Life Of Dreams

Chapter 3

The pills had knocked me out but I tossed and turned and dreamt of Trent.  I could see him standing there with that crooked smile of his, waiting to take my outstretched hand.  His clothes were made of fine linen and his shirt was open to the waist.  A red colored sash held a sharp saber and black boots cinched his white pants.  Wait, no, that was what he wore in The Gentleman’s Pirate, that’s not right.

Trent’s smile morphed into a sneer as he pulled his hand back.  He walked over to a table and gently caressed a large intimidating knife then glanced back at me as though judging the distance between us.  His attention was drawn to the back of the room where a figure stood in the doorway; a woman’s figure.  Gwendolyn Stevens stood there wearing practically nothing, her perfect blond hair gently blowing in the breeze.  Her perfect body leaned against the door jam as she gently called his name.  Trent walked over to her and engulfed her in his arms.  Over his shoulder Gwen looked at me with a slow sad smile, then she pulled away, grabbed his hand and disappeared with Trent into the next room. 

He doesn’t want her, he wants me!  I yelled toward the blackened doorway.

I jerked awake; sweat dampening my sheets and tears sliding down my face.  The saltiness stung as the drops wound their way past my cheek and pooled themselves in the corner of my dry lips.  Glancing out the window, it appeared to be early evening.  The sound of a cart being pushed down the hall seemed to verify the time.  It would pause for a minute or two, then continue on as the meals were passed out according to script. 

I brushed the tears away from my face and completely turned toward the window, feigning sleep when it came my turn to have dinner delivered.  The tray was set down on the swing-away table that was positioned next to my bedside. 

After I heard the footsteps recede to the hall, the door close and the cart moving on, I carefully situated myself to a seated position and stared at the chromed lids covering my meal.  I had no appetite and felt myself crawling into a pit of despair.  I can’t let this happen to me, I have to kick myself into action, any action.    

I gingerly reached over to the bed table and picked up the piece of paper Alison had left with the nurses.  On it was her phone number and instructions to call if I needed help.  That’s exactly what I needed, help.  I stretched again for the phone and dialed.

“Carolyn, I’m so glad you called.  We all have been so worried.  How are you feeling?”  She sounded so concerned, as though we were friends, not just co-workers. 

“I have one hell of a headache, aches and pains, but aside from that, I feel like shit.”

Alison gave a full from-the-belly laugh.  I really did like her.  Why hadn’t we gotten closer?  Am I so standoffish?  “It’s good to see that your sense of humor hasn’t been squashed.  I’d like to come see you, is there anything I can do for you?”

Just the intro I was hoping for.  “Would you mind very much if you went to my place and brought me some clothes?  Gladys Maser lives a few doors down from me at  #204 and she has a set of keys and the code to my alarm.  I hope to be out either tomorrow or Wednesday at the latest but they’ve told me just about everything I had on was torn, or had to be cut off.  Nothing left to wear out of here.”

“Sure.  I can come during lunch tomorrow.  Anything special you want me to bring?”

I thought about my wrapped chest and leg cast.  “I have a navy blue warm-up suit hanging in the closet, the one with the zipper on the sides of the legs.  You should also be able to find a loose white t-shirt there too.  Socks, panties and bras are in the tall narrow dresser and my gym shoes are in the closet.  Oh, I guess you only need to bring the right one, my left foot is in a cast.  And there are some toiletries on my vanity by the window.”