Page 25 of Dark Truth

“Did you hit your head? Is that what’s wrong?” I moved over him, but he pushed me down gently.

“No, Emily. I, well, you’ll find out soon enough.” He leaned back on the bed, and I could see how nervous he was, how afraid.

“Are you in pain?” I asked, afraid to move in case it increased his pain.

“Not really, no. It’s more numbness than pain. Although, oddly, that does kind of hurt, the numbness. You’d think it wouldn’t.” He stared at the ceiling, and I felt my heart break. What was wrong with him?

I didn’t have a lot of time to worry because I heard the elevator come up to the penthouse and went out to let the paramedics in. They came in with a stretcher, greeted me politely, and asked where Dylan was. It was only then that I realized how bad it was. He couldn’t even sit up on the bed. I wondered then if he’d actually pulled me down to the bed earlier or if he’d simply fallen with me in his arms.

One of the paramedics, a dark-haired man around Dylan’s age, with kind eyes and blue gloves on his hands, asked him a series of questions. That’s when I heard Dylan finally admit what was wrong.

“I was diagnosed with MS earlier this year. I volunteered for a new drug trial, and well, I can’t get up now, as you can see.” He tried to joke about it, but I could see real fear in his eyes.

I couldn’t blame him. I’d be screaming to be taken to the hospital right away if it was me. The two men soon had Dylan on a stretcher, and I put on a pair of jeans and threw a jacket over my cotton nightgown before I grabbed my purse. I followed them down, then took my car to meet them at the hospital.

The drive to the hospital was nerve-wracking, but I followed behind the ambulance and that ensured traffic wasn’t a problem. It wasn’t long before the ambulance pulled into the emergency room, and I drove into the parking lot to find a place to park. I locked the doors on the car and hurried into the emergency waiting area. All I could do was sit and wait, I was told. So that’s what I did.

I wasn’t allowed in the waiting area they put Dylan in, but later, when he’d been admitted and put into a room a nurse came to get me.

“He’s asking for you, ma’am,” the nurse said, a kind smile in place. It must have been something healthcare professionals practiced. I was glad for it, either way, because I was shaken badly and scared out of my mind.

I walked into Dylan’s private room to find him connected to machines by cables and tubes. He had his eyes closed, and the bed was in an upright position. That couldn’t be comfortable. I moved to stand beside the bed to try to figure out how to move it down so he’d be comfortable.

“Emily?” he asked, his voice scratchy. I looked around and saw a plastic pitcher with water in it on a tray by his bedside. I poured some in the plastic cup on the tray and gave it to him.

“I’m here, darling,” I assured him and sat down.

“Fuck. I was going to tell you, I swear.” He opened his eyes, and I could see how worried he was. “Please don’t leave me.”

“Dylan? Why the hell would I leave you? You’re ill, not married with five children. Now that, I’d leave you for, but this? Baby, no. You need me, and I’ll be here for you. I swear that to you.” I put the rail on his bed down and sat next to him. I put my hand over his heart and looked at him. “I’m not a monster, you know?”

He let his head fall back on the pillow and sighed. “I was worried enough about my past, that you might think I was like my mom, but this too? Fuck, Emily, you’re an angel. I always knew you were, but you just proved it.”

I kissed his cheek but held my weight off of him. “What have they said?”

“That I’m having a flare. They’re giving me medicine that should take care of the problem, but there’s never a guarantee with this disease. I may end up worse, before it gets better. Or I might … well, this could kill me, Emily.”

“I know, Dylan. I read about it while I waited to see you. I’ll be here for you, through whatever comes, and I’ll make sure you have the best care you need, if I bankrupt myself and my family to do it.”

“I don’t think it’ll go that far.” He laughed softly and looked up at me. “I have good insurance and a little money of my own.”

“You do. I’m just so used to…” I let the words trail off, slightly embarrassed. I’d been privileged my whole life but knew others hadn’t.

“It’s alright, baby. I know what you meant.”

He sighed and closed his eyes again. “Why don’t you go home, Emily? Get some rest? I’ll probably be in here for a few days, and you need to rest.”

“I do, but I’ll stay here with you. I’m not leaving your side.” I looked at the uninviting chair meant to also serve as a bed for family members. It would have to do.

Throughout the night, nurses came and went, and Dylan was wheeled out twice for different tests that couldn’t wait until morning. During one of the tests, Dylan’s doctor came into the hospital room, the doctor he had flown in from Kansas.

“Hi, I’m Emily, his girlfriend,” I said when the doctor introduced himself.

We talked about what would happen with Dylan, what other tests they’d run, and whether the doctor was hopeful Dylan would be home by tomorrow.

“I doubt it. I suspect he’s having what we call an attack or a flare. I want to keep an eye on him, and the best place to do that is here.”

“Alright,” I agreed and looked away. I was embarrassed to admit I’d forgotten the doctor’s name already. It was three in the morning, though.