Him - ON HOLD

Chapter 2

There's a lady in here. In a room. It's white. There's white everywhere. I'm hooked up to machines that make beeping noises. I'm in a bed. My leg and arm is in a cast. I've got stitches all up both my arms. I've still got a headache, but it's subsided. There are people talking outside. I don't know what they're saying. Their voices are muffled by the walls. I've got a window. It shows the side of another building. 

I know I’m making progress already.

I remember him.

I don’t know who he is. I just get fragments of him. Like his smell.

The lady is cleaning. She has dark skin and dark hair, and is humming a tune.

‘Hi,’ I croak out. My throat is really sore and dry, I’m surprised I can still talk.

‘Oh, hello sweetheart. I was just cleaning. My name is Nurse Falana, but you can call me Neema.  Do you need anything?’

‘A drink of water would be nice,’ I joke. I laugh, but it comes out more as a cough.

‘Okay, there’s some water right here,’ she says kindly, walking over to a table that has cards, balloons and teddy bears on it. Behind all the presents is a jug of water. Cold water. Neema pours some water for me in a plastic cup and hands it to me. She sits on one of the chairs next to my bed.

‘Those cards are from your friends and family. So are the balloons. The teddy is from your boyfriend.’

She must see the look of utter horror on my face, utter horror that i cant even remeber my own boyfriend.

‘Sweetheart, it’s okay. They understand. You’re a fighter, I know that you’re going to remember them. All in good time.’

At that moment a man in a doctor’s outfit comes through the door with a man and a woman. The man looks like he was crying. His eyes are all red and puffy. The woman’s eyes are like that as well, but when she sees me she just melts down right there and cries.

‘Hello, I see you're awake,” the doctor says. “My name is Doctor Landon.” He smiles at me. He and Neema are both young.

“Hi,” I say. “I have no idea what my name is, nice to meet you.” I grin at the doctor. He smiles back.

“Well, nice to meet you ‘I have no idea what my name is’. These are your parents. Charlie Baker and Suzanne Baker. Your name is Allison Baker.”

I wrinkle up my nose.

“Can I be called Ally Baker? It just sounds better,” I smile at my parents, “Hi mum and dad.”

When I said those four words my mum looked like she might faint.

“Mum,” I say, really worried, “are you okay? You look like you’re going to faint.”

“Oh, Allison, it’s just that you haven’t really spoken to us in such a long time. Before the,” she gulps and continues, “Before the accident, you were withdrawn. You only cared about your friends and boyfriend. You were so close to your brother when you were little, and you treated him no differently from us.”

She looks like she might cry again. I might even cry.

“Oh,” I say, obviously disappointed that I was such a bad daughter and sister, then I grin at them and say, “I sound horrible.”

I think I said the wrong thing because mum looks like she’s going to cry even more. My dad, who hasn’t said a lot, turns to Doctor Landon and asks when I can go home.

“She can go home very soon, it’s not going to be a problem. One week at the most. The least, probably two days.”

I’m a little disappointed. I couldn’t wait to meet my brother and my friends. And my boyfriend. But then I remembered mum and dad were here, so if they were here, then everyone can come to me!

“Can my friends and brother come and see me? Can they visit?” I ask Doctor Landon.

“Yes, of course. They still need to go to school, but after school they can come visit. But you have to rest as well. I think you should rest now, I’m sure it has been very overwhelming for you.”

“Yes it has been, like, it’s been good, but I’m tired,” I say and give a small smile to my parents. They smile back.

“Well, how about we go home and tell everyone how you’re going. And you can get some rest.” Mum says to me.

“Yes, that would be good. Now we should let Ally rest. Nurse Falana will be taking care of you. Just press this button,” Doctor Landon hands a little remote with one button on it to me, “and she will be here.”

“Yes, hit that button and I will here as quick as possible.” Neema smiles at me.

“Good bye honey, we will come tomorrow with some friends,” mum says walking out the door.

Dad stops at the doorway, turns around and says, “I love you, Ally.”

Then they both leave, including Doctor Landon, who says “Get better soon,” then he smiles and waves.

“I’m just going to go get my lunch, I’ll be back really quickly, I’m going to eat it in here if you don’t mind. I’ll bring back some lunch for you as well. Remember if something happens, click that button.”

She smiles at me and leaves.

God, I think, this is going to be a long week.