Oakley [ON HOLD]

28

My eyes peeled open as a slight creaking noise enveloped the room. My body lay rigidly on its side as a large ice pack was secured against my shoulder with a bandage, my head buzzing from the pain.

Further awakening myself, I hear soft clicks of shoes headed towards the bed. As I gaze up dazedly only to be met with our families doctor.

"Hello, dear. Esme informed me of your shoulder pain and thought it best for me to check you out" she said gently as she found place by my bedside, slightly bending down to meet my tired gaze.

I nodded my head before she warmly smiled and stood up, placing her bag down gently and flicking on the warm bedside lamp.

"I'll remove this now" she murmured as she gently unrolled the bandage from my shoulder and took off the ice pack, my teeth slightly clenching at the feeling of such.

"And which areas did you feel most affected after the activity?" she said after looking around my shoulder, neck, and down my arm.

"Uhm.. well it hurt immediately after and felt like my arm was dead weight and then by the time I got home I was feeling really clammy and weird... and it felt like there was pins and needles down my arm. Esme took me upstairs and put the ice pack on it and gave me painkillers and my medication from my last surgery, but then it started to feel like I couldn't feel my fingers and I guess I've been in and out of sleep until now" I said trying to pinpoint exactly how I had felt.

"Hmmm ok" she mumbled and began looking around her bag.

I let out a shaky breath as tears stung my eyes at her response, feeling like everything that I described was terrible and now I'll never be able to perform again.

"Is-is it bad" I murmur as I sniffle.

She looked up as her face twisted in remorse and pity as she sat on the stool next to the bed.

"I would have liked to confirm it with an x-ray but from the look of it and what your describing I would say its most likely a pinched nerve due to the strenuous activity while still not healed from your repair surgery."

My chest burned at her words as it felt like everything around us was buzzing, as I inhaled shakily.

"I would like to keep it nonsurgical, so we can try out some corticosteroids on the affected area for inflammation and swelling and also some physical therapy. Of course as you are already doing that for your initial surgery then well just slightly adjust and continue with that and hope it helps. Although if none of those help, then I'm afraid we may have to look into another surgery, but we'll cross that bridge if we come to it. For now just take the painkillers and see if they help, I'll leave some oral corticosteroids if they don't and then you'll just continue with physio and we'll talk soon, ok?"

"Ok" I murmured barely taking in everything she was saying.

She smiled gently before reapplying the ice pack and bandage and turned to meet Esme as she waited at the door.

As she left the room, it felt like everything stood still, my breath caught in my lungs and on fire, as my eyes unfocused and tears fell staining my pillow.

All I wanted was for Abel to be here, to hold me to him and tell me everything was going to be alright, just like he said on the phone earlier.

Pressing my palm over my lips I tried to contain my sob as it ran through me, my body crumbling into itself as I tried to convince myself this was all a dream as my body shook.

The next thing I knew, my head was laid onto Esme's lap as she cradled my head and mumbled soothing words, her fingers threading through my hair.

"You didn't deserve any of this my sweet girl" she whispered as she pressed her lips to my temple, my tears soaking her pants.

♡♡♡

"Just a little more, dear" Esme warmly smiled as she sat reading on the chair across from my bed, her glasses tilted on the bridge of her nose.

Looking down at the bowl of soup on my lap, my spoon ran through it thoughtlessly, my appetite non-existent after last night.

"I'm done" I whispered as I pushed the tray down to the foot of the bed and resumed my position lying on my right side.

The pills immediately making me sleepy, my eyes fought to close as a stray tear fell, my fingers quickly wiping it away.

♡♡♡

"NO! SHE HAS TO MAKE AN APPEARANCE, PEOPLE WILL QUESTION IF SHE DOESN'T"

"OH? AND YOU THINK THEY WON'T WHEN HER WHOLE SHOULDERS AND UGLY FUCKING PURPLE!?"

My eyes fluttered open groggily as I scanned the room, the early morning light replaced by the dark night and street lights peering in from outside.

Had I slept all day?

My body felt heavy and warm, incapsulated in blankets while my shoulder was numb from the newly placed ice pack and painkillers, my eyes drooping as I wet my lips, my body begging to return to sleep.

Donna and Reeds voices bellowed out behind my closed door, echoing in the long hallway.

My phone dinged from my bedside table a couple times before buzzing. My head ached from all the noises as I scrunched my eyes and cupped my right palm around my chin and against my left ear while pressing my right ear into my pillow, allowing myself to return to sleep.

♡♡♡

"Wake up dear, you have to take the medicine" a warm voice whispered as my hair was pushed behind my ear gently.

Peeling my eyes open I was met with Esme's tender gaze.

Helping me sit up she sat beside my legs as she also laid down a fresh ice pack, the one from last night absent from the bandage currently allowing me time without it.

My body seemed to cave into itself as I sat, rubbing the sleep from my eyes as everything seemed groggy and glazed.

Handing me the glass of water and two pills, I popped them into my mouth and swallowed a quarter of the water, my throat feeling tight.

"What day is it?" I murmured as I handed back the water and she stood.

She slightly stilled before reaching around me and unravelling the bandage to press the ice pack between it, as my brows furrowed at her reaction.

"The 27th" she said with a sad smile as it felt like I misheard what she'd said.

Did I miss Christmas?

"I missed it?" I murmured as my features contorted confusedly.

"Your bodies trying to heal dear, it needed time" she murmured reassuringly before leaning in and pressing a kiss to my temple.

I'd missed Christmas.

My side pressed against the mattress as I laid down once again, Esme finding her seat on the plush chair before spreading out her book and sending me a remorseful smile.