Devils Roses 01 - Cursed

slowly. “Yeah, I did and she knew it. I thought I did. It just seemed like the way things would go, a natural progression, I guess. We make sense to be together. We're both smart and easy going but passionate about things we believe in. I’m a vegetarian and he doesn’t eat red meat. Sort of like her and Shane, I guess.”
    She laughed. “That is the dumbest thing, I've heard a smart person say. You can’t make a relationship out of math and science, you weirdo. Aimee, it’s safe to say, you’ve never been in love. Dude, your sister is right, you will have an amazing love when you find it. You’ve held out for so long, that when it happens, it’s going to rock your world.” I laughed more at Giselle than with her. Alise and Giselle treated me like a spinster, because I had yet to fall in love, at eighteen. They acted like I was thirty.
    I shook my head. “I think I will probably end up the lonely old Miss Havisham, with cats and craziness.”
    She frowned. “I don’t know this Havisham lady, but I doubt you will be lonely. A little makeup, some hair product, and maybe gain a little weight—girl, you wait and see.”
    I didn’t have time to respond. The doctor came into our room, his eyes looked off.
    “ Girls do you want your assessments alone or together?”
    I looked at Giselle and shrugged. “I’m good together, we're in the same boat.”
    Giselle agreed. “Yeah, go ahead.”
    He swallowed hard. “Not the same boat, unfortunately, but if you want your parents here let me know now. You're both eighteen so they don’t have to be here, unless you want them here.”
    “ So, Aimee, your liver appears to be on the mend. I wouldn’t recommend drinking again for a long, long time. You may not ever be able to tolerate fatty foods, drugs and alcohol ever again. But we are seeing a reduction in ALP levels and your symptoms are diminishing rapidly. We have every reason to believe, you will make a full recovery over the next few months. But very limited exercise and a lot of sleep.”
    I nodded. “Okay, I’m a veggie anyway and I never do drugs or drink. So basically, live my life the way I do anyway and avoid parties. Yeah, I’m good with that.” I could feel the clean bill of health, just around the corner.
    He smiled at me. “Yes, that’s excellent that you’re already used to this because there is some permanent damage to your liver's bile ducts. You are lucky though, at this point you seem to be having some regeneration.”
    He cleared his throat again and shook his head staring down at the floor. “Giselle, your body seems to have had something, we almost never see. You’re going to be transported to the main Children’s in Portland. You seem to have had an allergy to the drugs you were given. This is not something we see often. Your liver is reacting, like it has cirrhosis of the liver—liver disease. We have found your ALP levels are very high and your direct bilirubin is normal, so we think it's a cirrhosis-type of reaction. Your symptoms are not decreasing at all. I am so sorry. Do you have any questions?”
    Giselle looked at him and then at me and shook her head. “What? What does that all mean? I'm sick still? No, no this isn’t right. Your tests are wrong. I feel fine.” Tears sprang from her eyes and then mine.
    “ Giselle, it means your body needs a larger center with better care than we can provide. We are heli-transporting you within the hour to Children’s, because we want those tests to be wrong. I have left messages at your home, but no one has returned the calls. Are your parents away? We haven’t been able to reach anyone for you. Your friends handed in your medical information from your purse when they checked you in, but no one is answering the numbers we have on record.” His voice was soft. The news was so bleak it bothered the heartless doctor.
    I looked at Giselle, ignoring him. “This is good news because they already know what’s wrong with you and how to treat it. You’re going to the best hospital. They will find answers and I’ll find you mom if it kills me, okay?”
    She nodded, but I could see she was shut off. She was trapped in the doctor’s first sentence.
    I looked at the doctor; I needed my cell phone and for him to go away. “I will talk to her.”
    He agreed with a head nod and walked from the room.
    I sprang from my bed like a sloth and started my emergency texting. I messaged my sister.
    “ Dude get G’s dad here 911”
    Clearly not