Madferit: The Novel

Chapter 123

           

My ears opened to the sound of beeping. Steady, rhythmic, mechanical beeping.

            'A clock maybe?' I thought. 'What time is it? What day is it? What year is it? Why is my head too foggy to sort this all out?' I was always the best one in my family for remembering things. Specific things that no one else could but now I couldn't even figure out the present day. The present moment in time I was in.

But I knew when that was. I knew I knew when that was. But that noise kept fucking me up. 'Where the fuck's that beeping coming from?'

I opened my eyes and was nearly blinded by the white. The bright white walls, ceiling, blankets and sheets over top of me. I scanned the room but all I could see was more white. White cabinets, furniture, curtains.

And then I finally saw someone who added a bit more color to my surroundings as he sat there on a chair beside me.

His shocked, blue eyes widened when they met with my hazel ones. "Adds?" He said continuing to stare at me while clutching my hand. "Addie, you're awake."

"I am." I replied in a matter of fact tone. "How long was I asleep for?"

"It doesn't matter." His eyes began to gloss over. "You're awake now so...I'm gonna go tell your nurse." He kissed my hand before hopping off his chair.

"Noel?" I watched him sprint out of the room.

"She's awake now." He told someone just outside the door. "Our Addie's awake now. She's awake. She's just opened her eyes and she's awa-"

"Oh, good!" The woman beamed. "Let's go have a chat, shall we?" She stepped away from her cart and followed Noel back into the room.

I sat up properly leaning back against the pillows and the head of the bed.

"Hello, Addie!" The woman smiled at me. "I'm your nurse, Cath, and I'm lookin' after ya today."

"Okay." I flexed my fingers and finally noticed the needle stuck in the back of my hand.

It was taped as well to secure it in place and pinched a little every time I moved my fingers. Even a flip of my wrist in just the right way made it sting a bit too.

Cath gazed at the monitor beside the bed where all that infernal beeping was coming from. "Can you tell me your name, please?"

"Addie Gallagher." I informed her.

"Good. And your date of birth?"

"November sixth, 1972."

"Excellent. Can you tell me where you are right now?"

"In a hospital." I replied.

She smiled a bit smaller than before. "Good. Could you tell me which hospital?"

"A very clean one."

Noel chuckled. "That's our Addie. She's always good for a laugh, she is."

I shrugged at him shaking my head. "Doubt it. I reckon you're much better at entertaining the masses with your humor than anyone else."

"Well that's 'cuz people think I'm funny." He agreed. "But people think you're funny as well. Especially me. And then I laugh 'cuz I think about how ya make me laugh and-"

"Do you know which hospital you're in, Addie?" Cath got our conversation right back where it needed to be.

"I don't know. One in Wales I guess." I shrugged again. "Except you don't sound Welsh."