Number 216.
I stood at her door, staring down at my toes flush against the seam of the threshold, my hands knotted around the door frame. Blake plucked my fingers free and laced them with his. “Go on in, baby. She’s waiting for you.”
One step in front of the other. That’s what I focused on. Not the drab white walls, the green curtains or the beeping.
And there she was. A mess of a person, taped up with bandages and casts, laced with wires, and surrounded by machines, and somehow smiling.
“Eva,” she rasped, reaching a weak arm out to me.
“Oh, Sandra.” I ran to her side and scooped her hand in my own. “Are you okay?” Such a stupid question. Of course she wasn’t.
“I’m okay.” She gave my hand a small squeeze and looked up at Blake. “Hi, Blake.” She smiled, bashful.
“Hey, sweetie. You gave us quite a scare there. How you holding up?” He patted the hand I held.
Her eyes rolled a bit as she tried to focus on him. “Like stir-fried shit, but it could’ve been worse. I could be feeling nothing right now.” We all fell silent, unsure of how to respond to that. “Besides, things were getting boring. Figured I’d liven them up a bit.” She offered a slight smile and we chuckled at the unexpectedness of her statement. Sandra winced, drawing her arms inward to cover her broken ribs. “Remind me not to do that again for a long time.”
“Is there anything you need?” Blake offered.
Her head feebly rolled back and forth. “No, thank you.”
I turned to Blake. “Mind if I have some alone time with her?”
“You sure you’ll be okay now?”
“Yeah.” I gave him a small, appreciative smile. “Thanks so much for everything. You always seem to be rescuing me.”
“I’m just glad you’re both all right.” He glanced down at Sandra, who was starting to drift off. “Call me if you need anything. Anything at all. Doesn’t matter what time it is. And try to get some rest, young lady. Don’t overdo it.”
She smiled weakly. “Thanks, Blake.”
He patted her leg and placed a kiss on top of my head before walking out of the room.
I turned my attention back to Sandra. “You sure you’re okay? You look like you hurt all over.” My eyes searched her body, taking count of all her injuries, and I couldn’t help my frown.
“I’ll be fine.” She looked as though she was fighting fading off.
“I’m so sorry, San. So sorry. I don’t know what happened. I froze. I should’ve stopped it and I didn’t.”
She blinked, her eyelids heavy. “Stop that . . . couldn’t do anything . . . I was there . . . not your fault.”
“I know that, but—”
“But nothing. You did everything you could. I might be dead if it weren’t for you.”
“But look at you . . .”
That must have struck a nerve because her eyes popped open and she replied with more force than I thought she was capable of. “Yes, look at me. I’m alive and I’ll heal.” She winced at her effort.
“But you could’ve been . . . you could’ve—”
“Died?” She relaxed again, covering her throat. “Can I have those ice chips?”
I grabbed the pink container and slipped a couple pieces onto her tongue.
She rolled them around, and swallowed the water. “I know how close I came. But now we get to live, right? Every day like it’s our last.”
I closed my mouth, unsure of how to respond, but she continued, “Eva, you let your life slip by every day and I can’t stand it. I’m actually grateful for what happened today because it opened my eyes.” She covered my hand with her own. “Just find what makes you happy. Don’t wait till it’s too late.” She smiled weakly and I looked away, ashamed.
Had I been that obvious? Clearing my throat, I looked back at her. “You should get some rest.” I kissed her on top of her head and she cringed again. “Sorry.”
“It’s all good . . . just glad you’re here with me.” She sank deeper into the pillows.
“I’ll be right here.” I covered her hand with my own.
Her eyes got heavy and her head lagged to the side. “Think about what I said.” As Sandra drifted off, she said one more thing, her whisper barely audible, “You gotta live, Eva. You haven’t been.”
I leaned back in my chair and stared at her. I’d almost lost her. Hell, I’d almost lost me! It could have easily been me standing in the path of that car. I mashed my forehead into the off-white waffle blanket that covered Sandra’s body and listened to the monotonous beeping that filled the room.
Flashing back to this morning, our conversation played in my mind on an endless loop. Everything she intended to do with her life. All of her ambitions. Her dreams. Nearly shattered in a split second of time. Just like that, it all could have been over.