John and Marlena (Finally) Get a Q!

Chapter 19 - Premonition

Sami felt groggy. Her glazed eyes refused to focus, and she felt like she was half a step out of synchronization with the rest of the world. Slowly the white walls began to gain some definition and she noticed a tube snaking down and disappearing into her arm. She watched the red liquid ooze down the tube for several moments before she realized that it was blood, and it was replenishing her own depleted supply.

A slight pulling sensation at her right arm made her turn her head to see what was happening. Mike Horton was sitting by her bedside wielding a needle. He was making a tidy job of the last few stitches to close up the cut on her arm.

"Hey there. Welcome back." His greeting was soft and, Sami was almost surprised to realize, genuine. She tried a reply, but found her tongue seemed to be stuck to the roof of her mouth. Mike motioned to a nurse who raised Sami's head and put a glass to her lips. Sami thirstily swallowed a couple of mouthfuls of the cold liquid, not bothering about the drips that trickled out of the sides of the glass and down her neck.

When she was finished, the nurse took the glass away and gently lowered Sami's head back to the pillow. She turned her attention back to Mike, who was just finishing the dressing on her arm.

"Thanks." She croaked

"You're welcome." He smiled as he fastened up the end of the bandage. "You gave us a bit of a fright there, you know?"

"I did?" Sami said uncertainly.

"Just as well you managed to get that tourniquet on your arm." He pushed the tray away and turned his attention to Sami. "You lost quite a lot of blood from that little cut."

"I couldn't get it very tight." Sami winced as the pain began to seep back along the edges of her consciousness.

"It was good enough." Mike's smile was kind. "But you are a lucky young woman. That cut came very close to doing some serious damage."

"But I'll be okay?" Sami frowned as she thought about her son. It wasn't going to be very easy to look after him if she was in hospital.

"Yeah, you'll be fine. We're just giving you a top-up of blood. " He patted her hand when he saw the worried expression that flitted across her face. "It's nothing to worry about. Just a precaution. We'll keep you in here for a couple of nights, just for observation. Then you'll be able to go home. You'll need a bit of help for a while though. Especially with Will around."

"Okay." Sami's tone was non-committal. She knew that she would be able to manage without help from anyone. She didn't *want* any help.

Mike looked at her with raised eyebrows.

"I'm serious Sami. You're going to need to stay with someone for a while. Your Granma, or maybe your Mom. Or at least have someone staying with you. Otherwise, you'll be back in here. In fact," he paused, a glint in his eye, "I won't let you out of here 'till I know you have help."

"Oh, thanks." Sami couldn't hold back the grin that spread across her face.

"You're welcome." Mike winked at her.

Suddenly remembering the reason she was in the hospital, the reason that her arm was in ribbons, Sami's face became serious.

"How's Kristen?" she ventured as she tried to sit up a little.

"She's holding her own." Mike nodded. Seeing her efforts, he raised his hand and stood up. He adjusted the bed so that she was in a half-sitting position and then sat back down.

"The baby?" Sami couldn't squelch the small candle of hope that burned. When she found Kristen, she knew that the right thing to do was to call for help. But knowing what she knew, she had no sympathy for Kristen and there was a part of her that fervently wished that Kristen would lose the baby. Sami felt a little ashamed that she should wish that on an innocent child, but she found herself unable to help it.