“Bella? Are you there?”
Isabella’s voice was a croak when she asked, “Is she okay?”
“Broken bones and –” Annie stopped.
“And what?” Isabella pushed.
“They’ve induced a coma because of the head injuries.”
Isabella threw the covers off the bed and jumped out.
“Bella, I know something went wrong with Prentice,” Annie was talking as Isabella ran from her room, down the hall to where she stowed her luggage. “He’s not talking to Dougal and Dad told me to leave you alone, you needed time and then you’d call me. I know you probably don’t want to come all the way back here but –”
Isabella cut her off. “I’ll be on the next flight.”
A moment of silence then, “What?”
“I’ll be on the next flight,” Isabella repeated as she lugged out one of her bags and carried it down the hall.
“You’re… coming?” Annie sounded astounded.
“I’ll call you back when I have details.”
“You’ll… call?” Annie still sounded astounded.
Isabella didn’t have time for Annie’s astonishment.
“Annie,” Isabella said evenly, using everything she had to calm her breathing, her heart and her mind and not scream with fear, anger and impatience, “I need to get off the phone and call the airlines. I’ll ring you when I know when I’m arriving.”
Another moment of silence then, “Okay.”
Isabella nodded and was about to take the phone from her ear and hit the off button when Annie spoke again.
“Bella, honey, it’s going to be all right.”
Isabella was no nurse (no matter what Mikey told the children) but she knew inducing comas because of head injuries made the chances of everything being “all right” pretty dismal.
And Isabella had learned, over and over, that very little ended up “all right”.
But she couldn’t think of that now.
She had a plane to catch.
She didn’t know which one yet or when it left but whatever or whenever, she was going to catch it.
* * * * *
Prentice
Prentice stood looking out the window of his daughter’s hospital room thinking that there was only one thing worse than watching your always full of life and laughter wife wasting away in a matter of months.
That was seeing your always full of life and laughter six year old daughter lying in a coma in a hospital room.
These were his thoughts when the door opened and Annie walked in.
Prentice began to smile a tired smile. The accident was two days ago and Annie had barely left the hospital. Debs and his mother had fallen to pieces but Annie had been a rock.
The smile died when Annie, who was setting down suitcases, was followed by Elle.