Jenna’s heart fluttered, and her mouth was dry like it was full of cotton. She swallowed and raised her hand to the front of her neck. Her throat was sore and irritated. Jenna’s hands trembled, as she tried to wipe away the stinging tears and clear her eyes. She felt something pulling at her arm and realized she had an IV line that was stuck between the mattress and bedrail. She had to get out of bed. She had to get out of that room. She needed to find Kris.
Jenna sat up and steadied herself on the edge of the bed. She felt like her head was spinning in circles. She waited a few minutes and then grabbed her IV pole. She was breathing fast now, and her heart was trying its best to leap out of her chest. With one hand on the bed and the other hand holding onto the pole, Jenna summoned the strength to pull herself up. She put all her weight on her left leg first and waited a bit before proceeding.
She took one small step onto her right leg and screamed. She felt the most excruciating pain she had ever experienced. She heard her heart beating like loud drums in her ears, and complete darkness began to fill her vision again. Jenna had just enough time to realize what was happening before she hit the floor with a loud smack. She felt the cold hard tile beneath her hot cheek and then she blacked out.
***
Jenna’s eyelids slowly opened and she found herself in bed again. This time she wasn’t alone. Someone was sitting in the chair bedside her bed. The figure stood up and leaned over the bed looking down at Jenna. It was Linda. She was happy to see a familiar face. Linda was an excellent nurse, so she knew she would be in good hands. Jenna reached for Linda’s hand and held it tight like her life depended on it. She was afraid to let go. She didn’t want to be alone.
Linda pushed the call button and Becky came in, another nurse Jenna was familiar with. Becky squeezed Jenna’s shoulder. “You gave us quite a scare twice already. You know better. Don’t try to get up by yourself again until you’re strong enough.”
Linda nodded her head in agreement. “Not only did you come into the ER covered in blood yesterday, but today we walk in and find you lying face-down on the floor. You should know better, Doc.” Linda sent Becky back out to let everyone know Jenna was awake.
Jenna raised her hand to her forehead. Her head ached and throbbed like someone had hit her with a baseball bat. “My head is killing me.”
Linda patted her shoulder. “You are lucky you didn’t split it open as hard as you hit. We heard your fall all the way down the hall at the nurse’s station.”
Other nurses began to trickle in as they heard the news. Jenna surveyed the room, but Kris wasn’t there. She began to panic again and felt like she was going to be sick. She reached for the plastic basin on the table beside her bed. She placed it in her lap just in time before her stomach contracted sending its contents out into the basin.
Linda held Jenna’s hair back and rubbed Jenna’s back. “It’s okay, Dr. Harper. It’s just me here now. I sent everyone else back to work.” Linda poured water into the plastic cup from Jenna’s bed table. “Take a sip of this.”
Jenna took a long sip. Her lips were dry and crusty, and her throat felt raw. She shut her eyes and gripped the basin. She felt her stomach tensing up again. She tried to relax and kept her eyes shut until the feeling passed. Jenna opened her eyes and took a smaller sip of water this time.
Linda ran a cool washcloth over Jenna’s face and neck. “Let me get this out of the way,” Linda said. She took the basin into the bathroom to empty it. She returned to find Jenna looking just as pale as before. “Can I get you anything else, doctor?”
“Please, call me Jenna.” She squinted and looked for the clock on the wall, but the lights were too bright and her head felt like it was going to explode. The vomiting spell had intensified her stabbing migraine. “What time is it?”
Linda refilled Jenna’s cup and placed it on the table where Jenna could reach it. “It is three forty-five in the morning.” She adjusted Jenna’s covers and placed the call button beside Jenna’s hand.
Jenna’s eyes teared up and she clenched her fists around the cover. She finally mustered up enough courage to ask the question that she needed to know the answer to. Through quivering lips Jenna asked, “Where is Kris?”
“I don’t know,” Linda replied.
“Please Linda, don’t lie to me. I need to know.”
“I’m sorry Jenna, but I don’t know,” Linda repeated.
