HOBO – Chapter 15

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

We started off the following year even more hectic than the previous one. The restaurant had taken off much faster than anticipated and Michelle was working twelve to fourteen hour days. She had hired Eddie Sampson as manager which kept her free to deal with the kitchen. She had also hired another cook and one more waitress. By June on most nights you would have to wait for a table between thirty and forty-five minutes. Michelle was getting home until after midnight on most days.

On July first of that year, I was sitting on the sofa watching television waiting for Michelle to come home. It was a Friday night and I always waited up on Friday and Saturday nights. Occasionally, I would fall asleep on the sofa which happened on this night. I woke up to my cell phone ringing loudly on the ottoman. I look at the screen it was two fifty-six in the morning. I sat up and answered the phone not recognizing the number.

“Who am I speaking to ?”, the male voice asked.

“Tim Williams.”, I replied.

“Mr. Williams, I’m calling about a Michelle Woods currently residing at your residence.”, he stated.

“Yes sir, she’s my fiancé. Is something wrong ?”, I asked.

“Yes sir, she has been involved in a serious accident on the highway. She has been taken to the Baylor University Medical Center on Gaston Ave.”, he reported.

“Oh god, is she okay ?”, I replied.

“Sir, at this time it’s all I know. I suggest you get to the hospital as soon as possible.”, he suggested.

I ran to the bedroom and put on a pair of jeans, pullover shirt and sneakers. I grabbed my wallet, keys and phone and ran out of the door. On the way out of the subdivision I called Stan Woods and relayed the little information I had at the time. He told me he would meet me there at once. I arrived at the hospital about three thirty and ran into the emergency room. I was immediately met by two police officers and a hospital administrator.

As they led me to the trauma center waiting room, I was informed that Michelle was struck by a SUV on the driver’s side on the vehicle. The driver of the SUV was not seriously hurt but was severely intoxicated blowing a .21 on the breathalyzer. All I was told at this time was that Michelle was in surgery and to take a seat.

I was completely numb and for the first time in my life completely helpless. About ten minutes later, Stan and Beverly Woods came running into the waiting room. I repeated everything I knew at the time and explained that she was in surgery. It was around four that morning when a surgeon entered the room and walked towards us.

“You’re here for Ms. Woods ?”, he asked.

“Yes sir. She’s my fiancé and this is her parents.”, I replied.

“I’m Dr. Mikler, I’m a neurosurgeon and I have been working on Ms. Woods. I’m not going to lie, she’s in critical condition. She has suffered multiple broken bones but at this time the head trauma has me more concerned. She has severe swelling of the brain and I have to take her into surgery again quickly. My only chance is to remove the pressure on her brain by draining the skull and then put her in a chemical coma. Do I have your approval ?”, he asked.

I looked over at Stan and Beverly Woods making sure they had a say in this. They just stood there glassy eyed looking at the surgeon.

“Doctor, is this the only chance she has…… doing this operation ?”, I asked.

“I’m afraid it is.”, he said, softly.

“Do it then.”, I demanded.

The surgeon left and I went back to the chair I had been sitting on. About twenty minutes later, Robin Woods came running in the room falling into her parent’s arms. After brief conversation, she came over to me and kissed me on my lips softly, which I found odd. She sat down next to me and took my hand in hers.

“Tim, I’m so sorry. What are they doing ?”, she asked.

I explained what the neurosurgeon had explained to me and told her that Michelle was still in surgery. All we could do was sit here and wait. About thirty minutes later, Dr. Mikler came through the double doors his scrubs stained in red. I started to get up but he motioned for me to stay seated. He came up to me and knelt in front of me resting his hand on my knee.