She stared in confusion at the man speaking to her, the one who, she’ll admit, was less intimidating. The man in pale green scrubs, who looked as though he was in his early fifties, had warm grey eyes with a professional level of concern. While the man sitting practically on top of her made her all sorts of uncomfortable. Though handsome, his expressions were rough and demanding. But his eyes…though she was afraid to turn back to them at the moment, his green eyes had incredible depth in them. “No…he’s not with the hospital?”
“What’s going on? Why doesn’t she know who I am?” The man in question demanded.
Dr. Harmon ignored him and kept his attention on his patient. “Can you tell us who you are?” the doctor asked as if it were a prepared follow up to the first question.
She stared blankly at the doctor, desperately searching her brain for the answer. Terror struck her, sharp pain seizing her chest as the realization set in that she was unable to answer his question. Rapidly, she was becoming very agitated in her own skin and finding it nearly impossible to breathe. Her lungs were grasping for air. She was nowhere near water, so why did she feel like she was drowning?
“She’s hyperventilating,” the nurse reacted, rushing to her side.
“Elizabeth,” she heard the doctor refer to her. “You need to try to breathe only from your nose, in order to control your breathing. Can you do that?”
“Get…away…from…me!” she warned through a deep voice as she gasped for air. Her head was turning in all directions. She pulled at the needle stuck in her inner arm, yanking it out. She screamed out in pain. The other man snapped out of his frozen, anguished look and dashed to her side, holding her arms. She kept pushing him aside, focusing on the nurse and doctor. They had quickly stepped aside, discussing something. She wasn’t sure what they were planning, but knew she needed to get out of there before they got a chance to do it. Sharp pain in her head made her scream out again, throwing her head back.
“Liz, baby, it’s okay, these people are going to take care of you,” the stranger reassured.
She heard the doctor on the phone, this time there was no attempt in lowering his voice. He made his message very clear. “Head trauma patient in three twelve, signs of possible PTA. Need to bring her in for a CT-Scan stat.”
“I have to get out of here,” she managed to say, raspy and out of breath. She pulled her arm away from the man. Then felt cold hands grasp her legs. The nurse stood in front of her and gave her a look that said she had no intention of letting go. She felt something cold on her left inner arm and realized the doctor had been at her side again. He disposed of the alcohol pad and positioned a thin, sharp needle. Her eyes widened in fear as she backed away in her bed, knowing there was no way out of this nightmare.
“Wait. Stop. Hold on!” The man next to her grabbed the doctor’s arm, in a fierce hold.
“Mr. Owen, this will calm her down. We can’t run the necessary tests or have her pulling out her IVs. She’s in shock because she doesn’t remember her own name or who you are.” He relaxed his tone, “We need to give her something to calm her.”
“No one is giving her anything without my permission. I am her husband. And I won’t allow anyone attacking her with needles and restraints.” He yelled and shot a warning look at the nurse, who slowly backed away.
His proclamation left her speechless. She watched the doctor put away the needle and step beside the nurse at a distance that she felt more comfortable with. Her shoulders slowly relaxed.
She cautiously stared at the man, who was now turning to face her. He leaned in and lightly placed his hand on the side of her face. “Liz, you need to stop fighting. I don’t want them restraining you.” He lowered his voice to a soft whisper. “I know you don’t remember me, but I’m on your side. You can trust me.”
She stared into his eyes trying desperately to remember this man. But every remarkable feature about him was unfamiliar to her. How was she not able to remember those green eyes?
“I promise, I won’t let anyone hurt you,” he reassured, before sliding his hand off her face and standing.
She was still breathing hard but forced herself to find a slower, even pattern.
The man looked at the doctor. “Please put that away,” he asked calmly, but there was a hint of warning in his tone. “She’s fine now.”
She watched the doctor put the syringe away and then turned back to the man that was the closest person she trusted.
“Thank you,” she rasped out.
He held her gaze for a minute but said nothing. Instead, he gently put his hand along the back of her head and leaned in to kiss the top of her head.
After she’d shown regular breathing patterns again, the doctor continued. “Do you know where you are?”
Her throat was dry from all the breathing but she was able to rasp out an answer in the form of a question. “A hospital?”
“You’re at Hampton University Hospital. You were brought in earlier this evening just after six o’clock. You were in a car accident that had a significant impact to your head.” Her hand instantly went to the tight bands above her eyes.
“Judging from your earlier reaction, I will take it that you don’t know your name?”
She shook her head as her eyes burned with tears.
“Your name is Elizabeth Owen.”
“Liz,” the mysterious man corrected. “She…she prefers to be called Liz.”
The doctor focused back on his patient. “Does this name sound familiar to you?”
