Iceman
I watched Meadow pitch forward toward the floor. I yelled her name and tried to reach her in time, but I wasn’t quick enough. Loki was behind her sisters, so he didn’t make it either. As for the girls, they were screaming her name, and the dogs were going apeshit nuts. I fell to my knees next to Meadow. I rolled her over onto her back and my thighs. Her eyelids were closed. I gently tapped her cheek with my finger as I called her name. “Meadow, babe, open your eyes.”
I got nothing. I tried again, and still nothing. Her sisters were crying. Loki dropped down on the opposite side of Meadow. He took her wrist in his hand and held it with his fingers. It dawned on me that he was checking her pulse.
“Brother, her pulse is fast and weak. I think we should call an ambulance. This isn’t right. It’s more than being upset that made her pass out,” he advised.
“Our sister would never pass out, no matter how upset or stressed she is. You either did something to her, or she’s sick,” one of the twins uttered as she glared at me. It took a second or two to register that it was Sage.
“Sage, all we did was stop her from diving off the balcony. She’s been talking, but I didn’t understand why she was saying what she was. Neither of us hurt her. I did hold her so she wouldn’t run or jump again, but that’s it,” I explained.
“Well, it has to be something. She doesn’t faint, and she’s usually not suicidal if that’s what you mean,” Aspen snapped. She came to kneel next to her twin. She had both dogs in her arms. They were wiggling like mad to get loose. Their little bulging eyes were focused on Meadow, and they were whining.
“Make them stop. I need to concentrate,” I told them before returning to caress Meadow’s face, gently tapping her cheek and then shaking her—still nothing.
“I’m calling for an ambulance, Iceman. Better safe than sorry,” Loki said. I nodded.
I didn’t know how long she was out, but the ambulance hadn’t made it there when I felt her stir. Relief filled me until she opened her eyes, stared blankly up at me, and then rolled off my legs onto her hands and knees, where she proceeded to vomit. She then crawled a foot away before she collapsed again. She was out cold.
Loki had settled the sisters and dogs until that occurred. The dogs were back to barking and whining, and there was loud chatter and tears from the girls. I didn’t blame them, but it wasn’t helping and made my head hurt.
“For the love of God, please, stop yelling and get the dogs to stop. It’s not helping!” I bellowed so I could be heard over them. I was still on my knees, resting on my heels with Meadow cuddled on my lap. I was terrified. She hadn’t stirred since she vomited. What the hell was wrong with her? Loki was at the door, standing with it open, watching the hallway. Suddenly, he spoke.
“Here come the paramedics. Sage and Aspen, you need to move over by the window so they have room to work.”
Both listened without protest. It was close quarters for them to get the gurney or whatever it was called into the room.
As soon as they entered the room, the lead guy asked all business like, “Who can tell me what happened?”
I explained she’d been talking and acting erratically. I didn’t tell them she tried to jump off the balcony. Then, I told him how she passed out and woke up, only to vomit and crawl a short distance before she was unconscious again. He asked about timing. As I scrambled to think how long it had been, Loki answered for me. I gave him a grateful look.
“Does she have any allergies?” Paramedic One asked. The other was busy checking her out.
“No, she doesn’t,” Sage answered since I didn’t know.
“Has she taken any drugs or anything? What about any medications she takes?” he asked.
“Our sister doesn’t do drugs, and the only medicine she took was Tylenol for her headache. She’s been complaining about having one for the past three days,” Aspen answered this time.
“And she’s eaten nothing she might be allergic to or taken anything that would make her sick or pass out? Has she been drinking alcohol?” Paramedic One asked.
“No, she recently got off work. She was preparing to go to dinner. The only thing she would be taking at work is Tylenol. She has no prescriptions with her. She occasionally takes a medication her doctor prescribed for headaches. She’s had them on and off for about six months. And before you ask, I don’t know the name of it. She left it at home when we left yesterday,” Sage told him.
“We need to know what the name of that is. Okay, we’ll be taking her to the hospital here. You can follow, but no one can ride with us,” he told us. His partner was standing and getting the gurney ready.
“We’re not from around here. Which one is it?” I asked.
