This is the first I have heard about the details of the accident. Raúl chokes on a sob, and I blink away the tears. I am thankful someone was there with her, even though she was unconscious. The detectives tell us to call them if or when she wakes up. They hand us their business cards and leave. Raúl speaks something in Spanish and pulls at his hair with his hands. “Ese sucio hijo de puta. Voy a matarlo.” [“That dirty son of a bitch. I will kill him.”]
I walk out to where Sara and Brea are, and Raúl heads back through the ICU doors to be with Angel and Maria.
Sara and Brea stand and hug me. They really are some sweet girls. I tell them what the police had said — the police believe the accident was intentional. I tell them that a woman came upon the accident, called 911, and stayed with Angel until the paramedics arrived. They tell me about the hang-up calls they’ve been getting at work.
Maria, Raúl, and I take turns sitting with Angel. Carla is working overtime in the ICU, and Sara and Brea are permitted to go back and see Angel. I tried to prepare them for her condition and appearance, but I know there isn’t enough preparing in the world for that. Dad, Vincent, and Donovan all stop by after work.
The guys all talk about the news the police shared about the wreck. Raúl says his friend George Walters is a neighbor of Jim’s and is a family friend and coworker. He tells us he is looking into Jim’s whereabouts. Donovan says that his P.I. is also checking into Jim. Dad and Vincent sit back and listen intently.
The elevator dings and in walks Angel’s neighbors, Carl and Josephine Morgan. I stand with Raúl, and we walk over to them. They are clearly shaken up. They heard about the accident on the news. I feel like a total dick for not contacting them. Raúl embraces them both. I make pleasantries and then excuse myself.
Raúl and Maria walk over to me, and Carl and Josephine head to get a cup of coffee.
“Maria and I are going to the wreckage yard to collect Angel’s keys later on today, and any property of hers that was in the vehicle.”
“You can stay at my condo as long as you need. I’ll be staying here with Angel, so the condo will be empty.”
“Thank you, Mason. That is very generous, but we can’t put you out. Here is your house key and we appreciate your hospitality.”
“Angel was right about you,” Maria adds, smiling.
“Well, if you change your mind, the offer still stands.”
I wave goodbye to Carl and Josephine before heading back to sit with Angel.
Maria and Raúl visit with Josephine and Carl. Sara, Brea, Dad, Vincent, and Donovan all head home.
I walk in and look at Angel. She is so helpless lying there. Her eyes are more swollen and blacker than the day before. I look around the room and look at the monitors. Her vitals are stable. They are still giving her Phenytoin IV to prevent possible seizures from her head trauma. The room is sterile and cold. Angel would hate this. She is all about colors and textures. I kiss her cheek and stroke my hand along a strand of her hair peeking out through the gauze. Taking the seat next to her, I hold her limp hand. I look at her and pray for her to wake up, to move, moan, something. I pray for some form of movement, of life, anything.
I wake up when the door shuts. I look around, but no one but Angel is in the room. I look at Angel lying in bed. I look at the clock; it is 2:58. I stand and walk to the door. No one is in the hall or at the nurses’ station. I walk back and watch the monitors. I say a silent prayer asking for a miracle, not for me, but for Angel. I haven’t known her long, but she has certainly made an impact in my life. The nurse walks in and assesses Angel. I take my seat beside the bed and lay my head on the railing. I hold Angel’s hand and stroke it gently, careful not to disturb her IV site. I drift into a restless sleep. I wake up to a twitch to the palm of my hand. I stare where our hands connected, and I feel another twitch. Hope bursts through me like a rocket. I look at her face and talk sweetly to her. I ask her to please come back to me. I summon the nurse with the nurse’s call button. When the nurse enters, I inform her about the slight movement I felt. The nurse checks on Angel and tells me that my news is very reassuring. She’ll notify the doctor immediately.
When the nurse leaves, I just sit there waiting by Angel, praying for her to wake. I am awoken when the doctor enters the room.
“Good morning, Mason. I hear our patient made some movement last night.”
“Good morning, Alec. I was holding her hand and I felt a twitch twice.”
