Chapter 3
"Reed, help me. I'm in a lot of trouble and a lot of pain. I need you now. Come to St. Rita's Hospital on Orchard and 47th."
For the first time in two or three years, Reed cried. He quickly wiped away the hot tears and got to work locating the hospital. After looking up the directions, he drove there. The hospital parking was a mess and he was in no mood to deal with it, but he followed the signs to the third floor of the parking garage, quickly took a mental picture of where his car was, and went inside.
A Filipina nurse asked Sue if she was expecting a tall, black-haired male visitor tonight.
"You came! Reed! You came! You came!" she repeated it over and over, her joy mixed with sadness.
"Why wouldn't I come, Sue? You said you were in the hospital," said Reed, gingerly walking up to her bed, unsure of what to do or say. He saw that her left arm was bandaged.
"It's just, in my life, sometimes, people don't show up." It was painful to say and painful to recognize as true.
After a few minutes, it was just Reed and Sue alone in the room. Technically Reed shouldn't have been allowed in, but it was a busy hospital and there were bigger issues to deal with.
"Sue, how do you feel? How did this happen? Did someone hurt you?" asked Reed.
"It hurts. The doctor said that the arm is broken and needs a cast. I'm so stupid. I did this to myself. I drove my car into a stop sign. The car's a wreck too."
"Geez. Well, don't worry about the car. You can always get another car. I don't like it when you call yourself stupid. It's not true. You're not stupid."
She rolled her eyes, "You're trying to make me feel better. And it's sorta working. Still, this shouldn't have happened."
"It's all right. Even if you were a dummy, you'd be my beautiful dummy." Reed went in for a kiss but Sue pulled away at the last second.
"No, not now," she said.
Something smelled off. A whiff of vomit.
"Were you drinking? Sue, this is serious. Did you drink and drive?" asked Reed, his voice suddenly stern and grave.
Sue said nothing but answered with loud sobbing.