Paramedic Two rattled off the name. Loki had his phone out, looking it up. When Loki was done, and while they got Meadow loaded, I saw him step to the door. He had the phone to his ear, and he was whispering. I had no idea who he was talking to, and I didn’t care. All I was worried about was Meadow.
As the paramedics and I passed him, he snagged my arm. “Go follow them. Be careful. I’ll get her sisters together, and we’ll be there momentarily. Stay calm. I called Bull. He’s calling Terror. We’ll have some of ours here.”
“Thanks, brother.”
“Anytime,” he said before letting go of me. I ran down the hallway to catch up with the paramedics.
The loading of her and the journey to the hospital was kind of a blur for me. All I did was wonder if she would be alright. I prayed to God, which I didn’t do a lot. It was all I could do to stay in the waiting room when they took her back to the treatment area, but I knew how this worked. I knew they’d have to work on her first.
As promised, it wasn’t long before Loki, Sage, and Aspen appeared, minus the dogs. Both of her sisters seemed terrified. After greeting me and asking if I’d registered Meadow, which I hadn’t, Loki took the twins to the window to do it. I wouldn’t have been able to answer all their questions. It illustrated how much we had to learn about each other.
When they rejoined me, I found her sisters sitting on one side of me, and Loki sat on their other side. A small hand crept into mine. I glanced down at Sage. She was in tears. “Is our sister going to die?” she asked.
“No, she’s not. I bet it’ll be something straightforward. They’ll find the cause and fix her up in no time.” I said it with confidence even though I was afraid she might die.
She sniffed, then nodded. Her head turned to stare at her twin. It was eerie, as if they were silently talking to each other. I noticed Aspen was holding onto Loki’s hand.
I didn’t know how long we sat there in silence, waiting, before the door opened and in came some of the Dublin Falls club. It was comforting to have more people we knew here. It was Terror, Harlow, Savage, and Janessa. Hellos were exchanged, and Loki introduced them to Sage and Aspen. I wasn’t capable. I barely had enough in me to give chin lifts.
The clock seemed not to move. One minute, I was zoned out in my head, and the next, I heard voices I knew. Glancing up, I saw Bull, Jocelyn, Tank, Brynlee, and Renegade walk in. We were swarmed with their attention and love. The old ladies, like Janessa and Harlow, hugged me. Meadow’s sisters were being mothered. Loki took the lead in explaining what happened and that we were still waiting.
It was all I could do not to go to the door, pound on it, and demand an explanation. I didn’t because I refused to take attention away from Meadow. I drank more shitty coffee than I wanted. Bull tried to get me to take a walk or to eat, but I couldn’t. Finally, after hours of waiting, someone came out for us.
“Meadow Lefevre’s family,” a man in scrubs and a white jacket called out. We all came to attention, but it was Sage, Aspen, and I who stood and went over to him.
“You have news on our sister? Is she awake? What’s wrong?” Aspen asked right away.
“You’re her family?” he asked stupidly.
“We’re her sisters, and he’s her boyfriend,” Sage told him. I was glad she acknowledged it.
“Is there any other family?” the doctor asked. I saw the last name Schramm on his jacket.
“Our parents aren’t part of our lives. We’re it,” Sage informed him.
Janessa had now joined us. She was smiling. “Dr. Schramm, this is Iceman, Sage, and Aspen, Meadow’s family. Iceman is part of the Warriors over in Hunters Creek. Guys, Dr. Schramm is a great doctor. You’re in wonderful hands.”
Dr. Schramm smiled. “It’s good to see you, Janessa, although not in these circumstances. I need to speak to them alone. Would you care to join us?”
“Sure, lead the way,” Janessa said. We were led away from the ER to an empty room that read Private on the door. Inside was a small sitting room. The door was closed, and we all took a seat. Dr. Schramm got right to it.
“We’ve done most of the tests we want on your sister. I understand she’s been having headaches, and her primary doctor prescribed medication for it. Do you ladies know if that doctor did any testing before he or she prescribed the medicine?”
The girls shook their heads. “Not that she ever said. The doctor said it was migraines and she should take the pills when it happened. Why?” Sage asked.
