The Rise After the Fall

Author's Note:

Hello dear reader,

I'd just like to let you know that this is a long piece which charts the beginnings of a gradual and somewhat tentative romance between two women of very different backgrounds and contrasting personalities, which has its ups and downs. This isn't a quick fix since there is a long build up to the sex. Perhaps I will write a less plot driven story some day... However, for now, please bear with me, your patience is appreciated and I hope you will find it's worth it.

One more thing, if you're not of legal age or shouldn't be reading such a story, you know what to do... Otherwise, please enjoy this piece and take the trouble to vote and comment, as your feedback is very welcome.

~***~

It was just after ten o'clock as I left my sister Kim's house to drive home for the night. I'd had a busy workweek at the marketing agency where I worked full time as a graphic designer, and I was looking forward to getting a good night's sleep. Still, I hadn't seen Kim for a couple of weeks since I'd been busy with events on weekends and it was good to catch up with her. Kim, her husband Michael and I talked, laughed and reminisced over dinner and time flew by until I realized it was time for me to get going.

Kim's house faded into the distance as I swept a few strands my short dark hair away from my eyes before shifting gears. It was only fifteen minutes back to my place in the bustling city at this time of night and I had no need to rush, so I drove unhurriedly along the street.

I'd travelled just over fifty metres along Kim's street when the glimmer of another car's lights appeared ahead of me in the distance. I think it was the speed of the approaching vehicle that caught my attention as I realised the lights were moving far too quickly along the street and towards me for some reason. I checked my speed, stomping the brake ruthlessly, my car's tires screaming in disapproval, but I barely had time to brace myself as the lights filled my vision and I saw nothing but blackness.

My eyes ached. As I fought to open them, bright light flooded my sight and I felt as if I would never see again, the searing pain from such brightness was intense, I felt blinded. My eyes watered uncomfortably as I looked up at an unfamiliar white ceiling which I thought was pretty weird. I couldn't remember going to bed and this certainly wasn't the same ceiling as my apartment.

I tried to turn my head and a sharp pain shot up my neck, a startling pain that churned my stomach. I yelped and reached up to clutch my head, my fingers threading through my short, messy hair as my eyes throbbed. What was going on?

I could hear footsteps, then the sound of a door opening as I tried to gain my bearings. Somehow I managed to turn my head gently to see who was there. A woman in a clinical looking pale uniform approached me from a door on the other side of the room.

"Oh, you're awake. How do you feel?" She asked, although her face was rather blurry I could make out that she had pudgy, soft features and kind eyes. I felt a tiny bit more comfortable, she looked friendly and that helped me feel a little less afraid.

"I, I don't know, where am I?" I asked, wondering how I got here in this unfamiliar place.

"You're here at Mercy Presence Hospital in Aurora. You were in a car accident but you're going to be okay."

"Okay? What do you mean okay? What happened?" I looked down at myself and saw the drip in my wrist, then noticed the blurry drip stand beside my bed.

"The car crash left you with a few minor injuries, but nothing life threatening. You're a fighter, and a lucky one too-these injuries won't cause you too much trouble once they heal. The doctor will fill you in on the details, I'll see if they're able to come and see you now, okay?"

"Wait, how long have I been here for?" I blurted out, as the nurse turned to walk away. She turned back, smiling empathetically, hearing the panic in my voice.

"This is your third day here, it's Monday now. We placed you in an induced coma so your body could repair itself a little easier. I'll be back in a moment, just rest here until I return, alright miss?" She disappeared through the door, smiling kindly over her shoulder.

I relaxed in the bed, giving up with questions for a moment, since my head continued to throb monotonously as I slumped back into my pillows. The slim windows high above the wall beside my bed closed out the clear sky and I really craved some fresh air, anything aside from the smell of detergent and hand wash. Still, I could barely move my limbs, let alone get out of bed to open the window.

I tried to think back to what I could remember about the accident. Aside from the headlights of the other car, I realized I couldn't remember much else about what had happened. As far as I could tell I hadn't been in the wrong, when it came to staying on my side of the road at least. The last thing I wanted was to have caused an accident and I found myself wondering how the other driver had fared-had they been injured as well?

