Robbers

forty

// forty //

Ryan didn't call the next day, or the day after that.

Ella did her best not to let this worry her. She tried convincing herself that Ryan had needed to use his one phone call to speak with Julie, or maybe with his lawyer; after all, his trial was in just a few days. She couldn't imagine what he was going through with that looming over his head.

Of course, Ella was stuck in that hospital recovery room alone for both days, with nothing but the occasional nurse checking her vitals and a quick evening visit from her family, so there was little for her to do other than think. And she certainly didn't think about anything good. Ella found herself worrying that Ryan was furious with her.

Not for killing Jackson, because Ella was quite sure he couldn't possibly know about Jackson's death yet. She worried Ryan was angry with Ella simply for putting herself in danger. All he knew was that Ella had been shot, and judging by Julie's hesitant description of his reaction, Ella was certain he had figured out that either one of the men working for Jackson or Jackson himself was responsible. He wouldn't be wrong, but if he didn't call her, Ella had no way of explaining that she had purposefully walked right into Jackson's apartment. Jackson hadn't gone after her; Ella had gone after Jackson. She wanted Ryan to understand that.

So Ella did nothing but think and stare at her cellphone lying on the sterile counter beside the bed, but she may as well have been staring into nothing but oblivion. The phone didn't light up once with the number of the prison, though Ella kept that slip of paper Julie had given her near the bedside at all times.

The phone did ring occasionally, with Ella's grandparents or distant family members on the other end asking how she was doing, and apologizing for not being able to visit in person. One of Ella's teachers called once, which led to a particularly awkward conversation for Ella, as she explained to a practical stranger – whose lectures she had consistently ignored – that there was no need to worry. Even Nina called once, but Ella had been napping at the time and had missed the call completely; her former best friend had left no voicemail, and Ella wasn't quite sure what she would say if she called back, so she decided to leave it. If Nina chose to call again, Ella would make sure to answer and deal with whatever it was she had to say.

The only break from the constant stream of anxious thoughts came on Christmas morning. Ella had expected the holiday to be especially dismal, considering she would spend it confined to her hospital bed, and she had nearly forgotten about it altogether. But her parents and Rosie appeared that Wednesday morning, with a tiny table-top Christmas tree and a small bag stuffed with gifts. For those two hours that her family was allowed to visit, Ella's worried thoughts of Ryan had all but disappeared.

She received a heavy bundle of books from her parents and a thick sketchbook with ink pens from Rosie. Her family apologized that it wasn't much – they hadn't had the time to purchase more gifts, and had instead found last-minute things that would keep her busy while bedridden – but Ella had been so happy that she'd nearly cried. It had been enough that they'd visited her Christmas morning.

And it had been enough that Ella was alive and could be there for Christmas at all.

The day of Ryan's trial came, and there had still been no word from him. Dr. Haverford had denied Ella's request to be released from the hospital early, so Ella had taken it upon herself to sneak out that Friday morning after Christmas day.

She had dressed slowly into the clothes her parents had brought days ago, and she even managed to disconnect herself from the numerous monitors without setting off any alarms. Everything was going smoothly until Ella made it to the end of the corridor outside her recovery room, where Ella stumbled into what was possibly the unluckiest moment of her entire life.