Face-Off With Fate: A Rink Romance | Book #1 of UM Hockey Series

thirty nine

Scarlett Redd☾

"We've got a steady pulse! Just keep monitoring until she's awake. I'm going to try to contact any family," I hear someone say.

Why won't my eyes just open already?

"You're going to be okay!" someone else says.

Wake up already! It's just a bad dream. Wake up!

I push myself to open my eyes and the bright lights practically blind me.

"She's awake! Get a doctor!" someone shouts.

I close my eyes again as everything around me is fuzzy and hazy.

"Ma'am stay with us! The doctor is coming!"

I hear someone walk into the room, who I assume to be the doctor, and force my eyes to open again.

"I'm Doctor Phillips, do you know your name?"

"Scar-le" I manage to choke out.

"Scarlett. Good. Scarlett, you were in a car accident, do you remember that?"

I open my mouth but nothing comes out. I'm in pure shock right now.

"How about this? Why don't you blink once for yes, and blink twice for no," he suggests as I follow his instructions. "Good. So do you remember a car accident, Scarlett?"

I blink again.

"And it was your mother that was driving, correct?"

I blink once again.

"Good. I don't want to overwhelm you right now, but is there anyone we could call? Family? Friends?"

I blink once more, as the thoughts race through my head.

"I'll bring over someone with your belongings, and have them call whomever you like."

Where's my mother? Is she okay?! I wish I could just get the words out!

A nurse comes over and hands me my phone. My hands shake as I reach for it as she continues to hold it while I type in my code.

She clicks on the contact app and I look for V. I know he'd be here in a heartbeat. I click on his hand and the nurse takes the phone to make the call.

"Yes, hi, is this Vincent? I'm calling on behalf of Scarlett."

"Um, sorry calm down sir, she's in the hospital, yes, okay, thank you," she says as she places my phone on the table next to me.

"He's going to be here in an hour or so. Is there anyone else to call?"

I blink twice. My throat feels dry and my fingers are tingly. I look at my hands to make sure they're still there. They are. I wiggle each finger and feel the movement. My arms are cut up and bloody, I guess from the glass.

I try to wiggle my toes and can feel the movement.

"Good job! I'm happy to see you're gaining some movement back," the nurse says as she observes me. "I'll go get you something to drink, maybe that will help with your throat."

My dad?! Oh my god. We never got to see him! Is he here? Can I go see him? Where even am I?

"Here, I got you an apple juice, water, and ice chips, with a straw. I think the juice is the best option," as she brings the straw to my mouth.

I take a sip and cough almost immediately. She places the juice back down and sits next to me.

I reach for the juice with my shaky hands and bring it back to my mouth to try to drink on my own. I look back at the nurse who stares back at me.