After our conversation had come to a standstill, I excused myself to go upstairs and get cleaned up. By this point, I was hurting badly and I felt like a shower would help. So I slipped out of my clothes and peeled away the dressings from my arm and back before stepping into the stream of warm water. I kept it aimed more at the front of my body, only turning to lather and rinse my hair and body. When I was satisfied, I turned the water off and wrapped the towel around me.

As I stepped out onto the tile floor, I realized my suitcase was still sitting downstairs, unless Henry had brought it up. I needed the bag of supplies Abilene had sent me home with if I was going to keep my wounds dry. Maybe I could sneak down there and grab the bag out of my suitcase. I could at least try to change my own dressings and if I couldn't, then I would relent and have Henry help me. I didn't want him to worry even more than he was.

Grabbing my light blue robe hanging up in the closet, I hadn't even taken five steps to the door before I felt pain running up and down my back. It took all effort for me to walk back to my bed before deciding sleep wouldn't be such a bad thing right now. My hair could dry naturally for all I cared and dressing my wounds could wait. Wavering as I pulled back the covers, I was risking either falling over from complete exhaustion or falling asleep standing up. Neither one sounded comfortable to me. So before one or the other scenario could happen, I slipped underneath the covers and closed my eyes.

I had to admit that I had been so tired, I didn't remember anything I had been dreaming about. It was a relief knowing I wouldn't have nightmares this time around. Still, it took a few minutes to adjust to my surroundings and realize I was laying in my own bed. I was safe. I was with Henry and our children. I was also unable to move. I knew that from the small adjustments I tried to make as I strained to look at the clock sitting on the dresser next to my side of the bed. The red numbers blurred and it took me several minutes to make out the fact it was nearly six o'clock in the evening.I had slept for the past four hours, which meant the Excedrin I had taken on the plane had long worn off.

Trying to sit up, my body refused to obey my actions. Every time I tried to move, I was met with a tidal wave of pain threatening to wash over me and make me drown. In all my years as a wife and mother, I always trudged through the really hard things in my life, but this, this was something new on such a deeper level.

"Babe, you up?" Henry called softly through the dark, making me nearly jump out of my skin as he stood at the door. How long had he been standing there? I wasn't sure what he was thinking at this moment, but he might if I looked like what I felt inside. Of course, Henry knew me too well. He could read me like a book.

"Yeah. Mind turning on the light? I need to get up anyway." I rubbed at my eyes as the room flooded with light. When I looked up, he was holding a steaming cup of what I guessed was tea for the lack of smell.

"Hi." He offered me a small smile in greeting as he placed the mug on the nightstand. "How are you feeling?"

"Excuse my pun when I say I feel like I've been hit by a truck." Pressing my hand to forehead slowly, I just wanted the pain to stop. It wasn't quite unbearable, and I felt like I was dangerously close to really throwing up.

"This should help." He gestured to the steaming mug sitting beside me. There was a faint smell of peppermint and lemon wafting through my senses and I had to admit, it did smell good. I just couldn't get up by myself and I was too stubborn to ask for his help. I obviously didn't want to puke out my guts either."Thought the peppermint would help your stomach. I couldn't help but notice you only ate half your pizza when you came home."

"Unfortunately, it could be a lot of things why my stomach is bothering me. For one, being on an airplane is not fun when you're injured."

"How injured are we talking about here?" His expression grew serious and I knew I had to come clean to him. "Because a cut like you eluded to would not cause you that much pain."

"You're right. It's pretty bad."

"How bad?" He tried again, keeping my gaze on him. I knew I irritated him sometimes by not always being truthful. I did it because I loved him and knew how much he worried. I guess in some way I was trying to protect him like he protected me.

"Bad enough for stitches." I watched his face transition from worry to sadness in a matter of seconds. Oh, how I wished I could tell him absolutely everything. Yet, the other part of me didn't think he would like what he saw. The imagery was something I couldn't describe. Like the way the smoky air choked at my throat again and again, even though I was no longer there.

"Stitches." His expression slackened as he mulled the word over. I could see the wheels turning in his mind as his eyes flickered up to mine then darted away again. "Were you ever going to tell me?"

"At some point, yes." I sighed, successfully sitting up slightly against the pillow. I cautiously wrapped my hand around the handle of the mug and held tightly as another pain raced through my back. "Let's face it, I can hardly move. Some may say I was walking like an old woman." He smirked, although the humor didn't quite match how he was feeling.

"What do you need?" He asked as I quietly blew on my tea. His tone was sincere, almost eager to what he could do to take away my pain. "And don't say nothing."

"I think this tea is good enough," I finally took a small sip, correcting myself when I saw the warning look in his eyes to try again. 'I could also use some Excedrin and my suitcase. I'm supposed to change my dressings every three to four hours."

"I can do that." He was already in standing position, although I had half expected him to question the fact it had been far past the three to four hour mark; or even if he would question how bad my burn was. Instead, he said nothing and disappeared back down the hall. As he did, I sighed heavily wondering how the heck we were going to get through this.