Two months later…

“So this will be the reception area,” Jason Pullman said as he led Brenna through the construction area.

“Is this really twice as big as the one right now?” Brenna asked as she turned in a circle.

“Actually, it’s a bit over double the size. Once the walls are up you’ll be able to really see the difference.” Jason began to step over the rubble on the ground, going further into the developing building. “I’ll show you what else we’ve done. Watch your step.”

She carefully followed him through the room, glancing up above her to where construction workers were on scaffolding, working.

“Marty, wanna grab us some hard hats?” Jason called to a construction worker who nodded and disappeared. Jason went through a doorway frame and Brenna followed.

“This is Conference Room A. Through there,” he pointed across the area, “will be the bathroom and over there is the adjoining office.”

“Now, you’re making room for a small hallway leading to the bathroom, right? I don’t want the bathroom to just be right there when you open the door.”

“Yeah, we got the revised plans and we’ve mapped out the hallway. Over here be careful. We’ve just layed down these arches.”

She moved across the room with him to another room where a large arch stood in the entranceway. “This is really nice.”

“Yeah, the guys did a really good job on it. They just got it up a couple hours ago.”

She went to stand under it and looked up. “It’s so tall too. That’s a nice effect.”

“Yeah. You better not stand under that. We’re supposed to have the support structure in there until it’s completely set. Excuse me for a minute.” Jason moved past her and she heard him yelling to someone about the support system.

“Johnny’s really going to like this,” she murmured, moving her hand up the side of the arch. She was just about to move into the room to fully check it out when she heard the sound of crumbling concrete and someone yelling. A moment later, there was nothing.

Johnny Wright was the first familiar person Justin spotted when he entered the ICU waiting room. Johnny looked up at him as he neared.

“Thank God you’re here.”

“How is she?” he asked immediately.

“They’ve haven’t really told me anything yet.”

Justin ran a shaky hand over the top of his head. “What happened?”

“She was looking at the progress of the new office buildings and she was standing under an archway or something that wasn’t stable.”

Justin softly cursed. “What’s wrong with her?”

“They haven’t told me anything, Justin.”

He cursed again and left Johnny sitting there as he went to the nurse’s station.

“Can I help you, sir?” one of the nurses asked.

“My wife was brought in here. I-I don’t’ know where she is or what’s wrong with her or-”

“Alright, sir,” the nurse said soothingly. “What’s your wife’s name?”

“Brenna Timberlake.”

“I’ll get her doctor and if you go to the waiting room, he’ll come and get you, alright?”

He nodded and slowly walked back to the waiting room. He couldn’t even sit while he waited. He was out of his mind with worry. He had never wanted to get a phone call like the one he had gotten from Johnny. He hadn’t been able to think of anything but Brenna since he had been informed of the accident.

“Mr. Timberlake?”

Justin’s head whipped toward the doorway and a breath of air escaped him when he saw a doctor standing there. “Yeah.”

“I’m Pat Harley, Brenna’s doctor. If you come with me, I can take you to your wife.”

Justin nodded and left the waiting room with the doctor. “What’s wrong with her?”

“Brenna suffered a major trauma to the head, Mr. Timberlake, and at this point, she’s in a coma.”

Justin could feel the color slip from his face. “A coma?” he asked softly.

“It sounds worse than it is. With a blow to the head like this, a coma isn’t uncommon. Brenna’s body is fine. No internal injuries or broken bones.”

“But she’s in a coma.”

“Yes she is. We’ve done scans of her head but until she’s awake there is no way of knowing the extent of the damage.”

“What-what could be wrong?”

“There’s always the possibility of brain damage or memory loss. Once again though, it’s really a matter of waiting until she wakes up.”

“She might have brain damage?” Justin asked, his mouth dry.

“There’s always a risk. But I’ve seen comatose patients like Brenna wake up and be completely fine besides a small headache. It’s really best to not concentrate on the possibility of brain damage too much.” The doctor paused outside a door. “She does have some tubes in her, just to prepare you. I’ll let you go in by yourself but if you need anything, just push the button above the bed.”

“Okay. Thank you.” Justin took a deep breath and went through the door. His eyes connected to the bed where Brenna laid. She really didn’t look as bad as he had been imagining. She was pale and had a bandage on her head and an IV but other than that she just looked like she was sleeping.

Wetting his lips, he went over to the bed and slowly sat down on a chair by the side of it. Her hand was resting on the top of the sheet and he gently picked it up.

“You don’t look so bad, Bren,” he said softly. “Just like you’re sleeping. You’re gonna be okay, right? You just have to wake up.” He kissed the back of her hand and then stared at her. The longer he stared at her, the more reality set in and he felt tears welling up in his eyes. He looked to his left and saw a telephone sitting on a small table near him. Sniffing, he reached over and picked up the receiver and dialed a number.

“Hello?”

At the sound of his best friend’s voice, Justin felt his tears start to fall. “Trace, are you busy?” he asked, his voice cracking.

“Just leaving the station. You okay?”

He took a deep breath. “No. Can you come to the hospital?”

