Chapter 7:

"You can't go in sir" A female nurse said empathetically as she obstructed the path leading to a passage where Jerry wanted to enter. He stopped, his gaze following Sophie's unconscious body that was being pushed by hasty medical personnels as the sliding doors closed shut.

I gently placed my hands on his shoulders to calm him down. My eyes searched the reception for an empty seat for two. The hospital was quite crowded as there was only one federal one in the city. The rest were privately owned clinics owned by specialists. It took us a while to get to the hospital as it was at the entrance of the city.

I found a seat beside a middle aged woman that was fast asleep with her head titled backwards and her lips slightly ajar. Leading Jerry, whose eyes wouldn't leave the shut doors, we sat down. As soon as we did, he buried his head in his palms and began to cry. My heart broke at the sight, I caressed his back softly as he shook.

After I received his call, I told him not to hang up till I got there. Sophie's limp body sat in her car in the driveway. Parts of her face were pale and her slightly parted lips were chapped. Her lifeless eyes stared into the distance as I slowly stepped closer to Jerry. The look he gave me sent shivers down my spine. He looked like he was going to break any minute.

A man in a nurse's attire walked over to us, earning Jerry's attention."Good morning sir, your attention is needed over there" He stood up, following the nurse's hand gesture to the receptionist table. His eyebrows dropped in dejection.

"Okay, thank you" I answered for him and stood up as well, guiding him to the receptionist's table. I helped him fill a form that contained information needed by the patient while he answered them orally. We walked back to our seats after, awaiting the doctor's diagnosis.

I looked at Jerry as he sat stretched out on the chair, his head facing upwards. He really loves her. I could tell. He eyes were open but he didn't look like he was here. I took my phone to check the time. 4:15am, it read. My battery was at seven percent and I had work.

A man came out of the shut door in a white labcoat and a stethoscope around his neck. Jerry didn't notice because he didn't move an inch. I watched as he spoke to a lady in white. I couldn't read her stoic expression as her eyes began to search the crowd.

Jerry hopped up and started walking towards the nurse in a hurry. I stood up and followed. "Did you bring in Miss Sophie Caddel?" The doctor asked as soon as Jerry and I stopped in his front.

Jerry's eyes brightened and nodded. "Yes, yes we did"

I glanced at the name tag on his labcoat, Dr. Bradley. His expression turned sullen. "We tried all we could, it was too late"

A soft sob escaped my lips at the news. Jerry didn't move an inch. His eyebrows were furrowed like he couldn't make sense of what the doctor said. "It was too-- I don't understand" he finally let out.

"We couldn't save her. I'm sorry" the doctor repeated despairingly.

"But, I-- It is your job! You can't say that! Why can't you save her?" He suddenly yelled at the doctor. I held him back, trying to calm him down as he stepped closer to the doctor.

The doctor bowed his head sympathetically and left. "Sir, you need to calm down" The nurse added. He fell in his knees and buried his face in his hands. His shoulders shook as he cried. The sight broke my heart.

I crouched down beside him and rubbed his back comfortingly. "I'm so sorry" I whispered. He embraced me and we were in that position for a while as he sobbed.

Eventually he stopped and stood up. "I need to call her parents" he muttered and I nodded, standing up with him.

"Yes but let's see the doctor first" I said. He clenched his jaw, displeased at my idea. He agreed anyway and followed as I led the way to the doctor's office.

I knocked on his door that had the same name on his labcoat imprinted on a tag firmly held to the door. I heard no response so I opened turned the handle, stepping in.

He looked up from his laptop, eyes peeping through a thick lensed glasses. Beside the laptop sat other neatly stacked files and a bunch of pens in a heart shaped cup."Hello?" He greeted.

He took the glasses off and placed them beside his computer as we strolled in. I shut the door behind us and stood. Jerry was beside me, head tilted downwards. He was embarrassed?

"Please have your seat" He gestured to the two black leather chairs that sat, facing him, in front of his desk as he leaned back on his chair. We walked to it and had our seat.

"You were the ones that brought in Miss Caddel?" He raised an eyebrow and I nodded. Jerry was still bowing.

Dr Bradley sat up and let out a sigh. "How did you say you found her and where?"

I nudged Jerry. It is only fit if he answers the question. He raised his head up, looking at me. I nodded my head in the direction of the doctor, indicating that he should answer the question.

"Urm...in her car. I found her passed out at the driveway"

"Do you know how long she had been like that for?" He asked again as his hands searched his desk. My eyes landed on a diagnosis book and almost immediately, he picked it up. He started to jot down.

"No. She had just dropped my bestfriend here" He stole a glimpse at me "Then I realized she was taking longer to get back. I went outside to check if she was back and found her like that"

"She was already dead before you brought her here"Dr Bradley stated. Jerry let out a breath through his mouth.

"But doctor, I don't understand. What was the cause of her death? She was fine. Everything was fine--"

"Jerry..." I called.

"The blood around her heart was already coagulated. Did she have any heart conditions? "

"No she didn't. I'm certain" He furrowed his eyebrows in confusion.

"Did she have any disease at all? Maybe a kidney problem?"

"Damn it, no! She was healthy!"

"Thank you, doctor. We'll be taking our leave now" I said, standing up with Jerry as the atmosphere was getting tensed.

"Hold on sir, what about suicide? Did she ever talk about suicide?"

Jerry paused and looked at me as though he didn't want me to hear his answer.

"We should leave" he muttered as he walked out of the office agitatedly.

Suicide?

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25/06/2023