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White walls. White sheets and blanket. A white gown, and clean skin. A drip in my right hand. A clip on my finger to monitor my heartbeat. The soft beep of a machine came from behind.
I was in hospital.
Fuck, I hated hospitals.
To my surprise, Amanda was sitting in the only visitor’s chair in my room, talking on her phone. A duffel bag with a soil science textbook on top was at her feet.
“Stuart, she’s still asleep and the last thing I’d said to her was she’d ruined everything and I’m such a bitch. Baby, I am—”
“Yeah,” I croaked. “You definitely were.”
Throat’s sore. Water.
Amanda jumped up. “Holy shit, she’s awake! Stu, I have to go. I’ll see you soon, okay, bye.”
An oxygen tube was attached to my nose. Ugh.
“What do you need? How can I help?” Amanda babbled.
I coughed again, pulling off the oxygen. To my right a water jug, cup, and a paper straw were on a table. I shuffled to sit up.
Memories of mud and smoke flashed through my mind.
I gasped, coughing again.
Where was Liam? What had happened? If I was okay, was he?
Where’s Harry?
I immediately felt nauseas. I felt a twinge between my legs and reached under the sheet.A catheter?Oh god, how many days have I been here?
“Stacey, we were so worried.” Amanda was looking at my face with alarm. “What do you need?”
I pointed at the water jug. She raced around the bed, poured me a glass and held up the straw to my lips.
I drank greedily. Oh, the water tasted so sweet.
A cough erupted from my chest as I slumped back on the pillow.
“Liam?” I rasped.
“He’s fine. Absolutely fine. Discharged after one night, actually.” Her voice cracked, and her chin wobbled. “You’re a hero, Stacey. Again. You saved him.”
I exhaled, closing my eyes.Thank god Liam was safe.
More than anything else I wanted to know where Harry was. I wanted him here.
But you rejected him,my mind argued.
I pointed at the cup and Amanda held up the water again.
“I thought you were going to die.” Her eyes were red rimmed with tears.
I stopped sipping.
She hadnevercried in front of me. Not since we were little kids.
“It was just like last time.” Amanda placed the water down and wrung her hands. “We had that massive fight over Doug at the bonfire, and then all of a sudden there was the bushfire, and Dad was gone, Ryan was injured, and you were in hospital, dying. I tried to give you blood but mine wasn’t a match. All I could do was wait and now, we had another dumb fight about bloody Doug and I thought you were going to die again.”
