Salted Wound

Chapter 42- Dec 29, 2018

Zamari

I lean back in the hard plastic hospital chair and close my eyes. I pause a moment before squirming some more. Why the fuck are these chairs so uncomfortable? Do they want visitors to be so afraid of ass pains that they don't stay to visit their loved ones long? Jade glances away from the tv to look at me and rolls her eyes at my obvious discomfort. I stop squirming when I realize I could be the one stuck in a hospital gown surrounded by strangers most of the day and in pain. I'll take a fucked up chair over her position any day. Not that I don't already realize that I'm the one that is supposed to be where she is. She shouldn't be stuck here. I should be the one questioning if I'll ever walk without crutches again. Besides a black eye from the airbag, some cuts from the glass busting on impact, a fucked-up wrist and other various bruises I came away from the crash fine, while she's still stuck here. Before I can get too deep into self-pity, a tentative knock comes at the propped open doorway. Ana appears, a hesitant expression on her face.

"Hey, come on in," I say, surprised there are no snide comments from Jade already.

She walks into the room, looking extremely awkward. She does a double-take when she sees the beat up state of my face. Not the first time she's seen me this busted up. She has a candle in one hand, with a picture of Mary on it.

"Is that a holy candle?" I ask, amusement tinging the corners of my voice.

A blush spreads up her face as she sets the candle on the table next to Jade.

"Yeah, I didn't know what foods were allowed, and I don't know how you feel about stuffed animals, this was pretty much the only safe bet in the gift shop." She scratches the back of her neck, looking embarrassed. "Besides, I figured it could help you especially right now."

Jade chuckles and turns the candle to look at it.

"I like it, thank you."

I'm mildly surprised by the sudden appearance of manners, but I don't question it.

"If you feel like tasting something utterly disgusting I didn't touch my lunch. It's somewhere between old cafeteria food and what I imagine prison food to taste like." Jade says, and Ana laughs.

"You know, I think I'll pass this time, but thanks for the offer."

Ana pulls up the other uncomfortable plastic chair, suddenly appearing more at ease. Jade seems more comfortable with her, and I find myself relaxing into the hard-ass chair.

"So, how are you? I mean I should be asking both of you, really," she starts and glances at both directions.

Jade and I look at each other for a second to decide who's going to answer. "Well, I'm currently more fucked than he is if that's what you're wondering." Jade motions her body which is tied up with IVs and has a cast over her leg and a bandage wrapped around her waist.

"Damn, I didn't even see that," Ana says, sarcastically but Jade laughs.

"At least you don't. Everyone else looks at me like I'm a guinea pig in a hospital,"

"At least guinea pigs are cute," Ana says and they both laugh.

I watch them form some weird bond and I'm not sure if it's all the drugs Jade is on or if she's actually being nice to Ana. That crash really must have hit  her hard.

"And what about you? How have you been?" She looks over to my direction.

I shrug and cross my arms. "Alright. That coma felt like an hour. It was more like a day, but I woke up with a few stitches on my head and an ugly wrist, but that was about it."