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I would pay the cleaning company if needed. I wasn’t worried about the shop too much, either. I’d buy all-new equipment as needed for my beloved.
All that madness took a backseat in my mind to Samantha’s well-being right now. Equipment was replaceable. Samantha was one of a kind. Mine.
Genevieve spelled Roberta over the next three days or so. Once she took Jerry aside and asked if they were getting any sleep. Jerry outright told her, “No, ma'am! We'll sleep when Samantha’s out of the woods.”
While they took turns leaving the hospital briefly throughout each day to take care of who knows what, I understood. Oh, boy, did I understand! It was impossible to tear any of us away from Samantha.
Finally came the day when the doctor told us that Samantha was out of the woods regarding the brain bleeders (properly called a subdural hematoma, I finally learned) and after-effects of the head injury.
He said in conclusion, “We’ll get her moving around a little before discharging her. Except for the skin and muscle bruising, she’ll be none the worse for wear. Her bones will heal perfectly well. In twelve weeks or so, she won't know that she even slipped and fell.”
Samantha
Igot to the point where I knew the boys were with me. But I had a hard time keeping my eyes open.
There were quiet moments when I knew Leighton was at my side. When Davie or Jerry wanted to sit with me, he’d go across the hall.
Later I learned that Leighton’s sisters were helping. I later heard they made sure the guys had plenty of food and beverages.
Once I heard Roberta cheering up Jerry as they chatted in the doorway of my room. I put together that they realized they had a lot of job skills and interests in common.
I was full up with who knew what via IVs. I dozed all the time. Real sleep was another matter entirely.
A hospital is sure a noisy place.
Leighton
Later, when the doctor had gone with a final, “When Occupational Therapy shows her how to move around safely, we’ll see where we stand.”
Samantha hadn’t even gotten out of bed yet, so who knew how long that would take?
Her sleepy eyes fluttered open. She saw me and blew me a kiss from her lips. Her brow furrowed. Because of her crushed ribs, she couldn’t take very deep breaths.
Because of her ribs, she spoke quietly, paused a lot to take shallow breaths, “Leighton? Baby? Are you … still … here? You silly … boy!?”
"Hey there, Sleeping Beauty," I said with a gentle grin, “I'm here as much as those other two knights in shining armor of yours will allow me. That’s one tough pair of guard dogs you have there.”
She lifted a brow in acknowledgment.
I blew her a kiss over my fingers. She moved her lips as if to catch it. The side of her face was far too bruised to get into a kissing spree.
“How are you feeling, darling? My curious mind and my aching heart want to know how you feel.”
She whispered, with a raspy dry throat, slurring only a little today, but pausing to accommodate her lungs and ribcage, "Like … hit by … a truck. And it … backed up … over … me … dumped … cargo … on top … my … aching … body."
I grabbed the glass of ice water and aimed the straw between her lips.
I was encouraged by her sense of humor. But her good humor took a turn, “Baby? The shop? Alex? Amy?”
“All in good time, darling.”
She protested, again with a raspy voice, “Tell me. What … happened?”
"Well, on the injury side of things, there’s only good. You’re on the mend."
I gave her the straw again.
“Who did this?”
