The five days passed by quickly, and Edie was to return to the filming base tomorrow. Stuart had an important business meeting today, and he couldnāt stay home with her. So, he promised he would be home in the evening to have dinner with her. Not long after Stuart left the Villa, Edieās phone rang.
She looked at her phone screen and realized that someone was calling her from a private number. "Hello!" she answered, uncertain as to who it could be.
"Could I talk to Miss Lara, please? This is Dr. Martin calling from the hospital," he said.
"This is Miss Lara. Why are you calling me from the hospital?" Edie asked, sounding surprised.
"Mr. Lynch asked me to call you. His condition has worsened, and there doesnāt seem to be any of his relatives around. Could you come?" he asked.
"What? Has his condition worsened? How is that possible? I thought he was getting better? Tell me whatās happened?" Edie was full of questions. The last time sheād seen Donald, he was getting better.
The doctor refused to give out any information over the phone. Edie agreed to come to the hospital, and just as she was about to hang up the phone, the doctor lowered his voice and said, "Please donāt repeat any of this to anyone. Mr. Lynchās reputation is at stake and could possibly be destroyed."
"He was fine, and now itās so serious and his reputation. I donāt understand whatās going on, but let Donald know that Iām on my way," Edie shook her head in shock.
Since the matter involved Donald, Edie had to be discreet. She didnāt tell Mr. Sampson where she was going, and she didnāt ask the driver to take her. Instead, she called a taxi. "Mr. Sampson, thereās something I need to do. Iāll be home for dinner," Edie said as she went out the door.
When Edie arrived at the hospital, the doctor was waiting outside Donaldās door by the nurseās station. "Letās have a seat so we can talk. Iāve been monitoring his condition for the last couple of days, and things arenāt looking good," he explained.
"What happened to him? He was getting better the last time I saw him!" Edie asked.
"Iāll take you in, and you can see for yourself," the doctor said.
He opened the door, and Edie stepped into the room. She felt useless as she looked at his pale face, his limp body attached to drips and machines. Sheās shocked at his appearance and covers her mouth to hide her gasp of surprise. "Itās my fault heās lying in this hospital bed fighting for his life. What if he dies?" Edie mutters.
"Mr. Lynchās brain was deprived of oxygen, and he slipped into a coma. Right before it happened, he asked for you. He kept saying Edie, call Edie Lara," the doctor explained.
"This canāt be happening. Donald was injured before and came out of it. Heāll wake up, and I know he will." Edie took a deep breath and swallowed hard. "Heās the president of Hawk Real Estate and is happily married. How could he be lying in the hospital dying?" Edie kept shaking her head.
"Iām sorry, Miss Lara!" the doctor said with sympathy.
Crossing over into the room, she knelt beside him and calmly shook his body. "Donald," Edie called out. Staring at his pale face and lifeless body as he lay in the hospital bed with an IV and many other tubes in his arms. Edie felt drained.
The doctor sighed. "Mr. Lynch was hypnotized before, and this kind of psychological intervention can cause serious damage to the brain. Causing him to have headaches, insomnia, loss of appetite, apathy, and tearfulness. It can also have other causes." He paused and asked Edie if she had any questions before he continued.
Edie nodded her head and said, "No, please continue.|
Depression is easily misdiagnosed after a brain injury. Heās been taking chlorpromazine as a mood stabilizer, and it helps control the pain heās been in, but large amounts of it will definitely have a negative impact on him.
"I had no idea, and he acted so normally in front of me. Things are starting to become a little clearer now as to why he was having these mood swings," Edie explained. "Thereās one thing I donāt understand! What about his family? His wife, his sister and his mother! Where are they?" she asked. "Why am I the only person being informed of his condition?"
"The doctor shook his head." I donāt know. Mr. Lynch was continuously calling out your name and he told me if anything were to happen where to find your number. He had one of his headaches and was in scrutinizing pain hanging onto his head and it wasnāt too long after when this happened. Thatās when I called you," he explained.
"Oh! But for him to not ask for his wife?" Edie couldnāt get over the fact that none of his family was here. Not even his wife.
"Mr. Lynchās condition since he came back to the city has been monitored by me. Weāve met several times, and his condition started to become more serious. He was becoming unstable, and there was a chance of him collapsing at any time. Donald was aware of all of it. He expressed more intense negative emotions, and the frustration of his memory loss was the worse one. He needs treatment as soon as possible, and maybe you are just what he needs to convince him of that. His illness needs to be treated." The doctor told Edie everything and left her with the responsibility of persuading Donald to do the right thing.
"If he doesnāt agree! What will happen to him?" Edie asked as her voice trembled.
The doctor looked at Edie with concern in his eyes. "He has schizophrenia, and he most definitely will have a breakdown or worse!"
"What do you mean worse?" Edie asked. "Isnāt schizophrenia bad enough. Is there another illness I should be aware of?" she said as her voice was shaking in despair.
"Miss Lara, itās bad. If his condition goes untreated, Donald is a threat to himself and everyone else around him," he explained.
Edieās mind was spinning in every direction. "Iām having a hard time taking this all in. How is this possible?" Edie looked at Donald lying in the bed and shook her head. "Heās always been such a kind and gentleman, and now he gets this mental illness?"
The doctor interrupted her and said, "It could happen to any of us, but the fact is that Donald needs treatment, or he will die. Heās aware of his condition, so when he wakes up, please persuade him to do what it takes to get himself better," the doctor asked her. "Iām leaving now, but if there are any changes, just ring the bell beside his bed."
Edie went over and sat beside his bed, holding his hand. After about an hour and a half, his hands began to twitch and he started to moan. He opened his eyes and looked around the room in confusion. After realizing he was still in the hospital he let out a sigh. It wasnāt a normal sigh, but it almost sounded sad. "Iām still in the hospital, Itās inevitable," he muttered softly. Donald tried to sit up in the bed and suddenly something was holding him down. He looked to see what it was and it was Edie. "Edie, youāre here...." He hesitated and looked at her as if he were in shock. "So, the doctor told you?" His heart trembled with emotion.