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“I was making sure she was alright,” I muse.
“Awful lot for a stranger,” Michael retorts. “You could have left her on the side of the road.”
I say nothing because he is right. I could have, and it wouldn’t have made a difference. Still, I can’t imagine a reality where I would have done that. Not after getting that look at her face just before I veered into the pole. Even though I don’t believe in God, I know an angel when I see one.
For her sake, I hope that we never cross paths again.
Next time, I don’t think I’ll be able to walk away.
CHAPTERSEVEN
Anna
Sounds of crunching glass. Squealing tires. Voices I can’t see the faces of. The dark, taunting tone of Andrey’s voice.
I know you’ll be tenacious… You want to free your father, don’t you?
My mind attacks me with the previous twenty-four hours again and again before it finally frees me. When my eyes open, I’m not shocked at finding myself in a hospital, but at the feeling the hospital is familiar. Have I woken up before? As I go to scratch my head, I notice my arm has an IV in it, and I groan. Oh, how Iloatheneedles. At least for the sake of the hospital staff, I am glad I was knocked out for that. I’ve been known to go into a flight-or-fight when it comes to needles, and most of the time, fight wins.
“Well, good evening,” a nurse says next to me with a big smile on her face. “Are you able to stay awake? Can you hear me?”
“I can,” I breathe and start to sit up, but she puts a cautious hand on my arm.
“Let’s take it easy for a while, okay? While it doesn’t look like you bumped your head, you did have a little bit of glass we had to pull out of your scalp. Don’t worry, though, it was just skin deep, and you didn’t even need stitches. And most of all, you have been passed out for a while. You need to do a better job of making sure you eat breakfast and have enough water.”
It dawns on me that I haven’t eaten anything since the day before my visit to Andrey’s house. My nerves kept me nauseous; I couldn’t have helped it. I nod at her and clear my throat. “How long do I have to be here?”
“All you have to do is answer my questions, keep down a single meal, and you’ll be all good to go,” she smiles. After a nod from me, we go through a list of standard questions. Thankfully, I have the mental capacity to remember they likely have my Anna Bates ID, so I tell them that name, though I don’t know the social security number by heart.
Once she’s done, she puts the chart on the end of my bed. “Alright, you are cleared to go once you have that meal. Your friend insisted on bringing something for you, though. I’m sure it’ll be better than cafeteria food.”
“My friend?” I ask, finally sitting up with her blessing. “Who?”
“Vanessa. You told me to call her one of the times you maintained consciousness for a bit,” she explains. “Though, I really thought your boyfriend would have stayed around. He hasn’t been back.”
Boyfriend?The sheer mention brings it all back to me. The man who stepped out of the car, how beautiful he was… the feeling of his arms around me. A dreamy sort of sigh escapes me as the nurse leaves my bedside. At least he hadn’t been a dream. Though, it dawns on me only after the nurse has gone that her knowing him meant that he had come all the way to the hospital with me. I’m guessing to make sure I’m alright.How sweet.
I wonder if the nurse managed to catch his name, and I think about asking her, knowing right away it wouldn’t make sense. She called him myboyfriend. Had he lied to come back here with me? If so, why would he leave before I woke up? Also, a silly thought, he probably has a life that can’t completely get put on hold to hang out with some ditz who made him crash his car. Man, I really don’t feel myself; I blame it on the lack of food.
“Oh my god,” a voice breathes. I barely have time to make out who the person is before Vanessa collides with me in a bear hug. Once she’s done squeezing me, she backs up and takes hold of my face. Of course, Vanessa is as radiant as ever. Her tanned skin from her most recent vacation with Ethan gives her a gorgeous glow that matches her chocolate-colored hair beautifully. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” I assure her with a weak smile. “Got busy and forgot to eat, then collapsed downtown is all,” I say in a bit of a mocking tone, to make a joke at my own expense. I know it’s silly to have forgotten to eat for so long. I rub my temples a bit. “Somehow, I forgot to put anything in my body that isn’t coffee.”
“Thank God you have me,” Vanessa grins and presents me with a takeout bag from a café we used to go to all the time.
I am grinning from ear to ear as I slowly take hold of the bag. “The cheese panini?” I ask, curious if she remembered my usual order.
She nods and grins. “Extra mozzarella, basil, and a heap of French fries with the aioli dipping sauce.”
“You’re too good to me,” I groan.
Vanessa props herself up on the edge of the bed. “Eat up. They won’t let you out of here until you keep down a meal.”
“So, I heard,” I sigh, rolling my eyes. Taking out the tray, I take a greedy bite of the sandwich. It’s still warm and gooey. I actually moan at how good it is.
“You know, maybe I should have gotten you a salad with some chicken or something,” she laughs. “You’re such a picky eater, it’s no wonder you’re malnourished.”
I stick my tongue out at her as soon as I swallow my food. “I eat usually,” I say defensively. “I’ve just had a lot going on the last few days, and it slipped my mind.”