Jenna closed her eyes and tried to calm down. She wanted to scream. She knew Linda was hiding the truth from her. She heard the door squeak as it opened and footsteps entered the room. Jenna was afraid to open her eyes and look. She wanted it to be Kris, but she was afraid it would be someone else who would just lie to her too.
“Hello, Jenna.”
Jenna felt nauseous again. It wasn’t Kris's voice. “Hello, Allie,” Jenna said as another tear rolled down her cheek.
Linda smiled and nodded hello to Allie, and then she left the room.
Allie pulled a chair bedside the bed and squeezed Jenna’s hand. “I would ask you how you’re feeling, but you look like hell,” Allie said trying to lighten the mood.
Jenna didn’t smile. She rested her other forearm over her eyes. The lights still hurt her eyes and made her headache worse, but she didn’t want to be in the dark again either. “What happened to Kris?” Jenna tightened her grip on Allie’s hand.
Allie leaned closer to Jenna. “Well, you know there was a car accident yesterday, and you helped save a woman?”
Jenna was getting frustrated. “Dammit Allie, I don’t have amnesia. I know what happened.” Jenna began to sob as she became overwhelmed with heartache. “I…I lost Kris.”
Allie stood up and hugged Jenna. “Honey, calm down. It’s okay.”
“But what happened to Kris? You have to tell me,” Jenna demanded.
Jenna felt a gentle kiss on her forehead, and she opened her eyes. She saw someone else standing beside her on the other side of the bed. She stopped crying and wiped her eyes with the tissue Allie had given her. “Kris?” Jenna asked with uncertainty.
Kris hugged Jenna in a warm embrace. “Were you expecting a kiss from someone else?”
Jenna laughed for the first time causing her face to sting from the scratches and cuts, but she didn’t care. “Where were you Kris? What happened? I lost you. I thought you were gone. I went back to find you, but I couldn’t. I tried Kris, but….”
Kris sat on the edge of the bed being careful not to hurt Jenna’s leg. She nodded towards her right arm showing Jenna the bandage covering the area from her wrist to her shoulder. “My shirt caught on fire and I panicked. You shouted for me to roll around on the ground, so I did. Then, there was a man who ran to the car as you were helping the woman get out. He told me he was going to help you and that I should get back to the road and wait. The first ambulance arrived and they made me go with them to the hospital as the second one arrived to transport the woman. I tried to get away to get back to you, but they shut the doors to the ambulance. As we were driving away, I saw the man carrying you away from the burning car.” Kris became teary-eyed thinking about what could’ve happened. “I was so scared thinking I may have lost you.”
Jenna wiped her eyes again and handed another tissue to Kris. “I remember the man telling me we had to get out of there, but I didn’t want to leave until I knew you were safe. I had fallen to the ground and I remember him yelling at me, but then I must’ve passed out. I woke up here in the hospital and I tried to get up, but I passed out.” Jenna rubbed the spot on her forehead. “I woke up again and I couldn’t find anyone, and then no one would tell me if anything had happened to you.”
Kris gave the bump on Jenna’s forehead a tender kiss. Her heart melted looking at Jenna lying in the hospital bed with her arms and face covered in scratches. “I’m so sorry, Jenna. I had been here by your side ever since they bandaged my arm. I didn’t sleep at all last night. You woke up for a brief moment, but fell right back to sleep. I had been in the bathroom when you got up and
passed out. You were out of it after that. They had you on some pretty strong pain medicine. Allie made me go home, but I didn’t want to leave you. She drove me home, so that’s why she wasn’t here when you woke up this time. Becky called me and I rushed back as soon as I could.”
Jenna didn’t want to let go of Kris. She was afraid this was a dream and she would wake up to find herself alone again. “I was so scared Kris. I never want to lose you.” She gazed down at Kris's arm. “Is your arm okay? How bad is it?”
Kris smiled and nodded. “Dr. Tolson, I mean Brian, heard what happened and he made sure they took good care of both of us. He made the plastic surgeon look at my arm and your face. He stayed with me the entire time during your surgery.”
Jenna had almost forgotten about her leg, she was so happy to see Kris. “Surgery? What happened?”
