Somnia | $crim

12. Narcolepsy

July 6th, 2015

"Adrienne?" a familiar voice called from the darkness. "Adrienne... Adrienne..."

My eyes fluttered open to see the best view I could – you. The next thing noticed was the room, sterile and white with medical equipment in every corner. The thought of the gas station flooded back to remind me why I was here.

"She's awake!" you yelled out the door, only for my siblings and Carmen's family to appear one by one. You pulled me into a hug the best he could. There were tears in your eyes, but you didn't dare let them fall.

A medical team came in to explain to me what happened, but I had a hard time paying attention. The important bit is that I had surgery, but I was "lucky". 

"We were so scared," Sadie piped in.

"I couldn't believe it when I heard the news," Nico said. "I thought we'd lost you."

A couple of people from work, including my manager, came to visit me. You barely left my side the entire time, while my siblings and Carmen visited every day. Aris even visited a few times.

The first time Aris visited, he apologized for what happened the last time I saw him. He explained how he had been struggling, but he, too, promised he would get help to preserve the friendship.

When discharge came, you were the one to help me to your car. Even though there wouldn't be any major damage to my gait, walking was still difficult and painful and would be for the next few weeks while I heal.

"We were all really worried about you," you said once we were buckled in. "I don't know what I would've done without you."

It didn't take long for me to know that I loved you and you felt the same. We didn't say it, probably too scared to make things so serious in an already grave time in our lives. But, I felt it when you rubbed my back as I fell asleep and made sure to wake up before me to make me breakfast in bed. Your love radiated when I could catch glimpses of you in the corner of my eye, just staring at me but you'd turn your head and blush before I could really catch you. I felt the warmth when you would carry me downstairs on the days I didn't have to energy to support myself and when we would stay up way too late, just talking about all the things we could before we fell asleep.