Chapter 24: A Visit to the ER

Victoria was running behind Graham who was making his way through the crowded ER.

“I can’t believe you cut our date short for her!”

“Vicky, Alice is my friend. She may be hurt. I can’t sit at a restaurant and have a meaningless conversation knowing that.”

“Meaningless? Meaningless! Is that what you call a conversation about our future together, Graham? Because if it is, it makes perfect sense you’d rush to see Alice whenever she slaps her fingers. I don’t know if I can trust you at all.”


Graham brutally stopped and Victoria almost slammed into him. He turned to face her and spoke with a controlled tone.

“Go back home, now. I’ll pretend I didn’t hear a word. Alice didn’t call me. A rescue team did. Something bad may have happen to her and you try to make this about us? About you?”

He was different from the man he once was. He was taking charge a lot more than before. Victoria thought she was with a real man finally. On the other hand though, he was harder to manipulate and more controlling.

She was in a bad position. After she found out he cheated, she wanted to be in charge more than ever. She wouldn’t take him for granted but surely wouldn’t give him too much freedom. Only it was close to impossible; Graham was calling the shots now.

Victoria wanted to get back on Graham’s soft side and was thinking as she was talking and ended up stammering.


“Well, I didn’t exactly mean to…I didn’t want to imply…uh, I just don’t understand why the rescue team would call you out of anyone else.”


Graham sighed. Victoria was exasperating.


“I’ve been listed on Alice’s emergency call list for quite sometime now. She doesn’t have any family in the city. I’m her closest friend, Vicky.”

“Wrong! Were. You WERE her closest friend, Graham. Now she’s not even your friend, she’s your ex-girlfriend. Maybe now’s not the best time to talk about this but you should be more aware of her new status. I hope when she moves out of the city, we won’t have anything to do with her anymore.

“Please, Vicky, I won’t ask again. Go home now. We’ll talk about it later. Certainly not now.”


Victoria finally got herself to admit she wouldn’t get through to him at the moment and left the hospital. Graham felt his tension drop the moment she turned her back. He looked around; people were staring. They had really put up a show, just what he hated, a public argument.

He pursued his way to the ER desk where he inquired about Alice’s condition and location. The nurse told Graham that Alice had been injured in a car accident. Her condition was not life threatening and she would be moved to a bed in ICU very soon.

“Your fiancée is in a coma, they’re running more tests to determine the cause.”

“My fiancée?”

“Yes, Alice McCarth; I noticed your ring. And you arrived quickly too. You have this look of fear and concern. I’ll recognize it anywhere, don’t worry; I’m sure she will be just fine. It’s not uncommon for victims of a trauma to fall in a coma. I’ll get the doctor to have a word with you.”


Graham twisted his ring around his finger. He forgot he had put it back. Alice wasn’t his fiancée but he didn’t even correct the nurse. He could have married her and probably would have someday. But Victoria came back.

He felt guilty. She was probably in that accident after she left the office. She was headed out to a brand new start. If Alice was in a coma, he wanted to stay with her until she woke up; despite what Victoria would say. Hopefully she wouldn’t come barging in the hospital demanding an explanation. He just didn’t have any.