Not Quite Broken

Chapter 4

I threw my pillow at my sister's face. "Wake up you heathen, it's the big day!" She jolted awake in her chair and quickly looked around searching for the source of what had caused her to awaken. She glared at me and stuck out her tongue as she pushed to her feet and put the chair back in the corner.

"Okay come on let's get dressed then" she said as she walked to the corner of the hospital room that has been my home for the past three weeks. The opened a cabinet drawer and pulled out a plane black t shirt and grey sweat pants. She walked over and her eyes tightened as she looked from my blanket covered legs to my face.

"I can get dressed on my own you know, toss me my clothes and wait outside" I said, trying to exude confidence but only succeeding in pushing a thin whisper from my throat. "Besides, I am older than you, which means I know so much more" This time I managed a smirk and a genuine smile spread across my face. Nicolina was not as amused, though.

"Stop Robin," She lifted her head and I could see that she was upset. "The last time you tried to push yourself to far too fast you ended up passed out on the floor!" Her voice was rising now and I just sat there, slightly shocked at her rage. "I know it's a hit on your pride for your little sister to have to dress you but deal with it! Because I will not risk your health just so you can keep your modesty intact".

"Nic, come here" I stretched my arm toward her and she warily walked to my bedside. I grabbed her hand before she could move and pulled her down so her face was level with mine. Just as our eyes connected, I raised my hand and flicked her forehead. "Listen I know that this is tough for the both of us. I'm okay with you helping me, but you are also only 18 years old, and I know you don't like even seeing me in this hospital bed, let alone undressing me and having to see what I look like under these blankets. Wait outside while I change my shirt. I can do that much. I will call you in when I need help. Does that sound good?"

I smiled at her as she stood straight and rubber her forehead. "Jeez she's twenty three and she thinks she is so wise" she mumbled as she walked out the door. I grinned again and reached for the black t shirt. I slid out of the tattered white top that I slept in, ignoring the dull ache in my side. I reached for the bra that was neatly folded between the black shirt and tried to hook it behind my back. I hissed with the effort and soon I forced myself to stop and take a breath.

Someone knocked on the door and I raced to pull the blanket over myself just as it opened. Layla walked in and I couldn't help but stare. The way her dark hair was swooped over her shoulder, accentuating bright emerald of her eyes captivated me. I didn't try to hide the fact that I was staring, and pink tinted across her cheeks as she turned away and closed the door.

"Your sister said you were trying to change, and I figured you wouldn't want her to help with that," Layla said softly, her voice smooth and calm as she turned to face me. She did not say a word as she walked up to the bed and gently pulled the covers down, her eyes locked with mine all the while. My mind was racing. We hadn't talked about the events of the first day I woke up at all since it occurred, and though she came to visit me every day since, I noticed she had been more reserved in a subtle way. She wouldn't touch me as much as when she did before the bombing. Even innocent nudges or brushes of the hand seemed to cease completely.

Her hands shook slightly as she pulled the blanket completely down, and she wrenched her eyes from mine and stared firmly at the floor or the wall or anywhere that was not me. I kept my jaw clenched tight. This was better than having my little sister dress me, but my lack of independence was starting to ware on my patience and pride. I heard a light laugh and I wrenched my head sideways to look at Layla.

"I haven't seen you make such a serious face in so long" she held her hand above her mouth, trying to hide her wide grin. "To be honest, you always look a bit constipated whenever you try to make a serious face".

I burst out laughing and she resumed her giggling as she took my bra and gracefully hooked it behind my back. I was laughing so hard it almost distracted me from the fact that she was dressing me, and that her hands shook slightly as she did so. Almost.

I smiled at her and she grinned back at me as she handed me my shirt. She always knew just what I needed, and in this instance, what I needed was a little independence. I slowly pulled the t shirt over my head and felt the corners of my lips tug towards the sky.

"Thank you" I said, referring to her giving me an opportunity to do something for myself for once, no matter how insignificant it may seem. She nodded, understanding exactly what I was thinking. Someone knocked on the door.

"You two are taking a while in there, ROBIN IF YOU GIVE LAYLA A HARD TIME I WILL TELL HER YOUR OLD NICKNAME!" Nicolina shouted through the door. I groaned and then let out a breathy laugh. Layla just stared right at me.

"How do I not know this nickname? I must know." She deadpanned and I just laughed even harder. She gave me a mischievous grin and walked to the end of the bed to pick up the pair of sweats that had been laying there. She then carefully pulled the blanket covering my legs down and all the humor in the room died in an instant. I was wearing shorts because the hospital becomes a sauna at night, and they left the metal braces and stitching on my legs I plain sight.

I had to undergo 2 more surgeries to reconstruct the muscle tissue and bone structures in my legs, which left even more cuts and stitching on top of several angry red wounds that flared across my legs.

Layla reached up and slipped her fingers under the hem of my shorts. I closed my eyes and inhaled sharply.

"It's alright, I will take it slow like usual," She tugged the shorts down further. Thankfully they slid past the curve of my butt without issue or pain to the injury in my lower spine. I opened my eyes> I no longer felt her hands on me at all, as her hands had cross the invisible barrier on my body and into the numb area of my legs.

She raked her eyes over every brace and stich and as soon as my shorts were over my feet she looked up and smiled. "You know, you have a gorgeous body" my eyes met her blazing emerald gaze and in that moment, I forgot everything else and allowed myself to get lost in her stare. Her cheeks flushed red and she looked away, as she began to pull the fresh sweats over my feet and passed my ankles. I watched her as she carefully tugged the sweats up my legs and as she stopped just below the curve of my rear.

She glanced up at me and I nodded back at her, bracing my hands on the armrest of the bed. This was the hard part. The doctors explained that we would have to be careful when dressing so as not to compress my spine. It wouldn't cause my damage, but it would hurt like a bitch.

"One, two three!" She pulled the waist band up and I tried to brace myself but my hand slipped and the pressure of Layla's move was directed right into my lower back. I bit back a scream as my back arch in pain. Tears sprung to my eyes but I did let them fall, I instead squeezed my eyes shut. I couldn't help it anymore and I let out a groan and my sister rushed in as soon as the sound hit her ears. She guessed what happened and sat down on the bed, rapping her arms round me. Layla went to the other side of me a did the same.

I tried to gain control over my ragged breath and attempted a grin. "No worries guys, that actually hurt a lot less than last time so that means things are getting better". Both Nic and Layla gave me the same skeptical and concerned look. I pushed myself up shaking off there embrace.

"Come on now you heathens" I said, "It's my first day of physical therapy, and I am ready to walk better than any other walker ever!" I gave them both a cheesy smile and Nic huffed out a laugh while Layla shook her head and grinned.

"Alright then heathen number two, shall we get going then?" Nic said to Layla while puffing out her chest a bit.

"What makes you think I'm heathen number two? I'm older!" Layla had a mock pained look on her face.

"That may be true but I am prettier" Nic said, trying and failing to suppress a smile.

"And I'm the prettiest" I said, "now can we please get going?" This time the smile that came to my face was not forced.