WHERE ARE YOU CHARLIE?

NOW - CHAPTER 18

"No can do, Mrs. Fields..." I recognized Cole's voice. "I'm not leaving her..."

"Cole, you haven't left that room for twelve days..." She argued but even I could hear the defeat in her tone.

"I'll leave when she wakes up and the doctors release her." He wouldn't change his mind.

"I'm awake..." I was as surprised as them when I heard my croaked voice.

"Zoe!" Mrs. Fields exclaimed at the same time Cole cried, "Baby..."

They were both staring at me as if making sure they weren't dreaming or something. After what seemed forever it's Cole who finally snapped out of it and pressed a red button.

Two nurses rushed inside the room less than ten seconds later.

"What's go..." One of them started but the words died in her mouth when she saw me looking at her. "You're awake!" Why did this stranger sound so happy?

The two women who must have been in their early thirties got busy checking my vitals and as they completed my file in silence I could tell that everything was good.

"You're as good as new..." The second one said, her voice thick with emotion.

Both Cole and Mrs. Fields let out relieved sighs.

"I'm pretty confident Doctor Leon will have you released before the end of the day." She added. "All you need now is to stuff yourself with food and hang out with your friends and..." Her eyes paused on Cole and I could feel the heat on my cheeks.

What was going on? Why were those nurses I'd never seen before in my life being so nice with me?

Cole's big hand reached mine and squeezed it once.

"Don't worry..." His dark green eyes told me when our gazes met.

"Aren't you mad at me?" I asked Mrs. Fields when they finally left the room.

"Of course, I'm not Zoe!" She exclaimed. "At first I was angry you hadn't told me about your plan but I'm not sure I'd have let you go through with it if I'd known so..." She admitted with her nose crinkled, her big grey eyes looking far too shiny all of a sudden.

"So I'm not going to be sent to that center up north?" I finally voiced my utmost fear.

"I had to plead your case with social services but since you'll be eighteen in a few months, they accepted to leave you with us..." I let out the breath I didn't even know I'd been holding and fat tears started rolling down my face.

For the first time in my life I didn't care about crying in public. I didn't care if it made me look weak or if it made a sissy out of me.

"Is Cole allowed to stay at yours too?" I questioned between two hiccups.

"He is..." She answered with a smile. "Even though we'll have to discuss some rules ..." She added and I chuckled in embarrassment.

"What happened after I passed out?" I managed to ask Cole in spite of the hooded look he sent me.

"My uncle shot Jim..." He muttered, as if worried of my reaction.

"Is... Is he dead?" I stuttered.

It was like a huge weight had been taken off my shoulders when I saw his head bob up and then down stiffly.

Jim is dead, I thought. He's dead.

"Does it mean I'm free?" I asked in a small voice.

His shoulders relaxed at my question and two tears appeared on his cheeks. He wiped them off quickly.