Where to go from here

Chapter 9 Restless

Minnie's POV

It's another morning, come and gone, not feeling like it was long enough. I needed more time to try to feel better, but of course, I didn't get it because I'm an adult and I have to work whether I like it or not. So, I reluctantly got to my work, feeling drowsy because I didn't sleep well.. I was tossing and turning all night because of that same dread as before, that's still somehow plaguing my mind. This wasn't the only issue I had this morning, because I was so tired that apparently I didn't hear my alarm on my phone, nor Walter.. slept right through it and now I'm late because I had to clean up my apartment since I didn't help him the way he needed. So, to say I feel awful is an understatement.

I am not late often at all, so my work is understanding, but man, when I start the day off in panic, it feels like that same panicking feeling is triggered by everything you do within that day.. I can't stop feeling on edge, like my head is on a swivel, like I'm forgetting something as I run around this place doing my work, like a chicken with my head cut off.. I feel awful.. even worse than how I was feeling yesterday and I cannot figure out to even pin why I am feeling like this for the life of me. But as of now I am going to blame it on the lack of sleep.

I keep getting my work done as quickly as I can to try to rid my mind of this feeling, but nothing seems to work. I keep going on with my day until I see a couple of nurses including Marilyn, outside of Mr.Thomas' room talking with his ex-girlfriend. They look concerned and are whispering but as they see me the quickly dispersed, like water that evaporates. If I hadn't seen them there myself, then I wouldn't have believed they were here in the first place.

I walk into his room with my arms filled. I see he is staring off, looking like he is feeling numb.. I have had that same look after breaking it off with people too. "Hey Oliver." I state nicely, trying to show him that I can be casual in hopes that might make him smile and maybe distracting him. "G'day Minnie." He looks sad but still doesn't move much at all.

A couple more nurses come in, then out of the room.. giving him his medicine that he needed. Marilyn is the last of them to do this as she sends me a small smile then leaving us in this suffocating silence. I think they know what has happened between him and Lydia because everyone is avoiding talking with either one of us at the moment, but I get it. Marilyn quickly comes back into the room, as if she forgot something. She quickly checks some of his vitals like usual to make sure he is doing alright because things have been strange for him and we have all noticed it.

Marilyn then turns to me and hands me the pudding I had requested from her a little bit ago, since she was heading to the kitchen soon enough. She puts the cup into my hand then writes down the vitals as I say a soft, "thank you." She waves at us with the pen in her hand before she continues writing and leaving the room. This is normal since his vitals have been fluctuating, so it has been worrying us.. You can see how pale he looks and how much weight he has lost, we even made sure to relay that to the doctor just in case, because it was slightly alarming.

So, because of these unusual things happening with him, multiple daily checks of his vitals have been asked of us by the doctor and we of course obliged. I watch the door for a moment, listening for anyone else to join, but I don't hear anything. So once everyone is gone, I finally ask what I have been wanting to know, since his stature at the moment worries me... he looks depressed.. and for the man who is smiling every single day.. this is weird... looking almost unnatural on his bright features. "How are things? I saw Lydia leaving. Did she come back to try to convince you otherwise? Did you have to tell her what you wanted again?" I ask as he nods vigorously, showing me that's why he looks sad. I quickly walk to his side, putting everything down as I softly say. "Everything is going to be ok.. You will be happy to be with your family.. You just keep your head up."

He smiles at my positivity at me before ripping the pudding open and putting a spoonful into his mouth. This makes him hum out, loving the taste and smiling over at me. I automatically grin because of his smile with butterscotch surrounding his lips that looks silly and is completely contagious, the longer I look at him the bigger my smile grows, just enjoying this silent moment with him more than I probably should be, but its cute. He finishes the pudding faster than I had thought as he clears his throat while tossing the cup and plastic spoon into the trash can.

I give him a little clap because of his great shot, grabbing his attention before he looks back at me and saying. "Thanks Minnie... you don't know what that means to me.. All of this is so hard and makes me feel awful on the inside, but I'm trying to be positive.. without you I don't know how I would be doing at the moment." His hand lands on top of mine as he pats it then grasps it tight. His other hand lands onto his chest as he starts gripping the shirt on his chest. This seems like a strange reaction, but he said he is feeling bad on the inside. I keep watching him as I notice his eyes widen but nothing comes from his lips.

"Mr. Thomas? Oliver? Are you alright?" I ask as he gasps for air with his eyes widening with panic. He can't be choking on anything because it was pudding and he already finished it and talked with me.. So I stand up, still holding his hand as I press the help assistance button across from me but on his side. I look for any signs of what is happening but nothing looks out of place. He is holding his chest, so maybe the stress of this hard situation got the best of him and this is a stroke or even a heartattack.

