☀️August 2017☀️
Kehlani Ashley Parrish felt lost. Lost in her world of being alone. But in all, she was just lost in general. It was the beginning of August. 7th day and 4 o'clock in the morning. Dr. Harlem had woke up a sleeping Kehlani to take her daily vitals so he could get her ready for discharge.
"It's okay to be scared Kehlani. Going home to a person you hardly know sounds scary, but trust me it'll get better." He said.
A reassuring hand settled on Kehlani's shoulder. The 22 year old woman nodded her head, sucked in a breathe and exhaled through her nose. Just like Nurse Natasha had showed her a few weeks ago.
"So far, this week you've been awake, your vital signs are coming in strong. You don't need anymore sleep medicine. You can channel all of your body parts correctly, but..." Dr. Harlem slowed his sentence and trailed off.
"But what?" Kehlani was becoming inpatient.
She was already tried from the lack of sleep she got last night. Her head was starting to throb from how nervous she was. And her ass was getting cold just sitting in a hospital gown on a table.
Dr. Harlem sighed and looked up. "You're brain symptoms are coming in slow. So during this process when you go home, you're going to have to take afternoon therapy Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. And you're going to take early morning therapy Saturday."
"What about Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday?"
Kehlani was used to people coming for therapy. It's been a re-occurring thing since her body jerked up from her sleep last Monday.
"Those are the free days I agreed for you to have when you go home."
Kehlani looked down and nodded, slightly pushing her glasses up her nose. "Ok."
That was the last word exchanged from them for the next 4 hours so Kehlani could sleep some more until she had to be up and ready at 9:30.
When time came around, Kehlani sat on the regular hospital bed in her private hospital room. She ate the leftover Jell-O from the mini fridge in silence as she watched TV on the flatscreen.
A knock was heard on door causing Kehlani to snap her eyes from Spongebob to the hard wooden door. "Come in." She mumbled.
Dr. Harlem walked inside and smiled at her. "How are you holding up?"
"I'm fine. A little tired I guess." Kehlani responded with a shrug.
The doctor chuckled. "Nervous?"
"Definitely."
He crossed his arms over his chest and stood there. Dr. Harlem was a doctor with major degrees. He lived overseas in South Africa before coming to America. He had 7 kids, a wife and 3 dogs with 1 cat. He spent most of his time with his family and at the hospital when needed. He had to be no older that 35, which meant he was in his late 30s or early 40s. His curly black beard with gray streaks gave away half his age easily. Always wore his hair slick back. But the best thing about him was he smile. He always smiled which made everything seem okay.
Even when it wasn't.
And in this situation: it wasn't.
Dr. Harlem knew that it was no way he could send Kehlani home. Especially this early in her awakening, and the recent drama that had resurfaced around the hospital grounds regarding the famous patient.
But like always. He tried. He tried to keep Kehlani here. Just for a little while longer. Onky until her brain started to catch up as fast as her body did. But there was nothing her could do. The hospital was no place for people who had amnesia. And Kehlani's diagnoses was worse than amnesia.
She completely lost herself.
"Don't look down babygirl. I wanna see you're pretty eyes." That same voice filled Kehlani's ears.
Her head shot up from looking at the Jell-O and she smiled. Brightly. Kehlani leaped from the bed and engulfed herself into a hug by none other than her mama. Birth to be exact.
"Still so beautiful." She smiled. Kehlani returned it just as big. "Are you ready to go home?" The elderly woman asked.
Going home.
One of the things Kehlani was afraid of. It had been haunting her dreams and plaguing her thoughts about being home. Just a simple gesture of going home provoked that actual way she was feeling about the whole situation.
Kehlani forced herself to nod before she spoke. "I've never been ready."
The words rolled off her tongue like sand. They tasted bitter in her mouth since she didn't know the basic thing about home. She didn't know how many people we're there. That always freaked her out. Having to learn so much people's names at one time. Everyone starring her down like a hawk. Too afraid of her leaving without notice when she just wants a glass of water. Kehlani was indeed terrified.
Dr. Harlem let both of the women out the room and put a flag out on the door, informing the janitors to come in a clean up after the discharged patient.
He sighed and turned to look at Kehlani. "Stop biting on those fingers. You'll onky dull them down and make your cuticles ugly and peel." He joked.
Kehlani chuckled softly before returning her hand to her warm jeans pocket. A slight smile formed on her face. "Thank you." She mumbled. "Thank you for taking care of me."
Dr. Harlem smiled. "I see you as a little daughter of mines."
Over time. Dr. Harlme shared that Kehlani reminded him much of his oldest daughter, Ashley. Ironic how that was the 22 year olds middle name. It was her shy state, open-minded and calm, cool demeanor with a playful and carefree style on the side.
"Be safe Kehlani and Ms. Parrish. Remember what we practiced when stressed." He reminded her.
"Always." Kehlani waved swinging her over stuffed backpack over her shoulder. She grabbed her mothers hand and held tightly on it as the guards walked them out privately.
Ms. Parrish looked over at her daughter and smiled weakly. "Ready to go home?"
