Six Degrees of Seperation (Book Two in the Glen Power Series)

Chapter 13

Bright lights. There's so many bright lights. It hurts my eyes when I open them, so I'm forced to close them again.

I have no idea where I am. I don't even know what happened. I try to bring my arm up to rub my face, but I can't. I turn my head and open my eyes just a crack and see tubes in my arm. And I'm moving. Why am I moving? What's going on?!

I hear frantic voices all jumbled up together. I can't make out any words though. Everything going so quick in my head. It's all so fuzzy and rushed. I'm sure it's pretty important. What did I miss?

I force my eyes open again and see four or five people all gathered around me, talking quickly. They aren't looking at me at all. Who are they, and why do they look so worried?

Christ, my head hurts. But more than that, I have a really bad stomach ache. Maybe I ate too much cheese. Why can't I remember what I was doing? I'm pretty sure I wasn't here. Wherever here is.

Where's Mark? I'm pretty sure I was with Mark. Yes. I was. We were going somewhere. And he shouted my name. Why did he shout your name, Emie? Jesus Christ, my stomach!

“The patient was hit from her side. There was no way they could have seen it coming. Injuries are unknown as of yet, but the prognosis isn't looking good.”

Hit from the side? What do they mean hit in the side? I mean, what could possibly...

And then it all comes flooding back. The car, the accident...

My baby!

I push myself upwards, but feel hands pushing me back down.

“My baby,” I croak, blindly grasping at them for confirmation. Confirmation of what, I don't know.

“Calm down, ma'am,” soothes one of the people I now understand to be doctors. “You need to calm down.”

“My baby. Mybaby. Is my baby okay?”

“You need to calm down.”

Why won't he answer me? I thrash around, desperately trying to find someone who will help me. Why won't they tell me what's going on?! Panic is bursting out of my skin, and I start to scream.

“My baby!” I screech. “Someone help my baby!”

Hands hold me down harder, and there's more frantic speech. But I've lost interest. All I care about is my baby. I need for my baby to be okay. I'll fight as hard as I have to, so long as they pay attention to my baby.

“Glen! Glen! My baby! Help me!”

I feel a sharp pain in my hand.

“This will help you, sweetie. Don't fight it. Just calm down.”

My head feels woozy. What have they done? I can't fall asleep now. Not while my baby is in danger. Why isn't Glen here? Why won't he help? My eyes go heavy. No. Please God no. My baby...

My baby...

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As my consciousness swims back, I try to work out where I am. My eyes won't open, they're much too heavy right now. And I can't hear anything. Shit, what the fuck have I gotten myself into?

My eyes eventually flutter, and I see blurry figures standing around me. They're speaking to me, but I can't make out any words. I just hear disjointed mumbling that hurts my head. What the fuck did they give me?

I don't know how much time passes like this. I sense people come and go, but I can't ever focus on them. They're just another shape to me. Why don't I feel pain in my stomach? Surely I should be in pain. Then I remember the tubes in my arm, and realise they must be pumping me full of painkillers. It would explain how difficult it is to wake up.

I try go over what has happened.

I've been in a car accident. A pretty bad one, it would seem. No one would tell me if my baby is okay. I don't know if Mark is okay, or even alive. And I don't know what the damage has been to my body. I really don't know anything about the whole thing.

I've drifted off again, but a sound brings me back. I think it was someone calling my name. I groan and try to open my eyes. But they're so heavy. I feel someone take hold of my hand.

“Emie? Oh God, Emie. Please, please be okay.”

I know that voice. It pulls me out of this slump and I manage to wrench my lids apart. Through the haze of the drugs, I see Glen. I try to talk, but all that comes out is a grunt. His hand is on my forehead, pushing my hair off of my face.

“Shh,” he says. “Don't talk, baby. Don't talk. You need to rest.”

I grunt and ignore him. “What...”

“You've been in an accident. A car ran a red light and hit Mark's car on your side. There was nothing Mark could have done. It was that fucking idiots fault and he's fine. Mark's got a couple of cracked ribs and is in shock, but he'll be okay. It was you that got the worst.”

“The baby?”

“They've run tests, babe. They're doing everything they can.”

My baby's in danger. My heart sinks at the possibility of...I can't even think about it.

“You're going to be okay. They're going to make everything okay.”

That's not the issue. I don't care if I survive. All that matters is my baby. I need my baby to get through this.

Glen turns his head and takes my hand. I can only guess that a doctor has come in.

“You're Mr. Power?” I hear him ask. “We've run tests to try and diagnose what injuries your girlfriend has suffered. She's had severe trauma to her abdomen and stomach, causing severe blood loss. We managed to control that earlier in surgery. She will be in significant pain when the pain killers finally wear off, but she should make a full recovery. Naturally, she will be in a state of shock, so you need to make sure that she is taken care of properly once she is free to leave.”

“And the baby? Is the baby okay?”

“The impact not only caused severe blood loss, but it also caused the placental lining to separate from the uterus. We did everything we could, but the damage was just too severe.”

“So...what...what does that mean?”

“I'm sorry, Mr. Power. There was nothing we could do.”

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A/N - I don't really have much to say for this chapter apart from 'Please don't hate me'. Let me know what you think, and if, in fact, you do hate me. Vote and comment guys. Much love x