down 394 and the exit for the first of the two came up. I exited Plymouth Avenue and was instantly confronted by a large line at the stop light. I was getting beyond anxious as I sat there for my turn. Before long I was able to make the left hand turn on to Plymouth Avenue and my heart stopped There laying off to the side of the road was a tangled heap that was the same color as Alexa’s car. I began to shake. I found a way to pullover and found the nearest policeman. “Excuse me officer” I yelled out through my tears trying to get the officers attention, finally he turned around.

“Miss, you shouldn’t be out here this is extremely dangerous.” He told me, but I waived him off and told him I didn’t care. I then begin asking where they had taken the driver. “Methodist I would think. It’s the closest Trauma center to here.” Before he could say anything else to me I ran as fast as I could and jumped into my car. Squealing my tires like a F1 driver, I whipped around and began racing towards Methodist, ignoring the police officer waving at me. The rush hour traffic was maddening but as soon as I hit 169 south it let up a bit. I exited at Highway 7 and went crazy. I know I ran at least one red light on the short drive down the four-lane road. I hadn’t been here for a while and forgot you had to pay to park. I almost drove right through a security arm before I realized it. After driving up several levels I finally found a parking spot. I ran as fast as I could for the elevator down and began searching for how to get to the emergency room. I burst into the reception area out of breath and ran up to the desk in almost panic.

“Where is Alexa Quinn?” I asked

“Miss, you will have to wait. I am dealing with this gentleman right now.” The middle-aged woman sitting behind the desk told me. And while I wished no ill will towards the man holding his arm, I was trying to find out if part of my soul lay dying in some sterile room on the other side of the door.

“Ma’am, Alexa is my girlfriend. She was in a car accident and was just brought here! I need…” Before I could get any farther I could see fire come to the nurse’s eyes.

“Miss! I have no idea who has been brought in. If you will let me get this man’s information I will be right with you!” The nurse said sternly. It was a voice that scared me and I backed off a bit but was not ready to completely back off. I just stood there staring at the woman, waiting my turn. Finally, she turned to me and “Now what was the name?” I told her and she began typing away at her keyboard. The nurse started to speak, “Female, early 20’s, car accident. Head, chest, wrist. Trauma 2.” The robotic tone of the woman just about made me loose it, but I knew I had to keep it together. The woman looked up at me. “So, you are friends with this woman?” I nodded, trying to make sure I didn’t lose it. She picked up the phone and called someone. After a brief conversation, she hung up and looked at me, “someone will be up shortly and get some information. If you will have a seat, it will just be a moment.”

“I need to know what is going on!” I screamed. All I could think about was Alexa laying there dying and me not being there and these people would not help me. My screaming accomplished one thing, it made the woman behind the desk mad. “Miss what you need to do is step away from this desk!” I tried to stare down the woman, but knew that this was not the time or place. I slowly went back to the seating area, but I couldn’t sit. I began pacing a bit as my mind started to get under control. As I waited for someone to come talk to me, I realized I should tell Charlotte. I started going through my phone and realized I did not have her number! I could have sworn I put it in my contacts but it wasn’t there. Katie! If Katie didn’t have it, I knew she was with Danny. Plus, those two should know about Lex. I hit the speed dial. It took a minute or two but a giggling Katie finally answered. “Hey Jen! What’s Up?”

“It’s Lex. She’s been in a bad car accident.” I tell my other roommate and then begin to break down a bit. I hear the tone of Katie change from the giggling girl in love to one of a concerned sister. “Where is she?” Katie asks and I tell her Methodist. “Danny turn around now.” She commanded. “Methodist is the one in St. Louis Park, right? We will be there as fast as we can. We just came through Rogers. You OK?” Katie asked as she also gave directions to Danny. I heard the squeal of tires through the phone and it scared me a bit.

