In Limbo

The event over the past few days have been hard for me to process. There have been so many unanswered questions, upsetting revelations, and feelings of guilt.

But I’m getting ahead of myself…

Molly and I were taken to the hospital, en route I had one of the paramedics call Anna and Zoey to meet us there. Everything was such a blur but we were both ultimately going to be okay. I had dislocated my shoulder in the scuffle and Amber had cut my arm with the knife, it wasn’t deep but I had to get 5 stitches to close it. Molly’s situation was a little more serious than mine was. She had several cracked ribs from being thrown into the door jamb and a concussion that was bad enough to warrant her being admitted for observation overnight. She also had to get a gash on her head stitched up, but, luckily it was in line with her hairline and the scar wouldn’t be visible (Molly was very concerned about that considering she makes her living as an actor occasionally).

I have to wear my arm in a sling for the next six weeks and get my stitches taken out tomorrow but overall I was very lucky to come out of this entire situation alive.

Anna, Zoey, and I were sitting with Molly in her hospital room. I didn’t want to go back to our apartment and I didn’t want Molly to be alone so we all stayed until visiting hours were over. But while we were waiting, Detective Geordi came to talk to us. Anna and Zoey excused themselves to go get us all something to eat and to give us some privacy.

“Did you find Adam?” I asked tearing up.

“No.” Detective Geordi said as he sat down in a chair next to me, “A neighbor did. They heard him screaming for help and called an ambulance. He was taken to a different hospital and sent into surgery. I will tell you that the doctor said he’d lost a lot of blood and based on the location and severity of the stab wounds he had they expected there to be severe organ damage.”

“What are you saying?” I asked trying to be brave.

“I’m saying that IF he lives, he may wish he hadn’t.”

A heavy silence came over the room and I looked at Molly sadly. After awhile, Detective Geordi started up again.

“We don’t know much about who this Amber person was yet. We think she was using an alias. Do you have any idea how she knew you?”

I shook my head.

“I met her through Adam but obviously she knew me for a lot longer. I mean, she knew about stuff that happened when I was in college but if we ran into each other on campus I certainly never recognized her from there.”

“What about you?” Detective Geordi looked at Molly. She shook her head.

“I’d only ever met her through Faith and only a few times.”

“Has anything bizarre ever happened in the past?” He asked me.

I told him about the strange gifts, the break-in in my old apartment, and the fires (which he already knew about) and mentioned that all of them seemed unconnected at the time. He took diligent notes, gave me the information for the hospital where Adam was taken and the crime scene clean-up information, said he’d be in touch, thanked us, and left.

Molly and I sat quietly for a few minutes until Anna and Zoey came back with McDonald’s for all of us. We mostly ate in silence. There were really no words to say.

The silence was interrupted by a nurse popping into tell us that visiting hours were going to be over soon. Anna, Zoey, and I got up to leave. We all hugged her and then I waited for Anna and Zoey to leave.

“Molly, I…”

“It wasn’t your fault, Faith. Don’t blame yourself. Plus I’m going to be FINE.” Molly waved me off and we hugged again.

I started crying, gave her a kiss on the cheek and waved good-bye as I left.

Zoey had pulled the car around and the parking lot and was waiting for me as I came out. I climbed in and we drove to Anna’s house to drop her off in silence.

“Faith, do you need anything from the store?” Zoey asked as we drove.

“I don’t think so. But I should probably go get Murphy from the neighbor’s and bring him with me before we head to your place.”

Anna gave me a hug when we dropped her off.

“I’m here for you guys, okay? I’m serious, Faith. Don’t hesitate to call me if you need to talk or not talk about it.”

I nodded and she waved good-bye. Zoey and I stopped by my apartment complex which looked deserted compared to how it had looked only a few hours earlier with all the police cars and ambulances. I grabbed Murphy from our downstairs neighbor and Zoey ran inside a store on the way to her apartment to get some cat food and a disposable litter box. When we finally got to her place I felt waves of exhaustion crash over me as I sat on the couch with Murphy in my lap.

“Faith, do you want to take your coat off?” Zoey asked me after a long time. I had been staring off into space at the wall for who knows how long.

“Oh, yeah.” I shook myself out of it and tried to find my cell phone. Then I realized I had given it to 

Detective Geordi who needed to have the recording on it processed as evidence before he could return it to me.

“Can I have your cell phone?” I asked Zoey.

She handed it to me and I dialed the number of the hospital Adam was at but immediately hung up.

“Um. Actually, can we go to the hospital?” I asked her.

Zoey looked confused at first so I explained that I wanted to go wait for Adam to come out of surgery and she grabbed her keys.

I told the receptionist that I was there for Adam but we were basically told to leave because they could only give medical information to immediate family. I knew Adam’s parents lived on the West Coast and most likely wouldn’t be able to get here until at least the next day.

“Please,” I begged, “He doesn’t have any family here.”

But they refused and sent us home. Zoey had to basically man handle me out of the hospital.

“I can’t believe this!” I yelled in the car.

And then suddenly I started sobbing great big sobs that wracked my entire body. Zoey hugged me and rocked me back and forth.

“What if he dies and I never get to see him again? This is all my fault! What happened to him is because of me!” I shouted.

“Faith, that isn’t true. What happened to him is because of Amber and HER actions and choices. Not you. I promise you, we will go get Molly from the hospital when she is discharged tomorrow and then immediately go to see him, okay? He’ll come through this.”

I cried until I was hoarse and then Zoey drove me to her place where I laid in her guest room and stared at the ceiling for what seemed like hours running the events of the day through my mind over and over and over again. I decided to call Dr. Sheehan at home and tell her what happened. I’d never called her on her private line before and was worried it would be crossing the line but she offered to schedule an emergency session with me the very next day (I chose to meet with her in the evening so I could go see Adam) and reassured me that I was not being inappropriate by calling her at home.

(Author’s note: Some additions have been added at the top right of the page. I added a Frequently Asked Questions Page and an About the Blog and Author Page for new readers since I seem to have a lot of new commenters! Welcome new readers! I’m happy you’re here and enjoying the story! –del)