Read Online Blink Once by Cylin Busby - Free Book Online

I think it was.
    “And did that chick just say she was going to get you a wheelchair?”
    I blinked once.
    “Wow, okay.” Olivia was smiling and nodding her head, but she didn’t look especially happy.
    “Well, at least now I can take you on walks. We can go to the game room, watch TV. We’ll be buddies!” she said jokingly. “Seriously, it will be fun. I’ll make it fun. And before you know it, you’ll be getting out of here.” She stood up and looked down, busying herself with her IV pole so I couldn’t see her face.
    So that’s what was bothering her. It was looking like I was getting better, getting out. The thought of being in this hospital for weeks—or months—like Olivia made my stomach turn. I did want to get out of here; I didn’t look forward to playing UNO and watching TV with other sick kids. That’s how Olivia and I were totally different. Sometimes it almost seemed like Olivia liked it here, even though she said she didn’t.
    Things suddenly felt awkward between us, like there was a secret we weren’t talking about. “Well, have a nice walk with your lady friend.” Olivia gave me a weak smile. “GuessI’ll catch you later, unless you’re too fast for me.” She pointed at me, quick draw with her fingers like a gun, then dropped her hand to her side. She stood like that, looking at me like she was thinking about something for a moment before she went back into her room and closed the partition softly. I had to see Olivia’s unhappiness as a good thing. If she thought this was a step toward getting out of here, maybe it was. Maybe she knew more than she was saying.
    The physical therapist walked back in with a male orderly I’d seen before, the guy with the red hair. “He looks good, right? He’s been sitting for ten minutes, and his color is excellent. I think we can do this today,” she said, taking my arms into her hands.
    “Whatever you say,” he murmured, and moved the chair over to the end of the bed. He put his foot near the back tire, putting the brakes on, before he lowered the arm rests on both sides.
    “I’m Kim,” she said loudly, looking into my face. “You remember me, right? I’m your physical therapist.” God, she must really think I was totally gone upstairs; she was just in here a few minutes ago. I blinked yes with emphasis. “Okay, West, we’re going to move you into the chair now.” She hit a pedal by the bed and the bottom dropped away, leaving my feet dangling down so I was sitting up like I was in a chair.
    The orderly moved over to one side of me and tuckedhis hand under my thigh, while Kim did the same on the other side. They each had one hand on my back. “On my count,” the guy said, “one, two, and—” They lifted me and with a quick turn to the side, they were able to put me into the chair easily. The guy snapped up the side arm rails and placed my hands into my lap. “Let me know when you need help getting him back in.” The guy motioned to the bed with his head, then left the room.
    Kim moved my IV bag to a pole on the chair and unhooked my respirator tube from the large machine next to the bed, quickly plugging it into something behind the chair. “Portable ventilator,” she said, coming back around in front of me, “seems to all be working great. Your color looks good, you okay?” She looked into my face with such intensity, I blinked yes, and I really did. This felt just like sitting up in the bed, except I was lower to the ground. It did seem weird to finally be out of the bed, to be mobile. Kim crouched in front of the chair and placed my feet into the footrests on either side so they were up off the floor. I could feel her hands on my feet, on my lower leg, but it felt like I was wearing ski pants and boots, like something thick was in the way, even though I knew there wasn’t. I knew my legs were bare, my feet too.
    It was good to be looking out the door of my room from a different angle for the first time. This was a step