There was a pause. “What happened?”

“It’s Brenna.” His voice faltered out again. “Can you just come.”

“Yeah, J. I’m on my way.”

“Okay. Bye,” he whispered and hung up the phone. He wiped his eyes and then picked up Brenna’s hand again. Leaning forward, he brought her hand up to his face and held her palm against his cheek. He sat there motionlessly, staring at her for what seemed like a long time before Trace appeared in the doorway. Justin raised his eyes to him.

“I saw Johnny,” Trace said, coming into the room. “He told me what happened.”

“She’s in a coma, Trace,” Justin said softly, looking back down at her.

“Oh man. I’m sorry. Did they say how long she’d be like this?”

“He never said. But she could have brain damage.”

Trace dropped to the other chair in the room and ran a hand over his face. “Oh man.”

Justin felt a couple tears fall. “I don’t know what to do, Trace.”

Trace shook his head and was silent. He was quiet for a minute before he spoke. “Do you want me to call your mom? And Brenna’s mom?”

He hadn’t even thought of that. He nodded. “If you can.” He stopped for a second. “But…tell them not to come out. Not yet.”

Trace gave him a doubtful look. “Are you sure? I mean, she’s in the ICU and…”

“I know. But I just don’t think I can handle them both being here. Please, Trace.”

“Okay.” Trace got up and grabbed the phone from the table. Justin blocked out his voice while Trace explained things to Brenna’s mom but when Trace was talking to Lynn, Justin couldn’t help but listen.

“I know, Lynn…I know, but he said that-…Uh huh…yeah, he’s here but-…” Trace pulled the phone from his ear. “She wants to talk to you, Justin.”

Justin sighed and took the phone from Trace, never letting go of Brenna’s hand. “Hello?”

“Justin, sweetie. I’m so sorry.”

A few more tears fell. “She might have brain damage, Mom,” he whispered, his voice faltering.

“Justin, Elizabeth and I should be there. I can get a flight tonight.”

He found his voice. “Mom, I just need to be here with her alone. And Elizabeth’s not even in the country. I’ll call. But I just want to be here alone.”

Lynn’s sigh was clear over the phone. “Are you sure, Sweetie?”

Justin moved his eyes to Brenna’s face and felt his heart breaking as he watched her lie there, helpless and so still. “Yeah, I’m sure.”

Bringing up a hand to cover a yawn, Justin crossed his ankles in front of him and turned the page in his book. He raised his eyes long enough to check his watch and then returned his attention back to the page in front of him.

Three thirty pm. In just a minute…

He smiled a bit as he heard the squeaking of the candy strippers cart going town the hallway. The smile was immediately followed by a roll of his eyes, not quite sure why he was so proud of himself for figuring out the daily hospital schedule. It didn’t take a genius to do that. It only took sitting in the ICU for five days with nothing better to do than figure out the schedule down to the minute.

Yawning again, he placed his bookmark in the book and shut it. Reading was starting to put him to sleep. He uncrossed his ankles and stood, deciding to go down to the cafeteria to get a coffee. He was almost out the door when something stopped him. The beat of the heart monitor that he had been listening to for five days changed slightly, increasing in tempo. It was subtle but enough to catch his attention. He turned on his heel and his heart sped up as he watched Brenna’s face scrunch up a bit. In an instant, he was at her side.

“Brenna!”

Her eyebrows drew together slightly and her lips parted and then closed. His hand went up to hit the button to get a nurse and then he picked up her hand.

“Bren, Sweetie, open your eyes.” He smiled as he watched her blink her eyes open once and then close them. He urged her again and once more, her eyes opened. She squinted at him and he squeezed her hand.

Dr. Harley appeared in the room and Justin moved back as the doctor leaned over her.

“Brenna? I’m Dr. Harley. Do you know where you are?”

She wet her lips and blinked a few times. Justin moved to the other side of the bed and as he stared at her, all of his fears of her having brain damage came crashing down again. She had yet to say a word.

Dr. Harley offered her a drink of water from a plastic cup with a straw. As soon as she had had a small drink, she pulled her head away.

“Brenna, how many fingers am I holding up?” he asked, holding up his hand in front of her face.

She wet her lips again and swallowed. “Three,” she got out in a whisper.

Justin smiled as she answered the question. His smile only grew broader as Brenna answered all of Dr. Harley’s neurological question correctly and clearly. She was really okay.

“Brenna, do you remember what happened?” Dr. Harley asked

She uttered a soft no.

“You were at a construction site and some concrete fell on your head. You’ve been in a coma for six days now.”

“Why was I at a construction site?”

Justin’s gaze flickered to Dr. Harley, whose brows had drawn together.

“Brenna, do you remember what happened before the accident?”

“I-I don’t know.”

The doctor paused for a moment before speaking again. “Brenna, who is this?” he asked, gesturing to Justin.

Brenna looked at Justin and he tried to smile but found himself unable to as he saw the confusion clouding her eyes.

“Brenna?” Dr. Harley prompted.

She set her lips and Justin watched in dismay as a tear fell from her eyes. “I don’t know.”