A Time For Love (A Time For Love Series-Book 1)

Coming To Terms

LENA POV

"Very good, Miss Woods. There you go." I say to her as we are working on making her legs that much stronger for þyas doing well, and she had a great deal to be proud of.

"Don't let me fall now, Lena."

"You know I won't. I have you, and I am not going to let you go. I promise." I smile widely at her as we have Queen playing in the background, for she had finally told me a band that she liked as I stand behind her, helping her take small steps at time. "You will be walking up those steps in now time."

"Mm, Mm, let's just focus."

"Yes, ma'am." I smile again as I carefully help her onto the stationary bike as we exercise her knees a little bit more. Honestly,  I really did love my job, especially when I saw my patients making progress and were happy about it. Miss Woods I knew was far too proud to admit she was proud of herself, but sooner or later, I was hoping she would.

"You are doing well, Miss Woods. Keep it slow. Your legs are getting stronger by the week, and you have a lot to be proud of." I encourage her as she doesn't make eye contact, but I smile once again at her.

"You're a good soul, Lena. I may not be the most friendly person, but you are a good soul with a kind heart. You care for the most difficult when most people don't wanna be bothered with us. Keep being you and don't let anyone change you, and I know you are't married since you live here, but you will make someone very happy one day." Her voice is stern as she looks right into my eyes and reaches over, patting my hand with hers.  I knew deep inside she was kind, I knew it as I gently placed my hand on hers and smiled.

"Thank you, Miss Woods. That means a lot."

Nodding her head, we work for another half hour as I head back upstairs to update Miss Woods' chart along with a few other patients. My day wasn't too long today and I planned on visiting Francesca during my lunch break because after the incident the other day the nurses sad her nightmares were getting worse and so was the level of pain she was feeling as she started to become more and more conscious.

I really couldn't even fathom the amount of emotional pain, and physical pain that she was in, none of us could, as I pull out Miss Woods chart and write her progress in when I hear someone frantically calling my name.

"Lena! Lena!" I hear getting up and exiting my off as I see nurse Lois, who worked in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit with Francesca, rush over to me, and I instantly grow worried and nervous 

"Is everything ok? What's wrong? Is Francesca ok?"

"We need your help, Lena.  She's just distraught. She's terrified and won't let any of us touch her. She, she saw her knees for the first time, and we just couldn't get her to stop screaming."

I nod my head and quickly follow nurse Louis to Francesca's room in the PICU hearing her scream before I see her and as I run into the room she is once again crying her eyes out as I see the covers off her bandaged legs. Of course, I could understand her fright and fear as she was screaming even louder as I rush over and quickly and gently pull her close to me as I take a seat beside her.

"My legs!!! MY LEGS!! My legs!"

"I know, it's ok. It will be ok, honey. It will."

"My legs!!! I don't remember! I don't remember, I don't remember!"

"I know, baby, I know you don't, I know." I gently wipe her tears as the fear and panic is so strong, and I just continue to feel so awful for her. It's terrible as she starts to choke from crying so excessively, and the nurse brings us a cup of water. "Calm down, it's ok, it's ok, Francesca. Drink a little, a little bit."

I soothe more as I gently put the cup to her mouth as she slowly drinks, and I rub her back up and down. "That's it small sips, honey. Small little sips." She takes a few more sips as I place the cup down and watch the three nurses exit the room to give us a bit of privacy as her dry heaving has calmed down a little.

"You ok? You ok, sweetie?" She nods her head as she looks at me. Smiling softly at her, I grab the hair tie off my wrist and gently tie her hair back for her as her pretty long curls fall in her sweet face. "There, that should be a tad better. Right? We can see that pretty face of yours."

"What, what happened to me? I don't remember. What happened to my legs? What happened to me? Why am I here?!!" Nervously, she looks around as I try to hold her still to prevent her arm from moving. But she is so panicked as her eyes continue to dark around, and I gently cup her cheek, looking her right into her soft brown eyes.

"Sweetie, you were hurt, honey. You were hurt, and the doctors and nurses here are wonderful, and they are going to help you. Help you get back up on your feet, and I am going to help you too. We all are." I try so hard not to add to the anxiety she is feeling as she looks at me once again, tears continuing to run down her confused face.

"It hurts. My legs hurt so bad. Where is Stef? Stef.........my Mama where? I don't understand." She cries uncontrollably again as I continue to hold her tight. Not letting go, she cries hard as I run my fingers in her curly hair.

"Stef is here, honey. The doctors are helping her the best they can." I whispers as she looks up at me, her eyes continuing to stream with tears.

"I want to see her. Where?" She asks as one of the nurses comes in giving her pain meds through her IV. "I want to see her."

"I know, but you can't right this second, ok? She's resting much like you and trying to get strong. Come, let's lay down a bit ok and I'll read to you if you like?" I gently rub her hand as she doesn't answer me but leans her back down once again on the bed, and her eyes look right at me.

"It hurts. It hurts Lena. It hurts badly."

"I know, sweetheart. The nurse gave you something so it will help you. It will be Francesca." I sooth as she looks at me again but doesn't say a word. She however is the most alert that she has ever been as she keeps asking for Stef and I don't have the words to tell her what happened to her, for they were going to have a child physiologist talk to her about everything.

I do however try to distract her every way possible all week by watching movies,  bringing by board games for us to play, as well as card games and books hoping to boost her mood a little more. Social Services, after continuing to dig the past few days, had confirmed that Francesca didn't have any family and her father was unknown. The police had also reported that her mother was still very much missing but they were keeping their eyes open about everything in regards to this case and had extra security around her room along with Stefanie's, Tess and Michaels.

The entire thing felt like a mess as Francesca had fallen asleep beside me as I realized it is now passed nine as I carefully try to leave.

"Don't leave. Please, Lena." Her little voice says.

"I won't. I'll stay all night, honey." I whisper, laying back down beside her as I gently hold her hand in mine, rubbing it softly.

"I won't walk again, will I?"

"You will, and I will help you. That's my job, honey." I try to reassure even if the odds of her walking like she use to were very slim based on how she was shot but I refused to let that be the case. I just did for she had her whole entire life ahead of her, one that she deserved to be happy with and about.

"I play basketball."

"Do you? Well that is an amazing thing to play sweetheart. I'm sure you are so good."

"Stef was helping me. She....she helped me... make the team...Bird." Her voice gets softer and even more quiet as I know she has fallen asleep from the medication as I now start to wonder just how close Francesca had been to Stefanie as it was evident they knew each other before the shooting. And that only makes this even harder as I close my eyes and fall asleep beside her.