“I don’t know that man. I don’t think he’s my husband at all,” I whispered to the nurse above my head.
The guy nurse knelt to my ear from above as wheeled me down the hall. The smell of men’s cologne reaching my nose before his words met my ear. “Let’s get a good look at your brain. See what’s going on there.”
I held the air in my lungs when I realized he wasn’t about to get in the middle of that one. Why would he? He only wanted to do what was on his orders. Do his job and clock out. I was on my own until I could figure out what to do.
Paxton was gone when I returned to my room. Thank God. I needed time to figure things out. Figure out what to do. Where to go. Surely I had parents somewhere.
The trip for the scan of my brain exhausted me. It left me feeling like I had been run over by that truck again. I let darkness takeover once again, dozing to the monotone beeping. There were no visons of a past, no recollections of who I was or where I had come from. Nothing but unconscious darkness.
The next time I woke the window revealed darkness. I felt irritated, but wasn’t sure why. Maybe because the neurologist never came like he said he would. Maybe because I hurt. I hurt everywhere. Even my eyes. Maybe the agitation came from seeing him. Why? Why was he there? Why couldn’t he just go away? I gave him a dirty look and hit my call button.
Paxton nobly walked to my side. “I can help you. What do you need?”
I shoved his hand away from mine. With all my might, I tried to move. Just rolling to my side caused excruciating pain. Pain like I had never felt in my life. At least not that I remembered.
My voice raised, yet it was faint. “I want out of this bed, I want to know what’s wrong with me, and I want you to go away. That’s what I need!” Faded words was all that I could muster. It even pained me to raise my voice. My muscles didn’t work, and the ones that did, hurt too much to move.
“Seriously? Tears? Give me a fucking break,” Paxton said, arrogant tone and all.
I wanted to tell him off, tell him to go fuck himself. The words were on the tip of my tongue, but they never formed in my mouth. The pain wouldn’t let them.
“What can we do for you, Gabriella?” Another new nurse asked. She moved around me, checking vitals and the drip in my I.V. while she spoke.
“I have to pee, and I need something for pain.”
“You have a catheter, but I can give you something for the pain. Tell me where the pain level is, one to ten.”
“Ten, more than ten. Oh, God. Give me something. Please,” I begged. My neck and shoulders hurt every time I moved my head, but I couldn’t help it. I was in unbearable pain, and nothing else was on my mind. I just wanted it to stop.
“Where’s the pain, Gabriella?”
“I don’t know. All over. My head, my neck, my back, my leg. It hurts everywhere. And it still feels like I have to pee.”
“Let me get you some Dilaudid. I’ll be right back.”
I squirmed as much as possible while I waited for relief, holding a flat hand over my face. Trying to squeeze the pain from my temples didn’t work at all.
“Shhh, I’ve got you. Just relax.” Soft words were whispered into my ear and Paxton’s warm body blanketed my chest. His hands moved around me and he held me close to him. “Stop fighting it, Gabriella. You’re only making it worse. You’re okay. I’ve got you,” he said in a quiet tone while leaving soft kisses around my neck. It’s stupid, but it did feel like it helped, like maybe some of the pain was lifted.
Tears slid down both of my eyes and he kissed them away, shushing me with soft words. Confusing emotions flooded my body while I wept in the arms of a man I didn’t know. I didn’t know what to say, what to feel, what to do, nothing. I knew nothing.
Paxton pulled away and kissed my lips with one sweet peck. His thumb brushed a tear from my eye when I settled, letting him be my rock. What else was I supposed to do? It wasn’t like I had anyone else coming to my rescue.
“That’s better. Have I not always taken care of you? Hmmm?” he asked, head tilting to the side with a smile. His fingers brushed hair across the bandage on my forehead in a carrying manner. Soft words matching the gentle touch.
I mocked his quiet tone. “Is that a trick question?”
Paxton snickered and stepped away for the nurse.
Instant relief was felt when she flipped a needle and injected it into my IV. I was loopy within a minute, feeling no pain whatsoever. Unless I moved of course. I floated on a cloud, high above the birds.
“Dr. Mirage said we could take the catheter out. We’ll use the bedpan throughout the night and then try to get you up in the morning.”
My heavy eyelids flew open and I assured her that wouldn’t be happening. “No way. Leave it in. I can’t get up.” There was no way I would be able to stand. I would fall and break the rest of my bones for sure.