wake up at any moment, but I have nothing to base it on.”
Did she imagine it, or did one of his eyelids just flutter momentarily?
“Are you trying to open your eyes?” She looked closely to make sure that she wasn’t imagining it.
And there it was again, the same slight flutter. “I need to call Bridget in here.”
One of the fingers of the hand she was holding twitched. She felt it.
“You moved your finger, David. If you can, do it again.”
The finger twitched once more.
Sari gasped. “Sweet, merciful Fates.” She turned toward the open door. “Bridget! Come in here. David is waking up!”
The doctor rushed in, her eyes going to the monitors first. “What did you see?”
“His left eyelid fluttered, and his right pointer finger twitched.” Sari lifted their conjoined hands.
“It might have been involuntary movements.”
As Bridget came closer, both of David’s eyelids fluttered, he groaned, and then his eyelids lifted all the way, only to slam shut again.
“It’s too bright in here.” Bridget rushed to the light switch and dimmed the illumination. “You can open your eyes now, David.”
Slowly, as if it required a monumental effort, his eyelids lifted a millimeter at a time.
“Welcome back, my love.” Sari croaked through a choked-up throat.
His hand lifted a little and then dropped back. “Why?” he murmured.
“Why am I crying? Because I’m so relieved.”
Steven rushed into the room. “I saw it on the application. Welcome back, David. You have no idea how happy I am to see you on this side. Losing my first transitioning Dormant would have killed my reputation.”
Bridget rolled her eyes. “It’s too crowded in here, Steven. Please wait outside.”
When the young doctor left, she smiled apologetically. “I need to have a talk with him about his bedside manner.” She turned to the sink, filled a cup with water, stuck a straw in it, and handed it to Sari. “You can give David a little to drink.”
When he took a small sip, she smiled at him. “We haven’t been introduced. I’m Doctor Bridget.”
“Nice to meet you.”
He retook the straw and finished the entire cup. “Can I have more?”
His voice was so weak that it made Sari want to cry. Instead, she forced a smile and handed the empty cup to Bridget.
The doctor refilled it and then handed it back to Sari. “Go slow this time. You don’t want to throw up on the bed.”
“Am I immortal now?”
“We will know soon enough. There is no rush.” Bridget looked at Sari. “I will leave the two of you alone for a few minutes, and then I’ll get Steven to come in and unhook all the wires.”
Sari didn’t expect it to happen so fast. “Isn’t it too soon? What if he relapses?”
“He won’t.” Bridget put a hand on her shoulder. “It’s over, Sari. David is fine.”
“Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me. Thank the Fates. I had very little to do with it.”
When the doctor left the room, Sari leaned over David and hugged him gently. “I was so scared.”
With noticeable effort, he lifted his arms and dropped them over her back. It wasn’t an embrace, but it was good enough. “I have so much that I need to tell you,” he whispered in her ear.
She wondered what it could be. Did he hear her and Annani talking about Gudbrand?
“I have a lot to tell you too, but it can all wait for when you regain your strength. I’m just so happy to have you back. You gave us quite a scare. You couldn’t breathe, and you needed a ventilator. I wasn’t sure that you would make it.”
“I almost didn’t.”
Her heart sank to her stomach. “You were aware of that?”
“I saw the doorway to heaven.”
Her heart skipped a beat. “How did it look?”
“Just a bright light, but it wasn’t about how it looked but rather how it felt. Endless love and peace. It called to me, and resisting the pull was nearly impossible.”
“But you chose to stay.”
“I love you.”
A knock sounded at the door, and a moment later, Steven walked in. “Ready to get rid of all the wires, David?”
“I can’t wait.”
“You should wait outside.” Steven smiled apologetically. “I know that the two of you are a couple, but some things are better not witnessed unless you are a medical professional.”
Sari had a good idea about what he was referring to, and she didn’t want to embarrass David by staying.
“I’ll get David a change of clothes.”
“That’s an excellent idea. Something loose and easy to pull on and off would be best.”
55
David
Once Steven was done removing all