the tips of her fingers on Christina’s neck.
“I don’t know, maybe a six. I don’t have to go home if the pain gets really bad?” More of a question than a statement, and alarm bells were ringing so loudly, Anna felt as if she needed to cover her ears.
“I’ll be right back,” the nurse said. “It’s about time for her medication.”
“Mom, I don’t think I’ll feel like going home tomorrow.” Christina squeezed her eyes, closing them so tightly, they crinkled.
“I’m sure if Ed feels you need to stay an extra day, he’ll tell us.”
The nurse returned with a small white paper cup and a fresh pitcher of ice water. She filled the cup she’d been using, then handed Christina a small white pill. “This will help the pain; it’ll make you sleepy, too, which is just what the doctor ordered.”
Christina swallowed the pill, then relaxed a bit.
The nurse typed a password in the built-in computer on the wall opposite the bed, her fingers clicking across the keyboard, then closed down the program, leaving a screen saver with the name of the hospital jumping across the screen in small blue letters. “I’ll leave you girls; if you need me, just push this,” and she showed them the button built into the bed. “I’m just a buzz away if you need anything. If the pain is too much, we can give her another dose. Dr. Laird doesn’t like to see his patients suffer.”
“Thanks,” Anna said.
As soon as the nurse left the room, Mandy spoke to Christina. “Before that pill sends you to never-never land, can you tell me what happened? How you managed to tumble down stairs like a Slinky?”
“What’s a Slinky?” Christina asked, her words already sluggish.
“Never mind; it was before your time. Mine, too. Just rest,” Mandy said, and sighed.
They both hovered over Christina like two mother hens. Anna was so grateful to have a friend who cared about her daughter almost as much as she did. “I know what you’re trying to do, and I appreciate it. I just don’t think now is the time. She’s so heavily medicated, who knows what she’ll say? Let’s be patient, Mandy. Please, because if you’re thinking what I know you’re thinking, this could turn into a three-ring circus.”
“I know. Listen, I’m dying for some caffeine, and I know that you must be as well. There’s a cafeteria somewhere. I’ll go find it.” Mandy took her tote bag and left the room, careful not to disturb Christina.
With her daughter zonked out, Anna returned to the sofa, the events of the day finally catching up with her. Her eyes felt like they had lead weights on them. She closed them, just for a minute.
“Hey, sleepyhead,” came a male voice. “Time to rise and shine.”
Anna jerked awake, stunned when she saw the room pooled in early-morning shadows, the sun rising, casting rays of soft golden light through the slats in the blinds.
“Christina.” She pushed herself off the sofa and leapt across the small room, where she saw that her daughter was still sleeping soundly. Pushing herself as close to the bed as possible, trying to put as much distance as she could between her and him, she quickly assessed the room. The only way out was through the door, and she couldn’t lift Christina from the bed with her entire leg encased in plaster. No, she needed to face this son of a bitch. Once and for all.
“What are you doing here?” Surprise, shock, and anger siphoned the blood from her face.
“I was concerned. I tried calling you, but you didn’t answer. So here I am.”
Protective instinct kicked in, and Anna positioned herself as close to her daughter as she could without actually crawling in the bed with her.
“Where is Mandy?” she asked.
“That I couldn’t tell you, but there are many other things I can tell you if you want to know.”
“She went for coffee,” Anna said. She felt her heart pumping, prayed that the drugs in Christina’s system would keep her knocked out. She eyed the call button on the bed, slowly inching her hand over the bed’s heavy, plasticlike railing, ready to push it when suddenly, the door opened.
“Excuse me,” said a woman, glancing at the hospital bed. “Wrong room.”
He ignored the interruption. “She must have gone to Seattle for it, huh?” he suggested, tossing his head back and laughing maniacally. “Get it? Seattle? Starbucks?”
Anna scanned the room for her cell phone. It was on the sofa, wedged in between the cushions. She