Intimate Strangers (The Lisa Millar Series Book 1)

by Lasairiona McMaster

  Lisa sat next to her on the bench, hesitated for a moment, put her arm around her boyfriend’s mom’s shoulders and let her cry it out.

  “I know he’s awake now,” Cindy said, trying to justify her tears, “but it’s not really him, not yet. He may never remember anything. He didn’t recognize his dad earlier. I feel so helpless. It’s just…” she paused, searching for the word,

  “Hard?” Lisa offered.

  “Hard.” Cindy agreed. “I’ve always been the strong one you know? Art has always been the fun parent, the emotional parent. I’ve always been the disciplinarian, the heartless lawyer-mom who doesn’t feel. Kids can’t have two fun parents, someone’s got to make sure the chores and homework get done and the house doesn’t burn down. But that doesn’t mean I don’t love my family. I do love them and right now I feel so helpless while my son is lying there in his own version of hell. I can’t help him. I can’t clean it up, or put a Band-Aid on it. I can’t throw money at it, or find someone else to fix it, I just have to hope and pray that he’ll come out the other side of this himself. I feel so helpless.” She repeated as she cried again.

  “I know you love them and they know you love them. You don’t have to be strong all the time. It’s ok to let the walls down sometimes – or at least, so Jeremy tells me.”

  Cindy laughed, nodded, wiped her face with a fresh tissue from her purse and gave a quick sniff. “Thank you, Lisa. I imagine this is quite an awkward situation for you to find yourself in, comforting your boyfriend’s mother on a hospital bench, but I appreciate your kindness.”

  “That’s ok, we’re all in this together. Another Jeremy-ism. Just be glad I didn’t sing High School Musical at you, like he did to me.”

  She laughed again.

  “We all feel the same, you know? It kills me that I can’t help AJ or ease his pain. But we’re going through things too. It’s ok to cry. It’s ok to not be ok. Bottling things up isn’t good Mrs. W.”

  “Cindy. Please? And I haven’t been completely bottling them up. There’s just usually no one around out here when I’m here.”

  “Cindy, ok, I’ll try. If it’s ok with you, I’m going to nip back in to see AJ for a few minutes and let you catch a breath. I’ll see you inside, ok?”

  “See you inside.”

  ***

  The door opened, and Cindy walked in with two steaming cups and offered one to Lisa. “Here you go,” she said quietly.

  “Thanks. He woke up for a few minutes. I think he’s starting to remember more.”

  “I’ve spoken to the doctors and they say his scans are promising. We just have to keep prodding his memory and try not to overwhelm him. You know how frustrated he can get at himself.”

  They sat talking quietly for about an hour. A nurse came to take his blood pressure, and the cuff woke him up again.

  “Mom?” he mumbled.

  “I’m here, son.” She brought his hand to her mouth and kissed his knuckles.

  “Everything is so fuzzy,” he told her.

  “I know darling, I know. Just be patient with yourself,” she advised.

  “Where’s Dad?” he asked.

  “In the waiting room with Jeremy and a couple of the others. They didn’t want to crowd you.”

  “I can step out and let him come in?” suggested Lisa.

  “Don’t leave,” he instructed her, gripping her hand. “Please don’t leave, either of you, please…” he pleaded as he fell back to sleep.

  ***

  When AJ next woke up, Lisa was still sat at his side.

  Day 8? I think? Or is it 9? How long have we been in this place?

  The days were even more blended together now that he’d woken up than when he was asleep. He’d been out of his coma for two days so far. Though he’d still slept for most of that time, things were improving. She found herself even less inclined to leave the hospital, and he seemed to take comfort in her being there, despite his lack of memory when he first woke up.

  He smiled at her, a kind of lopsided smile but it didn’t quite reach his eyes.

  “You ok?” he asked.

  She giggled, “The coma patient is asking me if I’m ok! I’m fine, Pim. I’m so glad you woke up.”

  He chuckled. “You keep saying that, but…you knew I’d wake up, right?”

  “Of course,” she emphasized confidently. “You can’t go for extended periods of time without causing some form of physical pain to Jeremy!” she jested.

