He was reluctant, but he finally agreed. He gave me a quick hug and made me promise to call if I needed anything, then he picked up his hat and sunglasses and left. I waited until he disappeared through the door, then tipped the bed back and tried to nap.
***
A little while later Aunt Sophia knocked softly and peeked around the almost closed door before letting herself in. She looked worried and I knew that the last week had been rough on her. From the day she and Uncle Thomas took me in after my parents died, she always treated me like her own. I couldn't imagine seeing a child of my own in the situation I'd been in for the last week.
Aunt Sophia came to the side of the bed and gave me a big hug. "I'm so glad to see you awake! I was so worried about you, Sammie." Sophia wrapped her arms around me, clinging for a moment as though she was afraid I would be swept from her arms at any moment. After a long minute she released me and moved back to sit in one of the chairs still pulled close. Tears glistened in her eyes but I didn't know what to say.
"Have you seen the doctor yet? What did he have to say? How long are they going to keep you?" The questions seemed to pour out of her.
"Yes, the doctor came by about noon. He wanted some more tests done, including another CT." I relayed the information to her. "I got back from the scan about an hour ago, just before I sent Robin back to the motel to get some sleep. The doctor said that if everything comes back normal, I can possibly go home tomorrow."
"So soon? You just woke up!"
"If they find nothing wrong, there is no reason to keep me. They've had me up and walking, though they were careful until they were sure I wasn't getting dizzy or going to have my legs give out and drop me."
She took a deep breath and let it out in a rush. "I guess I can understand that. Is there anything we can bring you? Anything you need?"
"Oh, let's see…" I trailed off, thinking for a moment. "If I were going to be here much longer I'm sure there would be quite a list, but since I'm hoping to get out of here tomorrow, there's only a few things. First, clothes. I'm sure what I was wearing during the accident got cut off in the ER. I know it's a bit far to go home and get me some, but if you can just pick me up something, I'll pay you back. Do you need my sizes?"
"No, dear, I can manage and don't even think about paying me back either." She used the tone that we all knew better than to argue with. "Is there anything except clothes?"
"I'd kill for a hair brush, a good one not a hospital supply comb."
"I'll see that it gets picked up, do you want a night gown too?"
"Nah, I can sleep in a hospital gown for one more night, I just get tired of flashing the hallway as I walk, and I do NOT want to wear it home."
"Shampoo, razor, make-up? Nothing else?"
"I can make do with what they have here for one day, but you better get jeans instead of shorts. I'm so not shaving here and, after a week, I'm sure my legs look like the banks of the Amazon."
"All right, will do." Sophia chuckled as she finished writing her notes on a piece of paper she'd fished from her purse.
Seeing her purse reminded me, "Do you have any idea what happened to my purse?"
"Yep, I have it. We didn't see a need to transfer it with you from Mt Graham, so I took it. It's back at the motel. Do you need it or should I just keep it until we pick you up?"
"It's got my extra pair of glasses in it, but I can live without them until I get out of here. It's good to know it's not floating around out there, in whatever remains of my Jeep or worse, on the side of the highway for anyone to pick up though. It's gonna be bad enough replacing the Jeep, I don't want to think about having to replace everything in my wallet, much less my whole purse."
"No need, it's safe. Do you want this stuff tonight or in the morning?"
"The clothes I won't need until tomorrow, but could you drop them off on your way back to the motel tonight anyway? I'm going to take a shower soon and I'd like to have the brush, my hair is making me crazy."
"Not a problem, dear. Are you sure you're feeling all right? They're not rushing you to go home?"
"If anyone is rushing to get me out of here, it's me, Aunt Sophia. You know how I feel about being sick." I smiled up at her, hoping it would reassure her. "Honestly, I feel fine. I had a bit of a headache this morning but Tylenol knocked it right out. My plans are to take a shower, maybe watch a little TV, but mostly to sleep. I've been up most of the day, I dozed a little and I tried to nap after Robin left, but I couldn't sleep. I'm starting to feel a little drained but I need a shower. I'm sure feeling clean will help me sleep."
