Chapter Seven: Surprises
Bright lights penetrated the thick darkness that had settled in so comfortably, and I tried to roll over so I could bury my face in the pillow, but found that my body was far too heavy with sleep to even move. Where was I? The bed didn't feel familiar, but then, neither did my limbs. The ones I could feel, anyway. I opened my eyes a teeny bit to see if my mind was betraying me as effectively as my body, and after careful observation, decided I must be in a hospital room. Alone. So where had the bright lights come from? I decided it must have just been the few overhead lights. Otherwise, I was hallucinating. I wondered how many drugs they had me on, and how much longer I would be so high on them that I couldn't move. I opened my eyes wider and inspected my surroundings, only discovering that I had an IV in my arm and a terrible headache.
I based my next decision upon these discoveries; I was going to go back to sleep. I much preferred the bliss of unconsciousness to the pain I was in, and besides, hospitals had always scared me. I closed my eyes, and just before I sunk into the sea of dreamless sleep, I heard a door open, and two female voices. One familiar, one foreign. My eyes flew open again. "Deb?" My mouth formed the word, but no sound came. "Shev! You're awake!" I wished I could nod, but I could barely manage a smile. She walked over to me and I was overwhelmingly glad that she was there, right there in front of me. "Deb, what happened?" I finally croaked out. "You fell down the stairs honey, but everything's okay." Stairs? What stairs? Oh yes, I remembered, the stairs that led to my apartment, I had fallen down them while Erik had been walking me to the door. Yes, that was it. "What's the verdict?" I whispered, remembering the pain in my side and my leg…
She looked reluctant to tell me anything, but I knew I could count on her to tell me the truth… she would tell me. "Shevonne, honey, when you fell down the stairs, you hit your head a few times and that resulted in a pretty serious concussion… you've been unconscious for a week." "A WEEK?" I yelled, but it didn't come out as a yell, just a feeble whimper. She nodded solemnly. "Yes, they thought it might even be longer, so it's good that you're awake now. Are you feeling alright?"
"NO," I said, as emphatically as my voice would allow. "I can't feel my right leg, or my side. What happened to them?"
She sighed again. "Well, you broke a few bones, Hon… your leg, that was a clean break, right in two. It'll take a while to heal…" "Like how long?" I interrupted, needing to know. 2 weeks? 3 weeks?
"Like, a couple of months, two or three." No, not true, I have to work. "I have to work, Deb! It can't take that long!" She shook her head and went on. "You cracked a few ribs, too, but that will heal pretty quickly. You'll have a sore side for a couple of months, though." I frowned. "But I have to go back to work or I'll get fired!" I didn't care about having a sore side or a concussion, but I had to be able to go to work. "How long are they going to keep me here?" I asked, sounding desperate and hating myself for it. "They said about one more week, and then you're supposed to go home and get lots of rest, no work." I shook my head and was immediately sorry. A debilitating pain shot through my head and then the rest of my body, and I moaned. "So, when are they going to give me more painkiller?… and who brought flowers?" "Oh, Erik brought those, sweetie. I'm gonna call him and tell him that you're finally awake, but I want you to get some more rest first, alright?" I frowned, but didn't resist. "Alright… what about the pain killer?" She laughed. "No more painkiller for a while, Shev, or you may overdose. They shot you full of it when they set your leg, just in case you woke up, and that was only a few hours ago. I'll be back later, alright? Go to SLEEP." She kissed me on the forehead in a gesture that I never would have expected from her, and left the room.
It was then, in the quiet solitude of the hospital room, that frustration suddenly built up, and let itself out in the form of tears. It's not fair, I told myself, over and over. But then, when had life ever been fair? Not that this was such a big deal, really. People went through worse things every day. I could have been paralyzed in a car accident or something, so I should be thankful, I told myself. But I wasn't, and I cried.
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I felt a gentle hand on my forehead, and woke up from the light sleep I had fallen into earlier. "Hey," said a soft, male voice as my vision cleared. "Hey," I replied, smiling up at Erik. It felt good to see his voice, hear his… no wait, that was backwards. I sighed at my jumbled thoughts. "How are you feeling?" He asked, true concern apparent in his voice. "Kinda woozy," I said, laughing. "I can't really straight think…" He chuckled at my poor attempt at humor and asked, "did you see the flowers I brought? I hoped they wouldn't wilt before you woke up…" I smiled. "Mmmhmm, I did. They're beautiful, thank you."
