13. Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Thirteen
We’re out of the house and back in Charlie’s SUV in a flash. He drives across town to the hospital wordlessly, but keeps a firm grip on my hand the entire time.
I shake my head as we drive. “I don’t know how to parent her,” I admit.
“Hey,” Charlie says as he rubs my knuckles comfortingly. “She wasn’t drinking again. Raquel said she had a soda. That’s a good thing.”
“I shouldn’t have let her go out.” I rest my head against the back of the seat and let it loll to the side to look at him.
“That isn’t your fault, either.” He glances at me. “Really, Beth Ann, it’s not. She’s an adult, you have to give her a little freedom.”
I shake my head, feeling the guilt wash over me.
“She’s going to be okay. I’ve seen this a couple of times. She’ll have a rough day or so, but she’ll be okay.”
It doesn’t make me feel better. I just want to be able to protect her.
Charlie pulls over to the side of the road, seeing flashing lights behind us.
The ambulance flies by us and he switches lanes to follow behind it.
We pull into the hospital parking lot and I can’t believe how much has changed since we met here mere hours ago.
He stops long enough for me to jump out of the vehicle as Thea is being unloaded from the back of the ambulance. He speeds off to find a parking spot.
I take a few steps toward her but am stopped when an EMT slams their arm out in front of me.
“Ma’am, you can’t go any further,” he tells me.
“That’s my niece,” I say.
“I understand, but ma’am, you can’t go further.”
It’s then that I notice Raquel climbing out of the back of the ambulance, holding a cup of dark liquid.
“Beth,” she says frantically. She hands the cup off to another paramedic and he disappears into the hospital.
“I swear she was drinking soda,” she insists as she joins my side.
I shake my head. At this point, I don’t care. I just want Thea to be okay.
“Tell me what happened,” I say as I lead her away from the ambulance and toward the emergency room entrance.
“She was fine and then started complaining she was dizzy. She tried to get up off the barstool and collapsed. She hit her head and wouldn't respond to anything.”
Charlie comes running up to join us, having parked the car.
He ushers the two of us through the automatic doors.
We are greeted by a calm receptionist who directs us to the waiting room.
I take a seat on the plastic-covered chair between Charlie and Raquel and nervously begin to tap my foot, the sharp clicking of my high-heel filling the room.
Charlie places a hand on my thigh; his touch instantly soothing my frayed nerves.
Raquel notices but doesn’t say anything.
We wait.
And wait.
And wait some more.
I find comfort in resting my head on Charlie’s shoulder as we sit there. Finally, I look over at Raquel.
“You don’t have to stay,” I say quietly, so as to not disturb the other people in the waiting room.
“I want to.” She looks tired but becomes a bit more animated when she starts talking. “She’s my friend and I want to make sure she’s okay. Besides, it was my fault we were out tonight anyways.”
Charlie stands up to stretch his legs and once he makes sure I’m okay for the moment, announces he’s going on a short walk. I nod and turn back to Raquel.
“Can you think of anyone who might have done this? Or anyone you recognized in the bar?”
“We saw Jake in the bar,” she says, “He was mad about her talking to some girl named Emily. He was pretty pissed off and then all of a sudden, he wasn’t.”
My blood boils as I think about Jake, the way he treated Thea, and the possibility of him doing this. I make a mental note to tell Charlie so it can be investigated later.
He returns a few moments later with three bottles of water and some snacks from the vending machine. He passes a pack of snack crackers to me and one to Raquel.
“Oh,” I say, holding my hand up. “I’m not hung-”
“Eat,” he commands. “You had a lot of wine.” He’s in official sheriff mode.
Begrudgingly, I take the crackers and open them before cracking open the water bottle. My stomach grumbles in appreciation.
Raquel opens hers and quietly nibbles on the crackers, all the while staring at the tile floor.
“I shouldn’t have taken her,” she says quietly.
Charlie looks at her. “This is not your fault, Raquel. Both of you listen to me. This is not your fault.”
She nods as if she understands. “I just feel so bad.” She puts her head in her hands.
A doctor, clad in a long white coat, walks into the waiting room.
“I’m looking for the family of Thea Calloway,” he announces as he looks around the room.
We three stand.
He acknowledges us with a nod and motions for us to follow him. We scurry across the waiting room after him, as he leads us to a small, private room. He steps behind the desk and Charlie motions for Raquel and I to sit in the chairs.
The clock on the wall tells me that it’s well past two in the morning.
“I’m Dr. Kwapis. We found rohypnol, a common date-rape drug, in Thea’s system,” he says. “It matched the sample from the drink that came in with her.” He looks between us. “Which one of you brought it in?”
