Saving Grace

A Talk With Him

Chapter Sixteen

Jay

I got up out of the chair and walked around again. I had to keep doing that or else the chair got way to uncomfortable and made my muscles soar. We still hadn't heard anything except that her injuries weren't fatal. That helped, but not much.

"Jay Roberts?" I looked up when I heard my name. A man in a white lab coat was standing at the other end of the room. He motioned for me to walk with him. I glanced at Preston who nodded his head. He was handling this really well. I was honestly, a little surprised.

I started walking with the doctor down the hall. They still hadn't told us where she was or what room number, so I followed him closely.

"She has a broken left arm, several bruised ribs and possibly an injured spine. There's no way to tell until we do an MRI. We also couldn't tell if there was brain damage. Damage could possible mean loss of memory. But like I said, we can't be sure just yet." He rambled on but I wasn't sure I had caught any of it. I just wanted to see her.

He stopped outside a room with its door closed. "She's coming to. We're allowing you to see her, but you need to be careful and quiet. Visitations only last for fifteen minutes. Oh, and we ask that you don't...um..." He was looked around at everything but me. I think he thought that once I saw her, I wouldn't be able to hold back and I would run up and kiss her. He finally looked up at me and I nodded my head like I understood. I almost wanted to laugh but I didn't.

He me a small smile and took a step back so I could open the door. I walked in and around the curtain to see Cali laying there, wired to about twenty machines. Her eyes were closed and her hands were resting on her lap. One was in a bright pink cast. I knew she did not like pink. She was going to have a fit when she saw it. I couldn't believe this was same girl I had seen three hours ago.

I walked over and grabbed her hand. I took it in mine as her eyes opened a little.

"Finally," she said under her breath. I didn't know what that meant, but at least she was awake. I took a deep breath and she spoke again.

"That darkness was scary. I was beginning to think I was dead." I laughed as I pushed a piece of lose hair behind her ear. I could tell she had tried to laugh but nothing came out. She winced in pain and fell back against the pillow.

Two nurses came in and looked at us. "Where am I? What happened? Why can't I move?"

Shit. She couldn't remember.

"You're in the hospital sweetheart." I said.

She raised her eye brows and nodded. Like she finally understood. She turned her head towards the nurses.

"Can I have a minute alone with...um..." She looked back at me. "Um...Jay? Yes. Jay."

The nurses nodded their heads and slowly left the room. At least she remembered my name. I pulled up a chair next to the bed.

"You're a cheater. You knew that kiss would distract me and it worked. And I swear to god, you ever catch me off guard like that again, and I'll punch you in the face and won't regret it." I scooted my chair back a little in fear that she would punch me. And I had no doubt she would, even in this condition. She tried to laugh at my reaction, but again, no sound came out. She fell against the pillow, looking defeated.

"Dammit. This sucks. I can't even laugh at how funny I am." I laughed a that. Even here and now, she still had a sense of humor.

"Do you remember what happened?"

She shook her head a little. "I remember we were gonna race. But then you and your stupid charm got the best of me. I hate you again, by the way. I remember looking at you and that's it. Next thing I know I wake up here."

I was offended at first that she called my charm stupid and then I realized she was blaming me for everything. But that was okay. I would let her blame me.

"You fell off your horse." I explained and she nodded her head but then suddenly looked frightened. Her hand flew up to her neck. "Where is it? Did it fall off when I fell off?" I knew she was asking about her necklace. "No. It's over on that table don't worry," I said, glancing over at the table where I saw it when I first walked in.

She nodded her head again. "I'm sorry," I said quietly. I don't know why I was apologizing, but it felt like the right thing to say then.

"It's okay. Even if it was all your fault, I forgive you."

I laughed. "I will gladly take the blame. As long as you're gonna be okay."

She closed her eyes but shot them open and glanced down at her hand. Uh oh.

"Who the hell put this on my arm?" She looked around the room like it might hold the answer. But then, as if I did, she glared at me. "I swear to go if you told them I liked pink," she looked absolutely pissed. Too bad she had to deal with it for about six weeks.

I put my hands up in defense and held back a smile. I knew she would hate it. "It was not me. I came in here and saw it. I'm sorry," I said as she lessened her death stare at me. I chucked to myself and she rolled her eyes. At least the fall hadn't taken away her personality.

"Why's wrong with me?" She asked, picking up her arm and trying to wiggle her fingers. I shrugged my shoulders and tried to remember what the doctor had told me.

"Um...broken arm. Bruised ribs and maybe...um..you need an MRI."

I decided not to tell her about possible spine damage or brain damage. There was no point in worrying her if it turned out nothing was wrong.

She nodded her head and then it was silent for a moment. "I finally came up with a name for my horse now." I picked my head up and looked at her.

"Rhode Island Grace." She said with a real small smile on her face. She said it like she put a lot of thought into it. But I had no idea where she pulled that name from.

"How did you come up with that?"

"My horse reminds me of me. The way she acts and she's always so stubborn. So Rhode Island because that's where I come from. And Grace because...um...that's my real name. And I like the way it sounds. It's like a show name." She nodded her head and closed her eyes again. She squeezed my hand as I thought about what she just said.

"I love it- wait what?" I loved the name but she just said her name was Grace. I was confused.

She opened her eyes again and her bottom lip puckered out like she was about to cry. But she quickly pulled herself together and put on her straight face. "Grace is my first name. Cali is my middle name. I went by Grace all my life, but began going by Cali after- um...a few years ago."

I nodded my head. "Number six," she whispered as she closed her eyes and rested her head against the pillow.

I took a deep breath and watched her as she fell asleep. At least I had my Cali back.

Or was it Grace now?