The Descending of Jessica Ch. 12

With that, Brent got quiet and stopped teasing me as I told him I loved him and kissed him softly. I laid my head on his shoulder and went blissfully to sleep. My conscious was clear that Brent now knew everything and I had no secrets from him. I was still afraid to fall asleep, for fear I might not wake up, but it just felt like that so long as Brent was there he would keep me safe. I also felt if I didn't wake up I would have spent my last moments in the arms of the man I loved, my mind at peace finally over our time apart, and knowing we would forever be bonded together now. I trusted him again and we were together at last and would be always, no matter how long that might be.

Sometime in the night, a nurse woke Brent and untangled us, making him move to the fold down recliner in the room. I was barely awake but she may have fussed at him for being in the bed with me. I suppose that makes sense in a hospital. Anyway, I barely woke up, just enough to tell her that I had asked him to, which may have prevented her from calling security. Otherwise, I slept through the night.

I woke early and rang the nurse to help me to the bathroom as I had promised the doctor. Brent was still asleep in the recliner. My head still hurt, but I was starting to feel better over all. Still sore and very stiff, but not in any other distinct pain. I still was unsteady on my feet and my legs felt numb when I walked, but I did better than the day before and that was progress.

When I left the shower, Brent was awake. I still didn't have anything to do my legs with, or makeup for that matter, but I was clean and Allison had left changes of PJs, panties and tops. Everything fit loosely and I knew I had lost weight while out of it, although I didn't know how much.

"Hey, sweetie, Merry Christmas!" I said as I hobbled back to the bed with the nurse's assistance.

"Merry Christmas to you," he replied, "and good morning!"

"Sorry I didn't have time to shop for your present. I've been kinda busy," I smiled.

"Oh. No worries. We all did your shopping for you. You got me a really nice sweater. It's burgundy and yellow and came from your favorite store. Sarah picked it out."

"Brat got you a Gryffindor sweater? Awesome!"

"No, you did." Brent grinned. "You got her a tablet so she could read more books."

"I did?"

"Yeah, well technically I made the purchase, but I was sure you would have if you hadn't been so busy."

"Wow. That was really thoughtful of me," I grinned.

"Well, you know how you are. Always thinking of others," Brent replied.

Breakfast was grits, jello, applesauce, some kind of yellow stuff I couldn't identify and more jello. Again, I filled quickly. Even though I was starved, it didn't take much to fill me up. Since I saved the yellow stuff for last, I never got around to eating it and still have no idea what it was. The best part was that solid food was on the menu that night, although it left no choice for lunch. The orderly that picked up my tray said that because of Christmas, everyone was pretty much getting the same lunch. I asked if I could have a Big Mac or Whopper and he laughed and said that was between me and my doctor.

The family arrived a few minutes later. Brat carried in a small plastic tree, while Ron, Allison and Carolyn carried bags of presents. We opened them together, but it wasn't the same as being home in the great room under the live tree that we had the last couple of years. Donna joined us a few minutes later with presents she had bought for everyone as well which was so very nice and thoughtful of her. Now that she had a good paying job for the first time in her life, her former poverty, well, our former poverty, had amplified the generosity she naturally had. She and Allison had apparently gotten quite close during my hospitalization, which made my transition to having two mothers much easier to deal with.

Brent went home to shower and change after lunch and Brat laid on the bed beside me as we read together. Mostly she read, though, so I could continue catching up with everyone else. This was until Dr. Jones stopped by to check on me. Yay! I finally got that IV out of my arm and could move around more easily. Life was starting to get physically bearable. I still had to do some breathing stuff from where my lungs had collapsed and I had gotten pneumonia. And I had to keep an oxygen sensor on my fingertip for the time being, but these were mild intrusions compared to the Teflon needle in my arm.

Dr. Jones had asked everyone to leave, which Brat did under some protest, and we talked more about my health issues. I wished him a Merry Christmas, then said "So, you and Carolyn huh?"

"Ummm, yeah, but I shouldn't talk about personal matters with a patient," he smiled.

"She's so sweet. She's my best friend, I don't know what I would do without her."

"Well when you get out we'll all get together to celebrate. In the meantime, tomorrow you'll go to therapy and they'll do some treadmill work. Probably the same on Sunday. Then let's do a stress test, Monday, and I want to schedule an MRI then, too."