Raquel raises her hand.
“Good. Thank you.” He offers her a comforting smile and then turns to me. “Your daughter’s friend’s quick-thinking really helped us figure out what was going on.”
I don’t correct him on the terminology of what Thea is to me.
“Is she okay?” I ask.
“We had to pump her stomach to get the drug out of her system, but yes, she is okay. I’d like to keep her until the morning, at least, for observation. She’s going to feel sick for another day or two, but I expect she will make a full recovery.”
I let out a deep breath and feel Charlie’s hand rest reassuringly on my shoulder.
“She’s awake now, but groggy, if you’d like to see her.”
I nod and stand, following Dr. Kwapis out of the room. Raquel and Charlie tag along behind us as we venture through the emergency room and down a hallway. They stay outside her room as Dr. Kwapis leads me inside.
Thea is in the hospital bed, hooked up to monitors and wearing an oxygen mask. I grab the seat to her right and quietly pull it up next to the bed. I take her hand in mine and sit there quietly, running my thumb over her knuckles. I listen to the sound of her breathing for a few moments.
Thea stirs and opens her eyes. “Aunt Beth,” she says as she sees me, “what happened?”
Tears spring to my eyes at the sound of her voice. I’ve been so focused on not losing Charlie as my best friend that I didn’t realize just how close I had been to losing Thea.
“You were out with Raquel,” I begin, struggling to keep my voice even around the lump in my throat, “and someone spiked your drink.”
Terror flashes in her eyes.
“I wasn’t drinking, Aunt Beth,” she starts, “I swear I wasn’t drinking.”
“Shhh, baby,” I comfort her, giving her a smile and calling her a nickname I haven’t called her since she was ten. “I know. It’s okay. You’re going to be okay.”
She stares at me. “I’m so tired.”
“Rest.” I stroke her forehead, my fingers grazing her hairline. “Just rest. Don’t worry about anything else, okay?”
The door opens and Charlie steps in, quickly closing it behind him.
“How is she?” he whispers.
“Groggy,” I say, looking back at Thea. Her eyes are closed again and she’s breathing peacefully.
“They’re going to admit her,” he says. “I overheard the nurses talking. Just long enough to make sure her vitals stay strong.”
I nod. It’s going to be a long night.
I sit with Thea for a little while longer before Raquel slips into the room for her turn. Thea stirs in the bed but is awake enough now to talk to her for a little bit.
Charlie and I let them have their space, stepping out of the room.
“Why don’t you come back to my place,” he says, looping our hands together. He lives a block from the hospital. “Get a hot shower and rest until they discharge her. I can bring you back in the morning.”
I look at him, grateful for the man that’s been placed in my life. Whether as a best friend or something more, he’s always been the voice of reason for me.
“Okay.” There’s no use in arguing. My car is at Regiano’s, and my house is on the opposite side of Driftbay; it makes sense to just crash with him.
“They won’t let us stay all night, especially once she gets admitted.”
“You’re right,” I say. Visiting hours ended hours ago. “Let me go tell her.” I undo my hand from his and step back into the room. Thea is laughing a little at something Raquel has said and I’m glad to see her in brighter spirits.
“I don’t mean to break up the party,” I begin, “but they’re kicking us out soon.”
Raquel glances at the watch on her wrist. “Oh, my,” she says, noting the time.
I look at Thea. “I’m going to go to Charlie’s and get a couple hours of sleep and then I’ll be back to get you, okay?”
She nods.
“I love you,” I add.
“I love you, too,” she says, slumber lacing her voice.
Raquel stands and walks across the room to my side. “You scared me, Thea,” she says, a smile slowly spreading across her face.
Thea doesn’t respond, having already drifted back off to sleep.
Raquel and I quietly exit the room, joining Charlie in the hallway. I glance around and see a blonde-headed nurse at the desk and walk towards her.
“Hi,” I say, getting her attention. She looks up at me with a doe-eyed expression.
“Hello,” she says cheerfully. I wish I had her energy.
“I’m Thea Calloway’s aunt and I wanted to leave my phone number just in case.”
“Oh my God,” she breathes as she looks at me. She shakes her head. “You’re Beth of Beth Ann’s Diner, right?”
I smile and nod. “Yes.”
“Your cinnamon roll snickerdoodles got me through my breakup earlier this year.” She hands me a sticky note and a pen. “They were out of this world.”
“Thank you.” I scribble my phone number on the piece of paper and hand it back to her.
She looks at Charlie now. “Hi, Sheriff Gajewski,” she says.
Charlie puts his hands in his pockets. “Hi, Hannah.”