Joshua's Grace

Chapter 18 (3)

"I feel like I've got bruises on my bruises." She mumbled as she fought off a wave of pain and the queasiness it brought with it.

"Hmm, you probably have. How's the one on the side of your head feel?"

"They all feel awful."

"That was a pretty nasty crack you took." He took note of her vital signs, peered into her eyes. "But on the whole you came through remarkably intact."

"Intact?"

"No broken bones. Given the state of the car, I'd expected fractures at the very least."

"I'd braced myself when they started throwing the car around. I thought I was going to get car sick. I hate not being able to see where I'm going, it makes me car sick. Have to sit in the front." She stifled the hysterical giggle, as pain thrummed through her. Grace took a shallow breath, "It felt like we were climbing, or at least rounding corners. I thought I'd wedged myself in quite nicely, so I wasn't being slammed around. But I wasn't expecting the car to roll. I could hear the police sirens. I knew they were close. I knew those idiots would get reckless. I just knew."

He made a note on her file as he continued to listen to her steady voice. She was a strong woman.

"I felt us loose traction as we rounded a bend. I knew. I just knew that was it. I remember flying off the floor and hitting the lid of the boot. Then landing back on the floor. I must have been knocked out then, because I don't remember how many times we rolled."

"I'd say the crack on your head probably knocked you unconscious. Lots of bruises, but no breaks. That in itself is astonishing. Though your bruises are spectacular." He grinned at her. She smiled. Then he asked her a few more questions, checked her eyesight, her ears, her pulse. "Do you feel nauseous?"

She started to shake her head, but the pain stopped that movement instantly. "Not really," she finally muttered, "Just ache, throb, with these spasms when I forget not to move and then feel queasy.Joshua returned just as the doctor completed writing some notes in her file.

"How is she?"

"Remarkably unscathed, all things considered. I'll prescribe something for the pain, but we don't want to mask it totally." The doctor turned, "You need to rest." He stated pointedly.

Grace smiled weakly at Joshua. Joshua nodded. "I'll stay until her prescription arrives."

The doctor nodded, then looked at Joshua "You should get some rest too." Then he left.

"You look awful." Grace told Joshua the minute the doctor was out of the room.

"I love you." He reached for her hand, clasped her fingers in his hands and pressed kisses gently onto each fingertip as his eyes held hers.

A nurse entered the room. "Here we go, something for the pain."