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Noelani Sands lay on the hospital bed, listening to the bustle of activity in the corridor. She lay silently, as she had lain there for weeks… how many she couldn't remember. But today was different. Today they were going to take the bandages off of her eyes! Her heart soared with joy as she heard the footsteps in the hall coming towards her room. As she heard the happy voices of her mother and father and brother.
" Mom! Is it time?" Her voice trembled with anticipation. " Are they going to let me see today?"
She felt a hand on her own, and knew her brother was there with her. " Hi, Ryan" She smiled as she felt his hand squeeze hers.
A face leaned down close to her ear and whispered, " Are you scared?"
" Oh, Ry. Yeah, I'm scared. What if he says that they have to wait longer?" she said referring to her doctor. " I don't want to wait to see you and Mom and Dad again!"
Ryan squeezed her hand again. " Soon Nani. Very soon." He replied, using his pet name for her.
" Noel sweetie, Dr. Stewart will be here soon. He said that they were coming off today." Her mother, Leilani Sands, stood across the room.
Noel, as she was called, lay silently for a few moments before speaking. " Mom? What if I can't see? I know we've talked about it… but what if I can't?"
Leilani began to speak but was cut off by her husband, Jake. " No matter what Noel, we will always be here for you." He said, putting emphasis on the 'always'. " But the doctor said that wasn't too likely so let's just be thankful that you're here."
Noel rolled her eyes under the bandages. She knew her father was right, but she was still scared. The minutes ticked by as they waited tensely for the specialist who had been keeping track of Noel since the accident. He finally arrived with a tape recorder in hand, making notes into it about a previous patient who had lost an eye in a fight.
" –and the patient suffers from 'phantom syndrome' as well. We'll make a mold next Tuesday and get the glass eye to him by Friday." He looked up, his bushy mustache covering his mouth but obviously turning up into a smile. " Afternoon Mr. Sands, Mrs. Sands. And how are you, Noel?" he asked, turning his attention to his patient.
" Are they coming off?"
Dr. Stewart was barely able to suppress the laugh that arose at the girl's impatience. " Yes my dear, they're coming off. If you want, I can do it right now."
Noel nodded her head vigorously and was rewarded by the sound of metal brushing metal. Scissors! He's serious! Her enthusiasm was spreading as her family watched.
" Noel," he said with patience. " You have to stay still if you want them to be cut off."
Noel's head stilled but she still had a smile plastered across her face. She waited patiently for the bandages to be removed and nearly jumped out of her hospital bed when the scissors stopped cutting. Noel felt the gauze fall from her face to her lap and… still waited.
" Well?" she asked.
Dr. Stewart looked at her with concern as her family stayed silent.
Noel sighed with exasperation. " Are you going to take the rest of it off or not?"
The room was silent as Noel waited for the doctor to finish. She tensed as she heard someone stifle a sob. " What's wrong? What?" she asked in a slow panic.
A hand fell to her shoulder. " Noel… the bandages are off."
" What?"
Her voice was small and distant from her ears as realization sank in. She ran her hands over her face for the first time in two months and felt nothing there. No bandages… no patches or tape. Nothing.
" I'm… I'm blind?" As she heard a voice say 'yes' in the distance… she thought it was Dr. Stewart, but couldn't be sure… she felt herself slip deeper into the blackness that had become so familiar.
Her last conscious thought echoed through the room as she collapsed into the merciful blackness… " Nooo!"
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