With shock, Mark moved the red hair slightly away from the victim’s face to find out it was
Kerry.
*********-----*********
John’s first thought when he woke up was of Kerry. The truck that had hit them had come out of no where. He vaguely remembered waking up hazily in the remains of the jeep and speaking to someone before darkness had overtaken him again. He tried to make his eyes open.
He was so tired. His head ached. He knew instinctively that the painkillers caused the drowsy-ness in his system. But his worry over Kerry was stronger. He finally made the supreme effort to open his eyes and was rewarded by the bright lights of a hospital room.
Dr. Peter Benton watched him for a moment. “John are you awake? Do you know where you are?”
John turned his head slightly; the slightest move was agonizing. “Yah, I’m awake.” He was quiet for a moment waiting for the nausea to calm down.
Peter watched him swallow, “The compazine should be taking effect shortly, I just gave you an injection.”
“Kerry?” John said, his one word question left to hang in the air.
Peter looked at him steadily for a few moments. “She’s doing better.” He knew better than to tell John what was wrong with him. His former student would have just shrugged it off, and questioned him further for info on Kerry.
“And?” John replied, anxiously waiting for more answers to his question.
“She has a slight concussion,” Peter replied, “It looks like she has a hairline fracture in her right arm, and a couple of broken ribs.”
John was quiet for a few moments, “That’s all, right?” he said watching Peter, still afraid to find out more bad news.
Peter watched him for a few moments. “She’ll be fine,” He said.
“We thought at first that she had a broken leg, but x-rays showed nothing. She’ll have a beauty of a bruise on that leg though. Do you want to know how you’re doing?”
John just laughed bitterly. “Not really, I figured concussion for sure, anything else I need to worry about?” he said.
“Not really, we’re just glad you’re alive!”
**************-------------------*************
Millicent Carter had, had enough of hospitals to last a lifetime. The last time she had been called John was near death. This time they swore it was just a concussion. She had waited all evening for the phone call. She had been expecting John and Kerry for several hours. When they didn’t show she was as close to panicking as she had been in years.
As she walked through the hallway, she noticed Dr. Greene talking to a nurse.
“Dr. Greene, might I have a word with you?” she said stiffly.
Mark swallowed. “Mrs. Carter!” Mark took a moment to recognize John’s grandmother. “I’m so sorry. Please follow me, and I’ll take you to see John.”
Mark excused himself from the nurse and continued speaking, as they walked down the hallway,
“He has a slight concussion. Evidently, a truck hit the vehicle they were in. The driver was Intoxicated.” He stated baldly.
Telling people what had happened to their loved ones was never easy. No matter how many times he tried to say the words right, they always came out wrong.
“But he’ll be fine?” Millicent asked, totally the concerned grandmother.
Mark replied. “Yes, we are all grateful that it was just a concussion.”
“The woman that was with him, Kerry, I believe. How is her condition?” her concern for her grandson alleviated she switched her attention to her grandsons companion.
Mark was quiet for a moment. “Dr. Weaver’s condition is serious, she has a concussion, wrist fracture, and some broken ribs. She is still being closely monitored, but we feel confident she will make a full recovery.”
**************-----------------************
John had been sitting next to Kerry’s bed for hours, watching her every breath. Nearly everyone had come in to check on her. Everyone from Luka to Carol to Dave had stopped by. Carol had even bought a bouquet of daffodils from the hospital gift shop “to make her feel better when she wakes up.” she explained. John hadn’t moved since he had been allowed to come in. Mark had stopped by and tried to get him to lie down. Even going so far as bringing in a cot in case he was “inclined” to use it.
Millicent Carter walked quietly in the room. John thinking it was someone else to check on Kerry stayed where he was. His chin resting on the guardrail. His eye’s intent on Kerry’s face. Millicent watched him for a few moments. When John finally checked to see who had arrived he was surprised to see tears in her eyes. “John” she began then walked up to him and gave him a stiff hug.
“I am in no mood to find you in this hospital sick anymore. It’s more than my old heart can take.” She said her voice breaking slightly. John watched her for a few moments. I know gamma his eyes told her, I know.
“Your colleagues tell me you have a slight concussion?” Her sharp eyes spotted the bruise on his forehead. Her eyes also told him of the worry she had endured and the fear that would in some way never leave her.
