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A gurney appears, and I feel myself falling back onto it. Looking up, I can see the stained glass scenes of stars, angels, and the universe beyond.
Closer than that, Holly’s face and another familiar one fill my view.
“Thank god, Steven! We were worried sick!”
I open my mouth, trying to speak, wanting to explain. I want to apologize to Holly for everything and ask, who I instantly recognize as Sister O’Halloran, to explain everything to her, but I can’t.
The image of the only two earth angels I’ve known starts to spin.
Holly. The girl I’ve just met but know I want to spend every moment with for the rest of my life, and the older, wise face of Sister O’Halloran.
Creased with worry, but her eyes bright with relief. The nearest thing to family I ever knew.
“You’ve come back to us, Steven. We’ll get you better again,” she says, clipping orders to some nurses and what looks like a waiting doctor.
I feel Holly’s hand slipping into mine, and although I know I’m passing out, I grip as hard as I can, telling her without words to never let go.
Not now.
Not ever.
* * *
I can still feel the pressure of her tiny hand in mine long before I open my eyes.
The sound of Holly’s voice sounded strained but as confident and as sassy as ever.
“Well… you said he’d wake up over an hour ago,doctor,” she clips, and I feel my lip curling into a smile as I squeeze her hand tighter.
Knowing she hasn’t let go once since I dropped out again, hopefully for the last time.
She doesn’t reply to me, still giving the doctor a piece of her mind until I hear him reassuring her for what I can only guess must be the hundredth time.
“Mr. Carter suffered quite a blow, Holly. He’s had ten stitches and most certainly has a concussion, as well as the medication we had to give him. It’ll be a while yet.”
I hear Holly huff to herself.
“And,” the doctor continues in good humor. “We’d still like his hand back so we can do some more blood work and have a proper scan and x-ray.If you wouldn’t mind?”
I feel her hand tremble in mine and know she’s losing her bravado. Losing her tough exterior, I know she’s put on for my benefit.
I try to open my eyes, but I just can’t yet.
Something keeps wanting to pull me back under.
The sensation of her face drawing closer to mine, the pressure of her lips, and a single warm tear is like a magic spell.
A cue for me to rejoin the world.
To reclaim my position as Steven Carter, with Holly at my side.
Seeing her face when I do open my eyes is the best medicine, and all the pain, pressure, and uncertainty of the day vanishes in a single moment.
“You’re awake!” she squeaks, starting to sob, but I can only take her face in both my hands and kiss her full on the lips in reply.
“Uh… you certainly had us worried there for a moment, Mr. Carter,” the doctor says deeply from behind her, sounding like an old clock sounding off the hour.
I recognize his voice, too, now. A lot of things are coming back suddenly.
