That Summer

Hospital

I wake up in the hospital. Hudson is sitting in the chair next to my head, holding my hand. Dad is laying on the couch next to Evey talking in hushed tones.

"Do you think she'll be fine? I mean like, it's not just a cut. She's going to freak when the doctor tells her. I mean she could..." Evey trails off as the doctor walks in. I pretend to wake up and then I look at the doctor. It's a man about 50 years of age. He's balding on the top of the head with gray hair on the sides. He looks tired, as if he's stayed up all night and he's looking for his glasses when they're on top of his head.

"Miss Rivers, I have news about your leg," he starts, "we were able to get the glass removed, but in the process of removing, a shard of the glass ruined some tissues and it will take a while for those to be naturally replace or be fixed by the body. Also, one of the glass pieces was so large that it got stuck in one of the bones and did get infected. You will have to wear this boot for five weeks and take this antidote daily."

I look at him and then at my dad. Then say, "How badly infected is it?"

"On a scale from 1-10, it a probably a three. Thankfully you got here when you did. A minute later and we would have had to amputate your leg. The infection was growing quickly." He answers. I sigh and look at Hudson.

"You're fine. Don't worry." He reassures me.

"I know, but don't want to wear this boot for five weeks. It's stupid and clunky." I tell him. He gives me the raised eyebrow look.

"I'll help you get around." he laughs. The doctor hands my dad to medicine that I need and helps me out of the bed. Evey hands me a pair of clothes that she picked up from the house and a nurse comes into the bathroom with me to help me change. I then put on the boot and hobble out with the help of Hudson into the lobby.

Halfway home we stop at a fast food restaurant for tacos and then go back home. For the next five weeks, I mostly stayed at home or sat on the beach with Hudson. We talked and told each other our greatest fears and wishes and goals. Everyone else came over once and a while but not that much. Hudson had become my favorite person to talk to and the only person who knew everything about me.

And I had started to fall in love with him.