Pixley Emergency Hospital
Oliver sat by Lisa's bed and held her hand as he had been doing ever since her accident. The warmth radiating from her hand let him know that she was still with him. He knew that he could easily tell that she was alive by the beeping of the heart monitor or the rising and falling of her chest, but those things only told his mind. The warmth of her touch let his heart know it too.
It had been a week since Lisa fell into her coma, and there was still no sign of her waking up. The words of the doctor kept ringing in Oliver's ears, there is a good chance that she will awake from her coma, but the longer she doesn't wake up, the less chance there is of that happening. Oliver just couldn't get it out of his head.
As he looked at her lovely face, Oliver began to reminisce about all the wonderful times they shared. He remembered the first time they met, in Hungary, during the war. He remembered how she saved his life from the Nazis, and how happy he was when they were reunited after the war.
He remembered their wedding, and how beautiful Lisa looked in her white wedding dress as she walked down the aisle towards him.
He recalled all the adventures they had been through since they were married, all the good times and the bad. He remembered how, no matter how bad things seemed, he could always count on her to make them better. How, as long as they were together, they could get through anything.
Stop it, Oliver's head screamed, stop thinking about her like she's already gone. She's not gone. She's still here with you.
Oliver's thoughts were again interrupted by Eb. Eb poked his head in the room and asked, "Can I come in?"
"Of course." Oliver responded, and motioned for him to take the seat next to him. Eb handed him a cup of coffee.
"Thanks. What are you doing out there anyway? I thought you went home already."
"I have no one to go home to. You know Mr. Douglas, you really should go out and get a bite to eat. You haven't left the hospital since you went back to the farm to get your and your wife's clothes."
"I can't go home. What if she wakes up and I'm not here. She'll think I didn't care about her."
Eb was about to protest, but saw that it was no use. Just then, one of Lisa's doctors walked in.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Douglas. It's time to check your wife's condition."
"Of course, go right ahead." Oliver responded. Oliver and Eb stood up to get out of the doctors way. After the doctor finished checking the machines, he told Oliver his diagnosis. "Still no change, I'm afraid."
"I didn't think so." Oliver said sadly.
The doctor noticed his disappointment. "You know what you could do that might help. You could try talking to her."
"Talking to her?" Oliver asked skeptically. "What good would that do?"
"Well, in these cases, sometimes the person in the coma responds to the voices of their love ones."
"All right, doctor. I'll try anything."
The doctor smiled and left the room. Oliver took his normal position by her bedside and then looked at Eb. "Eb, would you mind giving me some privacy?"
"No problem, Mr. Douglas. I'll be in the waiting room if you need me."
Once Eb was gone, Oliver took Lisa's hand and began holding a normal conversation with his wife.