How It's Supposed to Be

Chapter Twenty-One: Back to Karen

The next thing I remember, was being taken out of the car by some people, who I think were firefighters and paramedics. I feel really weird. I can't open my eyes and I can't talk, but I can hear what is going on around me. I can't really explain it. It's almost like an out of body experience, but I couldn't see what was going on around me, I could only hear it.

Then I felt like I was being placed on a gurney. I could hear all kinds of voices and they were all talking at a million miles an hour. I couldn't make out what they were saying. Then I felt the gurney being put on the ambulance and the doors slam. I hear a few less voices, but they were all talking at once. I hear beeping and something being put over my mouth and nose. Then the ambulance started moving and then the sirens blare. Then after that everything went silent and I couldn't hear anything anymore.

The next thing I remember is a steady beeping noise. I still couldn't open my eyes. Then a few minutes later I feel someone grab my hand and kiss it. It must be Jimi. Then I felt him brush the hair out of my face. He kept a hold of my hand and rubbed his thumb on the top of my hand. Then I heard whispering. I couldn't make out all of it, but the parts I could make out was Jimi telling me I need to wake up. I want to open my eyes, but I can't.

"Baby, please wake up. I love you. I love you so much" he said.

I tried to open my eyes. I just want him to know that I can hear him. I want to see his face. I want to look at him. I just want to tell him that I love him too.

I need to open my eyes. I tried to open my eyes. They feel really heavy. I was able to open them ever so slightly. I saw a little light. I tried to open my eyes a little more. I tilted my head a little to see Jimi with his eyes closed and his face buried in my hand.

"I love you too" I whispered back and squeezed his hand.

His head shot up and he looked at me. He had a look of surprise, but I could tell he was happy. He smiled. I saw the tears well up in his eyes and he buried his face in my hand again and he kissed it.

"You have no idea how happy I am to hear your voice" he said and let out a sigh of relief.

"I thought I lost you" he said in a tearful voice with his head still down. I could tell he was crying.

"You didn't lose me" I said and squeezed his hand again.

"I have no idea what I would have done if I lost you. My heart dropped when the police showed up and said that there was an accident. I have never been so scared in my life" he said and kissed my cheek.

Not to long after that the doctor came in and did a check-up and said everything was all good. I think Jimi was even more relieved to hear that than I was. They said they wanted to keep me here overnight for observation because of my concussion.

A few minutes later the doctor left. "Can you lay with me?" I asked Jimi softly.

"Of course" he said. I scooted over to make as much room as possible and moved some of the wires out of the way. I just wanted him to hold me. He climbed up and made himself comfortable, he wrapped both arms around me and our legs were tangled together. I had my head resting on his chest with my arm around his stomach. He gently rubbed my back and would kiss the top of my head every once and a while. We laid there in a comfortable silence.

I adjusted myself in the bed a little and broke the silence. "Jimi, I was so scared" I said in a whispered.

He kissed the top of my head. "I can't imagine what was going through your mind when that happened" He whispered.

"I felt the car behind me hit me and I went into the intersection. Then I remember seeing bright headlights coming at me. Then the next thing I know, I was upside down and in a ditch. I felt blood running down my face, then everything went black. Then all of a sudden I could hear what was going on around me, but I couldn't move or open my eyes. Then when I was put in the ambulance everything went silent and I couldn't hear anything. The next thing I remember is you grabbing my hand and telling me to wake up. All I wanted to do was tell you that I love you too. I just wanted to open my eyes and see you" I said in a tearful voice.

"I was so scared Jimi" I added with more tears in my eyes.

"I know you were" Jimi said and kissed my forehead.

"I just wish I could have been there to protect you" he added.

"There was nothing you could have done" I said and looked up at him.

"I just wish I could have protected you" he said and kissed me.

I nuzzled into him a little more. Even though my bruises and scratches hurt, I didn't care. I just wanted his arms around me.

After about an hour, I fell asleep in Jimi's arms. I was asleep for about forty-five minutes. I woke up to Jimi gently rubbing my arm and doing his best to avoid my exposed scrapes. I shifted a little and Jimi kissed my forehead.

"I'm going to go grab some coffee. Do you want me to get you anything?" he asked.

"No, I'm fine" I said and yawned.

"I'll be right back" he said and kissed me. Then he carefully climbed out of the tiny bed.

"I love you" he said and gave me another kiss.

"I love you too" I said and he walked out of the room. I watched him leave the room and my eyes started to get watery. I don't know why I am all of a sudden this emotional. He is literally just going down to the cafeteria to get coffee and is coming right back. I wiped the tears that were falling down my cheeks.

It feels like it is taking forever for him to come back. I am still an emotional wreck. I have worked myself up for no reason and I have no idea why I'm crying right now. I just need Jimi to come back. I tried to get myself to calm down before he got back, but it clearly wasn't working.

I saw Jimi turn the corner and walk back in the room. "I know you said you didn't want anything, but the cookies looked pretty good, so I .... Babe, what's wrong? Why are you crying? Are you in pain?" he said and rushed over to the side of the bed.

"I don't know what's wrong. I don't know why I'm crying. As soon as you left the tears started flowing and I don't know why" I said in a tearful voice and wiped another tear off my cheek.

"Oh, babe" he whispered and sat on the side of my bed. He started brushing the hair out of my face and wiping the tears away. Then he gave me a kiss.

"Can you hold me?" I whispered in a tearful voice.

All he did was nod and he laid down next to me. He gently wrapped his arms around me. I rested my head on his chest and buried my face in his shirt and continued to cry.

"Everything is going to be okay baby" he whispered and kissed my forehead.

"I just want to go home" I whispered into his chest. He continued to rub my back until I fell asleep.