This Time by S.W. Andersen

Author:S.W. Andersen [Andersen, S.W.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: S.W. Andersen Books
Published: 2018-08-12T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

The next couple of days were much the same. Doctors and nurses came and went, checking vitals and asking random questions. Tess was feeling better, despite a lingering headache, so her impatience was on the rise. Today she would be allowed to walk the hall with a nurse in tow. Being cooped up had never sat well with her. She was a mover and all she had been able to think about during her downtime was why Mary hadn’t come to visit, except in her dreams.

It’s all that George’s fault. I know it is.

“You ready for your walk?” Nurse Barbara asked with a warm smile. The short, stocky older woman was always full of cheer.

“Yes, Ma’am. Been looking forward to it all morning.”

Barbara helped her from the bed and allowed her to get her bearings before letting go. “Any dizziness?”

“No.”

“Good. Now take your time and if you feel woozy, let me know.” Barbara tied the back of the gown shut and placed a blanket over Tess’s shoulders.

Tess took small steps. It felt good to stretch her legs. The long days of lying around had her stiff and sore all over. A proud grin crossed her lips and Barbara patted her on the back as they reached the end of the hall.

“How do you feel?”

“Tired, but okay. I hate this cast though.” She scratched at the edges of the plaster encasing her left arm.

Barbara chuckled. “Everyone does. Do you need a rest before we head back?”

“No. I think I can make it. I gotta get strong so I can find Mary.”

Barbara offered a smile, though not as bright as her usual ones. Tess paid it no mind and they made a slow turn to head back down the hall. As she walked through her doorway, Tess grinned again. She had hit her goal. Victory!

She let out an exhausted breath and turned to Barbara to celebrate. Without warning, her knees grew weak. The room spun. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out as she crumbled into the nurse’s arms.

∞ ∞ ∞

Barbara quickly lowered Tess’s limp body safely to the floor and then ran to the help button, pressing it repeatedly as Tess began to convulse. The seizure clenched every muscle in her body to its breaking point. Barbara grabbed a pillow and slipped it under Tess’s head to prevent more trauma, but knowing better than to get in the way, she turned her focus to making sure the area was clear of anything Tess could possibly hit. Content that she had done her best, she rushed into the hallway to meet the nurse in charge, Doris.

After a quick assessment of the situation, Doris paged the doctor on call. She picked up Tess’s chart and scanned the notes, then added a new one of her own. “What happened?”

“We went for her therapy walk,” Barbara explained in a breathless ramble. “She was fine. She did really well, actually. Then, she just collapsed.” She stared back helplessly as Tess’s limp form repeatedly stiffened and jerked.

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