My thoughts were interrupted by the door clicking open as a woman stepped into the room, followed by the same nurse from several minutes earlier. This new woman, who I assumed was the doctor, looked every part a medical professional in her white coat, her splendid, dark hair tied back impeccably, a light sprinkling of makeup highlighting her already fine features. She looked as if she were in her early thirties at the oldest. She carried herself with an air of influence but she had a graceful poise as she approached my bed, clipboard in hand.

"Good morning Sarah, how are you? I'm Doctor Wilson, by the way."

"Er, good morning," I said, realizing I barely even knew how to decipher what time of day it was, let alone describe how I felt, "Well, I guess I'm kinda in a bit of pain right now..."

"Yes, I'm not surprised, it was a pretty severe accident. I'll administer you some light sedatives to take the edge off, alright. Do you have any allergies?"

"No, no I don't," I replied, shifting to face her as she moved closer to me, marking something on her clipboard. While her eyes were averted I seized the chance to secretly admire her beauty, I'd allow myself to feel guilty about it later on if I had time. She truly was beautiful, I thought.

"Okay, good. So, where exactly is the pain and discomfort?" Wilson asked kindly, her eyes flashing back up to mine.

"My neck, my head and, ow, my legs," I winced as I tried to move my limbs.

"Okay, I'll take a look at you. So there's no pain around your ribs or at your chest area, that you've noticed?"

"No, why is that?" I asked, concern rising to the forefront my mind.

"We just need to make sure you don't have any cracked or broken ribs or traces of severe chest trauma," she reassured me. "I'll just take a look at your legs, if you don't mind?"

"Yeah, um, go ahead," I consented, bracing myself to see what my legs looked like.

"So, just as a warning, there are is a rather severe laceration on your left leg especially, while your right is a little better. It's nothing that won't heal with time of course and scarring isn't very likely since we patched you up quickly. It's all bandaged but I'll check the general area." She looked down at me, gauging my reaction.

"What other injuries do I have?" I asked, frowning with worry.

"Let's see," she looked down at the paperwork in her hand, "Concussion, a cut on your scalp which is hidden in your hairline and not visible, which will heal just fine by the way. Also some scratches from windscreen shards and other shrapnel. Your neck is probably a bit strained from the stress from the impact, nothing rest and perhaps a visit to a physiotherapist won't be able to help," she explained as she bent slightly and lifted the quilt and sheet away from my legs.

I looked down to see a long adhesive bandage along my left leg, beginning from the base of my knee which ended halfway down my shin. There were a few smaller dressings in scattered patches along both my legs and she was right, my right leg wasn't as severely damaged as my left. She scanned my battered legs and she nodded, looking back up at me.

"They're healing well, soon the bruising will fade and your left leg will be much better within the month, maybe even sooner if you're lucky and take care of yourself."

"Alright. I'll be able to walk right?" I asked hopefully.

"Yes, just take it easy when you get on your feet."

She began to cover my legs with the bedding and the nurse hurried to tuck in the sheets for her, assisting where she could. "Thank you," Doctor Wilson remarked appreciatively as she returned to my side and jotted down more notes before fixing her eyes on me.

"I'll just check your head to make sure everything's fine, if that's alright Sarah?"

"Yeah, sure. Go ahead," I vaguely hoped I didn't sound too eager. I found I couldn't look away from her face as she pulled out a disposable glove from a small packet in her coat, slid the packet back and leaned in towards me, her fingers turning my chin up to face her just enough to be directive.

I felt my muscles tense up uncontrollably as I tried not to shake with the electricity that seemed to flow from her hand. I was completely caught off guard by the strange sensation that sparked through me as her hand fluttered across my forehead, cheek and jaw.

However, there was another strong and intoxicating effect which revealed itself in the fragrance of her perfume. I held my breath, then decided it would be more subtle if I simply took shallower breaths, which spared me the full force of her intoxicating aroma which had me swooning.

Her eyes searched my features for any signs of pain as she checked various pressure points in my face. I hoped she hadn't noticed anything about my reactions, such as my unusually rapid pulse which I swore must have been visible from my exposed neckline.

