Chapter Five:
He watched her as she dreamed. Tossing and turning. Never still. It was as if she were running to escape the nightmares. Tears streamed down her face in her slumber. He wondered what tormented her so. Was it memories of the accident? The accident that had brought her into his life.
He still remembered that night so clearly. Still hear the awful scream of the brakes as the car careened out of control right before his very eyes. Crashing through the guardrail and plummeting into the icy water below. It was a horrifying image. An image forever burned into his memory.
He didn't have time to think. He just reacted. Dove into the frigid waters. After the sinking car. There were two passengers. The man was dead when he reached the driver's side. He never saw his face. He was thankful he didn't. The memories were bad enough without a face.
And there was the woman. She was unconscious when he got to her. He pulled her from the car just moments before it sank from sight. He had to use all his rapidly fading strength to keep from getting pulled into the black waters below himself. He didn't know what possessed him to risk his life for this woman. But something within himself shouted it was the right thing to do.
He watched her restless sleep. What now? She had no family. No loved ones. In the three years since he'd rescued her, no one had come forward. Searched these parts for her. She was simply another Jane Doe in this sleepy little hospital. A staff favorite the nurses wove fanciful romances about. Surely they told him each time he visited her, their "Jenny" was too beautiful to be all alone in this world.
But they were so wrong, he thought to himself. His wife, the woman he'd been forced to leave behind, was beautiful. And she was alone. Tragedy struck the beautiful ones and loneliness befell them the same as it did ordinary people like him. And like Nurse Molly who poured all her energy the last few years into taking care of the young woman that lay in the hospital bed in Room #3.
He turned to look into Molly's compassionate brown eyes when he felt her hand on his shoulder. "She's going to need a place to live, Martin. Are you prepared to take her in? You are the one who found her. Just until she lands back on her feet. Gets her bearings. I'm going to miss her. To think, I love her as if she were my own daughter, and she only woke up today. Three years I've taken care of her. Three years."
He glanced at the young woman now laying with her back turned to them. Could he do it? Could he take her into his home? He didn't know if he could, but he felt he needed to try. "If she's open to the suggestion, yes I'll open my home to her. But only till she's gained her strength, found someplace better. My cabin's in the middle of the woods. She'll be sick of it after a few days, I'm sure. But I'll do it, Molly. You don't have to worry. I'll take care of her."
She kissed his cheek in thanks and left them alone. Martin didn't know how long he sat there. Minutes, hours. The sound of her voice made him jump in surprise. "You saved me." That was all she said. He could say nothing as he looked deep into her blue eyes. All he was capable of was a brief nod. She offered him a small smile of gratitude.
His heart ached for her as she whispered in a little girl's voice "Stay with me. Promise you won't leave me. Don't leave me alone." He took her hand in his and said as reassuringly as he could, "I'm not going anywhere. I promise. Now. Close your eyes. Get some rest. When you wake up, I'll be right here. Okay?" She searched his eyes for the truth of his words. Finally she was convinced of his sincerity. He held her hand long after her breathing deepened. Long after she shut her lids. He fell asleep with her hand in his.
He watched her as she dreamed. Tossing and turning. Never still. It was as if she were running to escape the nightmares. Tears streamed down her face in her slumber. He wondered what tormented her so. Was it memories of the accident? The accident that had brought her into his life.
He still remembered that night so clearly. Still hear the awful scream of the brakes as the car careened out of control right before his very eyes. Crashing through the guardrail and plummeting into the icy water below. It was a horrifying image. An image forever burned into his memory.
He didn't have time to think. He just reacted. Dove into the frigid waters. After the sinking car. There were two passengers. The man was dead when he reached the driver's side. He never saw his face. He was thankful he didn't. The memories were bad enough without a face.
And there was the woman. She was unconscious when he got to her. He pulled her from the car just moments before it sank from sight. He had to use all his rapidly fading strength to keep from getting pulled into the black waters below himself. He didn't know what possessed him to risk his life for this woman. But something within himself shouted it was the right thing to do.
He watched her restless sleep. What now? She had no family. No loved ones. In the three years since he'd rescued her, no one had come forward. Searched these parts for her. She was simply another Jane Doe in this sleepy little hospital. A staff favorite the nurses wove fanciful romances about. Surely they told him each time he visited her, their "Jenny" was too beautiful to be all alone in this world.
But they were so wrong, he thought to himself. His wife, the woman he'd been forced to leave behind, was beautiful. And she was alone. Tragedy struck the beautiful ones and loneliness befell them the same as it did ordinary people like him. And like Nurse Molly who poured all her energy the last few years into taking care of the young woman that lay in the hospital bed in Room #3.
He turned to look into Molly's compassionate brown eyes when he felt her hand on his shoulder. "She's going to need a place to live, Martin. Are you prepared to take her in? You are the one who found her. Just until she lands back on her feet. Gets her bearings. I'm going to miss her. To think, I love her as if she were my own daughter, and she only woke up today. Three years I've taken care of her. Three years."
He glanced at the young woman now laying with her back turned to them. Could he do it? Could he take her into his home? He didn't know if he could, but he felt he needed to try. "If she's open to the suggestion, yes I'll open my home to her. But only till she's gained her strength, found someplace better. My cabin's in the middle of the woods. She'll be sick of it after a few days, I'm sure. But I'll do it, Molly. You don't have to worry. I'll take care of her."
She kissed his cheek in thanks and left them alone. Martin didn't know how long he sat there. Minutes, hours. The sound of her voice made him jump in surprise. "You saved me." That was all she said. He could say nothing as he looked deep into her blue eyes. All he was capable of was a brief nod. She offered him a small smile of gratitude.
His heart ached for her as she whispered in a little girl's voice "Stay with me. Promise you won't leave me. Don't leave me alone." He took her hand in his and said as reassuringly as he could, "I'm not going anywhere. I promise. Now. Close your eyes. Get some rest. When you wake up, I'll be right here. Okay?" She searched his eyes for the truth of his words. Finally she was convinced of his sincerity. He held her hand long after her breathing deepened. Long after she shut her lids. He fell asleep with her hand in his.