"So, all professional, then, huh?"

"'Fraid so, until you're discharged," he grinned again.

"When can I, uh, exercise again?"

"Exercise? " he asked with a knowing smile.

"Yeah, I used to run about five miles a day, never less than two. Now I can barely walk across the room."

"Oh, I see. I thought you were talking about something the night duty nurse suspected in your notes."

"Let's stay professional!" I said. "And nothing happened last night! I'm not feeling that good yet!"

"Yes, of course," he smiled, "Well, I want to make sure everything has healed up okay as far as your head injuries go. After the MRI, I'll know more. Normally we would release you for inpatient brain injury rehab, but your X-rays of late have been fairly clean and you seem to be appropriately responsive to stimuli everywhere except your left hand. But based on the last few I would say after the stress test, if you pass okay, you can start light workouts on the treadmill and we will discharge to bed rest. We'll want to monitor your heart rate and BP, though, and raise it slowly. If a vein or artery were to rupture, you could easily die, or at a minimum have a stroke and have lasting damage that you have apparently avoided this time. So, let's play it safe, okay? When you do get discharged, it will be to bed rest at home with restrictions on movement. You'll be able to move around but, other than some treadmill work, I don't want you getting your heart rate up. I should also tell you the reason you are alive today is probably because you were in such great shape. If your resting heart rate had been higher, you would have probably bled out from internal hemorrhaging before they got you here. We'll get you back where you need to be soon, but its going to take time and we don't want you to overdo anything and die or cripple yourself. Have you noticed any tingling or numbness in your left hand?"

"Well, now that you mention it, I guess so. It's about the only place I don't hurt." I grinned then, seeing he was serious, added, "It's kind of numb, I mean, right now it feels odd. I can feel with my first and second finger and thumb, but not the rest, is that normal?"

"After your injuries I'm surprised it's not more widespread. It may pass but, unless you're left hand dominant, I wouldn't be too concerned. So, right now, your takeaway should be, you're very lucky to be alive, you're in pretty good shape all things considered, but you're fragile and you need to pace yourself and take it easy. Okay?"

"Okay. You're coming to the wedding, right?"

"Miss Carolyn has already informed me I am. So, as long as I'm not on duty, I'll be there," he replied. "I think that does it for today. You have a merry Christmas, okay, Miss Jessica?"

"'Jessie', and would you do me a favor and ask Carolyn to come in for a minute by herself? I want to thank her for taking care of me alone. I'm apt to cry and I don't want to upset my family," I lied.

"Sure."

A few moments later Carolyn came in, smiling.

"Rick's great, isn't he?" she asked.

"Yeah, he seems really sweet. I approve!" I giggled, then got serious. "I wanted you to know, well, first I wanted to tell you how much I love you and thank you for being there for me. You know, now and when we spent the week at the dorm."

"Don't worry about that! You did the same for me, if you recall. That's what friends are for."

"Well, yeah, I think you went above and beyond friendship, though. I also wanted to tell you I regret nothing and I still feel just the same."

"Me, too. I'll always be there for you. You know that," she said, then leaned over to kiss me, on my lips, a kiss I returned shamelessly. It wasn't a romantic or erotic kiss, but very loving.

"I know," I said as I took her hand and took a deep breath, "But I also need to tell you, well, I don't want to keep any secrets like that from Brent, so I told him about us last night." I bit my lip, not knowing how she would feel about this revelation and that I had talked about something she probably felt very privately about.

The room went silent for a moment.

"Oh, thank goodness! I told Rick and then felt terrible about it! I shouldn't have without knowing how you felt but... well, we thought you were going to...." She stopped talking and just cried.

"Hey! Stop that! I'm not going anywhere! I should have talked to you first, too. But, well, we were never alone yesterday, and if you had talked to me before then, well, I wouldn't have heard you. So, it's not like either of us had time to consult." We hugged, and after a few minutes had both calmed down.

"So how did Brent take the news, anyway? You two still together?"

"I think he was just happy I wasn't with another guy. Apparently, that's all he thought about. Actually, the pervert said that if it happened again he wanted to watch and take pictures."

"Oh my gosh, Jessie! What did you tell him?"

"I told him I doubted it would because we're both basically hetero and we have guys and you would always be my best friend."