“I’ll be fine as soon as I know what’s going on! Hurry please and call Char.” I said. Katie, being the most mature of the three of us. “Jenny just relax. Call your dad, call your grandmother. Have one of them come there. You shouldn’t be alone.” I broke down at the mention of those names. I realized that Alexa was as much of my family as either one of those two. I thanked Katie and told her to hurry before hanging up. I thought for a moment and decided she was right. I went back into my contacts and called Daddy’s office directly.

‘Daddy” I said into the phone as my tears took control of me and I broke down. He instantly began asking what was wrong and I told him that Alexa had been in an accident. “Where are you right now?” He asked and I could hear something more than simple concern in his voice. It was almost a panicked sound. I told him where I was and he told me he would be right there. I started to feel a bit week and looked for a chair. Just as I sat down, a woman in scrubs and a paper gown came over to me.

“Are you with the young woman that just came in from the car accident?” She asked me. I practically screamed yes at her and began asking about how Lex was doing. The nurse tried to calm me a bit, but wouldn’t let on about her condition. “We need to ask a few questions so we can treat her properly. Does this woman, Alexa you say, have any medical conditions?” I tell her no. It was when she asked if Lex was on any medication. I got confused for a second. Was her Estrogen a big deal? I didn’t want to do anything to do anything that could harm Alexa’s chances but I was still somewhat torn about telling the truth. I blurted out Estrogen, and it was like I hit the woman, a stunned look came over her face. “Really? She’s transgender?” I could only nod my head. “Thank you for that. Your girlfriend is not doing very well right now, she took a heavy blow to her side. We will be back out in a bit, but thank you for this.” And with that the nurse moved off quickly, leaving me alone once again. I tried to call out to her, but she ignored me. I stood back up and began my mindless pacing once again.

Just as I was about to ask the nurse at the desk if there was anything new, my dad came through the door. “Daddy!” I called out as I raced to him. He pulled me into his arms and the waterworks began again. “It’s OK, I’m here princess” That got me going. I step back and growled at him “I am not a princess!”, enough to get the few people in the waiting area to turn and stare at us. I watched as a smile came across his face. “I know that, I said it just to get you stop crying. Now come over here and tell me what is going on.” My father said to me as he extended his hand and led me to a nearby set of seats. I sat down and began telling him what I knew. I told him how I had been talking to Lex when the truck hit her and how I raced out and found the car and raced here after the cop told me where they had taken her. I started to talk about her condition when I saw the nurse who had come out and talked to me earlier come from the back. I leapt out of the seat and ran to the desk. “What is happening with Lex?” I asked only to be ignored by the nurse. “Listen lady! That is my whole life back there. I need to know what is happening!” I scrammed before my father led me back towards the chairs.

Just as my father was trying to get me settled, my grandmother came walking up to me. I reached out and like she always has she took me in her arms. By now the tears had stopped. Anger over not knowing anything had taken control of me. “Impressive, young lady. Haven’t seen anyone scream at hospital staff since, me when your grandfather died.” I leaned back and looked at a slight grin on my grandmother’s face. “It might help in the short run dear, but just be calm and they will tell what is happening when they know something.” I just nodded, but I don’t want to hear what she was saying. I kept pacing around the room. I needed something. Sitting there was driving me crazy. At one point, I felt compelled to go outside and scream at the top of my lugs just to try and release some energy. Just as I was finishing that up Katie and Danny came rushing up. But instead of Katie coming up and hugging me, it was Danny! I could hear fear in his voice for the first time ever.

