Page 30 of In Hiding

6.

The click-clack of footsteps echoed loudly, rousing her from the comfort of sleep. Sarah opened her eyes to see a blurry figure in a white coat lean over her. As her vision cleared, she could make out a wide smile and a pair of pale blue eyes shining with joy.

“There you are. Welcome back.”

She opened her mouth to speak but her dry throat refused to yield any sound. Licking her parched lips, she blinked in the hopes that it would sharpen the details around her. White hospital walls greeted her and when she lifted her hand, she found an intravenous needle taped to the back of it.

“That was a big fall you took. I’m Stevie.” She put a cup against Sarah’s lip, allowing her to sip a small amount of water. “How are you feeling?”

“My son?”

“He’s here at the hospital. Don’t worry, he’s being looked after.”

Knowing William was safe eased her fears and she succumbed to the call of sleep, the darkness cradling her. Though she felt no pain now, it would come. Flashes of memory sparked, and she could almost feel the raindrops as half of her hung over the edge of the cliff. If it weren’t for the tree...the sense of falling gripped her. Sarah reached for something to hold on to, only to have a hand grab hers.

“Easy, there.”

Her eyes popped open. Inside her chest, her heart raced. Nearby, a series of rapid beeps filled the air. Focusing on the slender face of the woman helped steady her.

“You’re safe, now.”

“How bad?”

With a squeeze of her hand, Stevie pulled a face. “You won’t be running any marathons any time soon, but you’ll recover in time. You lost a lot of blood and hit your head. You have a concussion, so you might experience some nausea. I want to keep you in for a few days.”

Sarah opened her mouth to protest.

“Just to make sure there’s no infection. You can’t afford to have one of those.”

True. In her condition, she was lucky to survive any loss of blood. An infection would push her already suppressed immune system to its limit. Such was the consequence of living through a nightmare, but she’d take it. Life was too precious and her son too important to wish for death. She’d promised to see him through to adulthood and she had no intention of reneging.

“Sarah?”

With a blink, she focused on the doctor. “Thank you.”

“Think nothing of it. It’s my job and honestly, I love a challenge, but I am curious.” Her eyes flickered toward Sarah’s abdomen. “Your scars?”

Pulling her hand back, Sarah flattened it over her belly, wanting nothing more than to drop the subject. She’d been cursed with having to relive that night over and over in her dreams, but at least they could be banished when she was awake. The scars, on the other hand, could never be truly hidden.

Saying the words out loud would bring it all back to life and she refused to let the actions of another control her future.

“That’s in the past.”

“Is it?”

Anger flared in her heart and she stared at Stevie, hoping the look in her eyes was enough. The doctor held her hands up in surrender.

“I ask only because your son is struggling. Emotionally, he is scarred. He needs help.”

On that, they were agreed. “He saw a psych when he was younger, but you’re right, he needs to talk to someone.”

Stevie took a breath and sat on the edge of Sarah’s bed. “How old was he when it happened?”

“Ten.”

Surprise flashed in those blue eyes. “So young. How old were you?”

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