She watched me a moment, trying to decide if I was being honest with her. Finally, she nodded. "I'll let you rest then." She squeezed my hand on more time. "I'm just glad you're all right."
"I'm glad I'm all right too, Aunt Sophia. How many are here? I've seen Quinn and Nathan, but where's Robert?
"Robert's been here, but we've been taking turns with who stays home, someone has to take care of the animals. He's supposed to trade places with Quinn tomorrow, but if they're going to be sending you home, there's no point in him making the trip."
"I agree. I was just curious how many we're going to have to fit in the car for the drive home."
"Me, you, Quinn, and Nathan. Oh, Robin too. Since he rode up with you, he doesn't have a vehicle. I've been told he insisted, even at the crash site. He said you weren't going anywhere alone and he was going to stay by your side until you woke up, that you would do the same for him. But I brought the Suburban, there'll be plenty of room."
"Robin's right, Aunt Sophia, I would have done the same for him. I love you all, you're my family, but there's something different about Robin, there always has been. It’s like he's something I need, something important to me. Not that I've put it into words before, or really even given it much thought, until very, very recently."
"I understand, dear. I was starting to wonder if I was just imagining it, but I thought I'd seen it long ago. That's how your mother felt about your father. It's also how I felt, and still feel about your Uncle Thomas. I never imagined that it might take you this long to figure it out."
"I've just never seen Robin that way, he's my best friend. I don't want to destroy that relationship with him. I don't think my heart could survive that."
"Just give it some time. Emotions are high right now, but I'm willing to bet that you aren't the only one realizing how deep feelings run. He may not be quite a stubborn as you. Just remember how close your uncle and I were. Sure, we fought once in a while, but he was my best friend in the world, still is, even though he's gone." She gave me a sad smile. "Think about it, dear, who can care for you better than someone who knows all your faults and peculiarities and loves you because of them and not in spite of them? All right?" She stood. "I've said more than enough, more than I intended to. I'm not pushing. I'm not encouraging you either way, just giving you some food for thought."
"Thank you, I'll think about it." I bit my upper lip as I tried to find the right words. "I'm sorry to put you through this and I'm glad to have you here, but since Robin left, I've been feeling, I don't know…unsettled, somehow restless. I can't calm down enough to sleep and nothing on TV interests me, even things I normally enjoy. I can barely sit still. I think I may be going crazy."
"You aren't going crazy, you just don't understand." She patted my leg. "How about this, I'll run out and pick up the things you need, but instead of bringing them back myself, I'll send Robin with it. Is that all right with you?"
Just the thought of Robin coming back soothed me some. "Thanks, Aunt Sophia, I would really appreciate it." I looked down at myself. "I guess in the meantime, I need to see about that shower so I don't look so much like death warmed over."
"I'm sure you'll feel worlds better after a shower. Would you like me to stop at the nurses’ station and ask for some shampoo for you on my way out?"
"Please, and thanks again. I love you. Aunt Sophia."
"We love you too, Sammie, it's no probl
em." She gave me a hug then picked up her purse. "It's not like you did this on purpose or for attention, it's not like you could even have helped it."
"Still, I feel bad to have caused so much trouble and worry."
"Nonsense," she waved away my concern with one hand. "We're your family and that's what we're here for. Now start getting ready for your shower and I'll let the nurse know what you need." She squeezed my hand once more and left, quietly closing the door behind her.
I scooted forward on the bed, getting ready to get up again. I'd been up several times during the day and after the first trip to the bathroom, I'd had no trouble, not even rubbery legs.
A few minutes passed before there was a soft knock on the door. "Come in." I called.
The nurse pushed the door open. It was a different nurse, there must have been a shift change. She set the small bowl she brought with her on the table that extended over the foot of the bed.
