Chapter 3

A weight lowered itself onto Terri’s hospital bed. Terri fluctuated between being awake and being asleep. The weight remained on her bed. A hand began to gently stroke her hand. Curiosity took over Terri; she wanted to know who was in the room. She opened her eyes. Terri blinked a few times to make absolutely sure she was awake. Greg was sitting on her bed, smiling down at her.

            “Terri, I heard about the accident. Everyone at school knows. It seems no one can concentrate; you and Sagel have been in everyone’s thoughts, especially mine,” Greg’s voice was gentle and brimming with sincerity. His hand remained in Terri’s. “What will we do without her,” Greg muttered.

            With her eyes closed, Terri and Greg continued to talk about Sagel and all the times they had shared together. They talked right up until a dark skinned nurse brought a dinner tray into Terri’s room. Greg, who had been sitting on the edge of Terri’s bed, now pulled up the single chair in the room to the bedside.

            Terri picked at the food because she wasn’t hungry. Seeing this, Greg helped himself to the fruit salad on the far right of the tray.

            Greg paused to ponder what to say next. He closed his eyes for a few moments, then resumed speaking. “It’s late, you look tired and worn out. I need to get home too,” Greg said rather abruptly. Terri smiled weakly in response. Greg leaned down to Terri and kissed her forehead gently. Then he was gone. With a warm feeling, Terri switched off the light in the room with the remote control at her bedside and went to sleep.

            The smell of scrambled eggs and her mother’s calm, tender voice woke her the next morning. Her mother was talking with Dr. Rushing, and as usual, asking question after question. Terri attempted to shift her body, but stopped almost immediately, moaning in pain. Mid-question, her mother stopped talking. “Good morning Honey,” she said, stroking Terri’s hair. “Are you hungry?” Terri nodded and pulled the tray toward her with her left hand. Despite the fact that three of her five fingers were wrapped together; she used the three fingers as one, giving her a total of three “fingers” with which to eat. Terri had never particularly enjoyed scrambled eggs, but today they tasted sensational and she devoured them.

            As she ate, her mother and father quizzed her on what had happened since their last visit. Her parents had just asked what Terri had done the previous night when Greg entered. Terri was the first to speak. “Greg came to see me last night,” she reported. Terri then held out her had to Greg who walked toward her and took it. Terri’s mother began to ask Greg questions about his mother and how school was going. Greg politely answered every question asked. Terri’s parents had always liked Greg and they talked with ease.

            Terri’s mother left when the lunch tray was delivered to the room. Her father remained, saying he had to leave as soon as Terri finished eating.

            A thought crossed Terri’s mind. “What day is it?” She asked her father.

            “Saturday. The accident happened Wednesday night.” he responded through a mouthful of frozen peaches. Terri gave a small smile. She continued to munch on her grilled cheese sandwich. As soon as Terri’s tray was collected, her father kissed her and left the room.

            Once again Terri and Greg were left alone. They settled on watching a movie on TV rather than talking. During a commercial, Greg gave Terri a quizzical look; she had been attempting to rub her leg. “Did they begin your physical therapy today? Is that why you’re trying to rub your leg; does it hurt?” He asked softly.

            “Yes, they did begin physical therapy; no it doesn’t hurt, but my muscles have certainly been worked,” she responded. Greg began to massage her leg. “That’s relaxing.”

            The movie ended, and Greg and Terri began to talk. “Remember the time it snowed really hard and the three of us decided to play base camp. You and Sagel climbed to the top of the hill in my back yard and then proceed to roll back down knocking me over and taking me with you,” Greg recounted with a bittersweet tone.

            It got dark, and Terri was drifting off to sleep. Vaguely, she heard Greg say goodnight. She woke the next morning to find her mother, father, and Dr. Rushing congregated at the foot of her bed. Dr. Rushing checked her oxygen level, the IV tubing was inspected, and lastly, he examined Terri’s wrists and hands. He seemed to be satisfied with Terri’s status because he murmured something to himself with an approving tone.

            Dr. Rushing gave a quick goodbye and left the room as a nurse brought a breakfast tray. Terri picked at the food in front of her. This worried Terri’s mother tremendously; she felt Terri’s forehead and neck murmuring to herself all the while. Terri gently told her mother to stop and to relax - she just wasn’t hungry. Her mother respected her wishes and withdrew.

            Terri gave up on trying to force herself to eat and began to dose. She fell into a deep sleep. She woke up at about dusk; Greg was there, scribbling vigorously in a calculus work book. She decided to let him work, undisturbed. Terri leaned back on her pillow, but jerked back up. Greg looked at her. Hot, searing pains were shooting up and down her back. Greg stood and poked his head out the door. Moments later he walked back to the bedside with a nurse at his heels. She asked some questions, then left the room and was gone for about fifteen minutes. When she returned, she was carrying a disturbingly large needle in her right hand. She administered this directly into Terri’s spine, explaining the pain was probably one of the back nerves “talking.” Within minutes, the pain ceased. The nurse smiled at Terri and Greg, and retreated.

            The shot numbed Terri’s entire body. She relaxed completely, letting the medicine do it’s job. Suddenly, everything went black, then white, then she couldn’t see anything. She felt Greg’s hand in hers; he was talking to her, but she couldn’t make out the words. Then silence.