"Well, once Esmeralda is awake, you can take her home. As soon as the autopsy is complete, someone will be in touch to find out where you'd like the body to be delivered in preparation for burial or cremation."
"Will we be told what happened? What the cause of death was?" Ruby clarified at Walters' frown.
"Yes. In fact, the attending should be out to talk to everyone before you leave. I think she had some questions."
Ruby nodded. "All right. I'll wait with the rest to talk to the doctor, then I'll come back and sit with Es. Can any of the rest come?"
"They're not supposed to - family only, you know. But I'll see about giving them a minute to look in on her. I think she's gonna need all the love and support she can get to make it through this."
"I'm not sure even that will help," Ruby mumbled, but before Nurse Walters could question her further, they were stepping through the double doors into the waiting room. As soon as they appeared, one whole section of the waiting area rose to their feet as though propelled by springs. Walters patted Ruby on the arm.
"I'll go find the doctor for you."
"Thank you, Nurse Walters - you've been a treasure."
Walters gave Ruby a smile and headed over to the nurses' station. Ruby took a deep breath and walked towards the small knot of people clustered together for moral support.
"Es had to be sedated and she's currently in one of the little rooms in the back. The nurse said when it wears off we can take her home. They've taken Saphira's body down to the morgue for autopsy," seeing every Angels' eyes widened with a number of unhappy emotions. "Apparently it's the law in circumstances like this. The doctor is supposed to come out and talk to us briefly as soon as the nurse locates her."
"Can we go back and see Es?" Matilda asked, wiping her eyes.
"The nurse is gonna try to give everyone a chance to, but no promises," Ruby said. "We've already created quite a stir here tonight and it's not fair to the other patients and their families. Truthfully, I'm not sure Es is in a place to recognize anyone, much less acknowledge them."
"Is she going to be all right, Ruby?" Brianna asked softly.
Ruby shook her head. "I don't know, Senator... I really don't know."
"And if you were to guess?" Charisma inquired.
Ruby sighed. She didn't want to get into this, but.... "Senator Tagherty, just being separated from Saphira made her so sick, she nearly died from it because Es thought it was going to be a permanent situation. But at least she had the assurance that Saphira was alive - she had a sliver of hope and it still nearly destroyed her. What do you think knowing Saphira is never coming back will do to her?"
"I think we'll be keeping an eye on her," blinking the tears from her eyes. Heads nodded all around, then a throat clearing behind them caused them all to turn. Standing behind them was a petite brunette woman, compassion plain in her tired brown eyes. She looked at the group of people standing in front of her, noting the disparity of social classes represented. It made her wonder, but she tucked the thought into the recesses of her mind to consider later. For now, she needed to talk to the family of the woman who had died so suddenly in her emergency room.
"Is one of you family to either Saphira or Esmeralda?" she asked, a slight drawl evident in her soft voice. Ruby stepped forward.
"I am," extending her hand. "Ruby Angelo. You're the doctor that took care of Saphira?"
"I'm Dr. Terrell," nodding as she took Ruby's hand and briefly covered it with her left one in a gesture of sympathy and comfort. "I'm so sorry for your loss."
"Thank you, Dr. Terrell. Do you know what...?
"We're not sure, but.... Did Saphira fall recently? Or take a blow to the head?"
Ruby frowned. "No - she got hit in the throat several weeks ago...."
"She hit her head then," Matilda broke in. "When that little boy hit her, she stumbled and slipped... hit her head pretty hard, but she said she was fine. There wasn't any blood, so I took her word. Are you saying...?" covering her mouth in dread at the implications.
"We're not sure at this point - we won't know for certain until the autopsy report is done - but I suspect she suffered from a brain hemorrhage." The doctor watched the horror dawn in Matilda's eyes and continued. "There was nothing you could have done - you wouldn't have necessarily even noticed that there was anything wrong. As I said, we're not even sure that's what happened."
"But you believe it is, don't you, Doctor?"
Dr. Terrell nodded her head. "Yes, I do." She gently squeezed Ruby's hand and released it. "Are you going to sit with Esmeralda?" Ruby nodded. Dr. Terrell looked at everyone else. "The rest of you need to go home. There's nothing else you can do here tonight, and I don't need you filling up my waiting room. Esmeralda will probably be out of it until much later today, and she'll need you to be there for her then. So go get some rest." No one moved and Dr. Terrell put her hands on her hips. "It wasn't a suggestion, ladies and gentlemen. Ruby can stay, but the rest of you need to go home."
Brianna and Charisma looked at one another a long moment, then turned to the others. "You heard the doctor," Charisma instructed. "Everyone out. Make sure Brianna or I have your contact numbers and as soon as we hear something, we'll make sure everyone else is notified." She turned to Ruby. "You'll call one of us first." Not quite a command, but not a polite request either. Ruby nodded her acquiescence.
"Of course, Senator."
"Jas, you remain here to take Ruby and Es home whenever they are ready to go," Brianna instructed. Jas nodded and moved back to take a seat in a quiet corner of the waiting room.
"All right," Charisma said. "Does anyone need a ride home? It might be a tight squeeze, but I think we could all fit."
"Joe and I drove over," Matilda said with a shake of her head. "But thank you for the offer. You'll keep us apprised?"
"As soon as we know, Matilda, so will you."
"Thank you, Senator." She turned to Ruby. "You'll tell Es...?"
"I will," Ruby promised. Matilda nodded, then she and Joe headed for the exit. Rick offered Ruby his hand briefly, then followed Matilda and Joe out the door. Charisma motioned to Turq.
"Will you bring the car around, please?" she asked wearily, then looked at Brianna, Opal and Indi. "Can I offer you ladies a lift?"
"Thank you, Senator," Opal replied. "Is there anything you need for us to take care of?"
"Nothing that won't wait until tomorrow. Brianna, would you like a ride?"
"I'd appreciate it, Charisma; thank you," her voice beyond exhausted. She turned to Ruby. "Go be with Es, and if there's anything we can do... anything you need...."
"Thank you, Senator... Brianna. Thank you all. I'll be in touch as soon as I can."
They nodded and Ruby turned and followed the doctor back to where Esmeralda was ensconced. Then they made their way out of the emergency room and into the limousine that Turq had pulled to the door. A moment later they were leaving the hospital parking lot.
It was silent in the vehicle; everyone was too drained to do much more than stare out the window or swipe at the occasional errant tear. Turq dropped Indi off first, then Opal. Neither Brianna nor Charisma had the presence of mind to notice that Opal and Indi didn't enter the buildings they were dropped in front of and Turq pulled away as soon as the car door was closed. When the car was out of sight of the building, they disappeared completely.
Turq turned the car towards Brianna's apartment building, knowing Opal and Indi were back at the hospital with Ruby keeping an eye on Esmeralda. She was headed there herself as soon as she got the Senators home.
Brianna and Charisma didn't say a word until Turq pulled up in front of Brianna's building. Then Brianna turned to Charisma and patted her hand for just a moment before drawing away and gathering her things. "Thank you for the ride, Charisma."