Chapter 9
"What happened to me?" Babbit asked while still in a daze mode from the morphine.
The Siamese cat nurse gave Mary Ann should-I-say-it look.
Mary Ann nodded. "Just tell him, Leilani. Better to be safe than sorry."
Leilani forces herself to make eye contact with Babbit. Even in a daze mode, Babbit could see the bashfulness in her eyes.
Leilani took a deep breath. "Your assistant and one of your, um, employees found you lying on the floor, unconsciousness and unresponsive."
Babbit gave Leilani a baffled look. "Really?"
"Yes." Leilani said timidly, rubbing her hands quietly.
After a few moments of silence while both of the nurses were writing on their charts. Babbit, who was still confused about how he got into the hospital, asked, "Where was I found?"
"In your hotel room, darling." Mary Ann said in a Southern drawl.
…
The effects of morphine were beginning to wear off an hour later. As a result, Babbit was able to sit up without feeling lightheaded.
Even though he was feeling more alert and could think more clearly, Babbit couldn't help but notice that he was still feeling a bit stiff.
Curious to see what was causing the stiffness, Babbit gently lifted up the sheets and saw his source of the stiffness. He had bruises on his right leg and left arm. Both of the bruises appeared to be healing.
Leilani walks towards Babbit's bed and sees that he was looking at his bruises. She waited patiently, so that Babbit could finish.
Sensing that Leilani was waiting for him to respond, Babbit stops examining his bruises, puts the sheets down, and crosses his arms.
"Mr. Pierce," Leilani said when she felt that Babbit got her full attention. "Do you know the source of your bruises?"
"Uh," Babbit hesitated. "Uh, I really have no clue, miss."
It was true. Babbit really didn't know where the bruises came from. It was like his mind went blank between the time he got up from his chair in his hotel room to the present time, sitting on a hospital bed.
Meanwhile, both of the nurses weren't sure if Babbit was telling the truth or not.
"Are you sure about that hon?" Mary Ann asked.
"Really, I don't!" Babbit insisted. "The last thing I remember before I wake up on this hospital bed was that I was in my hotel room. I have gotten up from the chair and was walking towards the bathroom, getting something. The next thing I know, I'm here!"
Leilani understood Babbit's statement somewhat, but like most rookies who came straight from college, wasn't sure. So she gives Mary Ann another "I'm-not-sure-what-to-do" look.
Fortunately, Mary Ann got the hint.
She motions Leilani to walk to where she was standing.
"Looks like he suffered some kind of amnesic episode." She whispered to Leilani so that Babbit couldn't hear.
"That was exactly I was thinking too!" Leilani whispered back.
"You may want to test him to see if he has some neurological deficits." Mary Ann whispered in a more serious tone.
"I will look up on that."
…
Four hours later…
Babbit was still sitting up on his hospital bed. However, he was wearing glasses and reading a book. The effects of morphine had completely vanished and the soreness was nearly gone. As a result, Babbit was feeling a lot better and was a hundred percent alert.
He was nearly done with his book when he hears a knock on the door.
"Who is it?" Babbit asked politely.
"It's me, Mary Ann!" said a cheerful voice.
"Come in."
The door opens slightly. Mary Ann sticks her head out.
"You have some visitors whom want to see you, Mr. Pierce."
Mary Ann looks at Babbit for a second. She was surprised, but relieved that Babbit's condition has improved very rapidly.
"Are you ready to receive visitors?"
"Yes," Babbit replied. "Let them in."
Mary Ann pulls her head back from the doorway and closes the door.
A couple of seconds later, the door re-opens.
Babbit couldn't help but smile a little when he saw his visitors.
