Never Is A Long Time

Chapter 25

SEE ME

"What happened?" Josh is driving while Karen keep rubbing Deenah's forehead. "I...I don't know. I think she was leaving, I didn't hear her voice from  morning."
"Okay, calm down. We will arrive soon. Okay?" He hit the gas and enter the hospital within 10 minutes. "How's she?" The car stop with doctor and nurses ready to get her. "We need to bring her in first." They put take her and bring her inside while Josh and Karen are waiting in the hallway.

"Please wait here." One of the nurse stop both Josh and Karen to walk further. He put his arm on her shoulder as Karen start to sobbing. "She'll be fine. We know she's a fighter, don't we?"
"I hope you're right. God, I can't imagine myself losing her."
"No, don't say that. She'll be back home, with you. You hear me?"

As they talk, they're seeing doctor and nurses moving her bed into another room. "No, is she..."
"No, Karen. Wait here, I'll talk to them." Josh running into the doctor and stop him. "Excuse me, what happened?"
"We need to observe her further. Can you please wait outside?" The doctor looked like he's in a rush so Josh let him go and walking back to the waiting room.

"Josh, what happened?"
"I don't know, Karen. He told me they need to observe her. Don't worry, we will hear from them soon. Okay?"
"I'm so scared, Josh. She's the only one that I have now."
"I know she's gonna be fine. We will seeing her again." There a nurse coming in and ask for Josh. "Deenah's family?"
"Yes. Any news for us?"
"The doctor wants to talk to you."
"Okay. Karen, you wait here. Okay? I'll tell you what I hear."

They go to a small room, more like an office. Usual consultation room. "Take a sit Mr..."
"Klinghoffer."
"Okay Mr. Klinghoffer. Ms. Clark is in a good condition now. But I must asking you couple of questions." He filp papers and else then going back again to Josh. "Did she lives in poor environment?"
"As long as I concerned, no. She doesn't. Why?"
"She got Bacteria Gastroenteritis. It's an infection, happened to your digestive system. Mostly caused by foods, contact with people who infected. In her case, she got several bacteria. Any idea how she got that? Restaurant, contaminated water, anything?"
"Umm. I don't think so? She's quite picky about her food lately." Then he remembers about what Clara said to him. "Hey, uh.. I don't know if this is related or not but... She had an extreme diet lately...." The doctor cut him. "What kind of diet."
"Well, you know. Kind of...when you put your finger behind your tongue so you will throwing up the food you just eat. Something like that."
"Ah, that explains a lot. Yes it's probably the cause. Do you have any idea how long she did that?"
"I'm not really sure, but my friend told me it's probably more than two months." The doctor writes down something and then gives it to his assistant. It seems like instructions or something.

Just right after that, he turn to Josh again. "Well Mr. Klinghoffer. We will giving her hard antibiotics, vitamin, and maybe some electrolytes. And while we're working on the physical side, maybe you can talk with her? You know, we had a lot of cases of that diet. Some of them can actually work...if...the person change their mindset about the diet that they took."
"I'll talk to her. But you're sure she will be fine, right?"
"As long as she's psychologically getting better... absolutely."

He goes out, walking straight into the room where Karen is sitting at. "Josh? How she?"
"She's good." Josh smiles to her, finally has a chance to tell a good news. "But maybe we need to...talk to her. About....some habits."
"About what? Eating too less of food?"
"Yes and another thing."
"Like what?"
"Her diet method. I'm sorry to tell you this now, but... Clara told me about this. She's kinda...forced what she already eat to...coming out again and.." Judging from her face, Karen is absolutely terrified. "She did that? God... that's.."
"Sounds bad. I know. And that's another reason to talk with her. And maybe with her manager too. I mean... he's kinda involved with her lifestyle lately. Maybe we can tell him so he can...kinda not so hard to her."