Kris pulled back the cover to look at Jenna’s leg. “A long piece of glass from the accident lodged in your leg just above your knee.” Kris pulled a piece of paper out of her pocket and unfolded it. “I wrote down what Brian said. He called it a quadriceps tendon rupture. Brian and the orthopedic surgeon said you needed surgery. They told me with proper care and rehab, it shouldn’t interfere with running as long as you take it slow and easy. They told me not to let you rush into anything while you’re still healing.”
Hearing this news devastated Jenna. She knew she was in for a long battle. The surgery would mean months of rehabilitation, and she would have to take off work for a few weeks. She also knew it would be at least five to six months before she could begin running again.
Chapter Five
Kris took Jenna home the next day. She had her hands full trying to keep Jenna from getting up. Jenna wasn’t used to being a patient and didn’t make it easy on Kris. Kris would oftentimes turn around to find Jenna hopping up to get something instead of asking Kris to get it for her.
Jenna hated having to depend on anyone, even Kris. She loved Kris, but she had been independent for most of her life, and it was hard for her to ask for help. Jenna realized that was part of being in a relationship, and that she had to work on that part of herself.
Liz and Erin came over that evening and brought dinner. Jenna was happy to have company. She hadn’t been home twenty-four hours yet and she was already going stir-crazy.
Erin sat down on the couch beside Jenna while Liz went into the kitchen to help Kris clean up after dinner. “How are you feeling?” Erin asked Jenna.
Jenna shook her head in exasperation. “It is hell being stuck here. I love Kris and she has been an angel to me, but I feel like I need to get out. I miss running. I miss working. This is my third day out of work, and I can’t go back for two weeks. I can’t schedule any surgeries for at least three weeks and only short simple ones starting out.”
Erin placed her hand on Jenna’s shoulder. “At least you have Kris. That woman would do anything for you. Hell, she fought fire for you.”
Jenna rubbed her forehead where she still had a nasty bruise from hitting the floor. “I feel bad. It’s my fault. I didn’t want her to get hurt. She burned herself because I asked her for help.”
Erin leaned in closer to Jenna so no one else could hear her. “Kris feels guilty. That is why it looks like she’s going overboard trying to coddle you and take care of you. She thinks your leg is her fault. Kris thinks breaking the glass caused the injury to your leg. She knows you don’t like to talk about it, so she doesn’t bring it up. Yes, she’s treating you like a baby, but that’s her way of asking for your forgiveness.”
Jenna felt heartbroken. She felt terrible for not knowing or asking Kris about her feelings. “Forgiveness?” Jenna repeated. “When I got to the car, there was glass everywhere from the accident including all over the woman. I don’t know when I injured my leg. My adrenaline was pumping so hard I didn’t feel any pain until I tried to find Kris.”
Kris and Liz returning from the kitchen interrupted their conversation. Erin stood up so Kris could sit beside Jenna.
Jenna put her arm around Kris and pulled her close for a kiss. “I love you.”
Kris relaxed her hand on Jenna’s left leg. “I love you more.”
“Aw, you guys are too cute,” Liz said. “We should get going and leave you two lovebirds alone. Can we do anything for either of you before we leave?”
Kris stood up to walk them to the door. “No, we’re fine. Thanks again for coming.”
Liz bent down and gave Jenna a kiss on the cheek. “You behave. Don’t push yourself too hard.”
Erin hugged Jenna while Kris talked with Liz by the door. “You need to tell her it’s not her fault, and you need to let her help you.” Erin kissed Jenna on the cheek and then walked over to join Liz.
Jenna heard the door close. “Can you turn the thermostat down please?”
Kris smiled. It was the first time Jenna had asked her to do anything. It was a start even if it was a small step in accepting help. “Of course, honey.” Kris came back and sat down beside Jenna.
Jenna reached for Kris's hand and drew her closer. “Thanks. Thank you for everything you’ve done for me. I don’t want to be a burden, that’s why I try to do things myself. I’m trying to learn to ask for help. I haven’t had anyone I could rely on before.”
