I'm Back
Chapter 14
Catherine slowly woke and it took her a few minutes to remember where she was and on whose shoulder her head was resting. That brought a smile to her face. "About time you woke up sleepy head. You are so beautiful when you sleep, so at peace like you don't have a care in the world. But alas reality intrudes." Sara smiled down at her.
Catherine lifted her head so she could look at Sara. "Well I wouldn't have slept so peacefully if your shoulder wasn't so comfortable."
"Flattery will get you everything."
"Will it get me a kiss? And don't ask me if it is wise, I want one whether it's wise or not."
"Are you always this demanding in the morning?"
"Only on mornings when I am lying in a hospital bed with the woman of my dreams knowing that this idyllic moment could be interrupted any minute by the nurse coming in to check my vitals and wonder where the patient from the other room is." Catherine lowered her mouth to Sara's and they both sighed in utter contentment. "I could get used to this Sara Sidle." She lowered her mouth again. They were interrupted by someone clearing their throat at the door. "See I told you." They both turned towards the door at the same time. "Shit, Mom." She moved a little fast and accidently hit Sara's side and when she flopped down her head reminded her why she was here. Both women were in pain but Catherine also found it amusing. Sara tried to sit up and her side hurt again but she was determined to get off the bed. "Sara lay back down you're going to hurt yourself." She reached out and grabbed the back of Sara's gown and pulled her back down onto the bed.
"It looks as if the two of you are going to hurt each other if you keep moving around as much as you are." Catherine looked up and was surprised to see her mother was smiling and not angry.
Sara was still trying to get off the bed but Catherine maintained her hold on the hospital gown. "Sara stop fighting her she's not letting go." Sara looked up into Lily's eyes and saw the same amusement she knew she would see if she looked into Catherine's eyes. "I already know what's going on so lay back down before you hurt yourself any further. Do either of you need a nurse? Are either of you hurting still?"
Sara finally lay back down and Catherine put her head back on her shoulder. "No Mom I think were good. Sara are you good? I mean do you still hurt? I already know you're good." If possible Sara blushed even more.
"Catherine have mercy on the poor girl. Give her time to get used to our family, if you keep that up she's going to jump out of that bed and run as far from here as possible." Lily couldn't stop the note of humor from entering her voice.
"Sara are you going to run away? I'll chase you if that's what you want." By this time Catherine was laughing and holding her head at the same time.
"Cat stop laughing you're going to hurt yourself." Sara was really worried that Catherine was going to hurt herself. That only made her laugh even harder.
"Sara you can't do anything when she gets like this except let her get it out of her system." Lily turned to Catherine. "Dear you're scaring Sara and I don't think either one of you are in any shape to put up with anymore aches. But then again you probably aren't in any shape to be doing what you were doing when I entered your room." Her comment sent Catherine into a whole new fit of laughing. "Oh oh there she d goes again." Lily's last comment also started Sara laughing too but it hurt way too much to laugh and her wince of pain sobered Catherine up quickly.
"Oh sweetie I'm sorry lay still let me get the nurse."
"No let me get out of bed before you call the nurse. I don't want her to see me in your bed." By this time there was a fine sheen of sweat on Sara's brow. "Damn I think I broke the stitches. I don't think this is what they meant when they coined the phrase busting a gut laughing" She looked down and saw a small amount of blood on the bandages. "Damn now they are going to separate us."
"Sara don't worry about that. Mom go get a nurse quick."
"Cat I'm fine it's just a little bit of blood."
"Sara would you quit trying to sit up, you're only causing more damage." The nurse came running in.
"So what have you two done now Catherine?"
"It was Mom's fault Jeanne. She made us laugh and it tore Sara stitches out. Help her I think she might have hurt herself." Jeanne turned to Sara and lifted her gown and went about removing the bandages.
"Is there anyone in this hospital you don't know Catherine? And is there anyone who doesn't know you have feelings for me, besides me that is?"
"Nancy has been a nurse here for many years, Eddie has put me in here on more than a few occasions and our job sends us here more often than it should. So I guess through all of that I've gotten to know almost every nurse, doctor or orderly here." She saw Sara wince and reached for her hand and held it while Jeanne added a couple new stitches.
