Chapter Twenty-One

Amy awakens to find herself in the hospital...was everything she has been through just her imagination?

    Amy shot up from where she laid, taking in a big gulp of air. She was breathing heavy, feeling pain in every single one of her muscles; everything around her was a blur.

    “Amy?”

    She closed her eyes. Through the blur she could see nothing but light. It made her eyes sting painfully.

    “Amy?”

    She felt someone touch her shoulder and she automatically pulled back. Her head hurt; she couldn’t see. All she wanted to know was where she was. But when she tried to speak all she could do was mumble her questions.

    “Sh, don’t speak.” The voice said. It was a man‘s, she could tell. She then felt someone sit before her as she ran her fingers along the surface beneath her. It was firm yet soft with a thin fabric covering it. A bed. It must be a bed. “God Amy, what I’d give to know what you have been through...” She felt someone touch her cheek but this time she didn’t shrink back. She allowed him to turn her face to his. “How about opening your eyes?”

    She thought of the voice. It was a familiar one. Dieteru? She shook her head.

    “Come on Amy. Stop being so stubborn.”

    Her eyes suddenly popped open as she looked into his dark brown eyes. “Chris…”

    He smiled at her acknowledgement. “Glad to see you remember me.”

    Amy bit her bottom lip as she studied him. He looks ok... She then looked him in the eyes again before she quickly grabbed him, holding him tight against her as pain surged throughout her body.

    She felt him wrap his arms around her, holding her tightly as she sobbed onto his shoulder. “It’s ok Amy. Everything is all right now.”

    She sniffed back another oncoming sob as she pushed away from him. “I was so scared…I thought you were dead.”

    “Nah-I’m alright. You got the worse of it.” His gaze looked to the floor. “You’ve been missing for nearly two weeks.” Amy looked to her hands clenched on her lap. I thought it was longer then that…    Chris looked back to her with concern. “You really shouldn’t be sitting up like that.” He said pushing her back onto the bed so she would lie down. “You have a nasty wound on your stomach.”

 

    Amy looked up into his eyes. “What happened? Where am I now? I thought-”

    “You’re in the hospital.” He looked around the small white room. There was another bed just a few feet to their right, vacant. Along the wall directly across from the two beds were two armoires, one of which held Amy’s clothes. He looked back to her. “We were in an accident.”

    “I know.” Amy said shaking her head. “I remember that.”

    “That’s good! Chris said joyously. “The doctor feared your fever may have affected your memory.”

    “Fever?”

    “Yeah, well, you were run through with something.” Chris said with a lame attempt at a joke. “The doctor thinks it was a piece of the car of something. That wave had enough force to knock over a building.”

    “I think you’re exaggerating.”

    Chris shrugged. “Maybe I am.” He shook his head. “But you ended up getting a pretty bad infection. The doctor was surprised you were still alive, especially since you were on your own like that for so long…” his voice slowly trailed off. “I should have been there for you Amy.”

    She remained silent for a moment before grabbing his hand. “You were Chris. You let me know that I had a brother before the accident…it means more to me then you will ever know…”

    He smiled warmly at her before quickly getting to his feet as if something had crossed his mind. “That’s right! I got to call mom and dad.”

    He began to walk away but Amy still had hold of his hand holding him back. “How are they?” She asked avoiding his eyes. “Did mom even care I was gone?”

    Chris lowered himself back down onto the bed studying her closely. “I guess you do remember everything.” He sighed as she looked back to him. “Mom was here most of the time. I actually had to send her away a few times so she could get some rest.” He squeezed her hand gently. “She really does regret what she said Amy. She really does love you.”

    Amy turned her head. “I don’t even know my real father-”

    “That doesn’t matter.” Chris said. “I already told you. You are my sister and as far as I’m concerned, he is your dad.” He stood to his feet again letting go of her hand. “And I believe he feels the same way.”

    She smiled as she watched him leave the room, but her smile faded as a thought of her own crossed her mind. What about the others? What about Dieteru? If what the doctor said was true, that her fever had made her dream up all she thought had happen, how could she possibly miss them? She felt her heart sink as she thought of Dieteru again. She put her face in her eyes, feeling as though she would cry any moment. “How could I love someone who doesn’t exist?”