And then she took my pulse, her fingers tight against my wrist, even as I felt my heart rate accelerate even faster, blood rushing through my ears like a torrent. Shit, surely she would notice? Her eyes flicked up to mine and I thought I saw them widen slightly, before she let go of my wrist and took a final note on her clipboard.

"Well, your pulse is elevated, but with everything that's going through your mind right now, it's no cause to be too concerned about," her lips lifted in a tiny smile.

"Listen, doctor, I need to know something," I said abruptly, pushing myself up on my pillows restlessly.

"Yes, what is it?" she asked, surprised at my suddenness.

"What happened to the other driver, the one in this accident, I mean. Where are they?" Doctor Wilson inclined her head rigidly and sighed.

"I'm afraid that they've... Passed away. I was informed that their vehicle collided with yours before apparently hit a tree at the side of the road. They didn't make it through the impact, so I'm told."

"Oh," was all I could manage as I looked down at the drip needle in my wrist glumly, fidgeting with the sheets wrapped around me.

"Listen, Sarah, for what it's worth, and just so you know, it's a miracle you didn't pass away. I heard the wreckage was pretty... Severe, as you can imagine," she frowned gravely before shuffling through the papers on her clipboard.

"So at this point, I can say that you're free to go in the next couple of hours although I suggest you take at least a week off from work. I'll get the nurse to administer some pain relievers and instructions for looking after the bandages and you can be on your way. We'll get the necessary paperwork ready for you before you leave. It's been a pleasure to help you, Sarah," she said, smiling.

"Oh, okay, thank you doctor," I croaked, feeling a little more drained after hearing the news of the other driver's fate. Doctor Wilson just sighed empathetically, not quite so sure what to say.

"You're most welcome. Take care, okay," she stepped back from me, pulling off her glove and dropping it into the bin near the door.

"I'll try. See you doc."

"Bye," she smiled and turned to leave the room, the nurse staying behind with me.

"She's a wonderful doctor, one of our best," the nurse smiled kindly.

"Yes, she seems very down to earth," I sighed, already missing Doctor Wilson's eyes and voice.

"She is, that's for sure. Now, I'll bring you your painkillers, alright Sarah. I'll be back in a moment." The nurse departed, leaving me to my own thoughts for a little while.

I left the hospital two hours later, after calling Kim and arranging for her to drive me back to my house, seeing as my car had been "broken into a million shards" according to her during the phone call. She and Michael had hurried to the scene as soon as she heard the "enormous bang", knowing that something had happened in their street.

They'd witnessed firsthand the devastation which had occurred and although they couldn't get me out of my Camry which I was trapped in, they'd stayed by my side. Michael and their other neighbours had checked the other driver's condition and couldn't save him, so they focused much of their attention on me until the emergency services and police had arrived.

Kim had almost burst into tears as she and Michael had arrived at the hospital to collect me, Michael trying to hold himself together for all of us. I couldn't imagine what they'd seen. "Oh my god, I'm so glad you're okay," Kim choked as she marched into the hospital, giving me a long but gentle hug, mindful of my tender head and my obvious limp.

"I'm so glad to see you both again," I admitted, patting Michael on the shoulder before accepting his gentle hug, a noticeable contrast to his usual rough and hearty ones.

"Let's get out of here, huh?" Michael swallowed and together we turned to walk out from the hospital, finally beginning the sluggish process of moving on.

That first night once I'd left the hospital, as Kim, Michael and I had dinner together back at my house, a news story caught our attention. An inquest into the 'shocking' car accident on Friday night at Hill Street in Aurora had disclosed some revealing information.

The male driver who had been killed had been drinking that night, had been found to have a skyrocketed blood alcohol reading which was far from within the legal range of allowance. The newsreader continued by explaining that the driver and sole occupant of the other vehicle, who had somehow survived with relatively minor injuries, had been discharged from hospital earlier in the day.

They also announced that I wouldn't be facing any charges, which I had been concerned about until I spoke with the local law enforcement. Fortunately though, the officer assured me that I wouldn't be held responsible for the accident and my record was clear.

