I was unsure as to whether or not I should let him die or continue. Because of the comments and the fact that after mulling it over a bit they had something left unfinished.
I had left something unfinished.
Thank you for your replies.
*****
Emma sat quietly looking out the window. Cars went by on the street below and occasionally trucks as well on their daily routes making deliveries. The skies had darkened from day to day. Storms, grey skies, and sunshine all passed by the window. The window cruelly presenting the passage of time on the lives below and beyond in the city covered with trees, buildings, and shadows all moving, all mocking this tiny room where life stood still.
Emma shifted and turned in the utilitarian grey vinyl recliner and looked down to her right hand. In it she held her life. A life deferred, derailed, and lost in unknowns. She looked up at John whose face had grown a beard scraggly and unmaintained. She was remiss to change anything, to remove anything of him that remained. She felt it to be irrational, but sitting by his side she desperately clung to all that she had of him. And if it had to be, this is where she would pass the days, waiting, and praying for his return.
Almost all of the damage cause by the Semi had been fixed and healed. His hair which had been shaved on one side of his head when he had the operation to ease the pressure on his brain had grown back and while it looked odd to others Emma loved it because to her it was growing, alive and a sign that perhaps he too was getting ready to come back. His left shoulder had healed and been taken out of its cast and some of the screws removed but not all. His ribs had healed and he was now off a ventilator, a sign his body was ready to travel the dark unknown road back to life. But, when? He had been off the medications that put him into a medically induced coma for two weeks now. He was breathing, alive, but no movement, no fluttering of his eyelids, nothing to show that the dark trek back had begun.
A soft knock on the door, "Excuse me Miss. Powell, would you mind if I did this morning's therapy on John?"
Emma looked up, glad to see Penny. Penny was just one of a team of therapists assigned to his case. Their job was a well choreographed program to keep his muscles from tightening and atrophying. While nice and very attentive and good at her job she was just too damn talkative to Emma. Emma rose and excused herself and headed for the cafeteria. As she left the room she remembered something her Father had said a few days earlier about Penny, "You know if I didn't know better I'd think the hospital kept your twin and sold it to someone else." Emma did not see the resemblance and reminded her Father she also looked about thirty.
Penny had finished her work on his upper body and had now shifted to work on his lower body. She massaged the leg muscles, bent, and flexed them working through the series of movements. As she leaned forward pushing his heel to his buttocks her foot slipped and she fell forward. Trying to keep herself from landing on him she tried to get her right hand off his leg and grab the bed instead her hand landed on his cock. It was a quick second but it felt so large and . . ., "Oh shit!" She pushed off trying to stand and awkwardly pulled his leg to the side.
"Emma, take it easy we have time."
"Oh, shit, oh shit! DENISE! DAMN IT, DENISE!" she yelled, scared, worried, and excited.
"Emma, shhh. Your parents are going to hear."
The door slammed against the wall as both Denise the nurse covering John, and Emma slammed into each other and hit the door as the tried to enter.
"What's wrong Penny?" Denise asked quickly checking his vitals on the monitor and seeing everything was normal. "Penny?"
Penny was backed into the corner, her eyes frantically shifting from Emma to Denise, "I, I, I was doing his lower body reps and was working his left leg," she stopped and looked to John, "and . . . and, oh my, Emma I am so sorry . . . but I slipped and my hand landed on his . . . well, his penis. And OH MY GOD . . . HE SPOKE!"
Emma attacked Penny backing her further into the corner as her hugs, kisses to her cheeks assaulted Penny in a manner she was unaccustomed to, but tears began to form in her eyes.
Emma could not stop saying, "Thank you."
Denise was laughing, "Emma, if you could, Penny, what did he say was it coherent?"
Penny began from the leg movement and fall.
I looked about the room and noticed I was in a hospital and that there was a nurse and two women hugging. My vision was blurry but two of the women appeared to be sisters. The other a tall stacked buxom woman with brown hair and glasses.
"Excuse me," I said weekly, "Where am I?"
All three stopped and spun looking in my direction.
"Sorry," said, "Where am I and why?"
One of the women flew to my side and grabbed me placing hands on both sides of my face and pulled me to her. She kissed me excitedly, and passionately. I was wondering why when she stopped and looked into my eyes loving.
"John, Oh John you're back?"
"Where did I go?" I asked confused, and I added, "Who are you?"
Emma's face froze in a look of horror.
"Emma, John, Emma. I love you. I have been waiting for you and now your back!"
Denise touched Emma on the shoulder and said, "Honey, let's give him some rest, this has taken a lot out of him."
Emma, was confused, hurt, and desperately lost. But she let Denise walk her to a room behind the the nurse's station. Denise closed the door, and had her sit down. "Emma, I am sure it will be fine, but I need to call the doctor and get him here right away. He needs to examine him and determine why he can not or does not recognize you." She paused and released the hold on Emma's clasped hands. "Please let me make the call, and I'll be right back in here."
Denise called the Doctor, then John's family contact and then Emma's. She smiled as chills went down her spine, "This is wonderful day," she thought.
Three hours later the Doctor entered the floor's waiting room. "Hello, I am Dr. Mahadevia. I just talked to John. He has full use of his vocabulary, reasoning, and mobility. However, he has yet to remember what happened to bring him hear, or who he is. I wish I could tell you this will pass, but the from the damage to his brain we may not know for days or . . . or if ever his memory returns. For now I suggest we proceed cautiously. Let us get him up and walking to regain some of the muscles, movement and range of motion back. Perhaps our starting there will give him a base to begin from. We'll go from there and then decide when to begin introductions to all of you. I am sorry, but for the immediate future, no more visitations."
