“Nick, it’s me.”
“Me who?”
“Shut up. Have you seen Stephanie today?”
“Nope, I’m heading up there in a few, why?”
“I was just wondering if she was handling it any better.”
“You mean her sight?”
“Yeah.”
Nick sighed, “I think she has begun to except it, but she still has hope that it will come back.”
“That’s good, I guess. Do the doctors say there is any hope?”
“I really don’t think they know,” Nick answered.
**
Stephanie sat up straight in her bed, while Megan braided her hair. Laura was packing her things. After staying in the hospital for a week under observation, she was finally able to go home, or home to an extent. They were going to stay at Brian’s for awhile before going back home to Dallas. The doctors frowned at the idea of her traveling anyway. Stephanie’s vision had not come back, and the doctors were not sure it ever would. It was not fully gone, she could make out light and dark and certain colors, but not much other than that. There was a knock on the door and A.J. entered with flowers in hand, “Hello ladies.”
Stephanie smiled, “Hey you, what did you bring me?”
A.J. looked at Megan and Laura, silently asking about her sight. They both shook their heads in a reply, “I didn’t know I was suppose to bring you something.”
Stephanie crossed her arms, “I know you did, what is it?”
He walked over and swished the flowers under he nose, “Just something to make your room smell better.”
She put her hand up slowly, until she felt the flowers. She took them from him and smelled them, then gently touched the petals, “Thank you. What color are they?”
“They are daisies, white,” she smiled and continued to smell the flowers. A.J watched her for a minute and then asked, “So when are you breakin out of this joint?”
Stephanie laughed, “As soon as Brian and Nick get here.”
Nick’s head popped into the room, “Someone talking about me?”
“Yes, we are talking about how you are never on time,” Stephanie answered.
“Not funny,” he grumbled walking back into the room. He shoved his hands in his pockets and they all stood there for a moment in silence.
“What time is it?” Stephanie asked
“It’s a little after one,” Megan answered.
“Well, you boys need to leave then,” Stephanie said swinging her feet off the bed slowly.
“Why?” Nick asked a little confused.
“Because I have to get dressed, I want to get out of here.”
“Oh, ok.” A.J. said following Nick out into the hallway. They shut the door behind them, and just stood there. “How did this happen?”
“Well, the doctors said it happens with head injuries. She’s just lucky the internal bleeding stopped and they were able to repair her organs.”
“Yeah,” A.J. responded, although he wasn’t talking about the accident. “What is she going to tell her parents? Her friends? She comes out here to visit some friends and goes home blind.”
“She called her parents the other day and told them, they were shocked, but they were glad she was alive.”
“What about the hospital bills?” A.J. asked skeptically
“I told her parents not to worry about them, we had it all covered.”
A.J. nodded and stood up from where he was leaning against the wall when the door opened. Laura came out with Stephanie’s bags and Megan led Stephanie out by the arm. A.J. walked beside Laura, “What are we going to do now?”
Laura looked up at him, “Just deal with it a day at a time.”
**
Stephanie sat on a stool next to Brian’s kitchen counter and listened quietly as Megan, Brian, and Nick talked. She had had a long day and she was tired, she just couldn’t figure out why because she really hadn’t done anything strenuous, but she was exhausted. The conversation started to slow and Stephanie asked, “What time is it?”
“It is 9:12, are you getting tired?” Megan asked.
“Yeah, I think I’ll go to bed now.” She slowly got off the stool, placed a hand on the counter and started to walk through what she remembered was the living room very slowly. “You don’t have to follow me around everywhere you know. I spent all afternoon walking around the house with that cane thing the doctor gave me.”
Nick smiled, “You mean this cane thing?” he asked as he placed it in her hand.
“Yes, that thing. I keep forgetting about it,” she came to the stairs and started to walk up. Nick held one of her elbows for support, but she pulled away after only a minute.
“How did you know I was following you?” Nick asked quietly.
I don’t know, I just knew you were there, besides, I could smell you.”
“You could smell me?” Nick asked a little offended, “I took a shower this morning.”
Stephanie tried not to smile and wrinkled her nose, “You reek of…of…cologne you goof.”
“Oh, yeah.” They came to the door of her room and Nick looked in. Megan had arranged everything for her, even color coordinated her clothes, “You need any more help because I’m right here if you need me.”
“Nickolas, what else do you plan to help me with?” she asked with a smirk.
“Um, I dunno,” Nick answered.
“Well, no thank you, I’ll be fine.”
“Ok, well, if you need anything, just yell. I’ll be down the hall in the game room on the Playstation."
“Ok, thanks.” She waited for his footsteps and then shut the door quietly
