Kindred Spirits

Part 39

"How is she?" Stevie asked as the doctor came out of the room, and he glanced at her.

"Are you family?" He asked, looking her up and down in the robe.

"I'm her girlfriend. She doesn't have any other family." Stevie said honestly and the man nodded his head.

"I'm Doctor Smith. I can't really relay all of her condition, but she's awake. It's a miracle. I've never seen anything like it." He replied in awe.

"Thank God." Stevie said with a sigh as relief washed over her.

"That's not saying she still doesn't have a long way to go. She's so broken and busted up it'll take a few days to see what the impact to her entire body has been." The doctor still looked concerned, but he didn't look hopeless.

"Can I stay with her?" Stevie asked hopefully but the doctor shook his head.

"I think it would cause her too much stress. She's still on the ventilator, and you're apparently still a patient." He pointed out.

"Can I see her then? Just for a little while?" Stevie asked, pleading with the man. She had to be with Joan.

"I don't think-"

"Please, doctor! I almost fucking died a few days ago, and before that we had an argument. She thinks I don't...please. I think she needs me, but even more than that I need her. Please."

Doctor Smith thought a moment before he grunted.

"Fine, but if she starts to get upset, I will have to ask you to leave. She needs to stay calm. I'll also warn you she will be in a significant amount of pain now that she's awake." The man instructed and Stevie nodded in consent before he let her go back into the room.

Stevie wanted to cry at the sight of the pain etched into Joan's features. Her eyes were shut, and as Stevie drew as close as she could in the middle of the bustling chaos around her, she could see a tear rolling down Joan's cheek. It was heartbreaking. Stevie wanted to cry for her, but she had to stay calmer. Bubbling up in tears wouldn't help anything. She had to be strong now. Joan had been so strong for her.

Joan was in incredible pain. She had never felt anything like this before. It made her want to clench her teeth, but of course she couldn't with the tube down her throat. It was probably a good thing. Joan would have broken her own teeth if she could grind them in the moment. The beeping of the machines and the nurses around her were making it even worse it seemed, although Joan knew they were actually there to help her. Her veins were set on fire as they pushed pain meds through the IV, and wondered how long it would take to offer a little relief and get this thing out of her throat. Nightmarish memories of the last time she was in the hospital flooded back, and it was almost too much to bear on top of the pain. She thought she was going to lose her mind before she zeroed in on one of the nurses voice.

"I don't know what you said, but she came right on back, didn't she?" The nurse that had spoken to Stevie prior said.
"She's in a lot of pain at the moment, but we are handling it."

Stevie just nodded at the woman as she watched.

"She'll be fine now, love. Don't look so gloomy. Speak to her too. She's awake." The nurse encouraged, and Stevie had to admit she was a little frightened. What if Joan was angry with her?

"Joan?"

Joan knew her voice right off. Stevie sounded scared and frightened, but it sounded better than any operetta she'd ever heard.

"Jojo?" Stevie called again when Joan didn't respond at first. It wasn't because Joan didn't want to. She was just in such pain even moving her eyes was painful. The light also felt blinding. Joan was determined to see Stevie, however. She hadn't seen her since before the murder attempt on her life, and she needed to see her.