Chapter 6

"Hospital!" Reid exclaimed. "What happened? Did she try to..."

"She was assaulted. Some guy grabbed her on her way into Heller Hall. She screamed and that attracted some attention, so the guy hit her with a bottle and took off with her purse."

"How is she?"

"Still unconscious."

Reid grabbed his coat and headed down the corridor. "Reid!" Brad shouted. "Wait up, man!"

The hospital was situated between the campuses but slightly closer to Tech. Reid ran down Fitch with Brad on his heels. "Reid!" Brad shouted. "Bus!"

They stopped at the corner and Brad panted to catch his breath. "I'm outta shape, man," he gasped.

The bus driver opened the door. Reid climbed aboard, flashing his ID and Brad followed.

"So he took her purse," Reid said.

"Yeah," Brad replied, catching his breath.

"About the only thing of value would be her cell. All she carries in it is cosmetics -- she's in the habit of carrying her ID, keys and cash in her pocket."

"That's good I suppose," Brad replied.

The bus approached the corner near the hospital. Reid pulled the stop request and the two clambered to the street. They ran to the emergency department and found Lauren in the waiting room.

"How is she?" Reid asked.

"Oh, Reid. I'm so sorry. I really shouldn't have said those things about her."

"It's okay, Lauren. How is she?"

"I don't know. They won't let me back 'cuz I'm not family."

Brad sat beside Lauren and held her hand. Reid paced the room.

A nurse poked her head into the waiting room. "Chris? Chris? Is there a Christopher Reid here?"

Reid stopped pacing. "That's me. The name's Reid Christopher. Reid's my first name."

"You're Monica's friend?"

"Yes."

"She's awake and asking to see you."

Reid followed the nurse into a room. He saw Monica lying with her head elevated. "Hi," she said.

"Oh, God, Monica! I did it again!"

"Did what?"

"I violated the social contract. I've been having flashbacks of Megan. I should've been there for you. This wouldn't have happened if I'd only been there." He buried his face in his hands and wept. "I'm so relieved you're alive!"

"Reid -- REID!" He looked at her. "Get hold of yourself. It was not your fault, and it's not about you."

"You're right. Still, if I had been with you..."

"And I was the one who told you not to come. If it's anybody's fault it's mine -- just like it was Megan's. Okay?"

"Okay..."

"Aren't you going to ask me how I am?"

"How are you?"

"I was afraid you'd never ask," she replied with a smile. "I've been awake for maybe twenty minutes. My head hurts something awful -- I have two bruises."

"Two?"

"One where he hit me and one where I hit the concrete. They took X-rays -- nothing's broken ... didn't even break the skin..." She put her hand to her mouth and retched; then leaned over and vomited.

Reid dashed out of the treatment room and found the nurse. "She's throwing up!"

"Oh, dear..."

The nurse brought a basin and left it on Monica's lap. "I'm so sorry," she said. "But, I'm glad I haven't had dinner yet."

"Don't worry, honey. We'll clean this up."

"Maybe her injuries are more serious..."

"This is really quite common in these cases," the nurse replied. "I'll be right back."

Reid regarded her. "What are you looking at?" she asked.

"Your eyes."

"What about them?"

"Both pupils are the same size."

"So?"

"If they were different -- that would be a real bad sign. So, what happens, next?"

"The doctor said I probably have a nasty contusion on my brain, but nothing that won't heal. They're going to hold me overnight and give me some neurological tests in the morning. If I ace them -- they'll release me."

"Let's hope so. Oh, God, Monica..." Tears began flowing down his face again.

"Reid -- please don't make it worse." She wiped tears from her eyes. "I don't want this to change anything between us."

"It does," he sobbed. "You asked me if I was ready, willing and able to enter into a social contract. I said I didn't know if I was able. Now I know I'm not."

"Reid -- for the last time -- it's not about you."

An orderly came in, pushing a mop bucket and began treating the floor.

"All right, Monica -- I'll try to think of it that way."

The nurse returned with a clipboard. "We have a room upstairs for you, honey," she said. "We'll bring a gurney and take you there."

"I'll call you in the morning," he said.

"You can't -- I don't have my cell."

"I'll give you my number -- you can call me with any news."

"I'll do that."

Reid leaned toward her face. She turned from him. "You don't want to kiss me -- I just threw up."

"I don't care." He kissed her lips.

Two more orderlies pushed a gurney into the room. Reid rejoined Brad and Lauren in the waiting room.

"Well?" Lauren asked.

"She doesn't look in too bad shape," Reid replied. "They're going to keep her overnight for observation and with luck she'll be sprung tomorrow morning."

"There's not much more we can do here," Brad remarked.

"Yeah," Reid agreed. "She said she'd call with any news."

