~Chapter 3~
M y skin prickles with awareness as a dark, heavy fog starts to lift off of me. My whole body aches; and I feel like I’ve been hit by a truck. Oh! A truck!
My eyes pop open and then immediately close again when the lights in the room burn my corneas. “Cheese and rice! Why is it so bright?” I grumble to myself.
“Because flowers need light to grow.”
I scream out, well, sort of. My throat is dry and scratchy, and it feels like I tried to eat sandpaper. I try scrambling back into the bed, but my efforts are wasted. Instead, I cry out in pain from the pressure I put on my arms and legs.
Someone shushes me, the sound closer than before, as the most excruciating pain envelopes me. And I swear to all things holy; everything hurts, all the way to my bones.
“It’s ok, Flower. Don’t move. Doc said you can have more pain meds but he stopped administrating the sedative so you could wake up.” His voice is warm, kind, and ridiculously sweet.
It’s then that I feel wet cloth swipe across my forehead. I flinch back, pain coursing through me again. “It’s ok, Flower. Don’t move too much. You don’t want your catheter ripped out. Believe me! It hurts.” He cackles maniacally, and I frown, trying to figure out why that would be funny.
I keep my eyes closed as the man’s voice moves around the room. I’m just so exhausted and in so much pain that I can’t be bothered to care who it is. I assume it’s a nurse since he said, “Doc,” but whatever.
A cooling sensation fills my veins, and my head feels floaty again. I like floaty. It’s nice.
“Just relax, Flower. I’ve got you.” The low sound is sweet, sexy; like melted icing on a cinnamon roll. I like it.
“I like you, too, Flower.” A low chuckle vibrates through his chest, and I feel myself smile as sweet, soft lips squish against my temple.