A Familiar Prison

Chapter 11

Gwen looked around confused. This wasn't her room, or their room at Katie's. Where was she? A hospital? Why was she in the hospital? She looked at AJ and she could tell he had been crying, and now he was smiling with tears in his eyes. Happy tears? Why would he have been crying, and so happy now? "What is going on?" She tried saying, but was not heard. She couldn't talk?!? AJ saw the panic on her face and squeezed her hand.

"Mrs. Pinkerton, please relax, we will get the tube out of your mouth and you'll be able to talk. Just whisper for now, you haven't used your voice in a little while, so we need to check you over first." The nurse started pushing buttons to turn the alarms off of some of the machines.

Gwen closed her eyes and tried taking a couple deep breaths. She opened them back up, and the nurse removed the tube from her throat. She coughed a bit as a reflex, but was assured it was normal. AJ handed her a cup of water, and she had a few sips. She looked at him nodding, and he understood her to be done.

"What happened?" She whispered. She could tell she was sore, her head hurt, and her right arm was in a cast.

"What is the last thing you remember?" The nurse asked her.

"We had dinner, and we stopped at the grocery store, and we were on our way home... after that, nothing." She whispered to her. "Wait... did we crash?"

"A car hit us on your side. You are pretty banged up. I thought... I am just glad you're awake." AJ kissed her hand. She had a feeling she wouldn't be out of his sight for very long for a while.

Kevin and Katie walked back in. Seeing Gwen awake, they rushed to her side. Katie hugged her. "Gwen! Thank goodness! You're awake!"

"Hi you two." Gwen smiled at them.

"AJ, here's your water." Kevin handed AJ his water he asked for.

"Thanks."

"We're going to get going. Glad you're awake, Gwen." Kevin said. "AJ, if you need anything, call us."

"I will, thanks." AJ was still holding on to Gwen's hand.

"Gwen, the doctor will be in here to check you over in a bit, but for now is there anything you need?"

"Is there any way to get anything for this headache?"

"We'll have to wait until after your exam, but yes."

"Thanks."

"Buzz if you need anything." The nurse leaves the two alone.

AJ breathes a sigh of relief and hugs Gwen as best as he could while still standing over her. "Honey..." he didn't ever want to let go of her.

"Baby, I'll be okay. I'm here."

"I know, I just—" he sat up and grabbed her hand again, "I kept thinking about the 'what if's' and I knew I couldn't have survived that..."

"Well, we don't have to worry about that now, do we? I'm right here and I'm... well, I'm not fine, but I'll be alright." She looked him in the eyes and saw the fear and worry. "I promise Baby. I'm not going anywhere." She squeezed his hand and he leaned in and kissed her.

He sat back down in the chair next to her, just content to be beside her. The doctor came in after a bit and checked Gwen over. She had a mild concussion, which was to be expected. Her vitals were looking good otherwise. She was cleared to get some medicine, and they advised she could be released as early as the next day.

She asked for assistance standing up to walk around a bit, and decided to go to the restroom at that time. She entered, and caught a glance of herself in the mirror. She saw the stitches, cuts, and bruises, and started tearing up. She was not prepared for how she looked. She didn't know how AJ could stay by her side now. She was disfigured, and no one would want to look at her anymore. She did her business and washed her hands. She looked at the mirror again, this time a bit closer. She saw all the bruising, she saw the scratches, she saw the stitches closer now, and counted that she had 8. She closed her eyes and drew a deep breath. She was being ridiculous. AJ loved her. He wouldn't care about some scars and bruises. She looked again at herself and sighed. She exited the restroom and sat back down on the bed. AJ came over next to her and sat down as well.

"What's going on beautiful?" He grinned at her.

"Nothing." She smiled at him, but he could tell it didn't go all the way to her eyes like it normally does. "I'm going to lay back down. You should get some rest too."

He stood up and went back to the chair beside her bed. "How about I read to you until you fall asleep?"

"That sounds nice." She settled back in the bed and listened to her husband start to read.