CHAPTER 6: Surfacing

Lana underwent a long delicate surgery to remove the clot and control the internal haemorrhage. God listened to Lex's fervent prayers; the swelling started to subside after the first 24 hours and both doctors informed him that the chances of her regaining consciousness were better. As to whether she would have mobility in her legs, they couldn't tell yet.

On the seventh day, Lana came round to find her hand being tightly held by an exhausted Lex, who was sitting asleep on a chair by her bed. She looked at the face of her faithful friend with affection and heard his pleading words in her mind: " Don't you dare leave me alone ! " He had brought her back and she'd be eternally grateful for that but she dreaded the moment she'd have to look at him in the eye. She felt dirty and ashamed. She prayed Dr Garland had kept her promise, the one she had extracted from her before she passed out.

Lex felt her fingers move in his grasp and woke up all of a sudden. " Lana ! Lana, thank God you're back !, " he exclaimed with misty eyes.

" I'm glad you've kept your word, Lex. You said ...you'd be here when I woke up... and you are, " she said with a raspy voice once the nurse removed the endotracheal tube.

" Lana, I must leave the room for the doctor to check you over but I'll be right back."

" It's OK, Lex. I'm not planning to go anywhere, " she said smiling.

Lex saw two big teardrops rolling down her cheeks and, overtaken by emotion, leaned forward to plant a chaste kiss on her lips.

" Don 't cry, Lana. Everything'll be all right, " he added gently, dabbing her wet eyes with his Egyptian cotton handkerchief.

" Could I keep it ? " asked Lana in a small voice, finding the gesture comforting and the scent of his after-shave enveloping.

" Certainly, be my guest. "

" Miss Lang, how are you feeling ? " asked Dr Garland after checking the patient's vital signs.

" As if a herd of elephants had trampled all over my head ... ," answered Lana.

" I know, Miss Lang... I didn't mean how you felt physically... ," said a concerned doctor.

" Have you told him ? " she asked with a catch in her voice.

"He's a very special young man and it felt awful to hide the truth from him but you're my patient... I don't mean to pry, Miss Lang, but are you just friends ? "

" Yes, he's been the best friend I could wish for for the last five years. "

" He feels a lot for you, I could tell. You're lucky to have someone who cares so much about your well-being. You'll need his support throughout your recovery because there's a long way ahead. Let me advise you something, Miss Lang, don't wait for too long to tell him the truth if you want to feel whole again. "

" I don't know if I can ..., " sobbed Lana.

"Tell you what. I'll leave you Dr Madison's card. I'd like you to talk to her-she´s the hospital's head psychiatrist. She'll come to see you this afternoon and you can agree with her on what days to meet, " said the doctor handing Lana the card. " Something else... and this is good news... I've got the test results. There's nothing to worry about ..., "said Dr Garland smiling.

In the meantime, Lex was conversing with Nell and his husband Dean in the corridor. They had come back from a cruise to hear the messages he had left on the answerphone the previous week and they took the first flight they could jump on. Nell was all nerves and Lex reassured her, saying that Lana was stable now and clearly on the road to recovery.

" There's Dr Garland, Nell. We'll know more now ..., " said Lex. " Dr Garland, these are Miss Lang's aunt and uncle. They'd like to see the patient now. Do you think she feels up to it ? "

" You'll have to keep it short because she must rest. I'd like to keep her under observation for another 72 hours and then, if there aren't any complications, I'll discharge her, " informed the doctor.

" What about her treatment ? " asked Dean.

" I was coming to that. She's going to need counselling and physiotherapy. It'll take between three to six months for her to regain sensation in her lower limbs but the prognosis is very encouraging. It'll be an expensive treatment, thought. Do you have health insurance ? " the doctor queried Lana's aunt.

" Don't worry about the expenses, Nell, " said Lex, "We'll get her the best treatment and doctors available. "

" I'm grateful you were here to see that she was taken care of, Lex, " said Nell sincerely. " Doctor, do you think my niece'll be fit to fly back home with us ? "

" We'll have to wait and see how she progresses. Besides, there's the question of the police enquiry. Now that she's awake they'll want to talk to her to see what she remembers of the incident and the man that attacked her on campus, " responded the doctor.

"Oh ! I haven't thought of that, " said Nell worried.

" I've already hired a PI, Nell. He's been talking with the young couple that found her and has been asking around to see if there were any witnesses. If anybody saw anything, we'll know. I promise you,I'll hunt down whoever's done this to her; and when I find him, he'll pay, " pledged Lex.