"That's so sweet. You're mine, too. You know that, don't you?"

"Yeah. And then I told him if it ever did I would expect him to be too busy joining us to operate a camera!" I giggled.

"Too funny! I think guys are like that, though. They're really territorial when it comes to their women when it comes to other men, but the idea of us and other women I think turns them on. That's why he was upset thinking about you and a guy, but turned on by you and I," Carolyn said until her phone vibrating interrupted her.

"Jeez, will he never learn? It's Steven calling again."

"He still calls?"

"Yeah, every day at least. Says he can't live without me, blah blah blah. I don't think the pig has gotten laid since around the time he nearly broke you up."

"Let me talk to him!"

"What? Why?"

"So I can say 'Merry Christmas' of course!" I said as I snatched the phone from her.

"Hey, Steven, how are you?"

"Who is this?"

"Jessie. You remember me?"

"Of course! You're awake now! That's awesome! We've all been so worried about you. Hey, I never got to tell you how sorry I was about the misunderstanding."

"That's okay," I said, interrupting him. "Have you met Carolyn's new boyfriend? He is so hot and delicious looking. Ohhhh, mmmmm." Carolyn's eyes bulged open and her mouth dropped.

"What? Uh, no. Is she there? I really need to talk to her," he asked brusquely.

"Yeah, but she can't come, ohhhhhh, to the phone right now."

"She's busy? Well, could you ask her to call me back? I really need to tell her something I think will..."

"Ohhhh, yes! Right there! Yes!" I interrupted again. "I'm sorry, Steven... Oh shit, yes! I don't know if she'll call. We're all busy fucking right now and its just so, ohhhhhh, mmmmmmm, yes, yes, yes!" I moaned as I hung up the phone.

Carolyn and I rolled with laughter! "I bet he doesn't call back for a while now," I said.

"He will. He's been calling at least daily since the wreck, usually more, but that's not the problem."

"What is?" I asked, more out of curiosity than anything.

"Well, we never really talked about this, but you know he and I dated quite a while. Last Christmas break, he came up and met my parents. We were really serious then. I didn't know what a dirtbag he was yet and he was my first real boyfriend. Anyway, my folks love him, as do my brothers, and even though I'm not speaking to him and don't plan on it, they don't know about his, uh..."

"Perfidy?"

"What? What's that?" Carolyn asked.

"Its how they used to describe lying, cheating, assholes like Steven. I learned it last semester. I've been to college now, ya know!" I giggled.

"Well, don't confuse me, smart girl! Just call him a lying, cheating, asshole! Anyway, the thing is, I'm getting a lot of pressure from my family to try to reconcile with him."

"I can't believe they would want you to be with someone like that!" I gasped.

"Oh they wouldn't, but they think it is all a misunderstanding because I haven't told them why I dumped him."

"Why not?"

"Well, I guess because Mom is really conservative. Think Evangelical on steroids. And if I say he cheated, well, she'll assume our relationship was, well, she'll think I'm not a virgin anymore," she said. "I think if I could get her and Dad away from my brothers long enough I could explain it. Just not with them constantly saying what a great guy he is."

"Ugh, that sucks. I guess if you do tell them, he'll probably confirm it out of spite, too? And of course your bro's will take his side and you've accomplished nothing."

"That would be my guess... but, hey! This isn't your problem. Well, I guess it might concern you a bit."

"Of course it does, you're my best friend! "

"No, I mean, well, they are kind of upset at me changing schools. I mean, they are proud their little girl is so willing to help a friend get around while she's recovering, but they think I should think of myself and finish at Tech and let your family take care of you while she, I mean, I, focus on getting that boy back so I can have grand babies for them."

"Well, I can see that," I said. "It really makes sense. I mean, about changing schools. Not the grand babies with the cheating asshole part, but you know Brent can take care of me. You should focus on finishing sch..."

Carolyn interrupted, "Hey! I don't want to be at Tech. I hate that place. Every time I've been back all I can think about is, 'That's where Steve and I used to walk to class,' or 'That's where Steve said he loved me,' and 'That frat house over there is where I met Steven at a party and where we fell in love. Oh! And where he shacked up with his whore and crushed my soul.' I don't want to be there. I would rather move back to Ohio and live in whatever Evangelicals call a nunnery than go to Tech right now."