‘Did, did she? Danny ask and I could feel a bit of a tremble in him. I leaned back and gave him a kiss on the cheek. “Not that I know of, they haven’t told me anything. I just needed to get that out of me.” Danny let me go and Katie took over giving me a hug. For the first time, I admitted to someone my true feelings over what is going on. “I’m scared Kate. I can’t lose her. What would I do?” Katie whispered that it all would be fine as she hugged. For all of Katie’s bluster over how Lex and I act, she was always our protector and our source of strength. She knew the love Alexa and I shared and made sure no one, or in this case, no thing, would come between me and Katie’s ‘sister’. Katie kept her arm around me and led me back in, where she tried to get me to sit. I pushed her away and returned to my pacing. About the same time we came in, we notice that Char has arrived and is sitting with Grandma and Daddy talking. Before anything was said Charlotte got up and the two of us hugged. She told me to calm down and that everything was going to be OK, but I ignored her. I went back to my storming around the waiting area, exchanging looks with the woman behind the desk. The nurse from before came out once again and just as I was before I was all up in her business, trying to figure out what was going on with Lex. This time however she did not retreat into the back after she spoke with the nurse but came towards me. The woman looked extremely tired. I was unable to read what was on her mind.

“Miss Thompson, I just wanted to tell you that your girlfriend has pulled through and that the doctor will be out to see you in a minute.” She gave me what appeared to be a forced smile begore moving back to the back. I raced towards her screaming, “Is that all you can tell me? What is going on?” The nurse stopped and turned to me. If I thought she looked tired a second ago, I thought she now looked beaten. “I think it would be best if the doctor would speak to you.” This time she did disappear through the door. I raced to the door, screaming at her ‘What is going on?” The woman at the desk came over to try and tell me to sit down. I turned and looked at her and letting all the anger that had built up loose. “Back off lady!” I screamed at her, and for once she did. I banged on the door into the exam rooms one more time trying to find out what exactly was going on. This time Charlotte came over and lead me back to the rest of the group. I didn’t fight it but instead exchanged a long hug with her and told that Lex is alive and that the doctor was going to be out.

After Charlotte got me to sit down, I curled up in my grandmother’s arms. She didn’t say anything, just held me as I tried to pull myself together. I don’t know how long grandma held me. But it seemed like it had been forever when I noticed a man about ten years older than me walk out from behind the doors and walk over to me. Despite my grandmother’s grip, I jumped up and made my way over to the man. The look on his face was like the one of the previous nurse, tired. We met and he began “Miss Thompson, I am Dr. Curtis. I was the attending physician on duty when they brought in your girlfriend. Are either one of her parents here?” He asked and Charlotte came over. After introducing himself to Charlotte he began going over Lex and her injuries. “Well ladies, it’s like this. Miss Quinn has two broken ribs and a collapsed lung. She also took a big blow to her head, resulting in a concussion. We have her sedated right now, to help the healing. She may also have a broken wrist, but we won’t know anything until a technician can take a closer look. The biggest issue we had was we had a very difficult time getting her lung to re-inflate. She must have been hit pretty hard. There are some other cuts and bruises which are nothing major. I would like to keep her here overnight so we can monitor her. I am a bit concerned with the head trauma. Heads are funny things.”

“Can I at least see her?” I asked. All the anger I had a few minutes ago seemed to vanish as now the overwhelming feeling of just holding her came over me. I wanted Alexa to be in my arms and I wanted to do everything I could to help her heal. The doctor nodded and asked Charlotte if she wanted to come back as well, and she did. The doctor led Charlotte and I back into a room where we found Alexa propped up in a bed like she was sleeping. A look of terror came over my face and the doctor noticed it. “She’s fine” he told me “Like I said we have her sedated for the time being. I slowly moved to the side of the bed and attempted to smooth her hair out a bit. I gave her a kiss on the forehead and broke down in to tears. I wrapped my arms as best I could around the most wonderful person in the world who had gone through such a horrific incident. I felt Charlotte come up behind me and begin to rub my back. I spun around and Charlotte took me in her arms and held me. “She’s going to be all right Jenny.” Charlotte told me as she tried to comfort me. “I know.” I told her “but I just hate seeing her like this. It’s not fair after everything she has been through.” That is when Charlotte told me the best thing ever.

“As long as Alexa has you everything will be perfect. You are the best thing that ever happened to her. Just love her.” Charlotte said in the soothing voice. I responded the only way I knew how.

“I plan on doing it for the rest of my life.”