Part Two-
I look in at her. She is sitting up, laughing with someone. I don't know who is in the room but to see her laugh like that feels so good. Slowly, I edge the door open, giving her the chance to tell me to come back later. Luka is standing at the bottom of her bed obviously in the middle of a story. They both turn to look at me as I enter.
"Hey Carter," a simple greeting that means so much to me. If she had turned to me and said 'go to hell Carter', I would have been happy. Anything to make sure she is okay. I can see my joy mirrored in Luka's face. "Y'know," she continues as I step into the room, "You had everyone worried. What happened?" Jesus, this woman is amazing. She is the one who was in surgery for two hours after being knocked over and she is asking me if I am all right.
"I'm fine. Chuny said something about Mental Exhaustion. Too much worrying over you." As I say this I take her hand in mine. "And while we're on the topic of you, how you feeling?" The look she gives me says it all. I know she has probably been asked that question twenty times but she has to realise that we were all so worried.
"I'm okay. Bit sore but nothing that won't heal with a bit of bed rest." She pauses and looks over at Luka. Seeking permission to continue. Luka gives a slight nod and Susan seems happy with that for she turns to me and continues. "Have you been to see Abby yet? I heard that she's doing well." I give a small shake of my head.
"No," I answer, "I figured I come see you first then go see her." This time it's her who nods her head. Only in this case, it's in a thoughtful way. She has something to tell me.
I don't rush her. I just stand and wait for her to continue. Her eyes glance down at our hands, still clasped tightly together. "How much have they told you about her since you came back among the living?" Something about her eyes tells me not to worry. Abby's fine. That is all I can tell myself.
"Uh, Chuny said that her back was in a real mess." She nods thoughtfully as I try to recall all of the details passed on to me. "Weaver told me that she broke her right arm and her right leg. But she said that the worst thing was the amount of blood lost. Mainly from her back." Luka was still silent although he had sat down on the left side of Susan's bed, opposite me.
"Well, she's now breathing on her own. They took her of the ventilator about an hour ago, or so I'm told." I let out a breath that I had been holding every since Abby's name had been brought up. I then feel a huge smile make its way across my face. Her hand squeezes mine tightly and I look in to her eyes. Relief.
I feel like a huge weight has just been lift off my chest allowing me to breathe easily again. "Oh," I suddenly hear her say, "Carter, I think a congratulations is needed. I believe you had some wonderful news." If possible, I think the smile on my face just grew even larger. "Now, if that was her big secret, what is yours?" I consider whether I should tell her or not. Maybe I would have had Luka not been in the room. I don't have anything against the guy, well, not anymore. It's just that I think Abby should be the first person who knows what I planned.
I lean down and whisper to her, "Ah, but I believe that would be telling." I pull up and we share a brief smile. Luka, I notice, is shifting uncomfortably in his seat. Susan seems surprised by this and asks him if he is okay.
"Uh yeah. I'm okay." Both Susan and I give him sceptical looks, knowing something's up with him. "I can't stand hospital chairs, okay? They make my ass itch." He smiles at us and we all laughs. I realise that I have been here a long time and should probably be going to visit Abby. She could be awake, waiting for me.
"I better go check in on Abby. Make sure she's doing okay. I'll come back later and check in on you k?" Susan nods at me and I make my way toward the door. Just as I open it, a thought crosses my mind. "Uh, Luka. Did anyone call Abby's mom?" It probably is a stupid question. F course they would have. It's a top priority.
He looks at me, thoughtful. "She had her brother listed as her emergency number. Kerry phoned but it was Maggie who answered. Eric, her brother, is away over seas. Maggie's coming." As if as an after thought he adds, "She's off her meds." Ah, the one thing I did not want to hear. Maggie being here now was probably only going to cause trouble. We share a look as if our minds are both trains, running along the same track.
"Hey, guys. Anyone care to tell me why Abby's mom is taking medicine? What's wrong with her?" I suddenly realise that Susan wasn't here when Maggie came and has no idea why we looked so worried about her coming.
"Maggie's bi-polar. She visited a couple of years ago," Wow, has it really been that long, "Abby had to go to Oklahoma to get her back. Then when we arrived back, Maggie tried to commit suicide." Susan's mouth hung open. She was clearly shocked. There was no more I could say. I thought that was all she would want to know. However, it turned out I was wrong.
"When did her Dad bail?" Not a question I expected to hear. It was quite surprising. Abby and Susan were the best of friends now. They talked all the time. Why could Susan not talk to Abby? Oh, I don't know John, I thought to myself, maybe it's because Abby is lying in a hospital bed unconscious.
"It was when she was seven. Eric hadn't been born. Her Dad never knew about him. Abby was like the Mum in her house. It was really hard on her." Luka was staring at the floor and I knew that some of what I had just said was probably news to him as well. I don't think Susan had ever thought it was that bad for Abby. Her eyes were wide and she had this disbelieving look on her face. I had said too much. She didn't need to know all this.
"I better get going." I brought my hand up in a half wave. Then I left. I stood outside the door for a couple of seconds, waiting. For what, I'll never know. I just needed sometime alone. Processing everything that had happened in the past twelve hours.
Then I made my way along the hall. Abby's room was soon just a couple of steps away. I walked those steps and pause outside the door. Am I ready for the site that lurks behind there? I know that even if I am not, I will eventually go in there. My girl is in there. And she needs me.
So I slowly turn the doorknob and take my first steps into the horrible reality that lies beyond.
---
Sorry for the short chapter. I will upload as much as possible this week as I am going back to school next week. No!!!!!!
Thanks for all the wonderful reviews. You're all so nice!
I did have a request for some Susan/Luka romance. What does everyone think? Keep posting ideas. Thanks!