Kris's eyes began to water. She knew Jenna was right. Jenna didn’t have anyone else to rely on. No one from Jenna’s family had come to the hospital. Kris made sure the hospital had notified Jenna’s parents. Jenna’s parents did send a card, but that was it.
“You’re not a burden. I love you. I want to do things for you.” Kris kissed Jenna before she lay down sideways resting her head in Jenna’s lap being careful not to hurt her leg.
Jenna stroked Kris's hair and rubbed her shoulder. “You know, I’m starting to remember more about the accident since coming home and being off the morphine.”
“Really?” Kris asked.
Jenna continued. “Yes, I remember stopping the car and running to help. When I got there I saw the woman covered in blood. She had hit her head and there was glass everywhere. The driver’s side window had shattered, and I crawled and squeezed my way through it. I didn’t think about the glass and getting hurt. I was worried about the woman. I didn’t know if it was too late to help her.” Jenna paused. “I never felt the glass go into my leg. I must have cut it on a piece from the window as I crawled through it.”
Kris listened while she fought back tears. She had blamed herself and worried that Jenna would never forgive her. She cleared her throat. “I guess that makes sense, but I broke the glass on the passenger side. What if it was a piece of glass from that?”
Jenna continued to stroke Kris's hair. “No, that glass flew out in tiny pieces. This was a long piece that most likely was stuck in the driver’s side frame and broke off when I went against it. Anyway, if you hadn’t broken that window when you did I would’ve died trying to get the woman out. The fire grew so fast. You were my hero swooping in to save me.” Jenna looked down at Kris's arm. “I’m sorry you got hurt.”
Kris rolled over and looked up at Jenna. “I’ll be fine. I have you here with me, so it was worth it. I don’t want to lose you ever.”
The phone rang and Kris answered it. She picked up the remote and turned on the TV. The national six-thirty news was on. They flashed a picture of an elderly woman.
“What’s this?” Jenna asked Kris.
Kris put her hand up. “Just watch.” Kris turned up the volume.
Still confused, Jenna turned back towards the television. She heard someone mention something about an accident. Then, she saw a short video of a car engulfed in flames. The reporter was talking, but Jenna didn’t understand why this was so important to Kris. “I don’t understand. Why are we watching the news right now?” She realized Kris thought it was the accident they had been involved with. “This is national, Kris. Everyone in the United States can see this. You think this was the car that…come on Kris, there is no way….” Jenna’s jaw dropped. She was staring at t
heir own local reporter standing in the field with what remained of the car. Only the frame of the car survived the fire. The car was upside down surrounded by blackened and charred brush. Jenna recognized the field and the reporter immediately.
Kris gripped Jenna’s hand. “Are you kidding me? Seriously?”
Jenna told Kris to hush this time. She heard the reporter mention her name followed by her official photo from the hospital.
The reporter announced, “Dr. Jenna Harper and her friend, Ms. Kris Fletcher, worked hard to free Mrs. Pearl Winslade from the burning car. As you can see from what is left of the car behind me, Mrs. Winslade is lucky to be alive. Mrs. Winslade is expected to make a full recovery from non-life-threatening injuries thanks to the combined efforts of Dr. Harper and Ms. Fletcher. Dr. Harper and Ms. Fletcher also sustained injuries, but have been released from the hospital.”
Jenna and Kris still didn’t understand why they were on the national news. They sat in disbelief and watched as a photo of the famous actress Amelia Davies popped up on the side of the screen. The reporter continued, “Ms. Amelia Davies is the daughter of Mrs. Pearl Winslade. Ms. Davies’ father died in a tragic auto accident when she was two, making the news of her mother’s accident hit Ms. Davies particularly hard. She plans to spend time with her mother and her stepfather, Mr. Theodore Winslade, as soon as she can fly back from filming in Paris.”
The news then switched to an unrelated story. Kris's cell phone rang, Jenna’s cell phone rang, and the house phone rang all at the same time causing Jax to begin howling. They sat speechless, stunned from what had just happened.
Jenna's Closure (Dr. Jenna Harper Series Book 2) Page 3