Date: Sun, 28 May 2000 14:41:23 -0700 (PDT) From: Jay Chords Subject: Deceiving Secrets - 3 Hello Hello Hello! Welcome to an exciting new chapter of Deceiving Secrets...*snores* :) Anyways, hello how are you? what'cha doing? oh, that's cool. :) lol. Oy, I'm an idiot. Disclaimer: yadda yadda yadda yadda yadda. *Bor-RING* hello? hehe that was corny. So........send any comments, questions, or hateful letters to: chords4@yahoo.com You know you wanna...come on...awwww...come on! Hehe. PEER PRESSURE! Like I said, I'm an idiot. So, hope you enjoy and don't forget to e-mail me! (I'll love you forever if you doooo) -Jay Chapter 3 Jeremy didn't remember the drive to the hospital, only bursting through the doors and demanding to know where she was. The same nurse who had called, a Nurse Libby, tried to calm him down. "Where is she? Where the hell is Mica?" he demanded again. "Sir. Please, if you will just calm down, I can explain what happened," Nurse Libby said softly, smoothly. Jeremy allowed her to ease him into a chair, his brain working a mile a minute. "You don't understand, nurse, she's all I've got left." "Are you her boyfriend?" Jeremy couldn't help but chuckle. "No, just her best friend, or at least she's mine." "Well you and a," she checked her chart, "Brian Little were the only ones listed on her contact sheet. It appears she's been here before." Jeremy nodded. "Surgery on her heart and kidney's." Nurse Libby sighed. "Please, just tell me what's wrong with my Mikey." Nurse Libby chuckled at the much used nickname. "Mica was brought in about two hours ago. Luckily, the little girl," she checked her chart again. "Daisy Owens wasn't hurt in the crash. The other driver, however, hit the drivers' side with a brute impact." "Where's Daisy than?" Jeremy was concerned for his friend's niece. "She's getting tested for any injuries just in case. The poor kid is in shock. You can see her later, once her mother arrives. As I was saying, the driver in the other car was drunk and had gone through a red light at 55 miles per hour. The impact of the hit, shredded the exterior of the vehicle and may have paralyzed, Mica." Jeremy stiffened. His best friend, confined to a wheel chair for the rest of her life. "Jeremy!" Mica groaned from the chair. "Yes dear?" he snickered. She slapped his arm playfully. "Let me walk, please?" she pleaded. "No, doc said you had to be in this thing for at least a week." "I hate this," she grumbled. "I hate not having any freedom. I'm already shorter than everyone else, why do I have to be even smaller?" Mica would hate that, Jeremy thought to himself. "Where is she now?" he inquired, almost scared of the answer. "Well, her body is still in shock. Several shards of glass are imbedded deep under her skin and will be placed in surgery immediately. There is a fear that one may have struck an artery, or God Forbid, her heart. I can't tell you much, Mr. Gavitts. Just pray for her; the doctor's can do what medical science has allowed but the rest is left to him." Nurse Libby pointed to the ceiling. Jeremy nodded. "How long do you think the surgery will last?" "Hours at the very least." Jeremy sighed. "Is there a church, or something around here?" Nurse Libby nodded. "2nd floor, second door to the left. Can't miss it. Say hello to the big guy for me." Jeremy nodded his thanks and left the waiting room. Tripping over his own feet, his vision clouded with unshed tears. Jeremy found the pair of double doors and burst through them. To his luck, no one else was present. He fell to the ground and sobbed. "By the way," he sniffled. "Nurse Libby says 'hi'." He felt more sobs shaking through his frame, but he forced himself to stand up and decent to a pue and not take up the aisle. His sobs became low sniffles and soon those low sniffles became just stray tears, streaming down his pale face. He stared at the stain glass. Ever since he was a child, those stain glass windows had seemed like the most beautiful creation. Jeremy felt a hand on his shoulder, he shook it off in response. "Mind if I join you?" it asked. Jeremy just shrugged. The body knelt down beside him and clasped his hands together. Jeremy listened as the boy began to pray. "Dear God. Please bring Mica Nibb through the night. She means so much to me and I think the gentlemen sitting next to me, as well. She has not done anything to deserve such an early death. You have guided her so true through her few short years. Please, allow us to join in those years, together as before. Please God, bring our Mikey back to us. Amen," he whispered and turned toward Jeremy. He felt tears coming to his eyes once more. Just someone else calling his Mica his loved nickname for her, seemed to bring more pain. "That was beautiful," Jeremy choked out. "You're Jeremy, right?" he nodded. The youth chuckled. "Mica talks about you a lot. I'm Brian." Jeremy absentmindedly shook the man's hand. He didn't recall Mica ever talking about a Brian, but he ignored what smartass comment he wanted to make. "Nice to meet you," he choked out in reply. Jeremy wasn't aware of how long the two had been sitting there until Nurse Libby came rushing into the little church. "Mr. Gavitts?" Jeremy's head snapped up. "Yes?" "Come with me please," Jeremy got up on unsteady feet and followed his new 'friend.' She explained the situation involving Daisy. She had a few stitches on her temples but that was all the known damage besides a possible concussion. "Apparently, her mother and father are out of town and she was staying with Mica, right?" Jeremy nodded. "They were going to a Backstreet Boys concert together, tonight." Nurse Libby continued. "Because of Mica's condition Daisy has been placed under your care at her request." He had only met the little girl on five occasions but the two held a simple bond that connected them. "Can I see her?" Nurse Libby nodded. "She's checked into the hospital, we'd like to keep her here over night but you're welcome to see her." "Thank you, I would." "Follow me," she instructed and led him down