In a Perfect World

Chapter 10

While many of the people recovering from the months in the camp stayed in the hospital or looked after loved ones, many had since returned home with escorts from the state troopers. There was a whole legal side that had to be thought of, which none of the victims wanted to think of at the moment, several dealing with loss and illness.

Grandma Betty was not doing well, while she had stabilized her vitals continued to fluctuate, which the doctors didn't like. It seemed her heart couldn't keep up with all the trauma and malnourishment that had been done to her body over the past few months. Nevertheless, mom and I stayed by her regardless of the outcome.

In the meantime, it had been recommended for the trauma we had experienced we see a counselor which my mother and I saw separately every morning, our cases would be forwarded to outpatient counseling centers once we left the hospital. For now, we stayed where we were.

In the meantime I continued to see Noel, it was now an issue waiting for him to wake up; waiting for his body to recover. He had been taken off the ventilator several weeks before. It was another step in the right direction, that said he would recover. I hated seeing him like this-he didn't seem like "him". Now he only looked like he was sleeping which was easier to tolerate every time I walked into the ICU.

Every morning, after my counseling appointment I went upstairs to the ICU see Noel. I wanted to be there when he opened his eyes.

So I was.

It was a Wednesday, the weather was clearing and there was actually hope of sun, which weakly filtered through the slatted blinds of the ICU.

I was absently watching the news when there was a groan from the bed. Noel's aunt, Sandra, beat me to the bed, but I came up on the other side.

Noel? Sweetie?" His aunt asked urgently, "Can you hear me?

Very slowly, Noel opened his eyes, though it took him a great deal of effort to actually focus and look around. First his eyes focused on his aunt.

"Aunt Sandra? What are you doing here? He frowned. "Where... Mom... Dad?"

"They were shot, honey." She answered quietly.

So she didn't know. I realized, the realization made me strangely grateful.

"Don't you remember?"

Noel frowned again and will he shook his head. Then his eyes turned to focus on me.

"Kara..." His voice sounded weak and raspy and was barely above a whisper. "We got away?"

"Yes," I answered quietly, "we got away."

With Noel on the mend I breathed a little easier and plans were made for us to return home while the stable patients were moved to hospitals closer to their homes. Unfortunately, Grandma Betty wasn't one of those.

"She's not doing good, Kara." My mother said quietly one afternoon after I come back from visiting Noel, who had since been moved to another room, "They're thinking she may not last the week."

This in mind I returned to Noel's room after lunch. At this point he was sitting up eating slowly off a hospital tray. His aunt was sitting nearby reading a book.

He looked up when I knocked. He looked much better than he had several weeks ago and the color was beginning to return to his face-he looked more like himself.

"How's your grandma doing?" He asked between mouthfuls of soup and Jell-O.

I made a face.

"Not good. They say she's dying and there's nothing more they can do."

Noel sobered.

"Sorry to hear that." Now that sounded like a best friend.

There was a beat of silence before I changed the subject.

"When you getting out of here?"

Noel gave a half shrug.

"Couple of days. I don't even think they're going to make me go back to the hospital down south, the doctor says I'm doing well and as long as they keep an eye on my head for a while I'm good."

"So you're going home then."

"Yeah."

"Mom says we'll probably leave depending on when grandma passes. She said something about checking into a hotel for a while."

More silence.

"You want to return to school?" I asked.

"Maybe next year, next fall." Noel answered. "You?"

"Same."

"Aunt Sandra is moving in for a little bit just until my 18th birthday." Noel answered. "I think after that I'll finish school and move out, but that's a ways away yet."

I stayed with Noel until the light faded from the windows.

"You staying the night? " He teased, "Don't know how my aunt will feel about that."

"Unfortunately, no." I answered, "I think mom and I are checking out and checking into the hotel tonight. The nurses said they would keep us updated on grandma... In case anything happens."

Noel and I promised to visit as long as he was in the hospital.

"See you tomorrow." Noel murmured, as he settled back down into his pillows.

"Then I'll see you at home." I replied.

Home. That sounded like a good place to be about now.