The Past Never Stays Where It Should
Part Four
Danny burst out of the hospital elevator and ran over to Aiden.
"Where is she? Is she okay? What the hell happened?" he asked in a rush, looking around frantically.
"She's in room 416 but I gotta warn you Danny, she looks pretty bad", Aiden said softly.
"I just need to see her", Danny said as he headed toward the door and Aiden followed him.
"The doctor sedated her earlier. She should be waking up any minute now", Aiden informed him quietly as he stared at Carmela.
Danny sank into the plastic chair beside the hospital bed. Carmela's once clear skin was now many shades of red, black and blue. A cut on her bottom lip had been stitched shut and her left eye was swollen to at least twice the size it was when he had last seen her. Also her left arm was in plaster up to her elbow. Danny swallowed hard when someone joined them in the room. He looked up at a middle-aged man in a white coat.
"As I told your colleague the bruising makes Carmela's injuries look much worse than they are", he told Danny.
"Can I speak to you outside Doc?" he asked.
"I can go if you want me to." Aiden offered from her seat at the door.
"It's okay. You stay", Danny said as he walked into the hallway.
"Other than her face and arm is she hurt anywhere else?" he asked the doctor.
"Three ribs on her left side have been broken. Like the rest of her injuries they'll just take time to heal."
"Doc … I just need to know. Did you do a rape kit?"
"Yes… and it came back negative"
Danny released the breath he had been unconsciously holding, "Thanks Doc."
"Don't worry Detective. Carmela is going to be okay. Just give her body time to heal", the older man advised him before walking away.
Danny leaned against the wall and pinched the bridge of his nose. 'Who would do this to Carmela? His Carmela. And why hadn't he been there to protect her?' he thought.
"Danny. She's waking up," Aiden stuck her head around the door.
Danny rushed into the hospital room and back to the chair at Carmela's bedside. He took her right hand in his and watched as her eyes fluttered open.
"Danny?" she asked quietly.
"Yeah it's me Ella. How you feelin'?"
"Sore", she replied, "Did they call you at work?"
"Uh no. Aiden and I were assigned your case. She's here too", Danny explained.
Aiden walked over to the foot of Carmela's bed, "Hey Carmela", she said with a little wave.
"Hey Aid. How you doin'?"
Aiden smiled, "I think that should be my line."
Carmela smiled briefly until her face contorted in pain.
"Are you okay?" Danny asked, anxiously.
"Yeah, my ribs just hurt a little", Carmela replied.
"The doctor said that three of them are broken. Do you remember what happened? Do you know who did this to you?"
Carmela swallowed hard and nodded, "Sonny Sassone."