Kiss the Rain

All his fault

Five days. Five days I've been lying in this lumpy, uncomfortable mattress. Doctor Smith felt I needed to stay in the hospital for a while until they ran some checks on me. So here I am, still lying bored out of my brains in this stuffy, white room.

The only person keeping me sane during it all is Lewis. He stays with me from morning till night. After seeing my small, innocent ten year old brother walk through the door for the first time since the accident with his auburn hair flying over his face and his green eyes that match my own shinning with tears, his complexion that of a ghost, I realised I have to be strong. He was so close to our father and although he isn’t willing to speak about the accident his eyes say what he can’t – that he misses him dearly and he’s miserable. I’ve tried several times to get him to speak to me but he shuts down as soon as I mention it.

Lifting my head I see Nurse Blake standing at the entrance to the room.

“Good morning Adelina. How are we today?” Over the past five days I’ve come to like Nurse Blake. Although she’s young she has the presence of an older woman and she has an awfully laid back nature which makes talking to her extremely comfortable.

“Good morning. I’m feeling better; my body doesn’t feel as stiff as before.” She smiles in response to my answer as she skirts around the bed to stand on my right hand side while pulling out a black inflatable cuff that she places around my arm over my artery, using it to take my blood pressure. The same routine that we go through every day. Maybe she’s as bored as I am.

“So, have you been awake long?” She asks as she removes the cuff.

“Not long, an hour maybe? I haven’t really been paying attention.”

“Well maybe this will help lift your spirits. This is your last day here! You will be free to leave tomorrow morning with your brother.”

My eyes widen and I can’t help the smile that spreads over my lips. “I get to leave?” However, my excitement is short lived after remembering when I leave both my brother and I will be getting shipped off to Scotland to live.

My parents have no living relatives left in Canada and the only other relative anyone knows of is a 20 something year old woman named Trish Wilson who appears to be my mothers cousin and her husband William Wilson. They live in a small town in Scotland named Oban. Lewis and I have been there a couple of times before. Although, Trish and William have never been mentioned and we've never met them, which I find peculiar. I’ll have to find out why.

“Yes you get to leave.” Laughing she shakes her head and places a hand on my shoulder. “Your brother will be here any minute so I’ll let you get some peace while you still can.” Looking at the battered up, old wooden clock that hangs on the wall beside the door, I see she’s right. Lewis usually shows up around 9am and its 8:48am at the moment.

“Thank you Nurse Blake, I appreciate it.” With once last smile she exits through the door and I go back to staring at the bare wall opposite my bed.

Exactly 5 minutes later at 8:53am Lewis shows up at my room, giving a soft knock to the wooden surface. Opening the door he pokes his head around before entering and striding over to sit in the small orange chair to my left.

“Hey Lewis”

“Hi Addy, I brought you some coffee and a bagel for breakfast. I already ate.” After thanking him I take the small brown bag from his outstretched hand and slowly sip from the small plastic cup that contains the coffee. I’ve never tasted anything so good. The warm liquid hugs my taste buds. I’ve missed coffee so much! The coffee in the hospital is terrible - watered down and tasteless.