  “Where is he?” AJ asked.

  “Most of your friends and family are only coming as far as the family room. The doctor said keep visitors to a minimum for a few days. We do keep rotating; you just happen to wake up more often when I’m sitting here. You just missed Erin and Ana. I was out doing laundry at your house.”

  He was still a bit groggy and his coordination, while improving, left something to be desired. She had to help him sit up in the bed, pour water, he even seemed to struggle with depth perception – when he stretched to scratch an itch on his leg, he was confused as to why it wasn’t abating. As it turned out, it was because he hadn’t reached it.

  She checked the clock, 6am. The nurses would be there any minute. She grabbed a notebook.

  “What are you writing?” he asked.

  “Notes,” she said, dropping the pen and moving to fix his pillows again as he was clearly still uncomfortable. She sat back down beside him on the bed, holding his hand.

  “Any pain?”

  “My head still hurts.”

  “How’s your vision?”

  “I can see you’re pale as hell, could use a night’s sleep and probably a good meal, too. But it’s less blurry”

  “Any pins and needles, or numbness?”

  “Have you been practicing this?” he asked her, grinning.

  “AJ Williams, do you have any pins and needles? Or funny feelings?”

  “Well, there’s this one funny feeling I have…” Her eyes met his and she blushed.

  “AJ. Be serious for a moment, please.”

  “I am serious! I’ve been out cold for days. I wake up to a beautiful Irish girl playing nurse. Do the math!”

  She laughed and felt relief washing over her. His speech was markedly improved on when he’d first woken up. His awake times were getting longer, slowly. And his movements were getting stronger, too. She took his temperature with the thermometer the nurse had shown her in the drawer. Infection was a potential side effect of the wound on his head, so if she suspected he was warm, she could check his temp instead of waiting for the next nurse’s check.

  One of the doctors had happened upon her late one night reading on Google about AJ’s condition like the neurologist had advised her to. She couldn’t sleep, she was worried about AJ and thought educating herself on the ins and outs of what was happening, and what could happen, would help. Except it didn’t help and he’d found her crying into her laptop. The doctor had been incredibly patient with her as he ran through the reality of the situation. She took notes, and he used every-day English instead of incomprehensible medical language that would probably have terrified her and driven her back to Google. He told her which signs or changes would indicate improvement, or deterioration in AJ’s condition. He and the nurse both explained what kinds of questions and things they’d ask when he woke up. The doctor had even said it wouldn’t do any harm for Lisa to run through them while she waited for the medical team to arrive. If his answers differed between what he told her, and what he answered the medical staff, that could be an indication that something wasn’t right after he woke up. When they left her in the room that night, she felt a lot more settled and slept much better than she had previously.

  She hadn’t had the chance to ask AJ anything when he woke up, because he was confused, irritable and speaking in broken sentences. Even if she had asked him the questions, she doubted he’d have been able to answer. But he could answer now.

  “Any numbness?” she repeated.

  “No, none,” he answered, wig
gling his extremities.

  “You sure?” she eyed him.

  “Yes ma’am.”

  Getting to her feet, she walked to the bottom of the bed. “Can you feel this?” she asked him, as she touched various parts of his feet and legs. He answered yes to all. Taking both his hands in hers, she asked him to squeeze her fingers. He did. She knew the doctors were repeating these tests every time they came to check on AJ, but it gave her some kind of comfort to feel his reactions herself.

  Question time lasted a few minutes. Lisa just needed peace of mind before she could calm down. Every time AJ woke up, she was afraid he’d regress, instead of move forward. Fear cut through her when he started to talk, just in case he couldn’t remember who she was again. While she wasn’t sure he completely remembered everything between them, he remembered enough. But she was constantly terrified that he’d go back to how he was when he first woke up and didn’t even recognize her.

  “Would you stop poking the guy and kiss him already?” Jeremy told her from where he stood at the open door.

  “I’m sorry,” she started, “I just had to check.”

