Station Five

Chapter One

CHAPTER ONE

Mia was reading and didn't notice that Abby was awake, her eyes darting around the darkened room in a frantic search for clues. Where am I? Why can't I move? Her lips moved, but she had no breath to speak. Eventually, the weight of Abby's gaze upon her, Mia's attention shifted from her book to her patient. She glanced at Abby and sucked in a short, sharp gasp. Abby was staring at her.

Oh my God, she's awake!

Abby's lips trembled as she mouthed a question, her eyes wide with terror. Where am I?

"You're in the hospital, Abby," said Mia. Abby's cheeks flushed, her eyes filling with tears. Her lips moved again, but Mia couldn't understand anything. Mia lied to her. "Abby, you're okay. You're at Los Arcos now, and you're going to be okay. I'll get the nurse to explain everything, okay, honey?"  She stood from her chair, tapping the alert button for the nurse.  Padding over to the door, she pulled it open and leaned out the doorway with her right foot placed to keep the door from banging shut.  The automatic closer brought the heavy wooden door to rest against her foot, pressing it against the steel jamb.  Hurry up, Patricia!

At the sound of the alert, Nurse Patricia Haden dropped her People Magazine on the worn laminate counter at the nurses station, cursing softly and reaching up to silence the beeping panel.  Standing with a grunt, she shambled down the corridor with her curious tottering shuffle, inching toward room 209.  She had lupus and a bad hip, so she always walked slowly, but tonight she seemed slower than usual.  The corridor lights were dimmed for the night, casting hazy shadows around her distorted reflection in the freshly waxed floor.  As she rounded the corner, she saw Mia and called out in a hoarse whisper, "What is it, Mia?"

"Abby is awake!" said Mia.  Patricia broke into an awkward trot.

Mia felt the pressure lift as the nurse entered the room.  Abby would be looking to her for answers now.  Mia stood stiffly behind Patricia as Abby's lips began to move again.  Patricia tried to speak softly, soothingly, but she was a hard woman with a curt, growling voice.  "Don't bother trying to speak, Abby.  You're on a ventilator," she said. "You're at Los Arcos, dear. I'm Patricia Haden, remember?   Oh, maybe you don't.  Anyhow, I'm your nurse now.  You've been asleep for a long time, young lady, so we're so happy to see you awake now."

Abby's face twisted up with confusion as she mouthed a question.  "What happened?"

Shrugging, Patricia turned her head and shot a perplexed look at Mia.

"She wants to know what happened to her," said Mia.

"Oh, right," said Patricia.  You were in a car accident, dear.  Couple years ago.  But you're all right now."  She scanned Abby up and down and qualified, "You're not a hundred percent yet, but you'll be fine.  We're gonna take good care of you, okay?"

Abby gazed back at her blankly for a few moments and then looked at Mia.

"Stay with her," said Patricia.  "I'm gonna page Dr. Drury."  She shuffled out of the room and Mia was alone with Abby again.  Oh God, what do I say?

"Abby, it's me, Mia Cordova.  I've been taking care of you.  You probably have a lot of questions, but Patricia is right.  You really shouldn't try to talk."  Tears poured from Abby's eyes down the sides of her face.  "Aw, honey, please don't cry.  You're going to be all right."  Mia dabbed Abby's tears with a paper towel, repeating the phrase like an incantation: "You're going to be all right, you're going to be all right."  Suddenly, Mia smiled.  "Wait, I know.  Blink once for yes, and twice for no, and then we'll be able to talk.  Abby?  Do you understand?  Blink once for yes and twice for no, okay?"