Well that failed ~ Chapter 3

*Spencer*

Ande's surgery started just hours after we arrived at the hospital. She was quiet as the doctors and surgeons surrounded her with clipboards and pens. They checked her vitals, asked her a few questions and then it was off the the operating room. We knew exactly what we were going to do and that was re-mobilize her spine and then put in a rod right where it was broken by the bullet. After this, we'd patch it up and then she'd go through weeks-- maybe even months -- of physical therapy get anything working again.

About two hours after the surgery was over, I made my way to the room Ande was resting in. Her anesthesia was wearing off and her eyes began to open. She moaned quietly and I got down on my knees to get to her level. I put my hands over hers and I could tell right away that she was in absolute pain. I called up nurse Laura to get some painkillers and she rushed in with the strongest stuff we had.

I got Ande back to sleep in 20 minutes, in that time she said nothing but nonsense. The drugs she was put on made her feel a little loopy but it was amazing how fast they seemed to deal with the pain. I went to my own office as soon as I was sure she wouldn't be waking up in awhile. Right as I sat on the couch, exhausted, my phone rang. Ella's voice blew up in my ear before I had even begun to say hello.
"Spencer, where the hell are you?! I've been waiting for an hour and a half!"
"Oh shit, Ella I was on call. A friend of mine had surgery and she's in a really bad state right now and the hospital needed me. I'm really sorry, I swear I'll make it up to you!"
"Well? I'm still at the diner, meet me here and hurry."
"I'm on my way!"

When I finally got to the diner at the pier, Ella was waiting with her hands on her lap. She looked upset but absolutely gorgeous in the dim light but that was the only thing about her that made me feel attracted to this woman. Her temper was like quicksand and her attitude toward any other woman that I even looked at was like a hawk circling her prey. Ande was no exception, Ella knew that Ande was my closest patient and there was no way she would tolerate that much longer.

"I thought you asking me out tonight was special! I thought you were going to ask me to marry you tonight. You made me cry waiting for you Spencer."
"I'm really sorry Ella, you have no idea the hardship I'm going through at work...I wanted tonight to be special but I'm really exhausted and it just slipped my mind."
"It just slipped your mind, of course it did. I always slip your mind! When were you planning on telling me you don't want this anymore? That girl is all you care about anymore and you have to know how that makes me feel!"

By this time she was standing, pointing at me with disgust on her face. "Ella! I care about you!"
"Then why do you only talk about Ande? All you care about is her stupid surgery or how 'Depressed' she is all the time."
"Because I'm her friend."
"I don't want this anymore if you don't want me. Go be with your precious Ande, I know she wants you too. I'll just make sure she knows you're a major dick to your girlfriends and leave them hanging without even a phone call. Good bye."

She rubbed her forehead and turned around right as my cell phone started ringing. She threw up her hands in disgust and sped up her pace as I flipped it open, recognizing the hospitals phone number.
"Spence, it's Laura. I just wanted to let you know that Ande woke up asking for you, I told her you'd be back in the morning."
"Thanks Laura. Give her her medicine, I'll be there early tomorrow."

Instead of heading home, where I should have gone, I went to McDonalds and pigged out on sandwiches and fries. Since I didn't get to eat with Ella and I needed food for this exhausting bitch of a day.

On my last batch of fries, my phone rang again. I laughed to myself thinking it was Ella calling to say that she was sorry and she wanted me back but it wasn't. The voice that came over the phone was groggy and seemed to be talking nonsense. I knew right away that it was Ande.
"Spencer, my frog is jumping away again..." she sighed into the phone tiredly. "It won't stay put."
"Ande, there is no frog. You need to go back to bed and sleep that medicine off."
"But I don't want to sleep. It's really dark in here."
"Have Laura turn on a light."
"Please come back..." I bit my lip and crumbled up the box for my sandwich.

"Give me 10 minutes."