I bend my neck side to side trying to work out a cramp.
“I ordered another CT scan for this morning. If everything looks good, we are going to wean her off the ventilator later today. She has brain activity, so that’s great news. It looks like from the monitor she’s been dreaming. We still need to see if there is any brain damage and if so, how extensive it is. We still have the issue with her broken femur. Soon we’ll need to operate on it and insert some pins and rods in her thigh to help stabilize the bone. She still has a very long road of recovery ahead of her. We’ll know more later on.”
The doctor leaves the room, and I get some soap and hot water in a wash basin and wipe off Angel’s face and hands very carefully so I do not hurt her or cause further injury. I avoid the IV line, cast, and the dressings to her head. I get the dried-on blood from between her fingers and in her nail beds. I know this won’t change anything, but I want her to be comfortable. I want to help her but have no idea how.
I call Raúl and Maria first to tell them about the doctor ordering another CT scan today and if there’s improvement they will begin to wean Angel off the ventilator later today. I also tell them I felt a twitch from her while holding her hand. I tell them I have a quick errand I need to run when they get here. Then I call Mom, Dad, Sara, and Brea. They will call Vincent and Donovan to inform them of the update.
I make a quick list of my errands and make a quick phone call.
Angel
I lie here. My head is killing me. I try to open my eyes, but they won’t open. I try to move my hand, but nothing. I can hear Mason talking, but I don’t know who he is talking to. I remember showering and getting dressed. I remember kissing Mason and closing the door when he left for work. He told me to lock the door. A key and this note were sitting beside my purse when I went to leave:
Angel, I wish you would stay in today, but I have a feeling you are already on your way out. Here is the key to the condo and the security code — 102361 — to enter into the elevator for the penthouse floor. I’ll call you later to see if you want me to bring dinner home. Be careful and drive safely. Thinking of you, Mason
Why can’t I move? I try to speak, to call for Mason. My mouth is so dry. I feel so sleepy, like I’m in a fog. I want to move, speak but I can’t. Sleep claims me.
Mason
When Raúl and Maria walk in, I update them on the latest news. The CT scan has shown the swelling in Angel’s brain is subsiding, and they are indeed weaning her off the ventilator. I kiss Angel gently and leave to give them some time alone with her. I call the hospital and request the week off from work. My last day is Friday, but I offer to stay on an extra week to work out my notice. They tell me that won’t be necessary. I walk down to the gift shop and pick up a few items. I go into the small coffee shop inside the hospital and order a muffin and coffee. I sit at the far-end wall and reach into the bag and fill out the card I bought for her.
I go back up and in the waiting area. Sara and Brea are sitting there. They closed the office again today. I am not surprised. It has remained closed since Angel’s accident. A small vase of flowers is sitting on the table in front of them: a small bouquet of mixed colored daisies, Angel’s favorite flowers. They brought me a bagel and coffee from the coffee shop down the street.
Maria and Raúl come out and tell me some flowers came for Angel while I was out. They tell me the doctor was in and will start weaning Angel off the ventilator within the next hour. They picked up Angel’s car keys from the wreckage company late yesterday. They don’t want to intrude on m
e and will be staying at her cottage tonight. Maria tells me how grateful she is that Angel has found me and thanks me again for my hospitality. I almost get choked up. I’m grateful to have Angel in my life.
I head back into Angel’s room with the flowers from Sara and Brea. I place the vase of flowers on her bedside table. I pull the card I bought her from the sack and place it next to the flowers. The flowers I ordered came from the florist and have brightened up her room. I place the stuffed animal I got her in the bed with her, and I look around the room. She would be pleased. I put the new tube of ChapStick on her bedside table as well. I know she will need this when she wakes up.
The doctor comes into the room with two nurses. Maria and Raúl are right behind them. Alec tells us they are planning to wean her from the ventilator now. They will stop all meds that have kept her sedated and in a coma and will slowly turn off the ventilator. They reinforce to us that she may wake up right away or she may remain comatose. They have no idea what will happen but want to prepare us. They remind us that they are unsure how much, if any, brain damage she has sustained. She may also suffer from amnesia, but we won’t know until she wakes up. They have already started her on high doses of pain meds through her IV and that will continue around the clock.
