it
didn’t matter, but Jewell could tell that it hurt him. “At least I
have you to look forward to every day. It gives me an incentive to
get better.” He grinned. Jewell noticed that his smile wasn’t quite
as lopsided as it had been. The right side of his face was starting
to regain some of its mobility. This was a great sign; it meant
that there might not be any serious nerve damage. Too, even though
he seemed lucid enough, it was another indication that there was no
brain damage.
“Your smile looks better. It’s not as one
sided as it was. Does it hurt when you smile?”
“Yeah, everything hurts, but honestly, it’s
not too bad. I don’t even use the morphine. And I’ve figured out
what hurts the most when I move; so I don’t move that way.”
Jewell was sure that he was trying to play
down the true extent of his pain for her sake. She appreciated the
effort, but she knew that the pain must be excruciating. She
thought that he was sweet though, trying to spare her feelings that
way.
“You look tired. You should probably go get
some rest.” Concern creased his face. He was right though, she
hadn’t been getting enough sleep lately. Not only had she been
spending extra time at the hospital, but her dreams had been
troubled, and her excitement to see him had made it more difficult
to not only fall asleep, but to stay asleep as well.
“I’m not tired,” she lied. But she could tell
by the look in his eyes that he knew.
“If you are going to have to drive all the
way home, I don’t want you doing it half asleep. I’d rather not
have you in the room next door.” He smiled. “What’s more, I really
don’t feel very well today. I think I need some time to rest.”
Jewell knew that he was lying, trying to give
her an excuse to leave, other than her own needs, but he was right.
If she stayed too much longer, she wouldn’t be able to drive home
safely. She needed to sleep, and she needed to sleep in her own
bed.
“Besides, I’ll see you tonight when you come
back into work, right? You need to get some sleep so you can handle
your long nights.”
“I’m not working tonight, it’s my day off.
I’m on a four this week; two on, two off.”
“So, I won’t see you tonight?” He tried to
keep the pain from his voice, but he could feel the lump forming at
the thought of missing any time with her.
“I was thinking…” Jewell began, “even though
I’m not working, I can come by anyway.”
“You don’t have to come in on your day off.
That seems like too much to ask.” Collin replied.
“I want to. I could stay for a couple of
hours, maybe bring you some real food?” She couldn’t imagine being
away from him for two days.
“That sounds nice. The stuff in here is
horrible.” He made a face. “So, I’ll see you tonight then?”
“Absolutely. I might be a little later
tonight, maybe around six or so. Is that okay?”
“Sure, it’s not like I have any place to go.”
He laughed at his joke, but for some reason his words made her
suddenly nervous. Apparently he caught her apprehension because he
asked, “What’s wrong?”
“Huh? Oh, nothing. I guess I just really need
to get some sleep.” She smiled as she stood up to leave. She didn’t
want to, but he was right, she could barely keep her eyes open. She
needed to get home before she fell asleep. “Rest well,” she said,
as she turned at the door.
She heard him whisper something about
dreaming of her as the door closed. She didn’t see the eyes
watching her from the other side of the nurses’ station as she
left.
* * *
Edgar sat in a seating area with a window
overlooking the dirty city below, but his interest was drawn by
what he saw taking place near the nurses’ station. The young nurse
who had passed him in the ER the night before was leaving one of
the rooms. She wasn’t wearing her scrubs, but instead, a tight pair
of jeans, heeled shoes and a blue polo and she didn’t look like she
had been working. Edgar made
didn’t matter, but Jewell could tell that it hurt him. “At least I
have you to look forward to every day. It gives me an incentive to
get better.” He grinned. Jewell noticed that his smile wasn’t quite
as lopsided as it had been. The right side of his face was starting
to regain some of its mobility. This was a great sign; it meant
that there might not be any serious nerve damage. Too, even though
he seemed lucid enough, it was another indication that there was no
brain damage.
“Your smile looks better. It’s not as one
sided as it was. Does it hurt when you smile?”
“Yeah, everything hurts, but honestly, it’s
not too bad. I don’t even use the morphine. And I’ve figured out
what hurts the most when I move; so I don’t move that way.”
Jewell was sure that he was trying to play
down the true extent of his pain for her sake. She appreciated the
effort, but she knew that the pain must be excruciating. She
thought that he was sweet though, trying to spare her feelings that
way.
“You look tired. You should probably go get
some rest.” Concern creased his face. He was right though, she
hadn’t been getting enough sleep lately. Not only had she been
spending extra time at the hospital, but her dreams had been
troubled, and her excitement to see him had made it more difficult
to not only fall asleep, but to stay asleep as well.
“I’m not tired,” she lied. But she could tell
by the look in his eyes that he knew.
“If you are going to have to drive all the
way home, I don’t want you doing it half asleep. I’d rather not
have you in the room next door.” He smiled. “What’s more, I really
don’t feel very well today. I think I need some time to rest.”
Jewell knew that he was lying, trying to give
her an excuse to leave, other than her own needs, but he was right.
If she stayed too much longer, she wouldn’t be able to drive home
safely. She needed to sleep, and she needed to sleep in her own
bed.
“Besides, I’ll see you tonight when you come
back into work, right? You need to get some sleep so you can handle
your long nights.”
“I’m not working tonight, it’s my day off.
I’m on a four this week; two on, two off.”
“So, I won’t see you tonight?” He tried to
keep the pain from his voice, but he could feel the lump forming at
the thought of missing any time with her.
“I was thinking…” Jewell began, “even though
I’m not working, I can come by anyway.”
“You don’t have to come in on your day off.
That seems like too much to ask.” Collin replied.
“I want to. I could stay for a couple of
hours, maybe bring you some real food?” She couldn’t imagine being
away from him for two days.
“That sounds nice. The stuff in here is
horrible.” He made a face. “So, I’ll see you tonight then?”
“Absolutely. I might be a little later
tonight, maybe around six or so. Is that okay?”
“Sure, it’s not like I have any place to go.”
He laughed at his joke, but for some reason his words made her
suddenly nervous. Apparently he caught her apprehension because he
asked, “What’s wrong?”
“Huh? Oh, nothing. I guess I just really need
to get some sleep.” She smiled as she stood up to leave. She didn’t
want to, but he was right, she could barely keep her eyes open. She
needed to get home before she fell asleep. “Rest well,” she said,
as she turned at the door.
She heard him whisper something about
dreaming of her as the door closed. She didn’t see the eyes
watching her from the other side of the nurses’ station as she
left.
* * *
Edgar sat in a seating area with a window
overlooking the dirty city below, but his interest was drawn by
what he saw taking place near the nurses’ station. The young nurse
who had passed him in the ER the night before was leaving one of
the rooms. She wasn’t wearing her scrubs, but instead, a tight pair
of jeans, heeled shoes and a blue polo and she didn’t look like she
had been working. Edgar made
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