6. Rachel
Chapter six
Rachel
I woke up with a headache from hell, cords attached to me, and the worst stomach pain I have ever experienced. I lift my arm to my head, feel the bandage wrapped around my head, hit myself in the face with the line of the IV in the crease of my arm, and I am in an ugly hospital gown.
Sitting in this uncomfortable bed, I try to recall what happened. I remember telling Andrew that I was pregnant, I remember him being pissed and slapping me across the face, and I remember the most beautiful brown eyes. But my head is so fuzzy I can’t think straight, and my memories are choppy; I hope I regain my memory. I look around and see a man lying his head on the edge of my hospital bed. I jump because I realize it’s not Andrews’s head lying there; instead of greasy, red hair, it is silky brown, longer on top, and fading down to the skin on the sides. I reach out to touch him, and he jumps up before I can feel his hair; it looks so soft.
“Oh my god, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to fall asleep on your bed! I'm so glad you're awake. Let me get the doctor. How are you feeling?” His attack of questions and nerves is the cutest thing I have ever heard; it makes me smile. His Hispanic accent is the sexiest thing I have ever heard. I don’t know how the sexiest voice I have ever heard said the cutest. It makes no sense.
“I…” It was all that squeaked out. My throat is sore; it feels like I swallowed sandpaper.
“Shhh, don’t talk. It’s ok. Let me get the doctor so they can check you. Then we will get you some water.” He gets up and hurries to the door. I look around my room. It is a bare hospital room. A couch is in the right corner of the room, next to a large window. There is a sink across from my bed, next to a door that I assume leads to a bathroom. Then, there is the final door to the left, where the man went to get the doctor, so that would be the main door. The walls are plain beige, and it smells like rubbing alcohol. Yeah, I am actually in the hospital. This sucks.
I need to find my phone so I can call my professors and let them know I am in the hospital. I also need my laptop to work on some homework while stuck in bed. In the world of law, cases don’t handle themselves.
I hear the door open and look up. A tall older man with tan skin, salt and pepper hair, big blue eyes, and purple scrubs walks in. “Hello, Ms. Fayet, I am Dr. Price. I have been taking care of you all night. Mr. García told me your voice is hoarse, but I need to ask you some questions. I have one of my nurses getting you some water now. All I need is a thumbs up, middle, or down for answers.” I look at him with concern on my face and try to squeak out more words. “I am…”
The nurse came rushing in with a paper cup with a bendy straw. I took the cup from her and took a small sip of water. Who knew water could be so delicious and comforting? The soothing cold water went down my throat, making me feel better than I did.
“I am sore in my stomach, my head hurts, I have a headache, and I can only recall a little bit of last night.” I'm surprised I got all the words out without a single squeak this time. Everyone was staring at me like I had two heads. I'm not sure if it was because I spoke or what I said.
“What?” I ask, looking around the room.
“I wasn’t expecting you to be able to speak with how hoarse your voice is.” Dr. Price said.
Dr. Price and the nurse took my vitals, asked a series of questions, and then asked me to tell them what I knew about the night. They then went on their way, promising to check on me in an hour. Tucked away in the corner were the eyes I recognized from last night. It's one of the few things I do remember from last night. I keep looking at him, trying to figure out more of last night and how this man ended up with me at the hospital.
I sat there, staring at him for about five minutes before I gave up. I asked him, “Do you know what happened to me last night?” He looks up at me, and his face looks like that of a lost puppy dog.
“Um, yeah. You and a dude named Andrew got into an argument. My friend and I were driving by when he kicked you in the stomach, and you hit your head on a brick building. We stopped to help you and get Andrew contained so he couldn’t hurt you anymore. You hit the back of your head pretty good; you needed some stitches, and you were bleeding all over the concrete. You asked me to come to the hospital so you wouldn’t be alone.” I nodded, soaking in everything he was saying, trying to get all the memories to return. Then, my hand goes to my stomach, and my mind goes to the baby.
“What about my baby? Did they say anything about my baby?” Disappointment is written on his face, and he replies, “Let me get the doctor or nurse so they can tell you about all of that. I am not sure of all of the terms and the doctor's talk.” Once again, he is out the door. I probably should have asked his name before he left, so I could stop calling him Mr. García.
Not even five minutes later, an older female nurse came in. She was short, with grey hair and big-rimmed glasses hanging around her neck. Behind her was a tall, fit male doctor with beautiful, dark brown skin and the most beautiful golden brown eyes. “Hello, Ms. Fayet. My name is Tina. I am an OBGYN nurse, and this is Dr. Tyler. He is the doctor who took care of you last night.”
“Hello, Ms.Fayet. As Tina said, I am Dr. Tyler. I did an ultrasound on you, and I am sorry to say that there was no heartbeat for your baby. I could also see the placenta starting to detach from your uterus. So, unfortunately, when you were in surgery, we had to do a D my heart is thudding in my chest. My hands are shaking and clammy, and my feet are tingling. This isn’t good. My vision starts to blur, and it feels like I can’t get any air into my lungs. Andrew is in jail, my baby is dead, and I am in a fucking hospital.
I can’t get a full breath in my lungs.
I can't breathe.
I feel like I am suffocating.
“Hey! Hey hey hey.” I can hear his words, but they sound funny, like I am underwater and sinking deeper.
“It’s ok, we will figure this out. I won’t let him hurt you again.” I can barely hear his voice now; I am sinking deeper and deeper until all I hear is beeping in the background. Then everything fades out, and I am left with nothing but dark silence.