disappointment, there wasn’t a single petite redhead in sight. In fact, I appeared to be the only one present here in hospital hell.
I laid my head back against the pillow as the throbbing started to increase. I took a moment to slowly adjust my position when I felt the sore spot on the right side of my scalp. That triggered a vague memory of my head hitting the floor, which I suppose would explain the whole lapse of memory. At least, as far as my addled senses were concerned it did.
I ran down a mental list just for the sake of my sanity. I knew who I was, I knew where I was, and I was fairly certain I knew what day it was, although I didn’t have anything or anyone handy to confirm those facts. I even remembered the incident that had most likely landed me here. I just couldn’t remember the time between then and now.
That annoyed me. But, what truly had me concerned was the fact that I didn’t know where Felicity was or, more importantly, her condition. I was relatively certain she was uninjured. After all, she had been speaking to me, and I even recalled Ben asking her if she was okay. Unfortunately, my brain was in no hurry to remember any of the other pertinent details, no matter how much I willed it to do so.
After a minute or two passed, I started pondering the idea of getting out of the bed and going to find my wife or, at the very least, someone who could tell me where she was. As I started to reach for the side railing I felt a tug on my finger, which led me to realize something was attached to it. Feeling around with my other hand I felt a tug on it as well. I held them both up for a bleary-eyed inspection that ended with a heavy sigh. Getting out of the bed now became a bit more complicated between the IV and the monitor hookups.
Of course, if I couldn’t go to them I figured I might as well bring them to me. Taking hold of the pulse oximeter probe that was firmly clamped to my finger, I popped it off, laid back, closed my eyes, and waited.
As expected, a shrill tone immediately bit into my ears. Even though I knew it was coming, I groaned in response to the noise anyway. I didn’t bother to open my eyes, I simply laid there, unmoving all except for the handful of muscles that were necessary to twist my face into an annoyed grimace.
Soft but slightly hurried footfalls sounded a few moments later. I felt someone fumbling with my finger, and then the mild pressure clamped down upon it once again. There was a chirp, and then relative quiet fell again.
“Where’s my wife?” I asked, still holding my eyes tightly shut.
“Mister Gant, you’re awake I see,” a woman’s voice said.
“Very astute observation, but I’m afraid that doesn’t answer my question,” I grumbled.
“I believe she just went to the lounge down the hall to get herself a soft drink,” the voice told me. “She should be back any minute.”
“So, she’s okay?”
“Of course. And you will be too if you just rest.”
I could hear her punching buttons on the monitor. It would occasionally chirp, give an abbreviated alarm tone, and then fall quiet again.
“Can’t you just shut that damn thing off?” I asked.
“I’m resetting it. Don’t worry. The sensor just slipped off your finger.”
“No, actually I pulled it off,” I replied.
“Why?”
“Because I needed someone to answer my question.”
“We have call buttons for that.”
“I know. I’ve had the displeasure of visiting several such accommodations in the past.”
“Then why didn’t you use it?”
“My way was faster.”
“Well, you can’t just take the probe off your finger, Mister Gant.”
“Seems to me I just did. Want to see me do it again?”
“Aye, is he giving you trouble then?” Felicity’s voice entered the conversation from what sounded to be several feet away. Hearing her prompted me to open my eyes, but of course the first person I saw was the nurse, who was sporting an unnaturally black, shoulder-length pageboy and scrubs patterned with a stylized avian print.
“He was asking for you,” the nurse said. “He’s grouchy but we’re used to that around here.”
“Just standing up for my rights,” I mumbled.
“More like being a curmudgeon, I would say,” my wife replied. “Let Amanda do her job and stop giving her such a hard time. She’s been taking very good care of you all afternoon.”
While she was talking, the nurse adjusted the angle of the bed so that I was inclined enough to see her without straining. Felicity was now standing near the footboard with a thin smile on her lips.
“How is that?” the nurse asked. “Comfortable?”
“Close enough,” I muttered.
“You’re a horrible patient, do you know that?” my wife asked.
“I happen to know you aren’t any better,” I returned.
“Aye, but we’re talking about you.”
“The doctor should be coming by to check on you shortly,” the nurse interjected. “If you need anything, please use the call button.”
“Okay,” I told her. “Sorry to be a pain.”
“You’re forgiven,” she replied with a smile. “Besides, shift changes in less than an hour. You can grumble at someone else.”
“Can I ask you something?” I said to her as she turned to go.
She twisted back around to face me. “Sure.”
“That design on your scrubs. Is it supposed to be geese or ducks?”
“Swans, actually.”
“Really…” I mumbled.
“Anything else?” she asked.
“No… ummm… Thanks.”After the nurse left the room I rested my gaze on Felicity. “Swans, go figure.”
“Do you think it’s some kind of sign?” she asked, but I could tell she wasn’t all that serious.
“Hell, I don’t know…” I grumbled.
“I’m sure it’s just a bizarre coincidence. Don’t you think?”
“Yeah… You’re probably right.”
She pulled a chair alongside the bed and took a seat then carefully slipped her fingers around mine. When I looked down I took notice of the fact that her right sleeve was rolled up and an elastic bandage was woven around her hand and wrist.
I furrowed my brow and asked, “Are you okay?”
“Of course,” she replied, shaking her head. “Why?”
“Your hand,” I said, motioning half-heartedly with my free appendage.
“Just a sprain,” she said with a quick shrug. “I twisted it when you went down, and then I fell on top of you.”
“Sorry about that.”
“It wasn’t your fault.”
“I’m still sorry.”
“You can make amends later,” she said with a small grin. “How are you feeling?”
“My head is killing me,” I said. “Other than that, I’m just really tired.”
“Well I’m not surprised. You’re body has been through quite a shock,” she told me. “They estimated you lost just under two pints of blood before arriving here, and you were already running low as it was.”
“I bled again?” I reached up with my free hand to feel my neck even though I didn’t expect to find anything of consequence. However, to my surprise there was a heavy bandage taped firmly in place.
Felicity nodded. “Yes, this time there’s actually a wound.” She paused then added, “And the bleeding was much worse too. It didn’t seem to want to stop.”
“Wonderful,” I groaned. “So I’m still alive why?”
“Because I told her it was mine,” Felicity said.
“Told who what?”