"Hello, I'm your nurse for the evening, my name is Deborah. Your aunt asked me to bring these in for you, she said you're getting ready to take a shower?"
"Yes."
"Do you need any help or a chair for the shower?"
"No," I said. "I'll be fine. I've been up and moving around several times today, with no trouble. I was just waiting on some toiletries. Is there any chance I could get a clean gown? I have no idea how long I've been wearing this one." I gave her a wry smile.
"No problem," she smiled back. She opened a cabinet and pulled a gown from the shelf, and laid it on the table next to the bowl she'd brought with her. She grabbed a second gown and laid it on top of the first. "Here's one to wear as a robe, so as you move around the hospital, you aren't flashing the world." She grinned. "One more thing. We can disconnect the tube to your IV. We'll leave the port there for now, just in case they need to give you anything, but you won't be tied to the bag anymore.
"Thank you, I appreciate that." I waited while she disconnected the line and coiled the tubing on the tree. I was glad to be free of it. I hated dealing with the thing. "I should just one more visitor tonight, but he shouldn't be here for a while yet. If he comes in while I'm showering, will you please ask him to wait? Here in the room is fine."
"Sure, no problem," she smiled. "Is it Robin?"
"Yeah, how did you know?" I frowned, confused.
"He's been here every night since you got here, I'm actually kind of surprised he isn't here already. It's good seeing someone with that kind of devotion."
"I sent him to the hotel earlier to get some rest."
Deborah smiled at me again. "All right. Dinner will be served in about an hour, so you have plenty of time to shower. If you have any trouble while in the shower there's an emergency cord, just pull it and someone will be right in."
"Thank you, I'll do that." I said as she left the room, pulling the door close behind her.
I waited until she was gone to climb out of bed. I stood a moment, checking my balance then picked up the small curved bowl that held a toothbrush and toothpaste, as well as a couple small bottles containing shampoo, conditioner, a liquid body wash and a comb. I carried the bowl and both the gowns into the bathroom. I set the bowl on the narrow shelf under the mirror before hanging the gowns over the hooks on the back of the door.
I paused a moment to take my bearings before getting in the shower. I made sure the towels were in easy reach so I didn't have to hunt for them while naked and shivering. Then grabbed a washcloth and the three small bottles from the bowl on the shelf and set them in the shower stall.
As I peeled the gown off my shoulders, something in the mirror caught my eye. There was a sickly looking yellow and green bruise crossing my body. It started at my left shoulder and ran diagonally to my right hip, there was another almost identical one running across my lower abdomen. When I stepped back far enough to see the whole thing, I thought it looked like an upside down seven had been painted across my body in colors that clashed with everything including each other. I stared at the marks for several seconds, then poked at them a few times, trying to figure out where they came from before it hit me. The damage was proof that my seat belt had, indeed, saved my life. The realization made me take a closer look at my body. I had several small scabs on my arms and face. I assumed they were from flying glass and maybe bits of metal, they were all small, nothing that would have taken more than a simple Band-Aid. Nothing to cause real concern. The bruise on the other hand, it was different. It drove home just how close I came to dying.
I shook my head, snapping myself from my reverie and finished undressing. I left my dirty clothes on the floor and turned on the water. As soon as it was warm, I stepped under the spray and continued to adjust the temperature until it was hot enough to suit me. While washing, I took note of several more cuts as well as some smaller, less severe, bruises on my legs, but the bruise from the seat belt was by far the worst. I washed my hair twice to make sure I got the overload of oils out, then slathered it with conditioner, hoping to restore at least some of the moisture I had just stripped from it. I stood under the cascade of hot water for several minutes, letting the heat soak in and relax my tired muscles. Finally, I rinsed my hair and shut off the water.
I wound one towel around my hair, flipping up and balancing it on my head while I wrapped the second around my body. While brushing my teeth with the nasty Crest toothpaste from the bowl, I realized that the shower had brought some color back to my face. I didn't look quite like a vampire anymore. I finished drying off and dressed, hanging my damp towels on the hooks where the gowns had been. I grabbed the little comb from the bowl and headed into the other room. It was going to take forever to untangle my hair with the tiny thing and I wanted to be comfortable while I did it.
