Henry opened the blinds and watched the sunrise. Monica had a long last given in to fatigue and lay dozing lightly in a chair beside Ben's hospital bed. Ben's room was painted a hideous shade of pastel green. The color seemed to only get worse as the sun rose and shined off the white tile floor. Ben was still in intensive care, but he'd survived the night. The ventilator provided the only sound in the room as it rhythmically pushed air into Ben's lungs. To spite the fact that he still had a machine breathing for him, Ben was by all appearances peaceful. His face was bruised, but the monitors above Ben's head showed healthy normal readings. Were it not for the tubes sticking out of his arm, chest, and mouth he'd have looked like a normal sleeping boy who'd been in some sort of fight.
Monica awakened and Henry turned from the window as they heard the click of dress shoes against the tile floor. Doctor Clair greeted them with a pleasant smile. "I wanted to take one more look at him before my shift is over."
"How is he?" Monica's asked tiredly?
"He may not look it, but he's a lucky young man." Doctor Clair lifted Ben's eyelids and listened with his stethoscope. "In addition to his legs Ben here has several broken ribs, one of which actually distended and lacerated his liver. That's what was creating all the internal bleeding I had such a difficult time finding when he was brought in. He made it through surgery last night and his vitals are fine now." Doctor Clair draped his stethoscope back around his neck and began scratching notes on Ben's chart.
"So he'll be alright?" Henry and Monica asked in unison.
"He'll be mighty sore when he wakes up, and he won't leave this hospital for at least a month, but yeah Ben's going to be fine. His x-rays and head CT all look okay, there's no sign of any brain damage. That's why I say he was lucky, my guess would be that it wasn't very long from when he crashed to when he was found."
Tears formed in Monica's eyes at the news and she walked over to Ben. "His face looks so beat up," she commented as she softly stroked his hair.
"That's an airbag bruise. It'll go away in a week or so. Once he's awake we'll remove that breathing tube and put him regular room. Speaking of which, he's not going to wake up for several more hours. Why don't you two go home and get some rest." Monica instantly shook her head no and Henry chuckled slightly at the comment.
"Thank you doctor," Henry walked over and shook Clair's hand. The doctor took his leave. "C'mon Monica there has to be a coffee machine around here someplace. Let's go find it."
Ben's parents boarded a United 737 just after ten in the morning. To them the flight took much longer then the advertised two and a half hours. When they arrived in Denver they hurriedly picked up their bags and rental car. They had long since been informed of how their son was doing, but parents never stop being parents. Particularly when their children are hurt.
"So tell me about this fight you had." Henry and Monica were sitting in the hospital cafeteria now. They were seated at a table near the entrance and each had bad cup of coffee sitting in front of them. The place was about half full, mostly with hospital workers eating before beginning their day shift. Row after row of various colored gowns and slacks. The dull roar of conversation filled the air.
"Nothing much to tell. I told you we kissed in the hotel room. I want to be with him, but something just won't let me. So I started avoiding him. Yesterday he shows up during my office hours. We go for a walk and he asks me for a date, like a regular old dinner date. I told him I didn't think it was a good idea. He insisted that we could start from the beginning, much as you suggested on the ride over here. I told him I didn't think I was capable of starting over even if he was." Monica lowered her head and her face twisted in disgust as she sipped at her coffee.
"Go on." Henry folded his arms and encouraged Monica to continue.
"That's it. After I say no he storms off and goes tearing away in that SAAB of his. Next thing I know he's here." Monica held her hands up and turned her head about to indicate the hospital.
"What do you think is holding you back?" Henry took off his wire frame glasses and set them on the table.
"What I did with Ben's brother, I don't think I can ever forgive myself for that." Monica lowered her head to the table in frustration.
"Why? He's obviously forgiven you, otherwise why would Ben have come to Denver?" The rhetorical question drew a cross glance from Monica. Henry paused for a moment before continuing. "I think I understand what's happened between you two. I could tell you to forgive yourself, but I don't think I'm the one you need to hear that from."
Ben's parents parked their rented Chevy Lumina in the hospital parking lot just after one in the afternoon. They inquired at the reception desk and found out Ben was still in ICU. Roland arrived at the room first followed in short order by Amanda. They stood in the entrance for a moment surveying the two figures inside. Both were disheveled and obviously very tired. Monica wore a blue sweater and black pants. She was taking a nap in the chair beside the bed again, resting her head on her folded pink coat. Henry, who neither parent knew, wore a light blue polo shirt and khaki pants. "Monica." Henry whispered gently to wake her. He pointed at Amanda and Roland.