Jeanne looked up at Lily with a severe warning. "Stop making my patients laugh or I'll have to keep you out." She ruined the effect with a smile. She then turned towards Catherine and Sara. "And you two had better separate before the doctors start their rounds in about an hour. Sara stop trying to move so damn fast or you're going to tear out the stitches I just put in. Let me help you."
Catherine started laughing but not quite as bad. "Good luck with that." Sara reached behind her and slapped Catherine's hand. But she still attempted to move on her own. "Sara quit being so stubborn and let her help you into the chair."
"No you will not be getting out of that bed anytime soon Catherine, the doctor said they will need to check the drain tube then another CAT scan to make sure that the bleeding has stopped and then maybe remove the tube."
"Sara "I'm sorry you're hurting. Will you come see me when you can?" She asked somewhat nervously.
Sara was surprised by the nervousness in Catherine's voice. She reached for her hand and brought it to her lips and kissed it gently all the while maintaining eye contact with Catherine. She smiled at Catherine's sharp intake of breath and was glad to know she wasn't the only one feeling this way. "You think a little blood and some doctors will keep me away? I will be back as soon as they will let me." She kissed her hand again and allowed Jeanne to wheel her out of the room.
Catherine lay back on the bed and sighed. "She sure is a charmer isn't she?" She had actually forgotten that her mother was in the room. "She cares for you very much. But I think you're going to have to be very careful with her Catherine."
"Why do you say that Mom?" She asked very seriously. "What did you see that would make you say that?"
"She has a look in her eyes that says she's been hurt. You've said you thought she was hiding something when you talked about her in the past maybe that's what it is. She's been hurt bad and doesn't want to be hurt again. Don't take this wrong Catherine but you don't have the best track record when it comes to dating."
"Have you ever thought that maybe I was dating the wrong people, hell not only was I dating the wrong people I was dating the wrong sex. What aren't you surprised by any of this? Do you think Lindsey will have a problem?"
"Are you asking my opinion or are you just trying to convince yourself that it is ok to love another woman.?
"I don't know Mom. I'm not used to you being this accepting or understanding. I looked up this morning and saw you in the doorway and I'm still waiting for the real you to appear and tell me to get my shit together and leave that girl alone, she too young for me."
"Once again Cathy who are you trying to convince?" Lily looked up and saw tears in the eyes of her first born child and she moved to the side of her bed and took her in her arms.
"Mom I'm so worried that she is going to wake up and realize that she has made promises to a woman 10 years her senior, who has a daughter who may or may not approve of their relationship. What will I do if Lindsey can't accept it. It's one thing to like to have Sara help her and be able to email her but it's quite another to have her sleeping with her mom. I've never felt so vulnerable in my whole life. I've danced naked in front of men, I've stared down some of the dregs of society and none of them have scared me as much as the thought of Sara changing her mind about us."
"I didn't realize your feelings were that strong for her. Yes she is young, but there is nothing wrong with that. Worry about Lindsey when the time arises but I think you are short changing her, I think she may surprise you, after all she is your daughter."
"How come it takes me getting knocked silly for us to be able to talk like this?"
Lily settled in and made herself comfortable by Catherine's side, she still had her arms around her shoulders. "Cathy, yesterday you were in a coma. You could have easily died. It makes a mother take stock of what she has done in her life and I realized that I was never a good mother. I was hoping it wasn't too late to be there for you now. I may not have approved of how you made a living when you were younger and sometimes I think you spend too much time at work but you've been a good mother to Lindsey and she adores you. From the few times I've met Sara she seemed like a very intelligent woman who seems to know her mind. It appears that she likes you a lot too so why not just sit back and enjoy being in love."
Catherine lifted her head and looked at her mother then smiled. "Yeah I do love her and I think I would like to spend the rest of my life showing her in every way possible that she is loved and that she is worth it." Catherine lay her head in her mother's lap and fell asleep.
"Hello, I was called by Sara and she mentioned that she wanted to talk to me for a few minutes can you tell what room she is in?"
"Sure she'd in room 6 just tell the guard she called you and he'll let you in."
"Thank you." He turned and walked towards room 6. The guard looked up when he approached the room but didn't stop him. "Sara called me and said she wished to talk so I'm going to spend a few minutes with her. To give us the privacy this type of meeting deserves I'm going to shut the door."
"Sure Father go on in." The guard actually closed the door behind the priest himself.