Back on the bed, I folded one leg underneath me and let the other dangle off the edge, my foot brushing the floor as I swung it back and forth. I turned on the TV and flipped through the channels, trying to find something to listen to. I gave up on finding something to entertain me and settled on music videos. They took no patience, only a short attention span, and they were company. Glancing at the clock, I realized I still had at least half an hour until dinner, so I started on my hair.
It took me until my dinner arrived to work all the tangles out. My hair hung funny from being combed with the fine tooth comb instead of a brush like I usually used, but I felt a lot better. I was grateful for the interruption when the orderly knocked on my door. He set the tray on the table at the foot of my bed.
"Thank you." I said.
He smiled and nodded on his way out of the room.
I hadn't realized how hungry I was until I caught the scent of the food on the tray. My stomach grumbled and suddenly I was starving. I hoped that they were serving something I would eat.
5
I finished eating and had just pushed the table down to the foot of the bed when there was a quick, light knock on the door. Before I could call out, it slowly opened and Robin peeked around the edge to see if I was awake. The sight of him calmed my frayed nerves a bit and I smiled.
"Sophia sent the things you asked for. Do you want them there?"
"Just the hair brush, the rest I won't need until morning. Thanks for bringing them."
"I don't mind. I was restless at the motel, but you asked me to go, and I was trying not to bother you." He dug through the bag.
"You're not a bother, Robin, you know that." I was still smiling.
"You told me to go and rest, so I went. Because you wanted me to, not because I wanted to."
"I didn't tell you to get some rest because I didn't want you here. I felt guilty that you'd had so little sleep because you stayed with me for the last week. At the same time, I know it's selfish, but I wanted you to stay. I missed you while you were gone. I couldn't nap. I was restless, too." I couldn't seem to stop everything I was thinking from spilling out my mouth. I really needed to shut up.
Robin found the brush, and something else and dropped the bag into one of the extra chairs in the room. Wit
hout a word, he pulled the packaging off the brush and dropped it in a trashcan. He set the glasses case from my purse on the table at the foot of the bed. "Sophia thought you might want these." He moved around the bed until he stood right beside me, the brush still in hand. "Scoot forward."
I got up on my hands and knees and crawled toward the foot of the bed, this time sitting with my legs crossed in front of me. Robin slid onto the bed where I'd been, his position similar to the one I'd been in, one leg bent under him and the other on the floor. He was careful that neither of his shoes was on the bed as he sat behind me.
He started at the bottom and worked his way up, like I always did, dragging the brush through my thick hair. By the time he got to the top of my head he'd begun to use both hands, dragging the brush with one and following behind with his other, just smoothing it over the surface. In less than ten minutes, I was almost as calm and relaxed as I'd been when I woke that morning.
We stayed like that for a while, Robin brushing my hair until it was nearly dry. The only sounds in the room were the quiet music playing on the TV and the soft whisper of the brush sliding through my hair.
"Is your truck still sitting on the side of the highway?" I asked, breaking the silence.
"Nah. Bruce hauled it in for me. He knew something must have happened to it when I ran to the accident. He asked me about it later, before we brought you here. He knew it wasn't a priority for me, just then." He stopped brushing my hair and sat for a moment, quiet.
I leaned back enough that my back touched his chest. "Tell me about it, the accident and the time I was out, please?" I had second thoughts but it wasn't that I didn't want to know. "Wait, let's get more comfortable first. Take your shoes off while I tilt the bed up more."
He slid off the bed and put the brush on the table in front of me before sitting in one of the chairs to untie his shoes.
I moved up to the controls on the bed and hit the button, lifting the head of the bed, as far as it would go, then climbed off the bed to wait for him.
Robin's Nest Page 3