The ceiling above Sarah was moving at a rate she was finding difficult to fathom. When she’d revealed to the doctor she was willing to go through with the operation, she hadn’t anticipated on just how quickly they needed to perform it. Doctors and surgeons now flanked her sides and were panting heavily behind the menacing suits they had suddenly adorned. Surgical masks and gloves hung from the outfits and Sarah felt her insides churn. Should she be doing this? She didn’t even know if she would make it through the day.
All to quickly, her bed on wheels had come to a halt. They had entered a side room now. The general commotion of the hospital wards was blocked out and the atmosphere was eerie. High above, attached to the ceiling, hung the enormous operating light, the bulbs momentarily blinding Sarah’s eyes. She felt as though she was taking centre stage in some form of show.
It took her several minutes, just lying, listening to the voices, before she became aware of someone else in the room. She strained her head to look to the right, the muscles in her neck aching. Resting on a bed identical to her own, was the man. Chris Kirkpatrick, she had discovered his name was. She studied his face intently. The bandage on his face had been removed revealing the true goryness of his wounds. Down his right cheek, a deep slash looked fresh and severe. Another cut to the top of his eye had been stitched up already but the scarring would be permanent. The rest of his body was covering be a sheet, ready for the surgery, but something was wrong. The man’s body wasn’t completely motionless, as the doctor had informed her and Beverly when he suggested he may have been in a coma. Was his right hand…moving?
Sarah almost fell over sideways off the bed as something happened she wasn’t expecting. Chris’ head turned to meet hers. She almost gasped at the state of his face but she felt herself relax at the look in his eyes. He was smiling at her.
Sarah glanced across at the surgeons. Did they know he was awake? Sarah looked in several other directions before meeting his gaze once more. This had completely caught her off guard. How the hell was she meant to act. Happy, because of his sudden hopeful state? Angry, because he had been the cause of the death of her child. Confused, worried, scared. A whole stream of emotions toyed with her brain. But finally, somewhere inside her, she found the impulse to smile back.
When Chris saw she was willing to communicate, he pulled a silly face, showing how much pain he was in. Was she laughing now? He felt relief wash over him. If or whenever they met, he wasn’t entirely sure how he would cope. There was so much he had to say. So much sympathy and regret and sorrow and thankfulness and….everything. Gesturing was one thing. Talking would be a whole other experience.
Sarah then mouthed a ‘hello’ across the short distance between them. Chris smiled and gave a ‘hi’ back. And this was how they stayed for several minutes as the surgery was being prepared, both finding the other interesting. Sarah realising she had seen this man before. His face was so intriguing, maybe a year or so older than her. She found herself wanting to believe in fate for a moment or two. She recognised this man so did it mean it was fate there were to meet? Chris found himself looking at the empty space of the woman’s stomach where the baby had been. Where had she been going when the crash had taken place? Was his mother here? What would the guys do, would they come? The last thing he saw was Sarah’s smiling face as the anaesthetic mask was placed over his face. From now on, there would be a toss up between life and death.
***********************
“So when did it happen?”
“Oh God, just yesterday. I don’t know all the details though. No one in this damn hospital has time for anything!”
There was a pause between the conversation, each unsure of what to say in the delicate situation.
“How long has Beverly been here?” One of them finally conjured up.
“No idea. Molly’s just on her way. Plus, Lance is away calling JC.”
“Isn’t he in Britain?”
“Yeah. He’s flying back tomorrow.”
It was this conversation that Sarah awoke to as she released herself from the nightmare recurring in her head, the moment of the accident on a continuous replay in her head. Finally, she had found herself awaking to the safety of the hospital with a thumping headache. But she obviously wasn’t alone. The sound of two voices hung in the pristine air of her room but how she they had been allowed entry her she was unsure of. The door opened without warning and she sensed someone else entering to join the pair already there. Who the hell were these people? She was positive they weren’t doctors and she had definitely never heard them before in her life.
She decided to let them continue before revealing she was awake.
“Hey Lance,” one of the figures greeted as Lance entered. “Did you get through to JC?”
“Yeah, he’s pretty…shaken up. He wants to fly over immediately, but he can only get a flight for tomorrow. And I spoke to the doctor on the way here as well.”
“And…”
“Chris hasn’t woken up. They don’t think…” Lance gulped, his voice on the verge of cracking. “…They don’t know how successful the operation was.”
“Does Beverly know about this?”
