Annie didn't even bother to smile at Lucy as they passed each other. Lucy
slowly entered Simon's ICU room and realized why. Nearly 18 hours after
the accident, Simon was still in a coma. His head was wrapped so tightly
in bandages that Lucy couldn't see one strand of Simon's blond hair. He
was breathing through a respirator and the sight of it made Lucy want to
break down. She took a seat next to Simon's bed. The seat was still warm
from Annie's visit. Behind her, Eric sat on the couch wearily. Lucy
politely asked him for some time along with Simon. Eric left very
reluctantly, as if it might be the last time he would see Simon.
Lucy turned back to Simon as the tears started to fall again. "I'm so sorry, Simon. I was wrong about the baby, and I was so wrong about you. I'm so sorry for what I said; I didn't mean it. I'm not ashamed of you, Simon, I'm proud of you. Claire told me what you did for her and for her baby. That was a really awesome thing that you did. I just. I just want you to know that I'm proud."
*************
Lucy felt her stomach churn as Kevin placed a plate of cafeteria food in front of her. "You haven't eaten all day long," he said as he studied her face.
She shrugged. "I'm not hungry."
"Luce, you HAVE to eat something." Kevin stared at her with growing concern. She seemed to be taking this the hardest. Everyone had taken it pretty hard but she was the only one who wasn't eating or sleeping.
"Do you think people in comas can hear you?" Lucy asked randomly.
"I .I don't know."
"I got into a fight with Simon last night," Lucy said. She didn't look at Kevin; she stared down at the plate of food. "It was so dumb. I thought. Well, it doesn't really matter what I thought because I was wrong. And I didn't get a chance to apologize." Lucy looked up at Kevin's eyes. "I said some really awful things to him," she whispered. "I told him that he was a jerk and that I was ashamed of him. But I'm not! And now.."
"Hey," Kevin interrupted softly. He swung around to the other side of the table so that he was sitting next to her. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "I'm sure he knows you didn't mean it."
"No, that's just it!" Lucy sobbed. "He DOES think I mean it!"
"Lucy, Simon knows better, okay? You said yourself that you were wrong. Simon knows you were wrong and that you didn't mean what you said. And if he doesn't, you'll set him straight when he wakes up."
"Yeah, IF he wakes up. I heard what the doctor said. The more time that goes by, the less of a chance there is that he will. It's been 24 hours already." Lucy was shaking her head. "You know, he has his whole life ahead of him. So much to look forward to."
Kevin nodded. "I know. He. Lucy, he'll pull through. Simon is too stubborn to let a drunk driver bring him down, especially Cecilia's boyfriend."
"Does it make me a bad person to be angry that they made it out okay?"
"No, it makes you human. It makes you a loving sister who is just worried about her brother."
Lucy smiled. "Thanks. I love you."
"I love you too. Now EAT."
Lucy turned back to Simon as the tears started to fall again. "I'm so sorry, Simon. I was wrong about the baby, and I was so wrong about you. I'm so sorry for what I said; I didn't mean it. I'm not ashamed of you, Simon, I'm proud of you. Claire told me what you did for her and for her baby. That was a really awesome thing that you did. I just. I just want you to know that I'm proud."
*************
Lucy felt her stomach churn as Kevin placed a plate of cafeteria food in front of her. "You haven't eaten all day long," he said as he studied her face.
She shrugged. "I'm not hungry."
"Luce, you HAVE to eat something." Kevin stared at her with growing concern. She seemed to be taking this the hardest. Everyone had taken it pretty hard but she was the only one who wasn't eating or sleeping.
"Do you think people in comas can hear you?" Lucy asked randomly.
"I .I don't know."
"I got into a fight with Simon last night," Lucy said. She didn't look at Kevin; she stared down at the plate of food. "It was so dumb. I thought. Well, it doesn't really matter what I thought because I was wrong. And I didn't get a chance to apologize." Lucy looked up at Kevin's eyes. "I said some really awful things to him," she whispered. "I told him that he was a jerk and that I was ashamed of him. But I'm not! And now.."
"Hey," Kevin interrupted softly. He swung around to the other side of the table so that he was sitting next to her. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "I'm sure he knows you didn't mean it."
"No, that's just it!" Lucy sobbed. "He DOES think I mean it!"
"Lucy, Simon knows better, okay? You said yourself that you were wrong. Simon knows you were wrong and that you didn't mean what you said. And if he doesn't, you'll set him straight when he wakes up."
"Yeah, IF he wakes up. I heard what the doctor said. The more time that goes by, the less of a chance there is that he will. It's been 24 hours already." Lucy was shaking her head. "You know, he has his whole life ahead of him. So much to look forward to."
Kevin nodded. "I know. He. Lucy, he'll pull through. Simon is too stubborn to let a drunk driver bring him down, especially Cecilia's boyfriend."
"Does it make me a bad person to be angry that they made it out okay?"
"No, it makes you human. It makes you a loving sister who is just worried about her brother."
Lucy smiled. "Thanks. I love you."
"I love you too. Now EAT."