one twisting hallway after another. "Do they make these hallways like this on purpose?" Jeremy closed his mouth quickly, once again, his mouth had gotten the best of him. To his relief, Nurse Libby chuckled. "I don't know but it took me a month to get used to them and find my way around." Jeremy smiled at her airy ways as they stopped in front of a door. "Go ahead in." Jeremy thanked her and walked into the room. He knocked softly to get Daisy's attention. "Dae? Where's my little Daisy flower?" he saw her lying on the bed, her face full of fear. "Hi, Uncle Jay," she smiled. She had begun to call him that after he declaration of naming her 'Daisy Flower'. "How are you feeling, honey?" he asked, taking her hand and squeezing it. "I'm scared, Uncle Jay." He saw the tiny tear roll down her cheek and quiver at her lip. He brushed it away and kissed her cheek. "Everything is going to be okay. You're fine. Just a few little stitches is all. They'll heal, sweetie." Daisy shook her head. "Not for me, for Aunt Mica." Jeremy was truly shocked at this mention. This tiny eleven-year-old girl was lying in a hospital bed, shaken with terror for her aunt. "Aunt Mikey is going to be fine, Daisy Flower," Jeremy wasn't sure if he was comforting the little girl or himself. "Are you scared Uncle Jay?" Could he tell this little angel the truth? He bit his lip. "Do you want the truth?" Daisy nodded. "I'm terrified, Daisy Flower. But don't you worry. The doctor's here are wonderful and they'll fix up Aunt Mikey as good as new." This seemed to satisfy the little girl as her eyelids began to droop with on coming sleep. "I love you, Uncle Jay," she whispered. "I love you too, Daisy Flower." Jeremy was pacing back and forth in the waiting room, a cup of coffee in his hands. He had vowed not to sleep until Mica was brought out of surgery. He looked at his watch, pleading with his eyes to focus, 8: 37 am. They had been in surgery all night and well into the morning. Needless to say, Jeremy was terrified that they wouldn't be able to fix the damage. The hand that landed on Jeremy's shoulder almost caused him to spill the coffee onto his shirt, from the amount of coffee he had consumed and from the pain that spread through his body. What was it with people and touching his right shoulder? "Sorry, man," the voice said. "It's okay. I'm just a little jumpy, that's all." "I can tell. You okay?" Jeremy just nodded. "Waiting for a friend to get out of surgery." He felt the body shift as the being nodded. "Same, well she's not a friend of mine but she's a friend of a friend. Kind of makes her family." He just nodded in agreement, not sure what to say to this stranger. "I'm Nick," the man stuck out his hand. "Jeremy," he said flatly and took the hand. "Who's you're friend?" Nick asked him. Was that concern that Jeremy read in his voice? "Mica." "Oooohhhhh," Nick giggled. Jeremy glared at the youth as he heard the growl that came from deep in his throat. "Whoa, chill man, I didn't mean that. I meant that it seems that we're waiting for the same person to come out of surgery." Jeremy just nodded again and went back to being silent. Who were these people? Jeremy was alone again, for longer he hoped. He was sitting in the waiting room. A hat pulled over his eyes so it appeared that he was sleeping. Truthfully, the thought of actually sleeping hadn't even crossed his mind. He was determined to stay awake until she came out of surgery and he could see her or they announced that she was dead. The thought sent shivers up his spine. "Mr. Gavitts?" Nurse Libby called to him. Jeremy lifted his head up and starred at her. "Mica just came out of surgery five minutes ago." The sigh of relief shook his whole body. "How did it go?" he was almost afraid to know what his little friend would have to endure. "The shards of glass were taken out, successfully, unfortunately, any news on her legs has yet to be determined. They want to hold off anymore tests until she's conscious." "Conscious?" Jeremy stuttered over the word. Nurse Libby just nodded. "Is she in a coma?" "No, she's just still under the anesthetics from the surgery." "When can I see her?" "As soon as she wakes up, which should be in about a half an hour, or so." "Thank you." Jeremy's heart raced in his chest as fear had an equal claim. He had always been deathly afraid of hospitals and seeing his friend with only God knew how many tubes running in and out of her body. He paced patiently back and forth in the waiting room. What would he do if Mica did die? He knew the possibility was much smaller now, but the thought still haunted him. She was all he had left. No family. No boyfriend. Just Mica to be there by his side through everything. Jeremy mentally kicked himself for letting Mica go to that concert. He should have known something like this would happen. "Dammit!" he yelled, louder than intended. He sheepishly grinned at the other hospital-goers and silently retreated back into his thoughts. What if Mica had amnesia? What if she forgot everything? What if she was crippled? She would be miserable. She would feel like she didn't have the same independence that she had worked for all her life. Jeremy felt a small tear roll down his cheek. Another hand fell onto Jeremy's shoulder, he winced in pain, pretending to be frightened. "Would you people stop sneaking up on me," he snorted angrily. "Mr. Gavitts, Mica is awake." Jeremy walked behind Nurse Libby. His palms were sweating as though he were going to meet his prom date. His brain was fogged with confusion and lack of sleep. He silently prayed over and over for her to be all right. The doors to her room seemed to stretch a mile to the ceiling. Beads of sweat formed on his brow as all blood rushed to his feet. He swallowed the lump in his throat and placed his hand on the swinging door. Well I hope you enjoyed Chapter 3. Don't worry, things get REALLY interesting in the next few chapters (and through most of the story). So don't worry you're pretty little head. I hope to hear from you! - Jay