"Oliver.. you need to try to breathe.. I have help coming but can you show me what hurts?" I asked, trying to figure out what to do to help. I'm hoping he will pat his arm or something to show me it is a stroke or heartattack, but he does nothing. His eyes are looking bloodshot, with his lips looking as if they are changing shades. His eyes keep widening looking even more shocked as they bulge out from his sockets, showing the pressure within him that he is having a hard time dealing with. His face is changing colors along with a tinge of foam in the corners of his mouth. I look into his mouth but see nothing. I lean down and try to give him CPR but he is pushing me away from him, not allowing me to do it and I don't know why.

He keeps patting his chest as he continues to gasp for air. I don't know what to do to help since I don't know what's wrong. I look at his open skin and no rashes.. I look at the medicine given and it's normal.. I look around, wondering where the other nurses are. "HELP! We need help in here!" I scream out, but as I turn to find one, he grips my hand tight and pulling me closer to him. He lets go of his shirt to reach over to his dresser, he pulls something out of the drawer as he pushes out the words with what little air he has in his system. "Give.. this.. to my son.. give this to him." I shake my head.

"Oliver, you need to hold on.. help is coming.. they're coming.. I called for them.. Everything is going to be ok and you can give this to him yourself." I explained as he shook his head. "Thank you.. for everything.. Minnie." He pushes those words out with as much pressure as the last making my heart race as I hear the last of his air leave his lips. His eyes and mouth widen before his body goes limp. I gasp for air as I ask. "Oliver?" but no response as the other nurses burst into the room. I get instantly pushed out of the way since I'm in a type of shock.

I froze when he needed me most and I couldn't feel worse about it. I back away as the tears brim my eyes and easily fall. My back hits the wall behind me as I realize they have said he is dead and are trying to revive him. I put my hand to cover my eyes as I felt the metal on my nose. I looked down to notice that what he gave me for his son was a golden locket on a chain. It looks old but I shake my head as I shove the locket into my pocket. I cover my eyes as I cry, hating how much this hurts with it being so unexpected.

Whatever happened, hit him like a brick wall and took him out almost instantly.. What could have an effect like that? I don't understand.. he was gasping as if he couldn't breathe.. what makes you not breathe? Why was he holding his chest? Did it hurt or was it because he couldn't breathe? or both.. I don't understand and I'm so confused. My supervisor comes into the room seeing what's happening as the nurses take him out of the room on a gurney. He keeps looking around until he sees me panicked and pushing myself into the corner.

"Minnie.. what happened?" he asks as I shake my head. "I don't know he was talking to me just fine until he grabbed his chest and squeezed the hell out of my hand.. he sounded like he was gasping for air.. I try to do CPR but he wouldn't allow me to and then just died.. I looked at his medicine thinking that maybe he took something he wasn't supposed to.. but it's what he normally takes.. he had no rashes or reactions on his skin.. I even checked his throat before he died and I saw nothing." I gasped out as he shook his head.

"You can clock out and go home.. I will be calling for you to make a statement.. think about everything and let me know if there was anything you missed.. and I'll find someone to clean up this room." He declares leaving the room but I don't want to go home just yet.

I start looking around the room as I look at the medicine bottles and smell the water.. anything that might have caused this. But nothing looks out of the ordinary.

I'm so confused. I keep wiping away the tears as I hear a knock to the door frame. I quickly flip around see a handsome man with dirty blonde hair that is slightly hanging down over his sapphire eyes. With his tall muscular frame, he hovers over me as he asks. "Are you alright?" I shake my head as I wipe my eyes. I don't say anything to him, feeling even with how handsome he is that it's none of his business. I think he can tell this because he nods in understanding as he clears his throat.

"Sorry excuse me. I am looking for my Da.. I was directed here." He says to me as I feel my heart drop. I shake my head as he looks around. "I'm sorry if I startled you sheila.. but do I have the right room?" he asks as I feel the air being taken from my lungs at this thought while I shake my head. "What's your father's name?" I ask just hoping he is in the wrong room.

"Oliver Thomas.. Sorry, so rude of me, but my name is Lachlan Thomas.. I don't want to be rude by rushing ya.. but my father's lady called me and said he just had surgery and has been in here for a couple days so I left right away.. I have been traveling for a day straight and would love to see him before I get some rest." he declared as I shake my head feeling the nervous knot caught in my throat making it almost impossible to tell him what happened.