"Okay, so long as you are coming here for selfish reasons I can live with that. We'll figure out your parents. They'll adjust and get over it, I'm sure. I can't wait to meet your family. Maybe that will help smooth things over. We just need to find a way to get you with your folks, keep the brothers away, and convince them not to take his side."

"Well, they've met you. But you were, well, you know, in a coma. They came down after the wreck. My brothers think you're hot, I think. It's hard to judge their reaction what with you having a half dozen IVs and a breathing tube down your throat while their sister is bawling her eyes out over you. And you're all bruised with black eyes and still have some dried blood here and there. But I showed them some pictures of you from last fall and they approve." She smiled.

"You make me sound so pretty," I laughed. "But yeah, my comatose period full of tubes, hoses and wires was probably not my best look fashion wise. I usually accessorize so much better than that, and as a summer I'm better in light earth tones than bruises. Plus, hospital robes do nothing for me with my skin tone or my figure. I'd ask if your brothers are cute, but I'm taken."

Everyone else joined us and the afternoon flew by. Brat returned to her place cuddling at my side and read to me. And everyone else shared the joy of the occasion. Ron helped Carolyn make arrangements to get home through New Year's but she wouldn't leave until Monday evening. I had gotten so many wonderful presents, and apparently gave as many thanks to the family shopping on my behalf, and I was asea with happiness. Brent finally returned a few minutes before five wearing, as promised, a Gryffindor sweater. He was carrying a large gym bag and told us it was beginning to snow. He advised everyone to get home before the roads iced over. I hated to see everyone leave. I was so happy.

"Oh, good. You're back," Ron said. "Now we can give Jessie her last present."

"Oh, you've given me so much, don't! I just love all of you!" I said to Ron, Allison, Donna, well, and everyone.

"Hush! If Allison, Donna and I want to give our daughter something, we will. Remember, we can't take it with us, and we ain't leaving it for you. Now, you're going to have to stand up for this one."

Brat smiled as she slid from beside me with no protest this time. Brent offered me one hand and slid the other behind my shoulders to help me up, while Donna and Allison helped me up from the front and other side.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"Just to the window," my mother, Donna, said with a grin.

They held me by either side. They made sure I could stand, which I did quite well this time, while Ron pulled back the curtains. It appeared we were on about the fourth floor and the window looked over a parking lot that was separated from the hospital by a street. There were a number of cars and trucks out there. It was, in fact, a gray, dreary, day that was beginning to spit snow, although nothing was sticking yet. I had no idea what I was supposed to be looking at.

"You see it?" Ron asked.

"Uhhh, see what?"

"Right there," he pointed, and I followed the line of his finger down to a beautiful Ram truck parked on the street. It was a burgundy quad cab 4x4. It looked like a ¾ ton, but I couldn't tell at this distance. I still wasn't sure what I was supposed to be looking for. Then it hit me.

I turned to look at Ron, my mouth hanging open. He held up a set of keys which he placed in my hand.

"You got me a new truck! Oh my God!Oh my God!I..." and then my legs gave out. Allison and Donna caught me, but I sprung back quickly enough and babbled "I love you" to all of them as I hugged one, then another, and when finished hugged them all again just because I was so excited.

"Oh my God!I want to go see it! Let's go see it!" I said, exuberant and more happy than I had been since Brent proposed. It was just beautiful and everything a girl could want, well, everything a redneck white trash girl like me could want. I wondered if Allison might somehow disapprove, but I think my driving a pickup was an eccentricity of mine she had learned to live with.

"Oh, you can't go outside. The hospital would never allow it," Donna said, raining on my parade, but I knew she was right. I could barely walk across the room, much less to the street. Still, it was beautiful to behold. I pressed the remote so I could watch its lights flash as I locked and unlocked it repeatedly.

"Thank you so much! It's the best gift ever!" I said to Ron, knowing full well he had bought it.

"Don't thank me. Your boyfriend picked it out."

"Oh! So is it an automatic?"

"Of course not. You would strangle me if I did that to you," Brent said.

"Then why did they have to wait for you to get back to show me, oh, never mind, so you could be here, of course. Never mind, duh!" I said, correcting myself mid-thought.

"No, I had to go home and get it. I got Dad to show me how to drive a stick again and this time I actually learned. I'm doing pretty good at it now," he replied.