Page 16 of Someone Like You
Louise dropped to her chair again and exhaled. “I struggled. But I was fine.” She turned to Larry. “London wanted a sister. She always wanted a sister. And now … whatever happened to those embryos, Larry? Where are they?” Her heart started to race. Not a normal hurried rhythm, but a hard pounding against her chest.
This time Dawson looked straight at her. And of course. All of this would be a surprise to him. Just like it would be for London. Louise’s breathing came faster. London had to wake up, right? She was going to be okay, the doctor would show up any minute to tell them so.
“Maybe we can find the embryos, what became of them. And London will have a reason to get better. So she can meet her siblings.” She looked at Larry. “That’s a good idea, right? We should do that.”
In the hallways of her mind, Louise knew she wasn’t acting rational. She was having a full-blown panic attack. Five minutes became ten and Louise was ready to burst into the hallway and find London. Even if she had to knock someone over to do it. But just then the door opened and a doctor walked in.
For the rest of her life, Louise would remember the look on the man’s face. He was older, distinguished. Graying hair on a still-handsome face. But there were tears in his eyes. Tears from a doctor could only mean one thing.
“No.” Louise wanted to kick a wall down and run from the room. Back to dialysis or the ride home, back to any time in her life before this minute.
The doctor pulled up a chair and sat facing them. He exhaled for what felt like a minute. “Mr. and Mrs. Quinn. Mr. Gage. I’m afraid London’s injuries are very, very serious.” He pressed his lips together and studied the floor for a long moment. When he looked up, he shook his head. “The impact caused significant internal injuries. All London’s organs are failing. Her kidneys and liver were destroyed and her heart is damaged.”
Her heart? London’s heart was damaged? That wasn’t possible. Louise shook her head. Her daughter had a beautiful heart. There wasn’t a thing wrong with it.
Black dots swirled in front of Louise’s eyes. She could hear her heartbeat in her ears, but everything else faded. She was about to pass out. She could feel it.No,she told herself.You are not going to faint. Be strong for your daughter right now. She needs you.
Louise focused intently on the doctor’s mouth, on the words coming from him. “We’ve done what we can do.” He paused. “She’s … on life support for now.” He explained that they could come in and see her. All three of them, but just for a few minutes.
Time stopped and nothing made sense. Somehow Louise stayed conscious as Larry walked beside her into the hallway. They followed the doctor, with Dawson just behind them. In a blink they were ushered into a room with a bed, and around the bed, machines.
Someone was under the sheets, but it wasn’t London. It couldn’t be. The person had wires and tubes coming from every part of her body and a mask covering her face. Bruises made up her cheeks and arms and her hair was the wrong color. Darker. Burgundy almost. Also she was bigger, her arms and legs and face.
Louise turned to the doctor. She shook her head and tried to keep her voice steady. “This … this isn’t London.”Thank, God, it isn’t London.“There’s been a mistake.”
The doctor’s look stopped her from repeating herself. He put his hand on her shoulder and nodded. Stern-like. “Your presence is very important. London may be able to hear you.” He shifted his attention to Larry and Dawson and back to Louise. “Please be careful with your words.”
Another look at the woman in the bed and Louise squinted. This was London? It wasn’t possible. The broken, battered body before them looked nothing like her precious, beautiful daughter. Louise stepped around the doctor and moved near the woman’s head. Her hair was too—
Suddenly, Louise covered her mouth to quiet her gasp. The person’s hair wasn’t burgundy. It was blood-soaked. Her eyes moved down the young woman’s swollen, scraped arm and what she saw next made her drop to the nearest chair.
On the ankle of the woman was a small tattoo of a dove.
The one London had gotten on her twenty-first birthday.
Larry was behind her, his hand on her back. Neither he nor Dawson must’ve doubted that the patient was London. Dawson moved to the other side of the bed and put his hand on her arm. “We’re here, London.” He lowered himself so he was close to her face. “Your mom and dad and me. You’re getting the best care, baby.”
Tears spilled onto Dawson’s face. He took hold of her hand and stood straight again. Then he squeezed his eyes shut. He was shaking, his broken heart clearly consuming him.
Louise breathed in sharply and found the strength she needed. This was her chance to talk to her daughter. Not her last chance, Louise wouldn’t believe that. But London needed to hear all their voices. Even if speaking to her in this condition was the hardest thing they’d ever done.
She took London’s hand. Her fingers were cold and stiff. No response whatsoever. Louise sucked in a quick breath.Breathe, she told herself. But she couldn’t exhale. Why was London’s hand so cold?
Larry was behind her, his arm around her. His presence helped her breathe out. “London, sweetheart, it’s Mom.” Louise was too afraid to cry. Her voice sounded dry and panicked. “Can you squeeze my fingers, baby? If you can hear me squeeze my fingers.” The black dots flashed again. “Please, London.”
All of them focused on the place where Louise’s hand joined London’s. Then in what felt like a miracle, London gave her the slightest squeeze. She actually did. “Sweetheart, I felt that. You can hear us!” Tears welled in Louise’s eyes, but she fought them. “London, you’re going to be okay. Jesus is here … He’s holding you.”
The words felt right, even though Louise hadn’t talked with London about Jesus since she was in kindergarten. The blame was theirs. Hers and Larry’s. But life had taken away the urgency of Sunday church services and there had never been time for the Bible. Success and education and politics had filled the place where Jesus used to live. But that was behind them.
Jesus was all they had now.
Larry stepped up and spoke to London. “Honey, we aren’t going anywhere. We’ll be here when you wake up.”
The doctor was waiting for them at the door, but Louise had more to say. She moved in beside Larry and took London’s hand again. “You’re the best daughter. The only reason anyone comes to the coffee shop is because of you, sweetie.” Another quick breath. “And I need you to model those shirts, London. So you have to get better real fast.”
Once more, Louise’s mind was spinning. What were they doing? Standing around a hospital bed with London on life support? How could this be happening? Tears fellfrom Louise’s eyes. She couldn’t stop them. This was real. And that reality suddenly washed over her like a tsunami.
Because what if she didn’t—
