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“It looks like they’re blocking all visitors at the moment but her doctor should be able to speak with you soon. Let’s go into the private waiting room. It’s right down the hall.”
I look around at the main room filled with at least a dozen people who seem to be waiting as well.
“Um, I can just wait right here.”
She gently nudges me forward. “It’s best if we go to a private location, dear.”
She leads me down a narrow hallway and places her employee badge against a sensor. The door clicks open and she steps aside to let me in. The room is small, maybe four feet by ten feet. Six chairs are lined up against the wall with a small television hanging in the corner. “It shouldn’t be too long,” she says.
I nod as I sink into a chair. “Thank you.”
She closes the door softly, leaving me to myself. I tap my leg and pick at my nail polish while I wait. It feels like at least thirty minutes have passed and I’m starting to think they forgot about me. Right before I get up to go check, I hear the lock engaging.
I frown when I see Marcus coming through the door instead of a doctor.
“What are you doing here?” I ask him.
“The hospital called me,” he says. “Your mom listed me as her emergency contact when we got married.”
There’s no way I heard him correctly. “I’m sorry; when you what?”
His brows knit together. “She didn’t tell you?”
“That you got married?” I shriek.
“Yes,” he nods. “Two weeks ago. We flew to Vegas for the weekend. I thought you knew.”
“Unbelievable,” I say as I slouch into the chair.
He takes a seat two chairs over. “Have you heard anything yet? The lady on the phone wouldn’t give me any details. She only said it was urgent.”
“Not yet.” The tears start falling again as flashes of her lying unconscious run through my head.
Marcus slowly rises from his seat and takes the spot right next to me. I’m too numb to question him as he puts his arm around my shoulders. “What happened?”
I grab a tissue from the side table and blow my nose. “Maybe I should ask you that. Why was she at my apartment?”
He releases a deep sigh. “We had an argument. She said she was staying the night with you.”
I tense. “When did she start using again? She told me she’s been clean for months.”
Marcus looks confused. “What do you mean? She hasn’t touched anything besides pot since we met. She knows illegal drugs are a hard limit for me. I’m not going to spend my time with a junkie.”
“But marrying a cheap hooker is okay?” I scoff.
“Don’t talk about her that way. There is nothing cheap about Cybil.” He adjusts in the chair to face me better. “Look, Katherine. Regardless of what you think, I love your mom. She has this spunk that’s hard to find. Our relationship might not be…traditional in your eyes, but it’s a relationship nonetheless. It works for us. I would’ve never married her if it didn’t.”
“I can’t believe she got married and didn’t tell me.”
He winces. “I’m sorry; I really thought you knew.”
“That doesn’t matter right now. I just want her to wake up.”
Marcus tilts his head to the side. “She’s asleep? What exactly happened, Katherine? Tell me what you know.”
I start crying harder. “She was…she was unconscious when I found her. So pale and clammy. And she had…a rubber strap around her arm. She was shooting up and I think she took too much, Marcus. She was hardly breathing.”
He rockets out of his chair. “You’re wrong. I need to see the doctor. Why the fuck is the doctor not here right now?”
