Nothing Like the First Time(20)

Katrina wheeled me back up to the ward and I took Grey's hand in mine. I stayed glued to his side for the rest of the night.

Lizzie left us for the night and Katrina and I sat there, each holding a hand.







The next day, Jodie came to visit.

"Sorry I haven't been able to get until now. It turned out after our  date that Matt wanted to take me away for a couple of days. Of course I  didn't know about the accident until I got a call from Jim, asking me to  help cover your shifts."

"That's okay, honey, you're here now," I said as I embraced her. It felt good to have her here with me.

I realized that through all that had happened, I hadn't even text my best friend to let her know.

We talked about what had happened and Jodie passed me tissues as the  inevitable tears fell. She was there with hugs and soothing words until  my tears dried. She stayed with us until she had to go to work but said  that she would check in with me later.

I tried and failed to start reading one of the books Jodie had brought  with her. She'd also brought magazines and chocolates but I didn't want  those, either.

There was nothing I could do except sit and wait for Grey to come back to me.





Chapter Nine





The next morning, Dr. Danning came by Grey's room.

"Good morning, ladies," he said.

"Good morning, Doctor. Is there any change?" Katrina replied.

"That's what I'm here to determine, Mrs. Sterling," he replied kindly as he looked Grey over and checked his chart.

"I'll just go and get us some coffee, darling," Katrina said to me as  she went through her purse. I could see she was wanting to question the  doctor but at the same time not wanting to bother him while he checked  Grey's vitals.

Katrina left the room and I sat quietly observing the doctor.

The machines still made a cacophony of noises. Grey still looked like he  was asleep. I didn't know what to do with myself, so I stood and  stretched my legs. My ribs still hurt but that was to be expected,  they'd probably hurt for a while yet.

"I'm going to bring him out from the sedation now Carly. He won't come  round right away, it's a gradual thing as the anaesthesia leaves his  system," Dr. Danning said.

"Oh doctor, you don't know how much I've wanted you to say those words."

"When he comes round, we'll have to see how he feels. He may need a scan to assess his condition."

"I'll let Katrina know. Thank you, Doctor," I replied as he walked toward the door.







Katrina paced the room and I sat in my wheelchair by the window,  wondering how the sun could still rise and set when Grey was going  through so much.

I sat by Grey's bed, holding his hand. He still looked peacefully asleep but I knew he could wake at any moment.

Katrina went to get us some coffee from the Costa coffee shop in the  lobby of the hospital. She had wanted to sit with Grey too but was  feeling restless, so I had suggested a walk to clear her mind.

The door opened and a nurse came in carrying a bag. She smiled at me and held the bag out to me.

"It's Mr. Sterling's belongings, Miss," she said sweetly.

"Oh. Thank you!"

"No problem. Sorry they haven't been returned sooner, they were in the car and the police just dropped them off."

"Thank you, nurse." I took the clear plastic bag from her and placed it at the end of Grey's bed.

I wanted to know if they had managed to find his wallet and phone, as  they were not in his jacket or trouser pockets. I opened the bag to look  through what there was. I saw his iPhone, wallet, car keys, and a small  purple box. It couldn't be what I thought it was-my mind must be  playing tricks on me. I couldn't help but tremble as I held the box in  my hands.         

     



 

My heart hammered in my chest. I should put the box back unopened, but  something inside begged me to take a peek. It couldn't hurt to look,  could it?

My need to know nagged at me until finally I opened the box. Nestled in  it was the most beautiful ring-it took my breath away and the sting of  tears in my eyes was more than I could handle, the tears flowed as I  looked from the ring to Grey and back.

I heard the door open behind me. I hurried to close the box and put it back in the bag.

Katrina handed me a coffee and I was grateful for the caffeine-staying  awake until early morning every day waiting for Grey to get better had  taken its toll on me.

"A nurse just returned Grey's belongings," I said as I took a sip of my pumpkin spice latte.

"That's good. Has there been any change?" she asked as she took a seat opposite me on the other side of Grey's bed.

"None so far."