Climbing into bed that night after a well needed shower, shortly after Kim and Michael had left, was a relief. I was exhausted and craved some sleep, plus I still ached somewhat, despite the painkillers which I had been taking as arranged by Doctor Wilson.

I thought of the past three days and how they'd proved to be life changing for both Kim, Michael and myself. However, I couldn't ever disregard the painful grief of the mournful family and friends of the driver who had been unlucky. It was a awful event for all those involved.

I was truly glad to be out of hospital, the fresh air of the outside world and the familiarity of my own home was something I really appreciated. I realized I'd really taken for granted the freedom and comfort of my own home, which my stay in the hospital hadn't provided so well. In fact, I knew more than anything else that I'd been taking my own life for granted up to that point. I guess the whole thing had been a reality check and despite the darkness of the situation, I knew it was something that had changed my mindset forever. I would make the most of my life from now on.

On the Friday night of the fourth week after the accident, I decided to distract myself from the thoughts circulating through my mind regarding the fact that it had been exactly a month since the accident. I'd been working for the past three weeks after I was granted a week off to recover from the worst of my injuries. I was somewhat tired after another week of work, just like always, but at least the pain had faded, as had the majority of my wounds and my limp.

I thought I'd visit the local art gallery, hoping to find some kind of solace on a Friday night. Some colleagues had mentioned that there was an exhibition opening night occurring at this gallery, so I figured, why not? Maybe I'd even find some inspiration for some projects at work, I thought to myself as I caught a cab to the gallery. I had bought another car, but I hadn't been driving much since I wanted to ease back into it. People advised me that would be best, including my newly acquainted therapist.

I checked my watch as I arrived at the gallery, just before nine o'clock, perfect timing I thought, as I paid for the trip. Farewelling the friendly cab driver, I stepped onto the kerb and crossed the footpath and up the stone steps to the entryway of the gallery. A crowd of lively people were filtering through the large foyer doors while a few others were still incoming, so I had arrived at an ideal time.

I felt confident following the formal dress code in the slim pants and white cotton shirt I wore. Seeing as it was a warm evening in the vanishing days of spring I wore a fitted, black blazer made with a light fabric blend. I paid for entry at the foyer counter and allowed myself to be swept along with the crowd as we streamed through the foyer into the gallery space.

I happened to stumble into several work colleagues, one of whom was Nick, the office gossiper who loved knowing about anyone and everything. I joined a little group with him and some other colleagues, as well as their spouses and their friends, just so I wouldn't feel completely isolated for the night. Sure, Nick could be a pain, but for tonight at least, he was as harmless as his keen nature and enthusiastic humour would allow him to be. We chatted amongst the group while we waited for the opening speech by the featured artist and the gallery director.

After the speeches, which were a brief five minutes, the large group disbanded as we set out to meander through the multifaceted walls and areas of the gallery to examine the artist's work of realism paintings and photography prints. I found myself wandering off from Nick and my other colleagues to soak up the sights on my own. I prefer enjoying works of art with my own company while I objectively analyse and absorb them.

After about half an hour of wandering around from one work to the next, I turned away from the work I was viewing to continue onwards in the room, when I was suddenly distracted from my thoughts. A familiar face caught my attention, a woman with dark hair and an unforgettable grace stood on the outskirts of the room, a glass of champagne in hand as she surveyed a painting before her.

I didn't know whether to approach her or not, after all it had been a while and I doubted she would even remember me. I scanned her surrounding area and saw that no one seemed to be with her, people circulated around her like schools of fish while she remained motionless amongst them like a statue. Perhaps this presented a good chance, even though the butterflies in my stomach were screaming at me otherwise. I remembered my goal in life to take opportunities when I could, and decided to act.

Throwing caution to the winds, I realized my legs were carrying me through the crowd as I kept her in my sights. She looked like an apparition, a memory that I'd thought of over the past few weeks solidifying before me. Although I didn't enjoy squeezing through the crowd, it gave me a little time to realize I had no idea what to say or do. But I couldn't help myself and she did seem kind of solitary, at the very least I could just greet her and allow her space if she didn't want company.