Maria sits in the chair next to Angel repeating words over and over. “Oh, Dios mío por favor, devuélvenos a nuestra Angel.” [“Oh, Dear God, please bring our Angel back to us.”]
I stand by the window and wait for some kind of change. She looks so peaceful there. I am almost afraid of the unbearable amount of pain she will be in when she wakes up. It is 12:46, and we just wait and watch.
At 3:12, the ventilator is completely off and Angel hasn’t moved. I gently kiss her red swollen lips. I just want those lips to respond to mine once more. I put some ChapStick on her lips and take a seat in the chair next to her. Raúl and Maria left to get something to eat. I am restless, so I pace the room, checking monitors, her IV fluids, and her IV site. I walk to the flowers and touch them before walking over to the bed where she is. I check her right leg that is still in traction and check her right hand in the cast. I touch her toes and fingers to check for warmth and blood flow. I feel useless. I save people’s lives and help them and yet as I sit by her side I can’t do a damn thing.
The machine beeps and I look up. Her blood pressure is going up along with her pulse. The doctor and nurses come into the room and stand and monitor the readings. Angel jerks slightly in the bed. Her doctor pushes Valium into her IV and her blood pressure and pulse return to normal. I run my hands into my hair cursing silently. A nightmare, my girl was having a nightmare. Fuck … this accident could haunt her for years.
Angel
I try to move but can’t. Why can’t I wake up? I try to open my eyes, but they won’t open. My leg and head are killing me. Who is Mason talking to? He sounds so sad. I can feel him stroking my knuckles. I want to wrap my fingers around his, but my hands won’t move.
I remember:
I am driving towards the store, window slightly down and music up. I feel great. The more time I spend with Mason, the more I like him. I’m going to make him the best home-cooked meal he has ever had. I turn North on Midnight Pass Way heading to Publix Grocery Store. A black SUV is coming towards me on the wrong side of the road. There is no place to pull over. I hope the driver is on the phone and will look up, but the closer we get, it seems, the faster the driver goes. Everything moves in slow motion. I try to look at the driver, but I can’t make out who it is because of the dark tint. Even the front windows are tinted. It looks like the same SUV that has been parked on my street and outside my work. I swerve to try to miss the black SUV, but it hits my driver-side door. I scream, trying to right my car but I overcorrect it and it goes into a tailspin and hits the guardrail, flipping my car over and over and over again. I hold on to the steering wheel as tight as I can. My head is being jerked side to side. I can hear glass breaking and metal crushing. I can feel the car skidding to a stop. I am in a lot of pain. My head is killing me. My entire right side hurts. I am in excruciating pain. I look around, and I can see the SUV driving off. I try to keep my eyes open, but can’t. I fall into the darkness.
Mason
I sit and don’t move. I hold her hand and repeat my silent prayer. I lower the bed railing and lay my head as close to her body as I can. I have no idea what time it is, but sleep consumes me. I am exhausted. I wake up to movement. I feel a faint touch on my hair. Someone is slightly touching my hair. I barely move. I don’t want it to stop. Angel has managed to move her hand into my hair. I slowly stand and take her hand in mine. Her eyes are closed but fluttering. I lightly grasp her hand, and I can feel her hand tighten. Raúl and Maria enter the room and stand by the bed. They notice the change. Raúl leans into the railing and whispers something in Angel’s ear in Spanish. “Te amamos mi querida Angel, despierta.” [“Wake up, my dear Angel, we love you.”]
Her eyes flutter some more and then slightly open. I rub my other hand lightly against her cheek. I look back at the monitors, her vitals are stable. I look over at Raúl and Maria, and they are both smiling at her.
Angel closes her eyes and reopens them again as if she is trying to focus on their faces. She hasn’t looked away from her aunt and uncle. Maria praises God for answering her prayers, or at least that what it sounds like. My Spanish is pretty rusty. “Muchas gracias mi querido Jesús por devolvernos a nuestra dulce niña.” [“Thank you, dear Jesus, very much for bringing my sweet baby back to us.”]
