When trust is questioned
Chapter 23
In the hallway of the hospital, Tony fetches the doctor.
"...and now she's awake and doesn't know anything and ….," Tony explains hastily.
"Don't worry, Mr. Micelli, let's see how Misses Bower is doing."
Says the doctor, trying to calm him down.
Both enter the room.
"Hello Miss Bower, it's nice that you're awake," the doc greets her friendly.
Angela: "oh hello doctor...?"
"Doctor Arend," he says quickly and walks up to her.
"So, how are you, Miss Bower?" he takes a small lamp and shines into Angela's eyes. "I'll take a look at your pupils...so far alright. Are you dizzy, do you have poor eyesight, do you feel nauseous, are you in pain?" he asks Angela.
Angela looks at him questioningly. "Well, first of all, I want to know why I'm in the hospital!"
The doctor puts the little lamp back in "ok Miss Bower, you had a nephrectomy, the kidney was so badly damaged by the attack that we had to remove it surgically. The cut is therefore larger. You have been in a coma for almost two weeks and have lost a lot of blood..."
Angela's mouth is open. She looks back and forth between the doctor and Tony. She can't believe it.
"A what, Nephre... Ok, so one kidneyless one? Can I live with it ? What attack? It's all totally foggy in my head... And why coma? I don't understand anything anymore..." Angela twists her arms and just shakes her head.
"Do you have any complaints?" the doctor asks again.
Angela raises her eyebrows and bites her lip "Sorry, I'm still in shock!"
Tony takes her hand "all right Angela...um do you remember you were at the agency and you went outside and then Roger came..." Tony is just about to continue telling the story, when suddenly the memories come back to Angela like flashes of light, which tear her out of the still foggy state of shock. She's watching Tony with big eyes and holds her hand in front of her mouth "Roger...oh my god... yes... now I know it again, he...he wanted..." She can't go on talking and looks down.
Fear rises up in her.
Tony goes on to explain, "yes Angela. I was then on the spot and knocked him down, but the knife he had with him hit you, so he got it..." Tony quickly looks away.
Angela doesn't need an explanation anymore, she knows.
„And that's why the kidney had to be removed, Miss Bower, the stitch was too deep, so you lost so much blood that your body went into shock and you fell into a coma," the doctor explains to her briefly.
"ok..." Angela says softly.
"It's not a problem to live with just one kidney. The wound heals without complications, but must always be checked every 2 to 3 days. You will feel a strong pulling pain for even longer. The stitches will be removed in about a week. We advise all patients to have an MRT of the brain, as the shock, the loss of blood and oxygen slowed down the blood transfer and thus also the oxygen supply to the brain and we have to rule out any damage."
"If you say that, doctor" ...I understand nothing...
"But please rest for a few more days, if everything goes well so far you can go home in a few days.
"Thank you doctor, my throat is itching incredibly, why is that?" asks Angela.
"We had to insert a tube to help your body breathe after shock and in a coma. Since the oxygen saturation is now good, a nurse can remove the oxygen goggles tomorrow."
Angela fumbles with the small tube under her nose " ok ... um, yes."
"All right, Miss Bower, so far you've been fed intravenously, we'll leave the cannula in for the other nutrient supply, but a nurse will bring you a light meal tonight, and we'll gradually start feeding again so that your stomach can get used to it again. The medication is also still given intravenously, when you go home we give you anti-inflammatories and painkillers. Please take it easy, no heavy lifting, or sports in the near future The iron level is still low, it takes time until it is balanced. For this, we will also give you iron pills to take home. Please refrain from showering and bathing until the stitches are removed. You will continue to feel pain for a certain time and also dizziness, which is due to the low iron value. That will pass over time.
Angela just raises her eyebrows.
"Do you have any questions?" the doctor asks.
"No... No, not really" Angela's look is still unbelievable, she is still processing what happened to her.
„Well, then I'm done here, Miss Bower please rest, a nurse will come by later, she will also remove the catheter, please be careful with the first attempts to get up. Mister Micelli, you can help her with that. If there is anything else here above the bed is the bell for the nurse". So the doctor says goodbye. He leaves the room.