“Just a slight one gamma, I’ll be fine in a few days.” John replied, uncomfortable with her display of emotion and trying to make light of the situation.
“Your friend,” Millicent began, indicating Kerry’s pale form. Then stopped leaving the question hanging in the air. She cleared her throat, “your colleagues tell me that your friend will be just fine, I was looking forward to chatting with her.”
John walked back over to his chair, tucking in Kerry’s blanket in more securely, before seating himself again.
“She’ll be fine.”
His dark eyes told of his worry about her. Millicent watched him for a few moments. For once in her life not sure what to say, “she’ll need more flowers, waking up in a hospital room is bad enough.” She said sternly.
John let a slight smile light up his face. He knew his grandmother, she would never come right out and say something. Some things she was very, very subtle about. In her own way he knew she was saying that she loved him. And that if Kerry was the woman he choose, then she would help move the world for them. She had accepted them.
**********______********
Kerry woke up around 3:00 a.m., to find that John had finally fallen asleep. Still sitting in the hard uncomfortable chair next to hers. His head resting on his arm, which was lying on the guardrail of her bed. His head was slumped to one side, a nicely shaped bruise slowly gaining in purple and bluish radiance on his forehead. She tried reaching for the call button, with her right arm only to get a stab of searing pain.
Broken was her first thought, “figures”, the sling on her arm the only confirmation she needed. Another I.V. she thought, as necessary as they were she still hated them. She again tried to reach for the call button this time with her left arm. Trying to be quiet so she wouldn’t wake John. Pain medication being primarily the first and second thoughts in her head. Her slight moan of discomfort woke John. She looked over at him to find him staring at her.
“How are you feeling?” John asked concern for her written all over his face.
“Well I’ve had better days.” Kerry began. “How are you?” Her eyes flitted to the bruise on his forehead.
“Just a slight concussion, you got the worst of it, I’m afraid.” John touched her bangs slightly, lifting it off of her forehead in gentle sweeps.
“That’s the joys of being the driver.” Kerry said depreciatingly. “I take it you probably won’t let me drive your jeep again?” she laughed ironically.
“Well” John said still holding on to her hand, “Since the jeeps totaled, I’m pretty sure neither one of us wants to drive it anymore.
“Let me guess his blood alcohol level was way off the scale?” Kerry said, stating the obvious. Remembering the truck that had been weaving back and forth in back of their jeep. She remembered him speeding up and slowing down. Unfortunately for her state of mind she remembered way too much of what had happened.
“Yes, that’s what they tell me. I’ve already given the police my statement. They’ll be back tomorrow morning for yours.”
“Well, you gonna tell me the bad news?” Kerry said watching his face, “or do I have to guess?” she said laughing painfully.
“Score one for seatbelts,” John began, “Benton said: hairline fracture in your arm only. That combined with a few broken ribs, and your concussion”
Kerry tried to laugh lightheartedly and failed miserably, “well, some people have all the luck,” she said painfully. “Any chance of my getting some pain medication? Or am I on the waiting list?”
John smiled and kissed her on the forehead, “I’ll see if I have some influence in this place.” As he turned to walk out of the room, Kerry stopped him.
“John.”
She tried reaching out for him with her left arm and instantly winced, her ribs hurt to painfully. John turned in time to see her grimace of pain and clutch her side. He immediately turned and walked back to her.
“Are you in pain? Is it something else?” his heart seemed to leap out of his chest, fear that they had missed something and that she was hurt worse than they had previously thought.
Kerry was quiet for a moment. “No, it’s just.” Suddenly the terror and the fear she had experienced seemed to leap into the forefront of her mind. She seemed not to know the words she was looking for. Her heart understood, but her mind? She struggled for words. “I just, don’t ever want to face….” She trailed off still trying to tell him what was on her mind.
“I know” John started to say, he instinctively understood where her mind was going.
“No, let me finish” she said in her usual forthright voice. “It’s just,” she was quiet again for a few moments. “It’s just that I was so afraid we were going to die, and all I could think of is that I never told you that I loved you.”
John smiled and touched her cheek, “I love you to,” was his reply. His heart was in his eyes, and his eyes told her of his love and concern for her. He kissed her softly on the lips.
“I love you to.”