We drank our coffees in relative silence and waited for a change in Grey's condition.





"Good afternoon, ladies," Dr. Danning greeted as he came into the room.

"Good afternoon, Doctor," we responded in unison.

Dr. Danning checked Grey's chart and then looked him over.

"It shouldn't be too much longer until he wakes, ladies, his vital signs are good!"

"That's great, Doctor," I said as I looked at my boyfriend.

"Perhaps you should go home and shower, darling," Katrina said to me.

"Oh no, I couldn't go anywhere right now. What if he wakes while I'm gone?"

"Then I'll tell him where you are. Seriously, darling, you're exhausted  and you must be in need of a shower-you haven't had one in days," she  said as she finished her coffee and came to sit next to me.

She took my hand and looked into my face. I could see the compassion in  her eyes. I didn't want to be anywhere else when Grey woke up, but she  was right about me needing a shower.

I compromised by going to have a shower in the private bathroom of  Grey's side ward. Once out, I felt refreshed. I stood in front of the  mirror using Katrina's comb to detangle my hair. I looked at my  reflection, I looked sallow-my cheeks looked sunken and my eyes had bags  from the lack of sleep. My eyes trailed down to my hand where I  imagined that ring of Grey's sitting on my ring finger-suddenly I had a  vision of Grey looking handsome in a black tuxedo, with a purple cravat  and cummerbund. It was a vision that was both beautiful and painful at  the same time. I wanted so much to see it come true but knew that it  wouldn't happen unless Grey got better-I knew what the doctor had said  about him coming round soon, but I imagined that he might take a while  to fully recover.

I left the bathroom and was greeted by a smiling Katrina.

"His fingers moved, it was only slight, but they moved-you know what  that means, don't you, darling? He's on his way back to us," Katrina  gushed.

I threw my arms around her, her excitement was contagious.

"Is nobody going to hug me like that?" came a husky voice. I looked  toward the bed and saw Grey's smile. I ran and threw my arms around him,  Katrina only moments behind me, throwing her arms around both of us.

"Now that's more like it!" Grey said as he kissed both his mother and I on the cheek.

I reached for the jug of water on his bedside cabinet and poured him a glass, passing him a straw to sip it slowly.

"I'm so glad you've come back to us, darling," Katrina said as she fluffed Grey's pillows. "Do you remember what happened?"

"I do, Mother, I skidded on what must have been black ice. I couldn't  regain the steering and crashed into a cement median barrier. I'm so  sorry, Carls."

"Sorry? It wasn't your fault, Grey. I'm just glad you're finally awake,"  I said as I took hold of his hand and stroked the back of it gently.

"How long has it been since the crash?"

"A couple of days, it's not important-just focus on getting better," Katrina said as she fussed around him.

"You were hurt, Grey, you've been sedated in case of a concussion from  where you hurt your head." I didn't see any point in sugar-coating the  truth. Katrina made a hushing motion but I refused to comply.

"Dr. Danning will come to explain it all to you. Oh my goodness, Dr.  Danning, no one has alerted him that you're awake," Katrina said as she  stood and walked to the door.

Katrina left the ward and Grey smiled over at me.

"Come and kiss me, Carls, it's been too long since I tasted your lips," Grey said as he pulled on my hand to draw me closer.         

     



 

"I can't do that, Grey, we're in a hospital." I laughed.

"I don't care."

"Well, I do!" I squealed as he tried to tickle me into submission, only  stopping when I winced in pain. "My ribs, they got broken," I said by  way of an explanation.

Dr. Danning and Katrina entered the room just as I was about to give in to Grey's demand for a kiss.

"Well, Mr. Sterling, it's good to see you awake," Dr. Danning said with a  kind smile. That was one of the nice things about Dr. Danning, he had a  kind smile and kind eyes-you felt like you could trust him with  anything, and I had done, Grey's life.

"It's good to be awake, Doctor … "

"Danning, Dr. Mark Danning," he said and reached out a hand to shake Grey's.

"Well, you can call me Greyston, or as my girl here calls me, Grey!" Grey said as he shook hands with the doctor.