"Keep me in the loop, Reid," Lauren added.

"I will."

Brad accompanied Reid to the corner and they awaited a bus to return them to the Tech campus.

Reid sat at his desk copying notes out of a textbook when the phone rang. "Hello?"

"Reid -- it's Monica."

"I recognized you. Are you out?"

"I'm out and back in my room. They gave me a note so if I feel like cutting classes for the next couple of days..."

"How are you feeling?"

"My head still hurts ... not as bad. I feel kinda ... I dunno ... dazed. It's hard for me to keep my train of thought from jumping the rails."

"Are you going to cut class?"

"I'm going to try not to. Next week is finals week for us..."

"That's right -- you finish up a week ahead of us."

"I have three recitations next week -- voice, piano and composition."

"Any pre-recitals this week?"

"Just voice on Friday."

"Maybe by then you'll be feeling better."

"I hope so ... Reid?"

"What, Monica?"

"Do you know how hard it was for me to see you agonizing over me? I mean ... it was sweet, in a way ... I don't want you to have doubts about us."

"I know ... I need to make sure in my own mind that I can hold up my part of the contract."

"You did, Reid -- you came last night. You were there for me and you were a great comfort."

"I just need some space..."

"Oh, Reid..." He could hear her choking back tears. "When a guy says he needs space -- it's the beginning of the end."

"Not necessarily. I do love you, Monica. It's just ... I think maybe it would be a good idea for us to ... to pull back a little. This is happening way too fast. We have our studies and our careers to think about."

"Pull back how far?"

"We can still see each other on weekends."

"Reid -- we only have one more weekend this term."

"Yeah -- that's right. Then it's break. Maybe the break will do us both some good. We'll see how we feel about each other at the beginning of next term."

"I'll be here for you, Reid -- and I know I'll feel the same way then as I do now."

Reid sat in the lounge working on his laptop. "Reid!" He turned and saw Brad charging in. "Reid -- you need to get a cell, man. I've been looking all over for you. I should've figured you'd be here."

"For the use I'd get out of it, a cell isn't worth thirty bucks a month. What's so important?"

"I just got off the phone with Lauren. Monica's in the hospital again."

"What this time?"

"She had some sort of seizure."

"Seizure? What kind? Grand mal? Petit mal?"

"I don't know. The two of them were getting dinner at the cafeteria in Lauren's dorm -- Heller doesn't have their own. Lauren said that Monica just collapsed and got all rigid. Of course Lauren freaked and called 911. By the time the ambulance got there, Monica had recovered ... though she was still somewhat out of it."

"Sounds like grand mal," Reid replied. "Can you take my laptop upstairs? I'm going to the hospital."

"But man -- you don't have your fucking coat!"

"Shit..."

"I'll come with you, Reid."

Reid ditched his laptop in his room and grabbed his coat. With Brad they headed toward the hospital and rode the bus.

He approached the information desk. "Do you have a patient named Monica Jane?" he asked.

"Visiting hours are over in five minutes."

"Please? It's important."

The attendant looked at a computer screen. "Room 312."

"Thank you," Reid said and headed to the elevator.

He found room 312 and rapped on the door, then opened it. "Hi," he said.

Monica looked up. "Reid! You came."

"I came as soon as I heard. What happened?"

"I don't know. I was standing in line at the cafeteria and the next thing I know -- I'm here."

"You had a grand mal seizure," Reid replied. "I've been through them a hundred times with my sister."

"Your sister?"

"She has epilepsy. What did the white-coats say?"

"They said they did a CAT scan and found ... something."

"Something? What sort of something?"

"They didn't say -- they said a neurologist will speak with me in the morning."

"I'll bet this has something to do with your injury."

She nodded. "I think they think so, too."

An announcement that visiting hours were ending came through the PA system.

"I'd better go," Reid said. "I'll be back tomorrow. Let's hope it isn't real bad news." He leaned toward her face and kissed her. "I love you, Monica."

Tears rolled down her face. "I love you, too. I was so afraid you didn't any more ... after our phone conversation..."

"Forget what I said on the phone -- I'm no good at communicating over the phone anyway. Most of what I say is crap. I don't have any doubts, Monica. None."

A nurse poked her head in the doorway. "Visiting hours are over," she said.

"I'd better go before they throw me out bodily. See you tomorrow."

Reid sat in a chair. Monica sat upright in the hospital bed. "I don't know why you keep wanting to come here," he said. "This place is full of sick people. Have you seen the neurologist, yet?"

"Not yet."

"How are you feeling?"

"Fine ... It's just that I have a blank spot in my memory."

"Whenever you fill out a medical history form that asks if you have memory loss -- answer, don't know. It's the right answer in any case."