The Case Of Ali

Chapter 13. Ali's Reality

Ali kept staring at Jake but had very little to say to him. She was replaying the life she thought she lived for the past eight months over  and over in her mind.  They were telling her that  the life she lived for the past eight months was not real and that it was all a dream.  She didn't know what to believe.  How could she remember everything in such detail.  They were telling her that she had been in a coma for eight months,  but she remembered everyday of the last eight months.  She remembered the letters from Jake, her friendship with Alex, finding out that she was pregnant,  Cynthia coming to live with her,  Cynthia helping her to decorate the nursery, the court fights with her parents over her money, Cynthia going with her for all her doctor's appointments.. ..how could it all be a dream.  Something was off, she thought.  Maybe this life of being in a coma was a dream.

Matilda walked in all cheery and offered to do Ali's Hair. "Hi Ali, ready to get pretty?" She asked.

It didn't matter how depressed Ali felt, Matilda could always cheer her up.  It was as if she knew this girl all her life.

Ali looked at Matilda.  She was a beautiful African American girl, with beautiful flawless skin and beautiful almond shaped eyes.  She was sure that she had met Matilda somewhere in the past but she just could not place her. "I know that we met  somewhere; I remember those beautiful eyes, I just cant remember where we met" Ali said.  Ali said that every time  she saw Matilda.  It was  stressing  Ali out  over  not remembering where she met Matilda.   

"Ali don't  worry about it so much; it will come to you in time;  Its quite possible that we met; in this type of work people cross path all the time," Matilda  said. But Ali thought that it was more than just crossing path at some doctor's office. 

"You don't remember meeting me?" Ali asked.

"Ali I come across hundreds of people in a given year.  Don't feel bad if I don't  remember meeting you; I know I will never forget you now," she said massaging Ali's scalp.

"You mean you wont forget the crazy girl with the weird dream?" Ali said.

"Crazy? No Ali, you are anything but crazy," Matilda forcefully told Ali.

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Jake was away in his own mind thinking . He could not believe what Ali told him. It was as if she lived a complete life in her head for the past eight months....without him. How is that even possible? he asked himself. The doctor kept telling Jake that it was very possible and that was most likely the reason why Ali survived and was awake and doing so well.....she survived by creating an alternative life in her head. He said that was her way of surviving  the trauma she went through. Dr. Wright believed Ali's recovery in itself was a miracle.

"Jake," Ali called. "Jake," she called again.

"I am sorry, what Babe?" Jake said.

"I need to talk to Dr. Wright; could you find him for me?" Ali asked.

"Sure Babe, are you ok? Are you still having pain?" Jake asked.

"I am good; the contractions are still coming but they are still far apart," she said.

"Ok let me find Dr. Wright," Jake said.

Ali could hear over the intercom as the page came over for Dr. Wright and soon after Jake came back into the room. Ali looked away from Jake as if she was mad at him.

"You ok Babe?" Jake asked.

Ali nodded her head. Just then Dr. Wright walked in with his friendly self followed by his nurse Matilda.