Flirting With Destiny: Aedyn Book 1

Chapter 13

Lauren 

Was I dreaming? My eyes fluttered open. I turned my head to the side, ready to get out of bed, but my body felt like it weighed a million pounds. I gave in and stayed still, waiting for the brain fog to lift, closing my eyes to the bright lights surrounding me. 

I tried again, blinking rapidly to clear my eyes, my vision finally focusing on the IV tube attached to my hand like an ugly snake hanging from the bag of saline solution. Why was everything in hospitals the lifeless color of death? And why was I in a hospital? 

As my memory slowly faded in, I saw two men standing outside the glass window of my room, engrossed in conversation. One was Aedyn. What was he doing here? It appeared he was giving a statement to the police since the officer was scribbling something on a small notepad. 

 I tried to rise and call out to him, but as soon as I moved, pain exploded in my head. I lay back down, as gently as I could manage, wincing as the rest of my body protested. 

 Before I had time to even think about why Aedyn was here, Brandon burst into my room. He was my doctor, but also Chip's brother and my friend; I hadn't seen him since our lunch not long ago. His face was blank, but I sensed an urgency in his voice as he barked out commands to the nurse who had followed in behind him. 

"Brandon? Why...?" 

"Do you know where you are, Lauren," he interrupted me, forcing a smile as he examined my face. 

 I looked around, wondering why he was asking such an obvious questions. I tried to nod, but stopped myself, instead rasping out, "Hospital." 

"Yes, that's right. You're in the hospital and I'm going to take care of you. Do you remember what happened?" 

I closed my eyes, trying to get my memory to cooperate. I'd had coffee with Aedyn and then was heading home. I remembered walking up the sidewalk, stepping into the street and then... the bright lights. The squeal of tires. Pain. Then nothing.

"Car... hit... me," I managed, flicking out my tongue to wet my dry lips. 

"Yes. Very good," Brandon assured me. "You were crossing the street and were hit by a car. I came as soon as I was called. What's the next thing you remember?" 

I closed my eyes again. Nothing. 

 "Waking up... here. Thank you... for coming. Sorry. Didn't mean... to bother you." My words wouldn't come out right, the pain exploding each time a syllable left my mouth. 

 "Don't be silly, Lauren. I'd come anytime for you. You've suffered a concussion, but by some miracle, nothing's broken." He placed his fingers gently on my head and began palpating. "Does this hurt?"

When his fingers hit the sore spot, I winced and he pulled his hands back. In a soothing voice said, "Calm down, just relax..." 

He turned to the nurse who handed him a penlight, then he held open my eyelids one at a time, passing the light back and forth, checking the dilatation of my pupils. Still absorbed in the task at hand he asked, "How does your head feel?" 

"Like... five hundred pound gorilla... jumping up... down." I was exhausted, those few words causing me to lose my breath. But I had to know more, had to find the strength to ask. "Why is Aedyn here? Police?" 

 Brandon handed the pen light back to the nurse and turned to look at the two men talking in the hall. "The driver had been drinking. That guy... Aedyn, saw it and called it in. It's a good think he was there." He glanced at the cop again and said, "Damn cops in town aren't doing their job. They should've taken that drunk off the streets long ago. Chip's on the City Council. I'm going to have to talk to him about the police department and the shitty job they're doing."