Page 17 of Home Game

I could hear the operator typing. “Yes, they were all from the same number. Gail from the Vancouver General Hospital. She said it was urgent.”

I sat up in bed. “Did she say why?”

“No, but she left a number.”

“Vancouver General Hospital,emergency administration, how may I direct your call?”

“May I please speak to Gail?”

“Speaking.”

“This is Ryan Parker.”

“Mr. Parker, we’ve been calling you all night.”

“I just got your messages.”

“We’ve had a Jane Doe come into emergency tonight. She had no ID, but she was carrying your card with your number.”

My heart was in my throat. “What do you mean Jane Doe?”

“The patient was unresponsive when she arrived. We were wondering if you could shed light on who she is?”

Zoey.

Fuck. Please don’t let it be her.

“Is she okay?”

“I’m not sure.”

Heart in my throat, I could barely form the words. “Is she alive?”

A long pause. “I’m not sure. She came in hours ago. I don’t know what her status is.”

“What do you know?”

“I work in administration. I don’t deal with the patients. The nurse just handed me this card and asked me to call you.”

“Can you find out?”

“I can check.”

I paced for an interminable amount of time. Then Gail came back on the line. “She isn’t awake yet.”

“But she is alive?”

“Yes. We still don’t know who she is.”

“What is your address?”

She rattled it off and then I was out the door.

It was pouring rain and dark outside.

The entire drive I prayed I would get there and it would be someone I didn’t know.

The automatic doorsof the emergency room opened with a muffled whoosh. To the left was a large room full of aging plastic chairs. Bleach slightly overpowered other, indistinguishable bad smells. I explained my story to the woman at the counter who took my name and told me to wait for the doctor.

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