Teaching Mia

Chapter 9 - Stripped

The sound of a heart monitor permeated through Mia's ears. Slowly at first, the steady beep became increasingly louder. She opened her eyes to find herself lying on a hospital bed. A hospital bed inside an operating room, to be more specific.

A nurse hovered over her, fixing the electrodes placed throughout her body. "You're doing just great, dear," she said, warmly.

Mia felt anything but warm. On the contrary, she felt cold in her flimsy hospital gown. Her eyes were fixed on the white ceiling above her, but she could hear other doctor's and assistants shuffling around the room.

"I'm going to set up your anesthesia now," the nurse said, taking her left hand. "I'm inserting an IV line into a vein on the back of your hand, okay? It's a small needle, but it might hurt just a little."

Mia nodded, thinking the momentary pain would pale in comparison to how she would feel later. She didn't dare look over at what the nurse was doing. She simply kept her head straight as she felt the pinch of the needle bite into her skin, followed by the pressure of tape as it wrapped around her hand.

She shuddered and tried to focus her thoughts elsewhere. Lying on the beach soaking in the sun, the sound of waves crashing down from the ocean, a child's laughter in the background...

The smell of antiseptic brought her back to the hospital. God, anything but this. Concentrate Mia, she thought.

"Okay, sweetie. We're almost done. Count backwards starting from ten in your head, so you can go to sleep now."

Mia nodded again and closed her eyes. Ten, nine, eight, seven...

She waited for the numbness to take over and pull her under, as it usually did. But it didn't come this time.

Instead, she heard a faint voice in the background. She tried to listen more closely, but the sound was distorted. Was someone calling her? She tried to move, but her body was stuck in place, her vision was surrounded by utter darkness.

"Mia..." she suddenly heard.

Yes, it's me, she wanted to say, but no sound came out of her mouth. Her jaw was locked shut.

"Mia! Mia? Can you hear me? Oh God, Mia, please look at me. Wake up. Sweetness, please."

Mia felt a familiar voice calling her, but it sounded too far away. Where was it coming from? She tried to search for it in her mind.

"Mia? I'm begging you. Open your eyes, look at me. You can do this. I know you can. Mia por favor, te lo suplico."

Her eyes fluttered for a moment before they opened. Her vision was blurred but she could see bits and pieces of a face forming above her.

Dark blue.

She closed her eyes and slowly tried again. This time the image focused and she recognized the panic stricken face looking back at her.

"Leo?" she whispered.

"Yes, baby. I'm here," he said, choking on the words.

"What...what happened? Where am I?" Mia asked completely disoriented. She immediately lifted up her left hand, looking for the IV. She moved her wrist back and forth, inspecting her hand. The IV wasn't there.

"What is it, Mia? Does your hand hurt?" he asked, full of concern. He ran his fingers slowly across her hand and then gently grabbed it.

"No. I mean, yes, it feels sore. My whole body does. I thought I was in the hosp...I was having a flashback, a dream," she said confused.

"Shhh, it's okay, sweetness." Leo gave a huge sigh of relief. "You got knocked over in the club and blacked out. We're in my car heading back to my place."