“No, and you won’t think like that either.” Paul touched her shoulder gently. “She’s a fighter, and she will pull through. I have no doubt about that.”
Nikki desperately wanted to believe that, but she feared the worst. “I’ll take you up on that offer to go to the hospital, but please, come back after my visit with Trish so we can catch up and,” she said, gesticulating at the establishment, “get familiar with all of this.”
“Sure thing.” Paul smiled. “How are you holding up?”
“I could be better.” Nikki sighed. “I don’t think I’ll be okay until she is.”
“Understood.” Paul checked his watch. “Maybe we should get going.”
“Yeah, right,” Nikki agreed as she followed Paul out of the house.
She was in a familiar place that was also strange and different at the same time. She’d spent entire summers on Camano Island growing up, but somehow, it was like walking into a foreign country. Everything was different, and she was alone.
And as they approached the Camano Hospital, she couldn’t help thinking that her whole life was about to change.
ChapterThree
The feeling of melancholy followed them on the short trip.
They hardly spoke a word as the car rolled along. Nikki kept her eyes trained on the slow-moving pedestrians and life carrying on as usual.
A slight wind wafted toward her, bringing the smell of fish, salt, and sand to her. She could hear the crashing of waves in the distance. The Camano Hospital was a giant among minions when Paul pulled up outside the front entrance.
“I’ll see you later,” he said as she got out.
She nodded as words escaped her. It was as if being closer to Trish gave her a greater sense of dread, and as she walked toward the nursing station, goose pimples raced up and down her arms, and the hair at her nape stood on end.
“Hi, how can I help you?” the nurse asked as she looked up at Nikki.
It felt like déjà vu for her, in a sense. “Uh, yes. I was wondering which room Trish Murphy is in. She was in an accident yesterday.”
She waited for what felt like forever as the golden-haired nurse clicked away at the computer keys. “Trish Murphy. Yes. She’s in room 303.”
“Thank you,” Nikki said and walked off. She moved toward the elevator, but it didn’t feel like she was in control of her body. She felt like an automaton, and it grew increasingly worse when she exited the elevator on the third floor.
Her hand shook when she turned the knob to room 303. When she entered and saw Trish, with her head bandaged and tubes running from her nose and mouth, Nikki’s legs gave way as she broke down by the door. She clutched the wall as her emotions overtook her until she felt a morsel of strength return to her. She lumbered over to the bed and clung to the bed rail as she stared at her sister's likeness.
Nothing there resembled Trish. She had tubes coming out of her mouth, nose, and arms. Machines were connected to her, beeping constantly but keeping her alive. Nikki had to stare hard to see the rising and falling of her chest through her shallow breathing.
It was a hard scene to take in, and Nikki collapsed onto the chair when the doctor came in.
“Hello, I’m Dr. McCarthy,” he said and held out his hand to Nikki.
She wiped her left hand across her face and reached for his hand. “I’m Nikki. Trish’s sister. How is she?”
She asked the question but wasn’t sure she was prepared for the answer. “Right now, her prognosis isn’t good, I’m afraid to say. Her right leg is broken, her face has a lot of cuts and bruises from the shattered windshield, and she suffered a severe brain bleed, which forced us to induce a coma to keep her alive. We’re doing everything we can to bring the swelling down and to contain the bleeding, but as of right now, there’s nothing we can do,” he said as the wrinkles at his eyes twitched with concern. “It’s up to her now.”
Nikki started crying again. He was right. The situation seemed hopeless. “So there’s nothing to do but wait?”
“I’m afraid so.” The doctor smiled weakly. “I’m sorry I couldn’t give you better news. I’ve seen patients wake up from worse situations, so don’t give up on her just yet.”
Nikki nodded, and the doctor left the room. The ominous beeping was discouraging as she sat by the bedside and took Trish’s hand in hers. She stroked the back of her hand as she remembered the argument they’d had so very long ago when she was nineteen and pregnant. They’d never been close, and Nikki couldn’t understand why, but none of that mattered anymore.
She was there, and she prayed Trish would awaken so she could tell her what an idiot she’d been. Then she remembered what medical experts had always said regarding coma patients—that they sometimes could hear what was going on around them even though they couldn’t respond.
“Trish, if you can hear me,” she said with a shaky voice, “it’s Nikki.” She burst into tears again. “I’m so sorry.” She sobbed. “I should have been there for you all this time. I was so mad at you and Mom and Dad, and I wasn’t thinking, and now, I can’t even remember why I was so angry with you for so long.”
She laid her head against Trish’s hip as her body rocked with pain. “I’ve never asked you for anything, Trish. I’ve never needed anything, but I need something right now that only you can give me,” she said and lifted her face to stare at her sister’s still countenance. “I need you to wake up.” She squeezed Trish’s hand. “Please. Just wake up.”
