Chapter 34
As Nick slowly regained consciousness, the first thing he became aware of was the sound of mumbled voices. He slightly shifted his position on the bed he was laying on, racking his brain for answers.
“About time you woke Nicky. How are you feeling?” asked the voice that Nick quickly identified as Kevin’s. Nick forced his heavy eyelids open and blinked several times to focus as he turned his head towards the sound of Kevin’s voice. When his eyes finally focused completely, Nick quickly noticed that all of his remaining band mates and
Brian’s family was all in the room.
He made eye contact with Kevin and asked the only question that his tired mind struggled to come up with, “What happened?”
“You passed out Nick” replied Kevin with no emotion in his voice.
“Why?” Nick asked as his foggy mind slowly cleared.
“Dr. Adele said it was a mixture of exhaustion, not eating and shock from what happened. They are giving you fluids in an IV to help you.” Kevin said in reply. “Are you feeling better?”
Nick silently lay on the bed trying to figure out what Kevin meant when he said he had passed out in part from shock of what happened. Just like a high-speed out of control freight train, what had happened earlier hit Nick’s mind at full force.
“Brian!!!” he shrieked as he hastily sat up. “What happened to him? Is he ok?” Nick rapidly asked as he looked into everyone’s faces.
Brian’s mother sat down on the side of Nick’s bed and gently smoothed back his hair from his face. “Honey, the doctor’s say he had a heart attack. He needs a new heart very soon.”
“Oh my gosh” Nick sobbed. “This is all my fault! If I wouldn’t have left, this wouldn’t have happened.”
“In saying that you are wrong Mr. Carter” a voice from the doorway said. Everyone in the room quickly turned their heads towards the door and seen Dr. Adele. “This would have happened sooner or later. His heart is very weak and the only way he can get better is if he receives a heart transplant. None of this is your fault, you understand that Mr. Carter?”
Nick quietly nodded his head and placed his head on the shoulder of Brian’s mother.
“It is ok honey” she soothingly said.
Nick cleared his throat and looked up at the doctor who still stood in the doorway. “When can I see Brian?” he asked.
Dr. Adele looked down at his charts then back up at Nick. “You can’t right now, Mr. Carter. He needs his rest so he isn’t allowed any visitors until tomorrow.” Dr. Adele replied.
“Will I be able to see him tomorrow? I mean will I still be a patient here tomorrow?” asked Nick.
“You may leave now only if you promise me one thing, and that is that you go to a hotel or somewhere and rest and get something to eat. Is that understood?” Dr. Adele said in a fatherly tone.
“Yes sir” replied Nick.
“And you young man” said Dr. Adele as he looked at Brian’s brother “I advice you to also got to a hotel to get some rest and to eat something. You look like you are near exhaustion and it won’t do your brother any good if you are suffering from exhaustion”
Harry raised his head and looked up at the doctor. “Sir I can’t leave while my brother is here and in such poor condition, what if something happens while I’m gone? Then I may never get to say goodbye,” he pleaded.
“Son he may be right. There is nothing you can do now to help Brian and what good will it do you or him if you make yourself sick?” asked his father.
“But Dad” Harry started to say.
“No buts, son. You and Nick go to the hotel and get some rest and something to eat then you can come back ok?”
Harry sighed, knowing he was defeated. “Yes dad” he replied. He then turned to Nick and slightly grinned, “Come on Carter, the faster you get your butt out of here, the sooner we can come back tomorrow.”
Nick grinned as Dr. Adele walked over towards him and gently took the IV out of his arm. “Thank goodness that is out of my arm” Nick commented as he pulled himself up from the bed and sat up.
“Just one minute Mr. Carter. I need to get your hospital discharge papers and you need to sign them, then you may leave, I’ll be back in a few moments” said Dr. Adele as he walked towards the door and exited the room.
“Here are the keys to our rental car, honey. Drive safely and we will call you right away if anything happens ok?” said Harry’s mother as she handed him the keys and gave him a hug.
“Ok mom” he replied as he returned the hug and sighed in relief when the doctor finally walked in the room holding a clipboard with papers and a pen.
“Here you go Mr. Carter. Sign these and you will be on your way. Remember to get some rest and to eat something ok? Same goes for you, Mr. Littrell.” said Dr. Adele as he handed the clipboard to Nick who quickly signed his name to the papers.
“Yes sir and thank you” said Nick as he got up from the bed and rose unsteadily to his feet. “Come on Harry. I’m not a fan of hospitals so let’s go.” Nick told his best friends’ older brother.
“Yes master” muttered Harry as he gave his mom and dad one last hug before leaving. “See you guys later” he said as he exited the room with Nick right behind him.
“I need to stop at this nurse’s station to ask for the quickest way to the hotel from here since you probably don’t remember the way to the hotel.” Harry told Nick as they walked past the nurse’s station located near the center of the ICU unit.
Nick waited patiently as Harry walked into the nurse’s station and asked the nurse there for the quickest directions to the hotel. A few moments later, he walked out and the two young men exited the hospital and walked towards the parking garage, trying to locate the rental car. Once it was located, they both climbed into the car and drove off towards the hotel.