Post by Damita Kenrick on Sept 2, 2006 22:46:09 GMT -5
On the day Damita was accepted at St Mingo's as a trainee, Hayley had a ballet recital. Damita attended it, and watched her little girl dance gracefully, beaming in the little purple dress which made her look so beautiful, her blonde hair is a tight bun with pretty curled bits coming out, and her big blue eyes bright with excitement. She was so happy she'd gotten all the steps correct, and Damita was so proud of her. Afterwards, they went into London and had ice creams, walking down the street holding hands and talking, giggling about this and that, as girls do. Damita used to do that with Hayley all the time, play little games with her and such, but not anymore. That was the last time she remembered going out with Hayley and having fun with her daughter. No, she was too preoccupied nower days with work, and when Hayley would ask her to do something with her, Damita would always reply with 'Mommy's too tired, sweetie.' or 'I promise we'll do something on my next day off.' When those days off came around, Damita was too tired, or too preoccupied with a case or studying to do anything with Hayley, but she always understood.
Damita was always too busy now, and Hayley, a seven year old child, understood that. Now she was suffering, and all Damita could do was cry? Well, that was no good, was it.
Eleanor. That was this girls name. Damita remembered her from applying, and she was sure she'd met her on an Orientation Day or something. She was new, and it appeared that today just happened to be her first day. Wasn't she lucky? Not only was she thrown into the deep end, she had also become responsible for the life of one of her co-workers' children. That had to suck. But, she was telling Damita to stay calm?
That, my dear, was impossible at a time like this. Damita, as you are about to find out, was somewhat fiery when it came to matters that were close to her heart. No, Damita wasn't always the sweet, calm, and quiet peace keeper all her co-workers knew her for, and that was especially the case when the matter concerned Hayley.
"Stay calm?" she repeated, shaking her head. "I'm not leaving her." she stated, and was about to go into one of those 'And furthermore' speeches, but was cut off when Ben had taken her by the arm and was quietly explaining that he didn't want or expect her to leave, and then he was guiding her outside. Perhaps there was a catch to what he'd just said, because apparently she was still leaving, but she didn't object. Not yet, anyway. It seemed Ben was thinking, so there was more to it.
He wanted her to help? Actually, he was allowing her to help? It seemed that they needed all hands on deck if Hayley was going to come out of this alive, and Damita's hands were definately at Ben's expense if that's what it took. So, she was off in search of a Strengthening Solution, and returned with it quite quickly, meeting Ben at the door and then stepping back inside with him.
The sight that greeted her was likely to stay with Damita forever, as the mother of this child who was having her blood drained from her, her limbs immobolised and what not. It was horrific, and she felt her heart sink in her chest yet again, and swallowed deeply, trying to convince herself that Hayley was just another patient, and she had to do her best. No tears, no fears, no thinking the worst, just doing her best.
That, however, was much easier in theory than when put into action.
So, Damita did whatever she could, and after a while, she felt that what Eleanor had said before was right. It was harder for her to be in there, than for her not to be, and she soon backed away, leaving to sit outside with her mother, trying to calm her down and getting her to stop apologising.
Watching from the window, Damita began to think of what would happen if this operation wasn't successful, and what she'd do if everything turned out, well, badly. Imagining her life without Hayley made her feel extremely sick, so she tried not to think on that too much.
After what seemed like forever, the operation appeared to be over, and it appeared that Hayley had come through it well. Well, for now, anyways. She wasn't out of the woods yet, and Damita knew that, but it was a relief to know that for now, she was okay.
Pushing the door open, Damita ran into the room and sat on the bed beside Hayley, brushing her hair out of her face, smiling softly down at her daughter. Recovery would be the next stage, and she'd be wheeled off to a different room soon, but all Damita could do right now was be thankful that she was okay. As her mother came over and started to fuss over Hayley, Damita stood up and walked over to Ben, Carrie, and Eleanor, her hands in her pockets as she did.
"Thank you." she said, smiling softly and sincerely to them all, tears choking in her throat. She owed the life of her baby to these three people, and she was lucky to have them as friends, I guess you could say.
Friends who didn't know she had a child, but still, they dealt with it so well.
Damita was always too busy now, and Hayley, a seven year old child, understood that. Now she was suffering, and all Damita could do was cry? Well, that was no good, was it.
Eleanor. That was this girls name. Damita remembered her from applying, and she was sure she'd met her on an Orientation Day or something. She was new, and it appeared that today just happened to be her first day. Wasn't she lucky? Not only was she thrown into the deep end, she had also become responsible for the life of one of her co-workers' children. That had to suck. But, she was telling Damita to stay calm?
That, my dear, was impossible at a time like this. Damita, as you are about to find out, was somewhat fiery when it came to matters that were close to her heart. No, Damita wasn't always the sweet, calm, and quiet peace keeper all her co-workers knew her for, and that was especially the case when the matter concerned Hayley.
"Stay calm?" she repeated, shaking her head. "I'm not leaving her." she stated, and was about to go into one of those 'And furthermore' speeches, but was cut off when Ben had taken her by the arm and was quietly explaining that he didn't want or expect her to leave, and then he was guiding her outside. Perhaps there was a catch to what he'd just said, because apparently she was still leaving, but she didn't object. Not yet, anyway. It seemed Ben was thinking, so there was more to it.
He wanted her to help? Actually, he was allowing her to help? It seemed that they needed all hands on deck if Hayley was going to come out of this alive, and Damita's hands were definately at Ben's expense if that's what it took. So, she was off in search of a Strengthening Solution, and returned with it quite quickly, meeting Ben at the door and then stepping back inside with him.
The sight that greeted her was likely to stay with Damita forever, as the mother of this child who was having her blood drained from her, her limbs immobolised and what not. It was horrific, and she felt her heart sink in her chest yet again, and swallowed deeply, trying to convince herself that Hayley was just another patient, and she had to do her best. No tears, no fears, no thinking the worst, just doing her best.
That, however, was much easier in theory than when put into action.
So, Damita did whatever she could, and after a while, she felt that what Eleanor had said before was right. It was harder for her to be in there, than for her not to be, and she soon backed away, leaving to sit outside with her mother, trying to calm her down and getting her to stop apologising.
Watching from the window, Damita began to think of what would happen if this operation wasn't successful, and what she'd do if everything turned out, well, badly. Imagining her life without Hayley made her feel extremely sick, so she tried not to think on that too much.
After what seemed like forever, the operation appeared to be over, and it appeared that Hayley had come through it well. Well, for now, anyways. She wasn't out of the woods yet, and Damita knew that, but it was a relief to know that for now, she was okay.
Pushing the door open, Damita ran into the room and sat on the bed beside Hayley, brushing her hair out of her face, smiling softly down at her daughter. Recovery would be the next stage, and she'd be wheeled off to a different room soon, but all Damita could do right now was be thankful that she was okay. As her mother came over and started to fuss over Hayley, Damita stood up and walked over to Ben, Carrie, and Eleanor, her hands in her pockets as she did.
"Thank you." she said, smiling softly and sincerely to them all, tears choking in her throat. She owed the life of her baby to these three people, and she was lucky to have them as friends, I guess you could say.
Friends who didn't know she had a child, but still, they dealt with it so well.