Page 28 of Sparking Sara

The nurse looks at Sara and then at her monitors. “Sara, sweetie, can you hear me?” she asks. “Can you open your eyes?” She makes a fist with her hand and rubs it on Sara’s chest. “Sara?”

She looks back at me. “It can take a while to come out from under the sedation. And she is still on pain medication. What you saw could have been a reflex.”

After the nurse leaves, I put down the book and talk to Sara. “I know you can hear me, Sara. I don’t believe what she said about the reflex. You moved your hand. I saw it. You’re going to wake up soon and you’re going to be okay. You were in a car accident, remember? But you’re safe now. You’re in the hospital. I called Oliver and he’s going to be here very soon. Joelle has been here as well. And Lydia. You remember Lydia? She’s the one who told me about your favorite book.”

I see her finger twitch again, but I don’t bother calling the nurse. She’s just going to tell me some B.S. about it being a reflex. But I know better.

For hours, I read to her. And when I go to the cafeteria for lunch, I leave my phone on the bed with Sara, having it stream one of her favorite shows Lydia told me they used to watch together,The Bachelor.I know she can’t see it, but maybe just hearing it will help.

I’m eating a sandwich when Kyle Stone walks up.

He nods to an empty chair. “Mind if I join you?”

“Please. It might be nice to have someone actually respond to me when I talk to them.”

He laughs sadly. “Yeah, I heard she hasn’t woken up yet.”

“She will soon,” I say.

His eyebrows shoot up. “Oh? Is that what they told you?”

I shake my head. “No. But I know she will.”

He takes a drink of his coffee, studying me over the lid. “The nurses tell me you’ve been here almost every day, all day.”

I put down my bag of chips. “You going to tell me that’s not normal, too?”

“I’m not one to judge, Denver. There was a time whenIsat with a patient onmydays off.”

I raise a brow at him.

“Several years ago when I was a resident, I had a pregnant patient who was in the hospital for weeks. She had no one. And I meanno one. Not a cousin, like Sara has. Not even an old friend.”

“So what happened? Did you ever see her again after she left the hospital?”

“I see her every day,” he says. “She’s my wife.”

I almost choke on my soda. “Youmarriedher?”

He smiles. “Sure did. So I’m sure as hell not going to be the one to tell you that you can’t have a relationship with a patient.”

“A relationship?” I look at him walleyed. “No, that’s not what I want. I mean, I guess I want to be her friend. But she has a boyfriend, Kyle.”

“One who’s still not been to see her from what I hear.”

“Joelle said he travels a lot.”

Kyle stares at me.

“You think I’m trying to get into the pants of a comatose woman? What kind of guy do you take me for?”

He shakes his head in amusement. “That’s not what I meant. And I think it’s admirable what you’re doing. Just don’t have too high expectations. Brain injuries are tricky.”

“How do you mean?”

“Well, aside from any obvious physical deficiencies she may have, she may not be the person she once was.”

“I don’t know the person she once was,” I say.

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