Page 4 of Summer Message

I flop down in the chair. I’m starting to feel weak. I close my eyes when the room spins and my stomach does a roller coaster. Maybe I shouldn’t have sent Al away so fast because when I’m feeling this sick, I hate being alone.

“We have a twenty-three-year-old male with significant blood loss from a laceration to his forehead. He’s drifting in and out of consciousness, pulse is tachy.” I hear the triage nurse speaking to another nurse who met us on the other side of the double doors leading into the emergency department.

My eyes roll into the back of the head and all I see is darkness.

Not sure how long it’s been, but I’m now awake, in a gown, with beeping all around and wires and tubes coming out of me.

“What happened?” I ask the nurse taking my vitals and touch my hand to my face. I’m covered in bandages.

The nurse smiles. “You passed out on us for a little while.” She recorded something in my chart. “I’ll go get the doctor and he can update you.”

He came in after just a few minutes.

“You passed out from blood loss. We had to give you a transfusion. Your roommate gave us your mother’s number when he checked you in, and she granted us permission.”

“I just moved to the area, so I don’t have anyone but my roommate here yet.”

“We’re keeping you overnight since we had to give you blood, but if there aren’t any issues, we can release you in the morning. What exactly happened?”

I explained about my football injury and how I fell.

He nodded. “Okay. I’d suggest you contact your orthopedist to get it looked at. Just to make sure there aren’t any new issues.”

He leaves and the nurse comes back in and tells me that the room is ready and she’s just waiting on transport. They have my clothes in a bag near me. I grab my cell phone to ask Al to bring in my charger and Kindle so I can at least read. I’ve never been one to watch TV, especially after being stuck in the hospital for a month where that’s all there was to do.

The transport came to take me up to my room, and he’s making small talk about what I need to see in Nashville. When I told him that I’ve never listened to country music until I moved in with my roommate, he seemed shocked. I spent the next two hours answering question and, having tests done. Every time I drifted off to sleep, someone was there to interrupt me.

My phone went off with a text message from an unknown number.

Unknown Number: I found your deflated balloon in my gutter.

I smile. I’d forgotten about that. I’d been in Nashville for a day and saw this video on TikTok where this guy met this woman that way, so I thought that I’d try it too. I’m not looking for a relationship, but maybe a friend in this new city. It’ll get lonely when Al goes on the road.

Me: That’s awesome. Where did it land?

I sit back and wait for a response, then I notice that it’s almost two a.m. I better get some sleep. A thought hits me. Damn, what’s my face going to look like for my job interview?

I close my eyes, knowing that in an hour someone will be coming in to check on me. So far everything is looking good. I should be able to get out of here in time for my interview. My phone beeps. Maybe Al is returning my text. I see it’s the unknown number again.

Unknown Number: It landed about forty-five minutes from Nashville.

Unknown Number: Picture of deflated balloon going up in smoke.

Unknown Number: It cooked my marshmallows pretty damn good.

A picture comes through and I laugh, then wince when the cut on my head pulls.

Me: I see that. I’m glad that I brought you warmth on this hot summer night.

Unknown Number: LOL

Me: Thanks for letting me know. I just moved to Nashville and thought this would be fun.

Unknown Number: I’m new to the area too. Did you see the TikTok video of the guy doing this?

Me: I did.

Unknown Number: I’m Kristina btw

---