Chapter One
Alison opened her eyes and then she blinked against the harsh light that brought tears to her eyes. She wondered where she was. The last thing she remembered was standing in the cemetery after Robert's funeral. Suddenly her eyes were filled with tears again although this time it was from sorrow and not pain.
He had shown her that she could be happy, that she could love and she had loved him. She'd never told him though. He'd gone back to Jude and he'd been happy. It had torn her heart out when he'd died but she did find some solace in the fact that Josh had been there for his daddy.
Alison looked around, trying to find some tissues. When she raised herself onto her elbows she was struck with a sharp and agonising pain behind her eyes. Lying back against the pillow, she closed her eyes and waited for the pain to subside. Using her other senses, Alison finally worked out that she was in a hospital. The sounds of the beeping machines and the smell of antiseptic were strong. She could hear movement just outside her door.
Sensing that someone was in the room, she opened her eyes slowly and gently turned her head to her left. She immediately saw a nurse standing by her bed. The nurse's face showed her surprise that her patient was awake. She saw the nurse blink and then a smile lit her face.
"Hello Alison. How do you feel?"
Alison opened her mouth to reply but she couldn't seem to get her voice to work. The nurse smiled again and patted her hand before telling her not to worry. She would get her some ice to suck on and to tell the doctor that she was awake. Patting her hand again, she left the room, closing the door behind her.
Two minutes later, the nurse returned to the room carrying a cup with ice in it. The doctor walked into the room behind her. Alison gladly took the ice and popped a cube in her mouth and sucked. Feeling the gentle flow of liquid slide down her throat made her feel better. The doctor waited until she had demolished a couple more cubes before he took his penlight and checked her pupils before checking her chart.
"Where am I? What happened to me?"
Putting the chart back in its cradle at the end of the bed, the doctor moved a chair to the side of her bed and sat down. He took a deep breath before speaking.
"You're in hospital Alison. You collapsed and were brought here. You've been in a coma for nearly a month. Even though we have run numerous tests we have been unable to determine the cause of your coma."
Before she could ask any further question, Alison could hear someone arguing with the nurse, who had left the room moments before, outside her door. Alison thought she recognised the voice but knew it couldn't be real. Telling the doctor that she was feeling tired, she turned her head to the right and looked out of the window briefly before closing her eyes. She heard the doctor get up and leave the room. When she heard the door open she heard a whispered conversation taking place but paid it no attention. Feeling herself slipping into sleep, Alison let her mind and body relax.
"Alison?"
At the whisper of her name by that voice, her eyes snapped open and she turned her head to the left. She didn't want to see his spirit for she knew that if he was here something had gone wrong and he'd come back for some reason. When she saw him her eyes filled with tears once again. He was so handsome and he took her breath away.
"What are you doing here Robert?"
"I'm here for you Alison."
"What about Josh?"
"You helped him Alison, you helped us both. It cost you so much."
"Robert, you can't stay here, you have to move on."
"Alison, what are you talking about? I'm not going anywhere. After what you did for me, you need me and if I'm truly honest, I need you too."
"Robert, I have enough spirits around me. I couldn't bear to see you all the time, it hurts too much. Robert I loved you but you died. You need to go back to Josh."
"Alison, I'm not dead. What are you talking about?"
"Robert, you had a brain tumour, you and Jude got back together. I watched you cross over. Josh was there and you both walked through the light together."
"Alison, I'm here, I truly am and I'll prove it to you."
With that he leaned in and kissed her. Not a kiss between two friends but a passionate kiss that one lover gives another. Swept up in the moment, Alison lovingly returned the kiss. She'd wanted to kiss him for so long. Still, this proved nothing. Alison had touched other spirits before and although she knew this was different, she also knew what she had seen. Finally he pulled away and she smiled at him.
"Thank you Robert but you need to go now."
Before he could answer her the door opened again and the nurse entered.
"Well you look better already. You have more colour in your cheeks. Do you feel up to having a shower?" At Alison's nod she turned to Robert. "You'll need to leave Dr Bridge. I will come and get you when Alison is settled again."
Turning back to Alison, she noticed that her eyes had widened and that whatever colour she had in her cheeks had drained out. She was now as white as a sheet.
"Alison, are you alright?"
"You can see Robert?"
"Well of course I can. He's almost part of the furniture. He's been here every day with you. Actually he came in with you in the ambulance."
Robert walked over to the bed and placed a kiss on her cheek. Rubbing his hand up and down her arm, he told her that he would be back later and they would talk about all that had happened.