The Waiting Room: Part 3
What length will Claire and Jess go to to save her mom?
I sit in the waiting room with Claire next to me. She's tapping her foot and reading a book. I'm on my phone, Dad is working and Chase is asleep. No one would suspect what we were about to do.
"Dad I'm tired of sitting down. Can I take a walk?"
"Sure- but you have to stay in the hospital this time. That way I can find you if I need to."
"Okay. Claire want to come?"
"Sure. Let's go." We make our way towards the elevators.
"So, how do we find someone to get a kidney and lung?" Claire whispers to me.
"Well, they definitely have to be female. And they should be close to dying anyway, so that way it's not as bad. You take floors 3-6 and I'll take the top floors. If you find one, text the room number. Try to be as inconspicuous as possible. No one can know it was us." Claire nods and steps off of the elevator.
"Good luck." She says to me.
I give her a quick hug, and then I'm left alone in the elevators.
The slight elevator ding reminds me to get off at floor seven. I jump out, and begin my search. I walk past mostly young patients and soon realize I'm in the childrens ward. I decide to skip floor eight and go to nine, the second to last floor. This time, the elderly fill the rooms. As I walk past I notice most of them have visitors except for one elderly lady. She looks in her late 70s, with curly grey hair. A pair of reading glasses hang around her neck, and Fifty Shades of Grey lies on the table next to her. Perfect. I continue walking and notice no wedding ring either. I paused only for a moment to get the room number and I pull out my phone to text Claire. "Got one- 943" and I send it, immediately deleting it afterwards. She replies "Perfect. Meet you back downstairs." and I delete that too. I run to Claire as soon as the doors open.
"We have a chance Claire. I hope she could be a match." I say to her my eyes full of a new found hope.
"I know. I'm sure this will work. I found the security office while I was exploring. I can totally disable the cameras in the hallway and her room but only for a short time- maybe two minutes. You'll have to be fast. What's your plan?" The words tumble out of my mouth and it hardly makes sense, but Claire understands. We hug.
"Be careful," she says.
"You too." I say without looking back.
My phone beeps from Claire. It reads "I'm in. Get off of elevators now." I stuff it back in my pocket and begin to take off my sweatshirt. The ding reminds me once more and just as I step off Claire texts me. "GO! 2 minutes now!" I speed walk to the room, and find her sleeping. I tell the nurse I'm family and they shut the door. I put my sweatshirt over her face, hoping to make it quick. She wakes and starts to struggle but is so weak she can't hardly move my fingers to release the suffocating grip. She starts to struggle less, and I see her heart rate monitor go still with the steady beep. I tie my sweatshirt around my waist and gently close her eyes. I open the door, cuing my tears, and walk back to the elevators. I text Claire. "It's done. Meet you in bathroom." Just as the doors close I see nurses running to the lady's side. I get off at floor one and see that Claire is already in the bathroom.
"Were you seen? Do you really think this would work?" She says grabbing my shoulders.
"No, Claire. I'm totally fine. I'm certain it will work. Let's get back out there before Dad gets worried." I grab her hand and she grips it tight. I walk as normal as I can manage, staring at the floor. As soon as we turn the corner, Chase runs up and hugs me.
"What's going on?" I say looking at Dad, who has also jumped out of his seat.
"They found a donor. Right here in the hospital. Mom has a chance." Chase says. I smile at him and hug him back, real tears coming to my eyes this time. Claire's crying too, and we embrace.
"Thank you Claire." I whisper to her, giving her an extra tight squeeze.
"You would've done it for me." Came her reply.
We return to the uncomfortable chairs, our wait was no where near over. A calm washes over me as I lean back and shut my eyes, knowing my mom would be okay.