“I’ll explain in a minute. Would you say the headaches have been worse since then?”
What the fuck was he getting at?
“Yes, she’s had them more frequently. She’s had them for the last three days, which isn’t normal,” Aspen added.
“Okay, then here is what we know. Your sister’s headaches most likely were migraine-induced at first. However, that isn’t what has caused these latest ones. I can see how you might assume they were. The paramedics reported she vomited, and you reported she wasn’t acting like her typical self. Did she complain of anything else to you?” he asked.
“She’s been tired but said it was because she wasn’t sleeping. She hasn’t been hungry, and the light hurt her eyes, which it does with a migraine. Her neck was stiff,” Sage told him. If he didn’t say something soon, I was going to blow.
“Those symptoms, along with the rash we found, confirm what the testing has revealed so far. Meadow has meningitis. We’re working to determine which kind. Depending on the cause, anyone close to her will have to be tested and watched. The rapid onset and the way she passed out, we’re thinking it could be bacterial. Is she around people who might spread bacteria or viruses?”
“She’s a physical therapist. She’s around ill people all the time. Do you think it was one of her patients who gave it to her?” I asked.
“It’s possible. Or it was someone else she had an encounter with who did. Until we get the test results back on what specifically is growing, we won’t know. The incubation period from exposure to symptoms is three or four days, although it can be as long as ten. She’s being put on isolation precautions. We will admit her, and she’ll be allowed a few visitors. Those who do visit, for the moment, need to wear gloves, gowns, and masks. The three of you need to be tested and watched. Wear masks at all times until we know all of you are in the clear and which type Meadow has.”
When he paused, I had to ask what was at the forefront of my mind. “Is she going to recover?” I could barely croak it out.
“The prognosis is very good. She’s young and seems healthy overall, and we caught it early. She’ll be placed on IV fluids, pain relievers, and either an antiviral or an antibiotic. If things go well, she’ll only be here a few days. Then, she can go home to continue her treatment. After she’s free of whatever the cause is, it can take a while for her to recover fully. This is hard on your body.”
Her sisters burst into tears. They were on each side of me, so I wrapped my arms around them and brought them close. “Don’t cry. We have to be strong for her. If you keep crying, then I will, and that’s unmanly,” I whispered to them as I blinked tears from my eyes. I could hardly breathe due to the terror that she might die despite Dr. Schramm’s positive outlook.
“I know I’ve dumped a load on you, and you need time to process. Do that while we get her situated and to her room. To keep a close eye on her, I want her in the ICU. Visiting hours are eight to six, and no more than two visitors at a time. If you have questions, Janessa can find me. Are there any questions you have for me now?”
“When you say she can go home, do you mean here or in Hunters Creek? That’s where we actually live,” I asked.
“Preferably here until we’re sure she’s over the danger, then she could go to Hunters Creek, although we’d want to be in contact with her doctor there.”
“It’ll be Dr. Zara Moretti,” I said immediately.
Schramm glanced at Janessa. “Is that a club doctor?”
“She’s married to one of Iceman’s club brothers,” she verified.
“That’s good. Then I know she’ll be all over the case. Okay, if there’s nothing else, I’ll get back to Meadow. I’d say she should be moved in an hour.”
I rose and presented him with my hand. He took it. As we shook, I thanked him. “Thank you, Dr. Schramm. We appreciate everything you’re doing. Nothing is out of bounds. If she needs special medication, doctors, whatever, we’ll pay for it.”
“Iceman, I don’t think that’ll be necessary but thank you. Take care and try not to worry yourselves to death.”
His final words would be hard to do. He paused to murmur a few words to Janessa before he left the room. When he was gone, she smiled.
“Dr. Schramm said that the club can come in here if we’d like until she’s moved. He knows how it works with clubs. We tend to scare some of the people in the waiting room.” She grinned, then continued, “You take a few minutes to settle, and I’ll let the others know what’s happening and bring them here.”
“Thanks, Janessa, that would be wonderful,” I said.
As she left us, the twins broke down crying again, and I ended up in the middle of a huddle, holding them and crying myself so much for being stoic and manly.