Page 89 of Fallen Legacy

My head feels sore. I attempt to open my eyelids, but they feel fused together. I feel so tired. I try to swallow and groan. My throat feels so dry. I need water.

“Water,” I mumble. It comes out as barely a whisper.

“Eliza!”

I recognise that voice. It’s Kit.

“Eliza, can you open your eyes?” I hear him urge me. He sounds so close, but so far away at the same time.

“Tired,” I reply, feeling sleep trying to claim me again. I attempt to open my eyes again and this time I manage to open them just a sliver. Bright lights assault my senses and I wince.

“Turn the lights down,” I hear another voice command, but I can’t place who it belongs to.

I try to open them again, and this time I open them fully. As my sight adjusts to the room, I take in the surroundings. I try to sit up, but someone gently stops me.

“Stay still, just relax.”

“Where am I?” I ask, confused. Why are all these people here? “Rebecca,” I say when I realise my aunt is here.

“Hey, flower,” she says, leaning over me and stroking my hair away from my forehead. “You had us all worried there for a while.”

“Sis,” I feel someone squeeze my other hand and I turn to find my brother leaning over the other side of my bed. He looks pale, and he looks like he hasn’t slept in days.

“Hey, kidder,” I say, smiling warmly at him, my dry lips crack as I smile. “Am I in the hospital?”

Kit nods his head. “You don’t remember?”

I shake my head, feeling so confused.

“You were in a car accident,” he tells me, rubbing his thumb over my palm. “I think you and cars should stay far apart from now on.” He grins down at me. I can tell he’s putting on a brave face.

“A car accident?” I repeat, searching through my brain, trying to remember, but everything feels fuzzy. I feel like something bad happened, but I can’t think what.

“Hey there, little lady,” a nurse greets me with a smile as she comes up to my bedside and Rebecca moves away to allow her room. “I need to check you over, okay? You’ve had a lot of people worried.”

“Can I get some water?”

She pats my hand. “Soon, I promise. I’m just going to do a few checks and then we’ll get that water for you.”

I remain quiet as she does her job, then sip graciously at the water when she holds the paper cup to my mouth. She tells me she is going to inform Doctor Simon that I’m awake and that he’ll likely want to pop in and check me over as well. I tell her that my mind feels fuzzy, and she tells me not to worry, that my brain just needs some time to catch up.

The door to my room opens and my blonde-haired friend pops her head in. “Can we come in? We hear she’s awake.”

“Vee,” I say, smiling. “Were you outside this whole time?”

She nods her head as she comes into the room, closing the door behind her. She takes Rebecca’s place beside my bed and leans down, dropping a kiss on my cheek. “We had to take it in turns in your room. We kept getting told off by the nurses for too many of us being in here.” She rolls her eyes like the nurses are the bane of her existence.

Archer. His name springs into my mind, and my heart flips in my chest. “Archer! Is he here?”

Vee shakes her head and grimaces. “No. And he’ll kick himself that he wasn’t here when you woke up. Honestly, that boy hasn’t left your side. He literally only left about a half hour ago to sort a few things and get a change of clothes.”

Sighing, my heart settles, knowing he has been here with me this whole time. “How long was I out?”

“Three days, girl. We named you sleeping beauty,” she tells me, chuckling. “Everyone’s been up here, taking turns to sit with you, Archer and the boys, Edith, Rory and Calvin, and even Damon’s sister has been to visit.”

I scrunch my face up. Damon’s sister? “With Damon?” I ask her, assuming that if she has visited, then she likely came with her brother. Vee’s face falters, and she looks over at my brother and Rebecca, and that’s when I know something is wrong.

“What’s wrong, is it Damon?”

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