Before Alex could respond, Alice returned. "I see you’ve met Dr. Pierce." She filled a small cup with water, placed a straw inside, and handed it to Alex. "Small sips, lass. We don’t want you to get sick now do we?" She watched as Alex carefully sipped the water.
Alex closed her eyes in bliss as the cool water slid down her parched throat, soothing some of the pain on the way down.
"Has Dr. Wright been in to see her yet?" Nikki asked as she stood.
"Yes."
Alex snorted. "Dr. Wright? Ha. More like Dr. Wrong," she croaked. She took another sip of her water as Nikki and Alice both looked at her with startled expressions. "That man is a pompous ass with a horrible bedside manner." She was surprised when both women began to laugh.
Alice wiped the tears from her eyes and smiled at Alex. "It’s good to see you have a bit of fire in you, lass. I think you’re going to need it in the weeks ahead." She gave Nikki a quick look before asking, "Care to tell me what you remember?"
Alex reached up and touched the scar that started just above her left ear and ran several inches around the back of her head. "I quit working early Tuesday afternoon and decided to go for a jog. It was a beautiful day." She dropped her hand and unconsciously rubbed her left shoulder. "It was the warmest day we’ve had all year, and I needed to be outdoors. I left the house with no particular destination in mind and ended up heading here." She paused briefly as she remembered details about the day. "I was thinking about going to visit the secret garden. I remember jogging around the park instead of through it." She fell silent as the picture in her mind changed from the tree filled park to a mass of pink. She tried to make sense of what she saw but it was just a blurred mass, and then it disappeared. She looked up at Nikki, perplexed. "I remember pink. I don’t know what it is, but I feel as though it is important, and I'm not sure why I don't remember."
Alice smiled. "Very good dear. Now, can you tell me your name?"
Alex looked between the two women with a frown. Her mind raced as she tried to piece everything together. Her eyes closed as she leaned back against the pillows. "Damn."
Nikki reached out and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "It's going to be okay. We'll figure out –"
Alex shook her head. "I'm so stupid. My ID is in my sweatshirt on the front porch. I know better than that." She opened her eyes and looked up into a pair of sparkling brown eyes. "Am I listed as a Jane Doe?" Nikki nodded and Alex sighed. "My name is Alex Mohr."
"Well, lass, it's nice to finally meet you. Is there someone we should call?" Alice watched as Alex shook her head. "Any family?" When she again replied with a negative shake of her head, Alice placed a hand on her shoulder and squeezed. She looked over at Nikki and gave a small nod. "I’ll leave you two alone. I’m sure you have many things to discuss. You just ring me if you need anything." She gave Alex a quick wink and left.
Alex watched as Nikki slowly sat down beside the bed. "Are you one of my doctors?"
"No. I work in the emergency room downstairs. I was the first doctor to treat you that day." She watched as Alex thought about what she said.
"Do you check up on previous patients often?"
"Not typically, no."
Alex looked closely at Nikki. Everything about her seemed so familiar, especially the sound of her voice. It was almost as if she knew this woman, but knew she'd never met her before. She shook off the feeling and asked, "So tell me then, Doctor, why do you visit me every day?"
Nikki smiled as she leaned forward in her seat. "Well Ms. Mohr, you—"
Alex quickly interrupted. "Please, call me Alex."
"Only if you call me Nikki." She smiled when Alex gave a small nod. "Good. As I was saying, you are a very special case, Alex."
Alex frowned. "What makes me so special? You don’t know me, yet you visit me every day and pray for me."
Nikki reached out and took Alex’s hand between her own. "You're special because you risked your life for someone you’d never met." Before she could explain further she heard the door open and looked up into her sister’s smiling face.
"Mommy, my angel is awake!"
Alex looked up when she heard the exclamation and saw a very excited little girl, bundled from head to toe in pink, being carried into the room. Suddenly, Alex was transported back to her jog the day of the accident. She remembered seeing the pink in the park. She could see a young girl as she played chase with her mother. She remembered the laughter, the dark curls that hung in ringlets, and the dark brown eyes of the girl dressed entirely in pink. Then she recalled the car speeding toward the child, she remembered running full out and scooping her up in her arms. Her face paled as she remembered the sickening crunch as her leg disintegrated when the car hit her.
Nikki watched Alex as the memories flowed over her. She grabbed the plastic bowl beside the bed just in time to catch the water she spewed as she emptied her stomach. She walked past her sister to the bathroom to empty the bowl, and quickly returned with a damp rag. She leaned over the bed and wiped her forehead.
Alex slowly opened her eyes. "Sorry about that. I remembered why the pink was so important."
Nikki gave her a rueful smile. "Yes, the pink