  “I know,” AJ answered. “It was very cute.” He smiled, wiping a stray tear from her cheek. “Please don’t cry,” he asked her gently, slipping his arm around her.

  “You scared me, AJ,” she said quietly.

  “I’m sor-”

  She stopped him with a kiss. A deep and passionate kiss as her tears fell freely and heavily. He tightened his grip around her waist and pulled her close to him. She rested her head on his shoulder and he let her cry, holding her. Soothing her. “It’s ok, babe.” He assured her. “I’m ok.”

  “Sorry to interrupt.”

  The nurse. The real one.

  Damnit. Leave us alone! her mind screamed. He’s just starting to really remember me and I want him all to myself for a while!

  Instead of screaming, she wiped her tears and stood to face the nurse and the doctor behind her.

  “Hi,” she said.

  “Good morning,” the doctor replied.

  “I took some notes earlier.” Lisa extended the book towards the doctor as the nurse went to take readings from the machines. He took it from her and started to read, “Thank you. We obviously have to do all our own tests and checks on AJ, but it is always helpful to compare his answers.”

  “I just woke up and I gotta take a test? Can’t I pretend I’m still sleeping?” AJ said, humorlessly. She glanced at him, concerned. His mood had shifted in a fraction of a second.

  “Looks as though you still have your sense of humor AJ. That’s a good sign. How do you feel?”

  “I have a headache, and I’m sick of people asking me how I’m doing.” AJ snapped.

  “AJ?” Lisa questioned, “What’s going on?”

  AJ burst into a tirade of incoherent rage, before attempting to pull his IV out of his arm. The nurse had to call for a second nurse to help hold him while they sedated him, for fear he’d do himself harm.

  “He was totally fine, and then…then he wasn’t,” Lisa said. “I don’t know what happened.”

  “That’s how he’s going to be for a little while, Lisa. Mood swings are very common for coma patients.”

  “Is there anything I can do to help him?” she asked before they left the room.

  “You’re doing everything you can. Just try to be patient.”

  Chapter 34

  Lisa was on her way back from clearing her head when she heard what sounded like AJ screaming. She could hear a couple of sentences among grunts and incoherent noises.

  “LET ME GO!”

  “WHERE IS ANGELA? WHY ISN’T SHE HERE?”

  “WHY WON’T YOU PEOPLE LET ME GO?”

  “ANGELA? WHERE ARE YOU?”

  Medical staff ran past her to his room. Lisa ran, too, and when she arrived, she hesitated and stopped outside. She didn’t want to exacerbate the situation, so instead of going in, and instead of running away, she leaned against the wall and sunk to the floor, hugging her legs and crying into her knees.

  When everything had calmed down, Jeremy came out of the room, cradling a bloody nose.

  “How long have you been out here?” he asked cautiously.

  “Long enough.”

  “He’s been sedated again, only this time he’s also been secured to the bed with wrist straps so he doesn’t hurt himself.”

  “What happened to your face?”

  “AJ happened to my face. He’s hallucinating, apparently another common side effect for coma patients waking up – they say. I didn’t move out of the way of his fist fast enough. I know he didn’t mean it, he’s not in his right mind right now, but it still freakin’ hurt.”

  “But he’s been better. He’s seeming more coherent, stronger. I...” Lisa was clearly distressed, so Jeremy sat down next to her on the floor.

  “I know. It’s hard to understand. They say it’ll take time. It’s like a hurricane passed through his mind and left everything in the wrong order. Some pieces may have even been carried away forever. We just have to ride out the storm and hope for the best.” He paused to rub at his face, “He can still throw a wicked punch, even with a broken brain.”

  “Is he in there alone?

  “Nah, his folks are with him. Ana left; she couldn’t handle the mood-swings. He didn’t recognize her at first and then he did. And then he threw everything but the metaphorical kitchen sink at her. Years of sibling quarrels came out at her. He’s messed up. Strangely enough he remembered Britt and the fact he wasn’t actually in love with her, but was married to her.”

  “Should I leave him be for a while?”

  “You already know the answer to that. You do what you need to do for your own well-being. But I really don’t think there’s ever a time where he has, or will need you to leave him be.”

