036. Still
There’s a ten minute visit period in the ICU and Annika’s spent seven of them standing in the glass doorway, staring at her brother. She audibly sighs and wraps her arms tighter around herself. She was supposed to be starting college next week and Elliot was going to help her move into her dorm room.
She’s standing in the doorway because the last time she stepped into a room like this, her mom died twenty minutes later. She doesn’t know what she’s going to do if Elliot…choking back a sob, Annika doesn’t allow the thought to finish.
“Elliot, you have to stay here.” She says, her first words since the surgeon’s visit three hours ago. For being such a new girlfriend to Elliot, Hannah was taking this remarkably well. “Who else is going to help me move into my dorm? Who am I going to call when I professor’s being a jerk? I need you here I can’t be the last one left-Mom and Dad are already gone, you can’t go too.” She presses a fist against her mouth, tears falling down her face. A glance at the clock tells her ten minutes are up and she silently leaves the ICU, passing Hannah who’s coming in. The two women don’t say anything-just share a look. Annika’s intention was to go back to the ICU waiting room but her feet take her past there and to the elevators. Pressing the button for the main floor mechanically, she stoically waits for the doors to open.
Her mind’s too full right now to think of anything so it's with surprise when she looks up and finds herself in front of the hospital chapel. She slips in, taking a seat in the middle pew. Annika hasn’t actually done this - talk to her favorite saint or really anyone in the hierarchy of the faith since her parents died. But right now, her heart and mind need a release and apparently this is the way.
She folds her hands and slips into The Rosary, belatedly realizing that she lacks an actual rosary. She somehow thinks that the blessed Virgin doesn’t mind right now.
“You already have my parents,” she says looking at the cross. “You can’t take my brother. You can’t! I don’t know what I would do without him He became a cop for a reason and I know there’s still a reason for him to be out there. Just don’t take him. Please…”
Annika’s not sure how long it is before she hears footsteps. Hannah’s stepping into the chapel, hands folded around a rosary.
“Hi,” Hannah says softly as she sits down next to Annika and leans back against the pew.
“Hi,” Annika replies back just as softly. The two sit there in silence, the only thing bonding them together is a love of the same man who’s currently recovering from a gunshot wound to the shoulder. Hannah’s occasional muttering and people walking past only break their silence.