"I'm sorry it took me so long to get over here after Deb called. I had to work…" He apologized, and I laughed. "Oh, it wasn't long at all. A few hours, maybe?" He looked very confused, and then realization dawned, and he whispered in my ear, as if it were a secret, "It's been 24 hours, Shevonne…" Rather than being startled, I just sighed. I had had enough surprises lately that this one didn't really matter. "24 hours, huh? They must have drugged me again. It's a conspiracy, I swear! Not that I'd want to be alive right now, if it weren't for the miracle of modern medicine." He smiled, but he had a sad look in his eyes, and I questioned it with my own. "No, Shevonne, you wouldn't. You'd be strong and brave and live through the pain, and then you'd come on another date with me." I burst out laughing at that, not wanting to make light of his comment, but it was just soo funny! "I'm sorry, Erik, I don't mean to laugh at you, it was, you're just… so… adorable!" He shook his head and smiled at me. "But I was serious, you know," he said, still smiling. "Yes, I know. And as soon as I can get around on my own I'd be happy to go on another date with you, Erik. Really." I watched in amusement as his smile grew even wider than it had been. "Wow, you just made my day, Shevonne. Thanks!" I laughed and said, "Well, you just made mine, too. Thank you for coming to see me, it really lifted my spirits…" "Anytime, Shevonne. Anytime." The emphasis he put on the last word sent me laughing again, but not for long, as I was becoming quite exhausted. "You look tired, Shevonne, I'll let you sleep…" I opened my mouth to protest but he placed a finger on it and smiled. "Just rest. I'll be back." "Okay…" I said quietly, smiling back at him. "Bye-bye…" He waved as he left the room, and I waved back, feeling my spirits sink slightly as he exited.
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I sighed and placed the book I had been reading on the table next to my bed. My eyes were tired and wouldn't stay open, so I removed a few pillows from behind my back and lay down in a more comfortable position. Just one more day, I told myself. One more day until I could go back to my apartment. Deb had been taking care of Hugo for me, but she said he missed me, and I couldn't wait to get back home.
I closed my eyes and started falling asleep, but just as I began drifting off, I heard the door open and I opened my eyes to see who it was. "Hi Deb," I said, glad to see her, but still tired. "Hey sweetie, there's someone here to see you. I thought I'd come in first and make sure you were awake." I searched my brain, trying to think of whom, besides Deb, would have come to visit. "Who is it? Erik?" She laughed and shook her head. "I'll go get them." Them? Still laughing, she walked out the door, and I sat back up, wishing I was had known there would be visitors. The door opened once more, and what I saw nearly made me faint. "Shevonne, honey! It's so good to see you!" I shook my head and squinted to be sure it was who I thought it was, then I screeched, "Mom! Daddy!!!" I held out my arms and they hurried over, taking turns hugging me. "How did you guys get here? Why…?" Mom laughed and Dad spoke first. "Hey squirt, your friend Deborah called us and told us about your accident, and we thought we'd come and see how you were doing. It's about time we saw where you lived." I smiled idiotically and then burst out laughing out of pure joy. "Well, I'm glad you came! Where are Cierra and Michael?" I asked, referring to my younger brother and sister. "Oh, they're at the hotel. They wanted to come, but we told them they could see you tomorrow when we take you back to your apartment," Mom said. Suddenly, a question popped into my mind that I hadn't thought of before, for some strange reason, and I looked around the room for Deb. "Where's Deborah, Mom? Did she leave?" I asked. They both nodded. "Why, what do you need?" Dad asked. "I just… remembered about my job… Do you know if she told my boss that I was in the hospital?" They nodded again, and smiled. "Yeah, she told him the day after it happened when she went into work. He's giving you as much leave as you need, but according to Deb, they all need you desperately." I laughed and shook my head. "They always were disorganized without me." I sighed in exhaustion and closed my eyes for a few seconds. Minutes later, I felt someone shaking me. "Shevonne, sweetheart, we're going to go now… you must be tired, so we'll see you tomorrow alright?" I wanted to protest, keep them there with me, but instead I just nodded and said, "Ok, mom, dad… I'll see you tomorrow. I love you." Dad leaned over and kissed my forehead, and said, "We love you too, Squirt… See you tomorrow."
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