Claire’s Folly
Claire could hear all the commotion going on around her, but all she could focus on was breathing. Slow deep breaths. The pain that was going on in her chest was excruciating and getting air out of her lungs took all of her concentration and strength. Her heart was on fire and felt like it could explode at any moment. Claire felt the tears running down her face. She felt the panic building in her gut. The fear! The fear was so great that she instantly began to pray.
Dear God, help me! Lord, if this is my time , let me go peacefully, please!
I am not ready yet though, God, my family still needs me!
Claire felt a burst of sharp pain go down her right side, followed by intense tingling. She knew she was dying at this moment, she had to be because the pain was debilitating. Suddenly, she was floating. Relief. No pain, no anything, she was going to heaven.
Fava was a hot mess! She was in shock and totally good for nothing right at this moment! She was breathing hard, shaking, crying and in complete terror that her dearest friend/sister for over 30 years, maybe dying right in front of her! Fava watched the paramedics work on Claire. They were moving fast now that they got her stable enough to transport to the hospital. Claire was unconscious now, but Fava could see the tears on her face. Fava cried even harder.
“Ma’am. ma’am?” The man said.
Looking up through her tears, Fava saw a man talking to her. Fava shook her head in the negative trying to collect herself. Claire needed her and O God, she had to call the family!
“Ma’am, are you okay?” The man asked.
All Fava could do was shake her head. Darn-it man, can’t you see I need a moment, Fava thought to herself. Fava wiped her face and stood up. Taking a couple of deep breaths, she aimed for calm, but she was a hot mess!
“Okay, where are they taking her?” Fava asked shakily.
“They are taking her to Sunrise hospital which is only a few blocks from here. Let me have the honor of driving you over there. You are in no shape to drive. You saved your friends life today! You are my new hero!” The man said with a smile.
Fava looked at the man then threw herself at him in a bear hug. She clung to him for dear life, hoping and praying that Claire would live.
“She will, won’t she? She will live!” Fava said passionately.
“Its all in God’s hands, but had you not given her mouth to mouth resuscitation, we would be having a very different conversation right now.” The man said, hugging Fava back.
Breathing a little easier and sniffling, Fava realized she was hugging a stranger. Stepping back, she gave a small shy chuckle.
“I’m so sorry. Didn’t mean to crowd your space, but I can’t tell you how relieved I am to hear you say that.” Fava said with more hope.
“No worries. After what you have just been through you deserve much more than that. I am Patrick, and you did a wonderful job saving your friend’s life. Are you in the medical profession?” Patrick asked as he lead Fava to his vehicle.
“No. I am a editor of books.” Fava answered thinking of the travel piece through London that Claire was working on.
“Ahhh…so you read about how to give mouth to mouth resuscitation?” Patrick said laughing.
Fava smiled, it felt weird to smile because she was scared to death and she needed the family around her right this minute! She wasn’t as strong as Claire. Fava needed people around her. She did not like being alone.
“I know you are worried about your friend. I will be sending prayers out for her from all my prayer warriors.” Patrick said taking his time driving.
Now, Fava’s smile was huge and heart felt. “You have prayer warriors? O how wonderful! Thank you! Thank you so much!” Fava said, thinking there were some really spectacular people in the world.
“My name is Fava, and my friend, my sister, is Claire. She is the strongest, toughest, and the most hardheaded female, but she is also the most sweetest person I have ever known and I need her to live, Patrick! Please, tell your warriors to ask God for more time! I need more time with the woman who is my sister and knows me like no other human being on this earth! I need her to live, Patrick!” Fava said as the tears rolled down her face.
Patrick reached over and quickly patted Fava’s hands that were in her lap. A few tears landed on his hand before he put it back on the steering wheel.
Fava was not paying any attention. All she could see was Claire’s face as they were sitting in Claire’s favorite restaurant doing what they did best, eating and talking shop.
All of a sudden, Claire was grasping for air. She couldn’t breath. She was grabbing at her chest and sweat started pouring down her face. At first, Fava didn’t react, but when Claire fell onto the floor, Fava went into action. She straighten Claire out and began to preform CPR. Fava didn’t now how long she kept giving Claire CPR, all she could focus on was 30 compression’s, two breaths, 30 compression’s, two breaths. Whatever medical emergency Claire was facing, Fava prayed she was doing the right things to save her best friend’s life.
Fava, being so intently focused on Claire that she did not see or hear what was going on around her. People were responding to the situation as well. 9-1-1 was called. Tables were moved to give space and as much privacy to Claire as possible, and the paramedics could come through the door with no impediments in their way.
Now, she was on her way to a hospital that she was not familiar with and the closes person she had as family, who could be dying, is in their hands.
The Hospital
Fava paced back and forth in the waiting room of Sunrise hospital. There was no way she could sit in one position waiting on word of Claire and for the kids to show up. She would be really glad when they got here. This whole scene was surreal. Coming from New York to Las Vegas the other day had been so exciting, Finally being back in the buss-om of her family were she was finally happy and at peace. The last 3 months had been soooo hard on her with the most important people in her life moving to the West coast. She had tried to fill her life with work and other friends, but life in New York as she has known it was no more since her family had left.
Had it not been for Claire and the kids, Fava would have no one to call family. Thus her loathing at being alone. Fava would be a New Yorker forever in her heart, but without her loved ones she was not whole. What was taking the kids so long to get here? Fava needed some answers! Someone had to know something by now. Going over to the nurses station, Fava asked again for an update on Claire’s condition. She got the same answer, Claire was being evaluated and as soon as the doctors have some news they would come out to speak to the family. Fava could scream her bloody head off right now, she was so incensed and terrified, but that would get her absolutely no where! At least they did not say she was dead!
They would not valuate a dead person. No. No. No. Positive thoughts only! Claire was strong. She’s a fighter. Her sister is strong, it was Fava who was the weak, scary one. Claire would make it through this. She had to!
“Aunt Fava! Where is Mom? Is she okay? Can we see her?” Frances Grant asked as she threw herself in Fava’s arms.
Suddenly, Fava was embraced on all sides. The kids were all over her. They were not kids they were grown adults. Frances was the youngest at 21 and Taylor the only boy and middle child was 28 and Tammy being the oldest at 35 years of age and they were all gorgeous in Fava’s eyes. It felt so good to be surrounded by all this love, but seeing the fear in their eyes was heart breaking.
“I’m so happy to see your beautiful faces. Okay, guys, Mom is alive and holding her own. They are still working on her so I still have not spoken to a doctor, but they said as soon as possible they will come out and talk to us. God, I’m so happy you are her with me!” Fava said trying to embrace them all at once again.
Fava was as terrified as the kids, but she had to be strong for them and Claire. Looking into Tammy’s eyes, Fava saw the questions she wanted to ask, but Fava shook her head in the negative. She really had no answers just yet so she would calm their fears as well as her own as much as possible.
“Aunt Fava, what happened? Mommy had no health issues and she has cut way down on her smoking to the point she is ready to quite!” France said with logic and disbelief.
“I know baby. Come on lets go sit over here and I will tell you all what happened.” Fava said as she led the family over to the rows of chairs in the waiting room.
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