How Rare and Beautiful // Rilaya

But I could never find a pen

I woke up in the warm inbrace of a hospital bed. The blanket tucked up under my chin was a little scratchy, but it was comforting and so I left it where it was. I brought my hand up to my face and felt the bandages on my nose and across my brow. I had yet to open my eyes. And Im not sure I would have been able to if id tried. I was so scared of falling asleep that even when the ambulance came to pick me up I forced myself notbto give in to the temptation until I was sure I was safe. When they carried me to the childrens ward and laid me down I fell asleep almost immediately. I just laid there listening to the sounds of the hospital. The beeps and clicks, the moans and groans of patients, the cries of little children, and the screams of people of all ages who were scouring the hospital for loved ones who had not made it.

I slipped in and out of conciousness for days. Occationally a nurse would come and give me pain medication or change my bandages. 

"Hello." My nurse smiled as she came into my room.

"Hi." I sighed. It hurt my head to speak.

The lady came and unbound my foregead and pressed a little on the wound.

"Does this hurt?" She asked?

I winced.
"Yes, but not like before."

"Good. Getting better." She said with good, but broken english.

She redid my bandage, changed my iv, and started to leave.

'Um, Miss?" I asked.

"Yes?"

"My family...is dead. How am I going to get home?"

The nurse looked at me with sad eyes. She smiled again. This time though it was not a happy smile.
"I dont understand." The lady sighed and walked out.

"Wait!" I called anc tried to sit up. But my head started spinning and so I laid back down.

I began to cry a little. What if I was stuck here? How would I get home? I didnt have any money!

A few days later the nurse can into my roon with a man in a suit.

"Good afternoon Mrs. Matthews." The man spoke with an American accent.

"Hello?"

"Im from the American ebassy here in France. The nurse here tells me you have been asking to go home." The man pulled up a chair beside my bed.

"Yes sir. My parents died anc im all alone here. I wan tv to go home to be with the rest of my family." I gushed trying not to cry.

"Thats exacy what Im here for. The doctor tells me your only injuries were a broken nose and head trauma. He says youre showing great improvement and he thinks you only need a few more days before I can escort you home. I've already set up a flight back to America and youll be living with your aunt and uncle when you return." The man explained. I thought he must be at least a little confused since none of my aunts or uncles were married. "Is t bf ere anyone you would like to call?"

I stared at the man who was holding his phone out to me. I took it in my hands and stared at the keypad. I thought about calling my grandparents, my uncles, my aunts. But none of them seemed right. So I typed out the number I knew best.

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When my cell phone buzzed in my hand I looked at the number and almost swiped it away because I didnt know it. But under the number I saw where it was coming from. Paris France. My heart stopped, but my fingers worked faster than ever.

"Hello?" I answered.

"...maya...?" My heart sunk to my knees when I heard the soft voice of my best friend Riley Matthews.

"Riley!"  I began to sob. " riley are you okay? I saw what happened! I heard about your mom and auggie. Are you hurt? Where are you?" I interrogated her.

I heard her start to cry on the other end. "I love you Maya. I want I to come home." She said weakly.

"I love you too. I thought I lost you!" I sobbed.

She cried to me over the phone explaining exactly what had happened to her. I sat and listened and thanked the Lord that she was alright. She was coming home. Oh, thank God, she was coming home!