Hello Again

Chapter 7

The light filtered into the hospital room through curtains, but that did nothing to dim the brightness stinging Anne's eyes. She blinked rapidly for a few minutes, wondering where she could be. The sterile walls and white sheets clued her into the fact that it was probably a hospital. Turning over to the other side she spotted Jonesey in the chair next to her. His snores were light and consistent like an ocean breaking on the shore. Except they didn't sooth Anne, instead she tried pushing back the sheets to sneak away.

But when she stood the room suddenly tilted. Trying to grab on to anything to break her fall she connected with a loose tray on the table next to the bed. The metal clattered to the ground with her and the cacophony woke Jonesey in a blubbering motion of sound.

"Wha ... Where ..." He stood and found Anne on the floor. He shook his head to wake up and walked around. "Come now, you can't get out of bed yet."

He tried to take the girl's arm and help to lift her up, but Anne pushed him away with what little strength she had. "Stay away from me." Fumbling backwards she grabbed the tray and held it in front of her like a shield.

"Now now child, that's not necessary." He wanted to see her smile and laugh again. But backed into the corner she seemed more like an animal desperate to hide away from a cruel master.

Suddenly the door opened and a nurse with a nasally voice came in. "Sir I told you to wait outside. She is not well enough to have you in here yet."

"She's my sister. I need to be here."

"No I'm not!" Anne yelled from her spot on the floor. "We are not related! Please get him out of here."

The nurse's head swiveled between the two people for a moment. She didn't want to even begin to unravel the family drama before her. Best to just remove the first problem. "Sir, wait outside for now."

"No take him far away!"

The nurse tuned her out as she lead the man outside and when she safely found him a chair she raced off to get the doctor. It was going to be an interesting day in the hospital for sure.