Lance shook his head. “No. They told her to go home and get some rest. She’s been here almost eighteen hours. Molly knows though. She was with the doctor when I saw him and I think she’s driving Beverly home now.”
He recalled the image of Chris’ sister. Her eye’s were droopy and her face pale. She wasn’t at the point of crying, more at the point of shook. Lance knew the crying would come when it had sunk in. For him, Joey and Justin who were with him in Sarah’s room, the exact moment of sorrow hadn’t struck yet. There would be a time for letting go through shedding tears once matters were cleared up. Right now, all everyone needed was support from one another.
Lance broke the silence that had smothered the air between them. “How is she?” He indicated to where Sarah was lying on the bed.
It was Justin’s turn to speak up. “Not awake. And I don’t think we should be her when she does. It should be Doctor Smith who tells her about Chris.”
Sarah decided couldn’t take it any longer. If Chris was in danger, it directly affected her. She needed answers as to what was going on.
“Where is he?” Her voice was breaking and she could barely manage a whisper. To the silence amongst everyone however, it sounded like a shout.
Joey, who was sitting closest to her in the plastic chair, almost toppled backwards before regaining a stable position. He had heard her clearly enough. But how were they meant to reply? They were only here to give her flowers from Beverly and talking to her was definitely something they hadn’t intended on. He gave the other two a worried look.
Sarah, whose eyes remained shut, presumed they hadn’t heard her so she repeated her question again, this time a little louder. “Where is he?”
“Um…Sarah?”
She recognised that voice. Did she know these people? Sarah lifted her weary eyes, desperate for an answer. “Jesus Christ!” Sarah jumped at the sight of the three men. She sat up straight, throwing the blanket back, in a state of shock. She was expecting someone she knew…but definitely not them Immediately, she regretted her actions. The surgery had only taken place a few hours ago and apparently nothing was going to be healing in a hurry. She gave an agonising scream and collapsed backwards, her wounds excruciatingly painful.
“Justin, go round and support her arms!” Joey was barking orders at them as he got a tight grasp of her head and laid her down gently. “Ok, lower her down gently.”
Sarah remained still for a few more minutes as everyone held their breath. Finally she relaxed slightly and shifted to a comfortable position on her back. Sighs on relief were omitted from those surrounding her.
Sarah took a look at the men once more. Her mind was bombarded with a million questions at once. Justin Timberlake…is in my room? and who were the other guys. They looked familiar too?
“What…why, why are you here?” She couldn’t care less about being rude, christ this was a hospital, you couldn’t walk into random wards.
Justin stepped forward to stand behind the step Joey was occupying. “Well, I’m Justin T-”
“Yeah, I know who you are. I asked you why you were here.” She didn’t mean to sound imprudent, she genuinely could see no plausible reason for them being in her room.
“I havn’t…lost my memory or anything? Do I know you?”
Lance strode across the room. “We actually came to see Chris. He’s a good friend of ours.”
“Oh.” Sarah was at a loss for words. Had she been the cause of the crash of a celebrity? Then again, she had thought he had recognised him. Lance continued explaining.
“…And I bumped into Chris mom on the way to the ward and she requested these were given to you.” He pointed over to a huge bouquet of flowers cascading down the dull hospital drawers.
“Beverly…” she whispered. The memory of Beverly brought her original question to the surface. “Where is he? Where’s Chris?”
The three shared anxiously looks. “I don’t think we should…”
“Tell me!” She shouted louder than she had meant to. She didn’t like the look on their faces. Obviously something was wrong.
“Well, he uh….hasn’t come round yet. The surgeons don’t know how successful everything was.”
Sarah knew fine well what Joey meant, but there was that slim chance her instincts could be wrong.
“And…”
“He’s in a coma.” Joey hated putting things so bluntly but here was no way he could avoid the situation. She had every right to find out now. “There is a chance he could…”
“Ok. I don’t want to hear anymore.” She hung her head, her eyes locked on her lap.
“Have you spoken to Bev-”
“Leave me alone.” She whispered loud enough for them to hear.
Joey swallowed up his words about Beverly. “Are you sure. I mean we can stay if you-”
Sarah lifted her head to reveal the sudden tears streaming down her face. Her cheeks had developed a deep colour of scarlet and her eyes were wide with emotions Joey couldn't grasp. “LEAVE ME ALONE!” She screamed, her voice quavering, all her will wishing them to leave.
Hastily, Joey, Justin and Lance made their way out the door in silence, leaving Sarah in her form of distress.
Number of reviews: 30
Print:
Chapter or Story