Waking Up

Chapter 2

         It was in the depth of the following night when the world crashed back onto Carol. Beeping noises, distant voices, and footsteps. Grimacing, Carol opened her eyes, one after the other. Blinking she took her surroundings in.
         "Not dead, huh?" she unintelligible mumbled once she recognized her old working place. When she tried to lift herself up she was instantly pulled back by an excruciating pain shooting throughout her body.
         "Shit..." she exhaled with a sharp hissing sound. Taking a few shallow breaths, she carefully felt over her body. A few bandages, an IV drip and a remote to control the pain medication.
         Nothing too bad though. Exhausted from the slight movements she pressed the button for the pain medication twice and her eyes closed again.

         A soft touch to her wrist woke her again.
         "Carol?"
         Focusing on the person beside her brought an instant smile to her face followed by a grimace when the sudden movement caused her head to throb.
         "Em... hey," Carol mumbled in a hoarse voice.
         "Am I glad to see you awake!" Emily replied, choking back the uninvited tears.
         Carol pushed her elbows into the hospital bed in an attempt to prop herself up.
         "No, no, no," but Emily's hands were in an instant on her shoulders. Gently pushing Carol to lie back down again.
         "You had an accident two days ago, Carol. You've got a concussion and several hematomas. Give it two more days in bed and we'll try to get you up on your feet again." She explained in a slow and soft, but strict way, leaving no leverage to bargain. Emily was always great at her job. Carol scoffed and smiled at her, while her eyes already started to close on its own.
         "And out again..." Emily sighed. Though she was relieved that Carol woke up and recognized her. Once she left the room she immediately searched for Matthew to tell him the news.

         While the days passed for Carol with the occasional waking ups and slipping back to sleep, a woman in another room was recovering much faster. She had to, as her life demanded her constant presence.

         "Albert?" Karen, who was finally allowed to use her phone again, called her butler first.
         "Yes, yes... I'm fine!" she rolled her eyes. Clearly, she was fine. A mild heart attack would not hold her back in what she had to do. However, it showed her that her body is not as young as she needed it to be.
         "Albert, listen..." she cut him off short. There's no time to waste and she needed to get back to work.
         "Find out whom I ran over for me, please." A brief pang of pity accompanied her after she found out that she had hurt someone. It would hurt her reputation if she'd do nothing to make amends. The public eye is unforgiving, even if there were currently bigger news going around.
         "Albert, it's something I have to do." Impatience, slipped into her tone when the butler rambled on about her well being.
         "I hope Dean is well taken care of while I'm not at home. Call me when you've found something." With that, she shut him up for good. His worries flattered her, of course, but she needed to get back to work as fast as possible. Hundreds of emails arrived over the last three days. Eying her laptop she heaved a momentous sigh. A last quick glance at the family photo beside her bed before she returned to her work.

          A knock at the door made Carol open her eyes in an instant. Her head was much clearer now, no visual impairments anymore and nausea had ceased. Still, her body ached all over. Even worse than before.
         "Carol, time to get up and take a walk with me. Doctor's orders!" Emily proclaimed with an uplifted index finger while she approached her bedside. Straight away, she reached out for Carol's arm and hand to help her sit up.
         "Oh Em... not today." Carol's face contorted when pain shot up her spine. Her back gave out cracking noises when she bit by bit sat herself up straight. Each crack accompanied with a gasp.
         "You know perfectly well how important it is to get back on your feet." Emily shrugged and mercilessly continued to help her out of bed. Once on her feet, Carol hung onto Emily's arm and hand as if life itself depended on it. At least, it felt like it did. 
         "Let's walk, I've got some news to share and I feel we have to catch up." She smiled and helped Carol to keep her balance. With slow and cautious steps they made their way to the floor and walked through the hospital halls. Many called out and greeted her. Asked how she'd been and what she'd be doing now. Carol pretended to be fine, smiling she assured her former colleagues and friends she'd be doing just fine.

         "How are Lizzy and Nicky?" Carol asked after some time, already panting.
         "They're fine," Emily smiled. "They're already in second grade now." A few steps further her smile was gone.
         "And... They've been asking for Nicholas every day now," she added with her gaze to the ground and her hold on Carol's arm tightened. "I don't know what to tell them anymore."
         "Is he... still alright?" Carol asked, hesitant and trying to read her friend's face. Since her husband was stationed close to the border in Vustor, his life was in constant danger. Though he was assigned to train new recruits an enemy's battalion or air strike could reach the city anytime.
         "Yes, thankfully the fights haven't reached them, yet." Emily furrowed her brows.
         "He said, he might be able to come back home for a few days." With a quick move of her free hand, she wiped away tears that threatened to fall.
         "But that's great news!" Carol squeezed Emily's arm and gave her the widest smile she could muster at the moment.
         "Yes, of course, it is. But he'll..." she took a quick and shaky breath, calming herself before she continued to speak  "...have to go again..." she trailed off, swallowing the lump in her throat. She was sure Carol would fetch the meaning.
A weighty sigh later, Emily changed her whole expression and gained her composure back. Straightening her clothes, hand running through her short black curls and putting on her typical smiley nurse face.
         "So... as you know you had an accident." she started and Carol nodded. "The woman that drove you over is here, too."
         Carol raised one eyebrow "And?"
         "Well, she wants to speak with you," Emily added and stopped walking, facing Carol.
         "I don't need...." Carol said with a sad attempt of a shrug that resulted in a grimacing, pain-distorted face and whimper.
         "Let me finish." Emily scolded her with a raised index finger and a stifled laugh.
Carol winced while she crossed her arms and pouted, but didn't say anything further.
         "She told me to tell you that, I quote: My heart attack was no excuse for causing her any harm and I'll be covering her hospital expenses." Carol and Emily both raised one eyebrow at the same time and Carol chuckled softly at their mirrored expression.
         "So... it was not her fault, she pays for my treatment and then she still wants to talk to me?" Carol asked, her words full of skepticism and a hint of sarcasm.
         "I don't think that she only wants to apologize. Sounded more like she wants to make amends." A sly smile crept on Emily's face and Carol knew its meaning all too well. She sometimes wondered who's the older one.
         "By the way, she has her stunning hot son with her." she wobbled with her eyebrows and instantly grabbed Carol's hands when she tried to turn away rolling her eyes and letting out an annoyed grunt.
         "Though he seems a bit odd," Emily admitted, her face turning thoughtful.
         "What do you mean by that?" Carol asked, still pretending she wasn't interested at all. She pulled her hands back and crossed her arms.
         "Well... he seems like... he's not here?" Emily said while she scratched her chin deep in thoughts.
         "Not here?" Carol asked with raised eyebrows.
         "Well..." Emily's eyes wandered around the halls, floor, ceiling. Sighing: "He reminded me of Aaron." She clasped her hands in front of her, intertwined her fingers and glanced at Carol from the corner of her eyes.
         "Oh," Carol was unsure how to react.
         "I didn't ask, but you should go see what she wants from you." Emily shrugged. "I mean, if she'd offer you money as compensation, that wouldn't be too bad now, right?"
Carol sighed, but grabbed Emily's hand and gave it a light squeeze before they made their way back to Carol's room.

         Sitting down on her bed, Carol breathed a sigh of relief. The torture was finally over. Emily quickly went through a series of checkups, gave her some painkillers and finally smiled.
         "Em... could you bring me some clothes from home?" Carol asked after she eased herself back under the blanket and onto the soft heavenly cushions.
         "Of course, love." With a smile and after light adjustments to Carol's cushions and blanket, Emily left.