"How is he," Roland asked surveying suspiciously the mass of tubes protruding from his son. Amanda simply covered her mouth at the sight and started to weep. Monica got up and offered Amanda her chair, which she accepted.
"Doctors say he'll be fine. He has broken ribs, one of them managed to cut into his liver. That's what created all the trouble last night." Monica repeated what doctor Clair had said. "By the way this is Henry, Ben's boss at the DU newspaper."
"Pleased to meet both of you." Henry aggressively shook Roland's hand and offered Amanda a handkerchief.
"Both of you stayed here all night?" Amanda asked as she wiped her eyes.
"Yes," Monica and Henry replied together.
Amada stared at Monica for a moment. She was without makeup and her hair wasn't brushed, but she still looked stunning. "I never thought I'd be saying this to you, but thank you for staying with him."
Henry silently watched Monica continue to converse with Amanda and Roland, amazed at the blend of familiarity and tension between them. 'My god they know.' Henry's reporter instincts now told him that both Ben's parents knew exactly who Monica Young was. It was one fact she'd had failed to mention and it surprised him. For the first time Henry Phillips got a taste of the complexity of Ben and Monica's relationship.
A short time later Ben began to stir. He flexed his hands and opened his eyes. Lying almost flat, all he could see were the ceiling lights. He had no idea anyone was in the room with him until they all started to hover over him. Stunned he immediately tried to speak, but only coughed and gagged on the breathing tube. Amanda pushed the nurse call light. Shortly thereafter Ben's nurse summoned another doctor to examine Ben. No one knew it but it was the surgeon who had worked on him. The doctor conducted a quick examination and smiled at Ben, "how about we take that breathing tube out?" Ben nodded yes vigorously.
"Okay on the count of three exhale for me. 1-2-3." The doctor turned off the machine and pulled the long tube out as Ben exhaled. Ben winced as the effort sent waves of intense pain through his ribs. Just over twenty-four hours after his life had nearly ended, Ben Conner was now awake and breathing on his own. His eyes shifted between the four faces above him. Roland and Amanda were breathing heavily with relief. Henry nodded and winked. Lastly he found Monica, their eyes locked on. She wiped a tear from her eye as she smiled at him. Ben placed his hand at his throat to try and speak. "Now there's a sight worth waking up to." He squeaked it out just loud enough for everyone to hear.
Monica closed here eyes and slowly the tension of the last twenty-four hours left her body. She reached down and took Ben's hand. Roland, Amanda, and Henry were instantly reduced to the role of spectators. Watching Ben and Monica in close proximity was like watching live electrical wires. If you got them close enough you could literally see sparks of energy pass between them.
"Do you remember anything?" Monica lifted his hand and kissed it as she asked.
Ben lay quiet for a while; talking hurt and it took time to summon the will power to do so. Eventually Ben placed his other hand at his throat again, "I remember the crash, after that just voices really. Indistinct, I couldn't tell you who was talking or what they were saying." Ben winced again from the effort of speaking and closed his eyes. Soon he fell back asleep.
"Monica we should leave Roland and Amanda alone. I'll take you home for a few hours and we can come back later." Henry walked over to the chair and picked up Monica's jacket. She put the jacket on and then leaned down and planted a soft kiss on Ben's forehead. It caused him to awaken. He gazed up at those emerald green eyes and smiled. Monica gave Ben's hand a last reassuring squeeze and then her and Henry left the room.
Roland stood up and came to Ben's bedside, "Son, Sam is flying in to see you. He'll be here later this evening." Ben eyes got big. 'I can't wait to see the look on Monica's face when she finds that out.'
Henry grasped Monica's hand and lead here through the maze of corridors to exit the hospital. "I'm surprised you were so forward around his parents."
Monica stopped walking and thought for a moment. Until now she hadn't really realized just how her affection might have looked. She just shrugged her shoulders though and gave a sexy, dismissive grin. 'They know who I am, and I don't care what they think.'
Henry read Monica's body language perfectly. He turned his head to one side and mouthed the word wow as he took Monica's hand again. The two resumed walking, "Ben is a lucky boy, in more ways than one." Henry looked down at Monica who gave absolutely sinful smile.