  Lisa stood up, dusted off her butt and offered a hand to Jeremy to help him off the floor. “Go get some ice for your face, and maybe ask that nurse you have the hots for to help if it doesn’t stop bleeding, ok?”

  “Yes, Miss bossy pants. And which one? They all have the hots for me.” He winked at her.

  “Ugh,” she rolled her eyes at him. “Wish me luck?” she added before he left.

  “You don’t need it. You may need patience, but you have plenty of that. You got this, Lisa.”

  “Thanks, Jer.”

  I got this.

  ***

  Horrified at the sight of AJ lying tied to the bed, Lisa gasped as she entered the room.

  “Not quite the kind of ‘tied to a bed’ I had in mind either,” AJ joked.

  “I…I thought you were sedated. How are you even awake?” she rushed to sit next to him on the bed and stroked his face.

  “It’s only a little sedation. It made me woozy, but I’m trying not to give in to sleep. It’s worse there.”

  He started crying. Her heart ached. His mom sat in silence across the bed from Lisa, holding his hand, stroking it over and over, tears trickling down her face as well.

  “Oh, AJ! It’s all going to be ok. It really is, I just know it. Just don’t give up on yourself, ok? We’re all here for you.” Lisa soothed as she rested her head against his and spoke softly to him. “I’m right here and I’m not going anywhere, you hear me?”

  “Yes ma’am.” His voice was barely above a whisper.

  “I know it’s not what you want to hear, but it’s maybe even going to get worse and we need to prepare for that possibility. The doctor said it varies from person to person, but it will get better. It will, AJ. Please be patient with yourself.”

  He nodded again as she kissed his cheek softly. He turned his head to meet her lips with his as tears continued to trickle down his face.

  “I got you,” she told him when their lips parted. He turned his head away from her. She carefully turned it back to face hers and made him look into her eyes. “I got you,” she repeated. He nodded through tears as she kissed his forehead again. “And you got this, Pim. Just keep your gloves up
, ok?”

  He nodded again, “Lis? Could you sing to me please? I’m scared to go to sleep, but I’m so tired. Maybe if you…” Her fingers silenced his lips.

  “Sleep. I’ll stay right here and sing for you, and I’ll be here when you wake up,” she told him as he closed his eyes and she started to sing.

  He remembers I sing!

  Hell, I’m just glad he remembers who I am at all, but he remembers the detail that I sing!

  Progress! Maybe progress? Let’s go with cautiously optimistic progress.

  Cindy mouthed “Thank you” to her, and his dad closed his eyes to nap as well.

  I got this.

  ***

  The next day AJ had serious hallucinations. Each day seemed to bring some kind of new behavior. Despite being wide awake, he didn’t seem to recognize anyone. The day after that, he somehow managed to pull out his IV – despite being tied to the bed. Whilst he was thrashing around and trying to twist himself, he managed to get it caught on something, and when Lisa entered the room to bloodied sheets and floor, panic set in.

  “It’s worse than it looks,” reassured the nurse who was cleaning up the mess. “He’s all fixed up again now, and he’s sleeping, not sedated,” she told Lisa.

  “Thank you, nurse.”

  “You’re doing just fine,” the nurse said as Lisa sat on her chair next to AJ’s bed. “You all are, AJ included. It’s tough and it’s scary, but you really are doing everything you can and the doctors are hopeful he’ll recover fully.”

  “Thank you,” Lisa repeated, despite the lump in her throat, “and thank you for taking care of him.”

  The nurse smiled and left the room quietly.

  “Is she gone?” AJ asked, eyes still closed.

  “She is. Do you want her back?” Lisa stood as if to follow the nurse.

  “NO! I want you alone. I miss you. There’s always someone else here.”

  “I miss you too, Pim. How are you feeling?”

  “A little clearer today, I think? Maybe? My headache isn’t as bad. I’m awake more and more, though pretending not to be depending on the company. I’m slowly putting the jigsaw pieces back together in my brain. I definitely remember how much I love you.”