Broken

Chapter 20 - Caroline

Chapter 20 - Caroline's Point of View

My head throbs, and my there’s a searing pain in my left arm. I hear two voices talking quietly, as not to disturb me. I try to open my eyes, but I feel too tired. Too tired to do even sure a simple task. I strain my ears, trying to listen to the conversation taking place.

“-it’s been two weeks, when is she gonna wake up?” Michael asks, his voice definitely a little angry.

Two weeks? Since what?

“I really don’t know Mr. Jacobs. According to the tests, Caroline should be awake by now. She’s probably just subconsciously not ready to wake up.” A man, who I assume is the doctor, says.

“What does that mean?” Michael demands.

The doctor clears his throat, and says, “She’s just not ready to wake up, is what we’re concluding. She’ll wake up in her own time.”

“Well,” Michael says desperately. “When will that be?”

“As I’ve said beforehand, I don’t know. I wish I did, but I don’t. This is very common in head traumatic victims. I’m sure that Caroline will be up in no time.”

Michael sides, “Alright. Thanks, doc.”

“You’re welcome Mr. Jacobs, if there’s anything else you want to know, just come find me or one of my nurses.”

“Okay,” Michael retorts.

I hear the door close, and then I hear Michael’s footsteps getting closer to me. I feel his warm hand pick up my right hand, and he strokes it with his thumb. I try again to open my eyes, and find the task still too exhausting. God, I’m so tired. What happened? Obviously I’m in a hospital. Was there an accident?

“Gracie, I really need you to wake up. You’re killing me. It’s been fourteen days, but it feels like it’s been like, fourteen thousand.” He mutters.

“My head hurts,” I moan, my voice hoarse.

Michael gasps slightly, and his hand tightens on mine. “Gracie? I didn’t just imagine that, did I? You really said that, didn’t you?”

I move my head, and then realize that’s a bad idea because even the slightest move of the head begins a headache. “Yeah,” I reply, too tired to make a full sentence. I’m so sleepy. I just wanna go back to sleep for a little while. My mouth is ridicously dry.

“Gracie, can you open your eyes?”

I move my eye muscles, forcing my eyes open then immediately receiving a migraine. My eyes burn, as if they’ve been shut for too long. The bright light above me hurts my eyes, making me want to close them again. I avert my eyes to my right without moving my head and see Michael standing there. His own eyes are bloodshot red and he’s got scruff on his face.

“You should shave,” I tell him, quietly, my mouth grower even dryer.

Michael laughs, and then sits down in the chair, pulling it up next to my hospital bed. “That would be the first thing you say, Gracie. How are you feeling?” He wonders, looking down intently at me.

I try to shrug my shoulder, which causes actually hurts. A lot. So I say to Michael, “My head hurts,” I repeat.

Michael takes his other hand out of his lap and puts it on the side of my face, rubbing my head slightly. “I bet it does, you want me to call the doctor in here?”

“No,” I say, softly. “I just wanna go back to sleep for a minute. Can I go back to sleep?”

Michael shakes his head, “You can’t Gracie, whatever you do, don’t go to sleep.”