Chasing Hearts

Daniel begins working even more harder at the factory and every day he and Katie go

  out for lunch. They definitely grew closer, but only as friends. That's how Katie wanted

  it.

  "It was so funny! I told one the worker’s that he needed to fix that hiccup, and I meant

  the machine, but he looked at me confused and told me 'I don't have hiccups.' He was

  so clueless!" Katie, laughing at her own words, hardly realizes that Daniel has a bit of a

  cough.

  "Jay is having his wedding in a month. He wants me to be his best man." Daniel

  reminded her. He was going to ask her to see if she would come. "Would you mind-"

  His coughing got the best of him.

  "That doesn't sound good Daniel. Take a few days off I'll cover for you." He brushes it

  off but it didn’t work. He starts coughing again. "Let's get you home."

 

  Katie helps Daniel into bed. "Now stay there. You should get some sleep.” Daniel

  laughs. "I SHOULD, huh?"

  Katie shuts of the lights and he was already nearly asleep. "I'll call Jay for you."

  When Daniel awoke, he was confused.

  "Hey man. You sure got something nasty." Jay’s voice says. Daniel rubs his eyes and

  sits up. "Hey."

  "Now you have to tell me. Who was that young woman who had to call me for you?" Jay

  snaps.

  Daniel coughs again. "A friend."

  Jay snorts worse than Daniel’s stuffy nose. "Do I hear a double wedding coming?" Jay

  jokes.

  "How's my dad?"

  "A mess."

 

  Other than a cough and scratchy throat, Daniel felt as good as he could be. He went

  back to work, though Katie wasn’t so sure if that was the greatest idea. She made sure

  to check up on him occasionally.

  The days didn’t get any better. Everything seemed to get worse. Katie did what she

  could to take care of Daniel, but she didn’t know what more she should do. By now

  Daniel could barely talk, let alone stand. "You need to think about letting me take you to

  the hospital. It's been nearly a week and your not eating a thing."

  "Give it a couple more days," he groans. Katie wasn't sure but agreed.

 

  After work that day Katie checks up on Daniel at his apartment, but as she walks into

  the room she knew something was wrong. Daniel was laying across the bed and Katie

  could see he was sweating. She knew he was running a fever. He was pale and out of

  it.

  "Daniel?, Daniel! Wake up for me. Come on! Wake up!" She panics. Pulling her purse

  off her shoulder she dumps everything out onto the bed until her phone falls out.

  Picking up her cell with shaky hands she dials 911.

  In five minutes they were there busting through the door. Katie watches them as they

  take his pulse and eventually lifting him up on to a stretcher. She felt hopeless and

  scared because all she could do was watch. She explains all she could about him being

  sick as they move him threw the apartment halls. They wouldn't let her ride with him in

  the ambulance, so she drove close behind, trying not to let her emotions take control of

  her as she was already fighting back tears of worry.

  As it starts to rain she listens to every drop that lands on top of the car as if it had a

  rhythm. Her eyes never once looking away from the back of the ambulance. The ride,

  only a few minutes felt like forever.

 

  "What happened?" Daniel barely mumbles out when he starts waking up.

  "Daniel! Can you hear me? I'm Doctor Ann Johnson. You have what's called Rheumatic

  fever. It’s a very rare but life treating disease caused by your untreated strep throat. We

  had to get your fever down. That's why you have ice packs all over you. It worked. This

  time."

  "Can I go?"

  "No, not until you are fully recovered. We need to watch this very carefully. Make

  yourself at home but take it easy. You up to visitors? You have some."

  "Sure."

  Dr. Johnson waved the Okay for those waiting to come see him. Katie, Jay and…

  "Mom!"

  "Daniel!” she rushes to the bed, nearly in tears.

  "Hey it's okay. The Doc said I'm doing a lot better. They just want to watch me a bit."

  Daniel reaches for his mom to come closer, and she bends in to give him a light hug.

  "I think I'll take you up on your offer now. I have to keep good eye on my baby." She

  smiles taking his hand. “It’s a good thing I got an apartment with a spare bedroom.”

  Daniel smiles gripping her hand tighter.

  "Hey man." Jay comes closer.

  "Hey," Daniel whispers taking in his handshake.

  Katie observes from the back, taking everything in. She was just happy he was going to

  be okay.

 

  Katie sleeps over at the hospital that night. She couldn’t bare to leave him in the

  condition he was. Daniel wasn’t going to try to stop her. He knew once Katie had her

  mind set there was no reconsidering.

  The morning sun starts shining through the big window, brightening the room slowly.

  Today seems full of hope for Katie as she wakes up to light.

  Daniel still sleeping was hooked up to monitors and IV’s were in his arms, with the

  sounds of machines making constant beeps.

  Katie studies Daniels pale, but strong face. He was now is fighting for his life.

  "Hey," Katie whispers. "It's a prefect day for a drive. You get better really soon Okay?"

  She touches his forehead and realizes he's burning up.

  "Nurse!" She calls out. "Is he OK?" Backing away, she watches a couple nurses come

  in to check on him. They were talking and moving so fast everything was a mere blur.

  Everything lately seemed like a dream to Katie. He has to get better soon. He has to,

  she thought.

  Taking his hand by his bedside, she let the nurses work around her. "Heart dropping!"

  Shouts one of the nurses.

  "What? What did you say?!" Katie shouts but no one answers. They push her out of the

  way, and now she was left watching hopelessly again. She felt quivery and couldn’t

  move. She held her self in her own arms, fighting back tears that were already building

  up to much for her to stop this time.

  Katie watches the nurses in a pilling of tears as they put ice packs onto Daniel, and

  some nurses putting more fluid into his IV. Katie wasn’t exactly sure what was happening. The nurses in the room were moving too fast.

  When Katie couldn’t see through the tears in her eyes, she listened to all of the

  commotion as she backed her self into the wall next to her for support.

  The sounds of the machines seemed ever louder than before. She couldn’t ignore it.

  'Beep…. beep…. beep…. beep….beeeep.' The sound rings out until it comes to a stop.

  It took Katie a moment to realize that there was no sound and raises her head. "NO!"

  She cries, running to his bed side. "NO! NO! BRING HIM BACK!” All commotion turned

  into dead silence except for her cries. Every fiber in her bones ached with so much

  pain.

  “I’m sorry Katie.” One of the nurses whispers.

  She knew she found
the one she loved, and she would never have the chance to tell

  him. Denying it to her self was all she was doing for the past weeks.

  "Don't leave me" she whispers under her breath as she buries her head in his arm.

  ‘Beep….beep…. beep….' Katie looks up at the monitor in disbelief, and looks at Daniel.

  "COME! HELP! HELP!"

  The nurses and Doctor Ann Johnson come running to his bed side. "Daniel! Daniel can

  you hear me?"

  "Heart rate is back up and rising."

  Katie couldn’t help but cry in joy! How could something like this happen? It shouldn’t be

  possible but it’s happening she keeps telling her self.

  One of the nurses embraces Katie in a hug. "He's going to be okay, you have a fighter."

  Katie couldn’t stop crying. "Daniel, can you hear me?" She laughs. "Daniel I love you!"

  She tells him as she runs her figures through his hair.

  Only a couple moments passed before he opens his tired eyes. Katie was resting on his

  arm again. Daniel reaches for her with his other arm, and strokes her hair. Startled she

  looks up and smiles.

  CHAPTER FIVE