Seeing You

Warm Arms

I opened my eyes, wincing with the discomfort from my forehead. Nan was kneeling next to me, a cool cloth on my face. I tried to sit up but she gently pushed me back onto the floor.

"Stay there, Petey. I called the doctor, he'll be here in a minute."

My stomach churned and my hand flew to my mouth. I raised myself up on one elbow and vomited. Nan patted my back gently. 

Doctor Gantry bustled in, "Ah Petra, look at you. What happened?"

I tried to talk but threw up again.

"She was talking to me, got upset and fainted, I think, "Nan said. 

Doctor Gantry knelt next to me and gently took my pulse.  He shone a light in my eyes and tutted.

"We've just managed to get your face looking relatively back to normal and you decided to kiss a tile floor," he scolded me as he helped me sit up on the chair. I tentatively touched my face, I'd split my lip again and there was swelling around my eye. 

Doctor Gantry sat on the chair next to me, "What happened Petra?"

I shrugged my shoulders, "I don't know. I just felt like I couldn't breathe."

"Are you feeling anxious? Worried?"

I paused. Of course, I was anxious and worried. I wanted my Dad home. I didn't know what was going to happen with anything, Mac, Quinn, Gabe, anyone. 

"No, no, I'm fine. I think I was just feeling dizzy, I haven't eaten this morning."

Nan placed a cup of coffee next to me and I took a grateful sip, my throat felt dry and painful. She and Doctor Gantry shared a look with each other. I knew what it was, they thought that there was something wrong with me. I bit my lip, maybe there was. 

"Can I lie down? I'm tired," I said, standing up. I stopped as a wave of nausea washed over me. 

Doctor Gantry nodded, "Your Nan will be checking up on you regularly though. If you start to feel worse there's a possibility we might need to take you to the hospital for further review."

I tried to nod then decided against it. I like Doctor Gantry, I didn't want to throw up on him. 

I shuffled out the room and made my way up the stairs to my room. I lay on my bed and curled up into a ball. I closed my eyes. 

The voices were back, whispering their cruel words. I clapped my hands over my ears and willed them to go away. I rocked back and forth. I didn't want this but I didn't know how to stop it. 

I drifted into sleep, dimly aware of  Nan coming in and checking up on me. My dreams were large swirls of warm arms, Christmas lights and piles of leaves. I woke up and it was dark. I reached out to my bedside table and picked up my phone, Nan must have taken it out of my bag and plugged it into the charger. 

It was 530. I'd slept nearly a whole day. I had four messages. Gabe and Mac. I groaned and sat up. 

Mac: Can I come over this afternoon?

Gabe: Are you ok?

Mac: Are you ignoring me? I saw Sadie today and she said that she'd seen you at Gabe's house. What's going on?

Gabe: I'm up if you want to talk. 

I checked the last message from Gabe, he'd sent it about half an hour ago. What was he doing up at this time?

I sent him a message: Hi, are you awake?

The phone rang, it was Gabe. 

"Hi," I said quietly.