Forgive me - I'm a little fuzzy.
But - I'm alive.
My pain is being managed, but occasionally it breaks through the medication and when that happens I have to press a button which pumps a high strength pain killer, called morphine into me. It makes me feel a little drugged up and trippy.
Kade's with me. So when I press the morphine button, he'll take over. But, I'm hoping I won't have to do that, I'd rather the pain instead of the trippy feeling.
......
Kade received a message from Dr Olav immediately after my operation.
It read: Tanya has survived the extraction of the foreign body. However, I'm deeply concerned; in over thirty years of surgical practice, I have never come across such an atrocity. I need to speak with you both, as a matter of urgency, once Tanya has recovered from her anesthesia.
......
Kade and I are currently waiting for him. We're both filled with anxiety, wondering what they've put in me. We also have the added burden of having to lie about how much we know, and how the foreign body got inside me - we have to back-track on what Kade told the nurse about it being implanted.
Our Secret Service Team have said we must do all we can to keep the truth from Dr Olav.
But when we don't know what Dr Olav is going to present us with, it's difficult to know how to react.
......
"Tell me Kade, I can take it," I say, as he squeezes my hand.
"One thing at a time, Tan. Let's get Dr Olav out of the way first. I don't want too many surprises hindering your recovery."
I laugh, "Kade, don't forget, my body's fairly used to surgery, I'll recover pretty damn quick. So, tell me, what was in the box?"
He shakes his head, not like he's saying 'no' more like he's trying to clear out something that's bothering him.
He lets out a huge sigh, "I've not looked through all its contents, Dr Olav's message pulled me away." He brushes the hair from my face and leans in a little closer, "On top there was an old photograph, of three kids: Kelly, me, and you."
My head shoots up and I'm hit with a jolt of pain - "WHAT?"
Kade reacts with concern, "See, I told you, we don't need to discuss this right now," he says, gently pushing my head back down onto the pillow.
When the pain passes, I think out loud, "That's not possible, Kade. It's probably some kid that looks like me."
"No, it's you."
"We met, as kids?"
"It would appear so."
"Did you bring the picture?"
"No."
"Do you remember when it was taken?"
"Neither Kelly nor I have any memory of it. All we recognize is that it's taken on the Chicago site, before my parents bought it."
My mind starts whirring.
"What you thinking about?" Asks Kade.
"I'm thinking back, trying to find some memory of being introduced to a little boy and girl on waste ground."
"Anything spring to mind?"
"Not immediately, no."
BUT - something suddenly springs up. A hazy, half forgotten memory. A heated conversation by the adults in my life: The Surgeon and Loopy Logan.