Angel tries to speak but is unable to. I get the cup of water and angle the straw towards Angel’s mouth.
“Small sips, Beauty, it will help.”
She turns her head slightly to me; tears are in her eyes. I wipe them away with my thumb and encourage her to drink. Angel takes a sip and squints her eyes as if she is in pain. I’m not sure whether it’s her throat that hurts or her overall pain. She takes another sip and looks back at her aunt and uncle. Raúl leans in and kisses her on her cheek and brushes the small piece of hair poking out from her gauze. Angel whispers something before closing her eyes.
Raúl, Maria, and I are smiling. I call the nurse to alert them that Angel has woken up. I say my own silent thank you. She was awake. God, what a relief. That is one obstacle out of the way. She wakes up a few times throughout the day. Just for mere minutes. She tries to talk, but the words are inaudible. I provide sips of water, but she dozes off to sleep before she tries to speak again. I apply ChapStick to her lips and wash her face again for her.
I am in need of a shower, but I refuse to leave. I look at the clock; it is 1:18. Almost 12 hours since she first woke up. Everyone has gone home. Raúl and Maria both offered to stay so I could go home, but I refused. I offered to let them stay at the condo again, but they wanted to go to Angel’s. I asked them to bring the quilt that Angel has lying on back of the couch and a few of her romance novels she has lying around. I want something personal of Angel’s to be here with her. She would like that.
I rest my head as close to her body as I can. I wake up to her playing in my hair again. I smile and keep my head lowered. I want to look at her, but I don’t want to interrupt her. I lightly rub my hand on her left leg so she knows I am awake. When she stops moving, I raise my head and look into her eyes. She is lying there awake. I smile and touch her cheek. She lifts her fingers slightly. I move my hand to hers, and I loop my finger around one of hers.
“Hi, Angel.”
“Hi,” she says in a very raspy voice.
Holding the straw up to her lips, I tell her small drinks. She does. She licks her dry lips before taking another sip.
“What happened?” she whispers.
“Don’t talk, Beauty. Your aunt and uncle left a few hours ago, and Sara and Brea will be back tomorrow."
She nods and closes her eyes and drifts back to sleep. I lay my head near her torso and sleep.
I wake up when Maria and Raúl come into the room carrying the quilt that lay on the bac
k of Angel’s couch and a couple of her romance books. I stand up rubbing my eyes and stretch. I take the quilt and gently lay it over her and place the books on her already crowded bedside table.
“Angel’s mother made this quilt when Angel was a small child,” Maria says.
I look at Maria, who is gently stroking the quilt.
“I knew it was handmade, but I didn’t know by whom. It’s very beautiful.”
Raúl adds, “It was made from clothing that belonged to her family. This square here is from Angel’s first-grade dress, this is from Rosita’s apron, and this piece here is from Miguel’s, work shirt. Miguel is her father.”
Maria adds, “These squares are from her mother, Ana’s, Sunday dresses. Raúl, this is from your shirt that Ana got you for your birthday.”
Raúl steps closer to get a better look.
“It sure is, I wondered what happened to that shirt.”
We all start laughing.
“Ana bought it for you and then cut it up to make a quilt.”
“That sounds like Ana. God, how I miss her,” Raúl says. “I think I wore that shirt only a few times before it came up missing.”
“This is from Angel’s Sunday School dress.”
Angel opens her eyes and blinks a few times. Maria keeps talking, deciding not to draw attention to Angel. She speaks as though Angel is involved in the conversation.
“These squares are from Angel’s baby doll clothes and this one is from my blouse and here’s one from my Christmas apron.”
Maria holds the quilt up for Angel to see without Angel having to angle her head.
I can feel Angel’s fingers move. I place her hand up to the quilt and she gently touches it. She hasn’t spoken, but I know she remembers. She hasn’t said our names, but I know that she knows us. Angel looks around the bed and focuses her eyes on the vase of flowers on her bedside table. I release her hand and pick up the daisies for Angel to see. I can see the corners of her lips turn up slightly.
Starting Over Trilogy Boxset Page 17