 

 

    “Oh Amy!” her mother cried happily upon entering the room. She rushed over to her bedside sitting just before her, kissing Amy on her cheeks and forehead. “Oh, Amy, I’m so glad you’re awake! How do you feel?”

    “I’m fine mom.” She said awkwardly as she looked from her to Chris. She looked to the door frame, seeing the man she knew to be her father all these years. “Dad…”

    He slowly walked into the room, stopping at the foot of her bed. “How are you, sweetheart?”

    Amy looked away, unable to bear looking him in the eyes.

    Her mother placed a hand onto her shoulder. “It’s alright, sweetie.” She looked back to her father then back to her. “He knows the truth.”

    Amy’s face began to flush. “He knows?” She looked up into his eyes. “You know?”

    He nodded his head. “She told me the day of the accident. She believed that’s what you would want.”

    Amy looked back to the bed avoiding his gaze once more. “I-I’d understand if you wouldn’t want to speak with me again. It‘s not like I‘m your real daughter-”

    “Amy no, don‘t say that.” he walked over to her other side kneeling on the floor aside of her. “Papers mean nothing to me. You have been my daughter since the day you’ve been born. Nothing’s going to change that. You understand that don’t you?”

    Amy smiled tears forming in her eyes. “Yes I understand.”

    “Good.” He smiled standing to his feet. “Now that that’s settled, someone wishes to see you.” He went out into the hallway as Amy wondered who it could be.

    When he brought the person in her jaw dropped. “Susan!”

    “Hey Amy.” She said quietly making no move to come any closer.

    Chris came behind her placing a hand onto her back. “Go on, she’s not going to die if you touch her.”

    “Chris!” Her mother cried. “Don’t say such things!”

    “Sorry.”

    Her father went to the door. “I think we should let the two of you talk. I’m sure you two can’t wait to chat. Let’s go Chris!”

    He walked out of the room, her mother quickly following after him, stopping at the door, watching Amy cautiously. “I’ll be back in a bit I need to speak with your father.”

    Amy nodded her head and watched as she left the room. She wandered if she meant him or…she pushed the thought aside not wanting to know as she looked back to Chris and Susan.

    “I’ll see the two of you later.” He said kissing Susan briefly on the lips before leaving the room.

    Amy’s mouth dropped open as she watched Susan who blushed slightly under her gaze. “What?”

    “What? That’s all you have to say?” Amy questioned in shock. “I thought you hated him?”

    “I did…well, I thought I did.” She began walking over to her. “Until I saw how much he really cared about you that is.” She sat aside of her. “Amy he was crushed when you were gone!”

    Amy looked to her hands then back to her. There was a brief pause. “So how did it come about?”

    “What?”

    “You know; you can Chris.”

    “Oh, well, I originally went over to your house the day after the accident. I was upset.” She sighed looking Amy in the eyes. “He was the first one I saw…and I flipped. He seemed so calm as if your disappearance had no affect on him whatsoever.” She tsked slightly to herself before continuing. “Little did I know he was actually on some pretty strong medication.”

    “He was that bad?”

    “Yeah, he was in total shock.” She turned shaking her head. “Anyway we ended up fighting and I hit him-”

    “You hit him?”

    “Well, yeah.” She looked back to her. “Come on Amy; it was like hitting a rock.”

    “I know I’m just surprised you did it.”

    Susan smiled. “After everything was settled, I kind of broke down and he held me…” she sighed again happily. “And you can figure out what happened from there.”

    “Odd.”

    “Is it really?”

    Amy looked up at her and smiled. “No not really. I’m just surprised, is all. I guess opposites really do attract one another.” She covered her mouth as she let out a yawn. “Oh, sorry, I guess I’m a little tired…”

    Susan placed a hand onto her leg as she stood to her feet. “Get some rest ok? I’ll be seeing you around.”

    “No, you don’t have to-”

    “Yeah I do.” Susan walked to the door turning back to her. “Love you like a sister Amy.” She said closing the door behind her.

    Amy smiled slightly to herself. It’s strange. She thought quietly to herself. Susan just reminded me of Ninari for a second there…Maybe what I remember is just my mind playing tricks on me…    Her thoughts then turned back to Dieteru. She wandered if she would dream of him and the others again, finding herself missing them more and more by the minute. I have to this stop this. It’s not like they’re real or anything. She yawned again then began to laugh quietly to herself. The only person I’ll probably ever love and he doesn’t even exist!