Gillian
I look in at her. She is sitting up, laughing with someone. I don't know who is in the room but to see her laugh like that feels so good. Slowly, I edge the door open, giving her the chance to tell me to come back later. Luka is standing at the bottom of her bed obviously in the middle of a story. They both turn to look at me as I enter.
"Hey Carter," a simple greeting that means so much to me. If she had turned to me and said 'go to hell Carter', I would have been happy. Anything to make sure she is okay. I can see my joy mirrored in Luka's face. "Y'know," she continues as I step into the room, "You had everyone worried. What happened?" Jesus, this woman is amazing. She is the one who was in surgery for two hours after being knocked over and she is asking me if I am all right.
"I'm fine. Chuny said something about Mental Exhaustion. Too much worrying over you." As I say this I take her hand in mine. "And while we're on the topic of you, how you feeling?" The look she gives me says it all. I know she has probably been asked that question twenty times but she has to realise that we were all so worried.
"I'm okay. Bit sore but nothing that won't heal with a bit of bed rest." She pauses and looks over at Luka. Seeking permission to continue. Luka gives a slight nod and Susan seems happy with that for she turns to me and continues. "Have you been to see Abby yet? I heard that she's doing well." I give a small shake of my head.
"No," I answer, "I figured I come see you first then go see her." This time it's her who nods her head. Only in this case, it's in a thoughtful way. She has something to tell me.
I don't rush her. I just stand and wait for her to continue. Her eyes glance down at our hands, still clasped tightly together. "How much have they told you about her since you came back among the living?" Something about her eyes tells me not to worry. Abby's fine. That is all I can tell myself.
"Uh, Chuny said that her back was in a real mess." She nods thoughtfully as I try to recall all of the details passed on to me. "Weaver told me that she broke her right arm and her right leg. But she said that the worst thing was the amount of blood lost. Mainly from her back." Luka was still silent although he had sat down on the left side of Susan's bed, opposite me.
"Well, she's now breathing on her own. They took her of the ventilator about an hour ago, or so I'm told." I let out a breath that I had been holding every since Abby's name had been brought up. I then feel a huge smile make its way across my face. Her hand squeezes mine tightly and I look in to her eyes. Relief.
I feel like a huge weight has just been lift off my chest allowing me to breathe easily again. "Oh," I suddenly hear her say, "Carter, I think a congratulations is needed. I believe you had some wonderful news." If possible, I think the smile on my face just grew even larger. "Now, if that was her big secret, what is yours?" I consider whether I should tell her or not. Maybe I would have had Luka not been in the room. I don't have anything against the guy, well, not anymore. It's just that I think Abby should be the first person who knows what I planned.
I lean down and whisper to her, "Ah, but I believe that would be telling." I pull up and we share a brief smile. Luka, I notice, is shifting uncomfortably in his seat. Susan seems surprised by this and asks him if he is okay.
"Uh yeah. I'm okay." Both Susan and I give him sceptical looks, knowing something's up with him. "I can't stand hospital chairs, okay? They make my ass itch." He smiles at us and we all laughs. I realise that I have been here a long time and should probably be going to visit Abby. She could be awake, waiting for me.
"I better go check in on Abby. Make sure she's doing okay. I'll come back later and check in on you k?" Susan nods at me and I make my way toward the door. Just as I open it, a thought crosses my mind. "Uh, Luka. Did anyone call Abby's mom?" It probably is a stupid question. F course they would have. It's a top priority.
He looks at me, thoughtful. "She had her brother listed as her emergency number. Kerry phoned but it was Maggie who answered. Eric, her brother, is away over seas. Maggie's coming." As if as an after thought he adds, "She's off her meds." Ah, the one thing I did not want to hear. Maggie being here now was probably only going to cause trouble. We share a look as if our minds are both trains, running along the same track.
"Hey, guys. Anyone care to tell me why Abby's mom is taking medicine? What's wrong with her?" I suddenly realise that Susan wasn't here when Maggie came and has no idea why we looked so worried about her coming.
"Maggie's bi-polar. She visited a couple of years ago," Wow, has it really been that long, "Abby had to go to Oklahoma to get her back. Then when we arrived back, Maggie tried to commit suicide." Susan's mouth hung open. She was clearly shocked. There was no more I could say. I thought that was all she would want to know. However, it turned out I was wrong.
"When did her Dad bail?" Not a question I expected to hear. It was quite surprising. Abby and Susan were the best of friends now. They talked all the time. Why could Susan not talk to Abby? Oh, I don't know John, I thought to myself, maybe it's because Abby is lying in a hospital bed unconscious.
"It was when she was seven. Eric hadn't been born. Her Dad never knew about him. Abby was like the Mum in her house. It was really hard on her." Luka was staring at the floor and I knew that some of what I had just said was probably news to him as well. I don't think Susan had ever thought it was that bad for Abby. Her eyes were wide and she had this disbelieving look on her face. I had said too much. She didn't need to know all this.
"I better get going." I brought my hand up in a half wave. Then I left. I stood outside the door for a couple of seconds, waiting. For what, I'll never know. I just needed sometime alone. Processing everything that had happened in the past twelve hours.
Then I made my way along the hall. Abby's room was soon just a couple of steps away. I walked those steps and pause outside the door. Am I ready for the site that lurks behind there? I know that even if I am not, I will eventually go in there. My girl is in there. And she needs me.
So I slowly turn the doorknob and take my first steps into the horrible reality that lies beyond.
---
Sorry for the short chapter. I will upload as much as possible this week as I am going back to school next week. No!!!!!!
Thanks for all the wonderful reviews. You're all so nice!
I did have a request for some Susan/Luka romance. What does everyone think? Keep posting ideas. Thanks!
Gillian