"TONY?!" Angela says, horrified.
"Everything will be alright Angela, give yourself time."
"A catheter? Please what?!" Angela slaps her hands in front of her face...then the thoughts come back again, the thoughts of what happened, what Roger did and said. Angela suddenly starts crying.
Tony immediately takes her in his arms. "hey Ange` everything will be fine again, half as wild with the stupid catheter... I'll help you with anything you need dear, I'm here for you. Do you know how much I missed hugging you?"
Angela looks at Tony.
"How much I missed talking to you... how much I missed your voice, Angela".
Angela's lips smile. Then Tony presses a light kiss to her mouth, she returns it and presses her lips hard to his. He kisses her passionately as if there were no tomorrow, then he easily pulls away from her again "I missed you so much Angela, I love you!"
"And i love you Tony"!
"Angela, I'm just calling Mona, she wants to know how you're doing and I also have to talk to Jonathan and Sam, I'll be right back"
„ok Tony" Angela says.
Tony leaves the room. Angela looks around, looks at the monitors, where all the vital signs are displayed. The cannula in the back of her hand stings.
Her gaze is not enthusiastic, hospitals are scary to her.
Then she pulls up her hospital shirt and runs her fingertips over her bandage. Sadness and anger come over her at the same time. ... how could I be so naïve back then and do something with this stupid Roger... How stupid I was...She shakes her head and pulls her duvet up to her chin.
Tony comes back into the room.
"Mona and the kids are really excited, they'll come over later to see you," Tony says with a big grin on his face.
Angela smiles, "oh how beautiful," she says happily.
He sits down next to her by the bed again. And look at her. Then he smiles again and gives her a kiss on the hand. "I was so afraid of losing you..."
"oh Tony..."
"Angela, I couldn't live without you, you're my everything!"
He strokes her cheek with his hand, then there is a knock on the door. A nurse steps inside.
"Oh excuse me, I'm bringing Miss Bower some water to drink and need to check the nutrient intake again"
"Excuse me, I have a question, when can the cannula on my hand come out? It stings very strongly," Angela shows the nurse her hand, which is green and blue from the puncture site.
"It needs to stay in it a little longer, your body still needs certain nutrients Miss Bower". The nurse turns to the drip.
Angela shrugs her shoulders and looks at Tony.
"Well, I'll come by later and bring some soup," says the nurse and leaves the room quickly.
In the late afternoon, Mona, Sam and Jonathan come to visit, all hugging Angela with tears of joy in their eyes.
Half an hour later, Sam, Tony and Jonathan go to the hospital café and each get a piece of cake to celebrate the day.
Mona stays with Angela in the room.
"It's so nice you're awake, Angela," Mona smiles.
"Mother..." Angela says questioningly, "tell me, you were there that day, too... what happened to Roger?"
"Angela, we should talk about it in the next few days, it's still too stressful for you" Mona takes Angela's hand you pat it lightly, Angela still looks at herself questioningly "Mother, everything is fine but I want to know, please!"
Mona clears her throat "Tony pulled him to the ground, I saw you lying on the ground, it all happened so fast, I saw all the blood and then called the police and the ambulance. The police took Roger away. They called yesterday.
Roger is in custody for the first time until his hearing for attempted murder. Angela he will stay in prison where he belongs. If you are well again, there will be a hearing in the criminal court."
Angela gets goosebumps and answers quietly "ok... Criminal Court...I have to testify?"
Mona nods. "Yes, but we are with you, he can't hurt you anymore, he will be behind bars forever,,,but you have to get well first Angela!"
Mona hugs Angela warmly.
Tony comes back with Sam and Jonathan after a while. They talk for a while and then say goodbye to Tony and Angela.
At the same time, a nurse comes in and brings Angela the food.
"Here you go, Miss Bower," she says goodbye quickly.
Angela lifts the warming lid from the plate and stares in amazement at the clear chicken broth "Yippi" she says scasasticly, takes the spoon and tastes some of the soup, then grimaces very slightly. "Oh man, that tastes like warm water, Tony, I'm glad to be back home and enjoy your delicious food..."
Tony gently strokes her back. "Soon Angela, don't worry!"