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A nurse is checking her vitals when I enter the room. She smiles when she sees me. “You must be Lucy’s daughter.”
“I’m Winter. The nurse at the front desk said it was okay that I’m early.” I thumb over my shoulder and bite the inside of my cheek.
“Your timing is perfect. She’s starting to come around again. She woke up for a few minutes a couple hours ago. She’ll be groggy, and she might not remember what happened. That’s normal. It can take anywhere from a few hours to a few days or sometimes longer for the memories to come back. Is your dad with you?”
“Oh, uh, no. I biked over.”
“Ah, okay. Why don’t you have a seat?” She motions to the chair beside the bed. “When she’s alert, you can press this button.”
“Okay.”
The nurse leaves, and I take a seat in the chair beside the bed. Mom looks frail and small, machines hooked up to her battered body. I take her hand, noting the scrapes and bruises littering her non-casted arm. There’s a round, blue spot on her biceps—maybe from where my dad grabbed her the other day. There might be matching circles on the other side, where his fingers dug in.
I catalog her injuries while I wait for her to come around. It’s just after nine in the morning when she finally hums and her fingers twitch. A few minutes later, her eyes flutter open. She blinks blearily, like she’s struggling to focus. That happens half a dozen times before her gaze settles on me. She opens her mouth, but all that comes out is a raspy croak.
“Hey. Hi, Mom.”
Her eyes dart around, panicked.
“It’s okay. You’re okay. You’re in the hospital, but you’re okay.” My voice cracks, and the tears start to fall. “I’m so glad you’re awake. You scared us pretty bad.” I run my thumb over her knuckles. “I’m gonna call the doctor, okay? Let them know you’re awake.”
She watches as I hit the button to call the nurse. “You’ve got a few broken bones and a concussion, but the doctor said you’ll be okay,” I assure her.
The nurse and the doctor arrive, and she introduces herself as Dr. Coule. She explains that my mom had a bad fall, and she required surgery to repair some of her broken bones, but that they expect her to make a full recovery. The nurse brings a straw to Mom’s lips, and she takes a small sip, grimacing with the movement. They give her a moment before Dr. Coule asks the question I’m scared to know the answer to. “Do you remember how you fell?”
She tries to shake her head, but her brow furrows in pain.
“Take it easy. No sudden movements,” Dr. Coule says. “You don’t remember what happened?”
“No,” Mom croaks.
Dr. Coule gives her a reassuring smile. “Event amnesia isn’t uncommon with this kind of accident. The brain has to work hard to protect itself. It’s possible your memory of the events will return over time. Your only job now is to rest and heal.”
“Is there a chance she won’t remember?” I ask.
“It’s possible, but usually the memories come back with time.” She tests Mom’s reflexes and ability to follow a pen with her eyes. “Everything looks good. I’ll be back before my shift ends to check in on you, Lucy.” Dr. Coule turns to me. “Your mom will probably only be awake for short periods of time at first, but as she stabilizes, that will increase.”
“Okay, thank you.”
Once the nurse and Dr. Coule leave, I settle into the chair and take her hand again.
She clears her throat and whispers, “Clay.”
“What about Dad?” I swallow past the lump in my throat.
“Is he here?” Her eyes shift toward the door.
I look over my shoulder, but there’s no one there. I shake my head and bite my tongue.
“Can you call him?” she asks.
“You want him to come to the hospital?” My stomach twists and sinks.
She frowns, like she’s trying to figure out my expression. “Time’s it?”
“It’s a little after nine. I can message him, let him know you’re awake, if you want.”
She starts to nod, but grimaces and croaks out, “Please.”
