Just The Way You Like It - Under Construction

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Alice awoke to the sound of someone snoring lightly just off to her side. She opened her eyes to a very blurry vision of Dr. Hansen fast asleep in the chair by her beside. The shock of actually seeing him made Alice bolt upright. Pain seethed through her chest, forcing her to lay back down. Alice let out a groan, trying to catch her breath and ease the pain that was now coursing through most of her body. It worried her greatly, having no idea what she could have done to go from bad to worse. Still, her vision was apparently back, giving Alice the hope she needed to continue her journey out of St. Micheal's.

Dr. Hansen stirred lightly, rubbing his eyes roughly before slowly sitting up. Their eyes locked onto each other quickly. “Good morning Alice. How are you feeling?” Dr. Hansen asked, averting his gaze down to the floor.

“I can see you.” Alice answered quietly. “But, I feel terrible. I'm more sore today than I was yesterday.”

She tried to focus in on Dr. Hansen's face, but her vision was still too blurry to really see anything very well. “I'm glad you can see again Alice. That’s wonderful.” He said softly, still refusing to look at her.

“What's wrong?” Alice asked. It was wonderful to finally be able to see again, and she couldn't imagine what was bothering Dr. Hansen so much. She wanted him to be as happy as she was.

“What? Oh, nothing.” He replied, finally standing and joining Alice at her bedside. “I uh, took out your IVs last night, thought you might like a little rest from all those tubes. We're going to have to put them back in though now.” Alice watched as Dr. Hansen quickly began turning the machines back on, and hooking the tubes back into them. Deftly he worked his way up each of her arms, hooking her back up to the machines. She noticed there were multiple band-aids on both of her arms, and began to wonder how she hadn't woken up when Dr. Hansen had removed the tubing overnight.

As he moved around to the other side of Alice's bed his leg caught the side of her gown. The gown pulled off of her shoulder, and as quickly as she could, Alice replaced it. Just the slight movement she made doing so sent streaks of pain down into her ribs. “Dr. Hansen, were you will me all night?”

“Um, no. Tess was here until about one this morning, then I came in and replaced her. Why?”

“I don't know. I just really hurt, mostly in my chest. And I don't understand how I could have slept through you removing all those tubes. And why is my gown untied? What happened last night?” There was a long pause from Dr. Hansen before he finally answered Alice.

“It's normal to be a little more stiff and achy the second or third day after the kind of beating you took. As for the IVs, I don't know why you didn't wake up, I guess I'm just that good.” Through the haze of her own sight, Alice could make out Dr. Hansen trying to smile. “I had to untie your gown to get to some of the wires, you were laying on top of them.” Dr. Hansen was a terrible liar, and although Alice couldn't understand why he would lie, she knew for certain that he was. She wasn't buying any of it, not even for a second.

“Dr. Hansen, I don't mean to be rude, but this is the second time you've lied to me. And I don't like it.”

“I'm not lying! I swear it.” Alice shook her head and turned her face down to her lap, no longer wanting to even look at him.

“Just tell me what you did to me, please. I'm sure it's not the first time I've been through it. I just don't want you to lie to me. Please.” Alice could feel the tears starting to form in the corners of her eyes.

“Nothing happened Alice, I promise. I would never do anything like that to you. Please Alice, you have to believe me.” She shook her head again, and her voice came out no more than a whisper.