After Shock

[holiday_pirner]

The hospital was quiet. It didn't take long for Holly to realize that here, without a clock or a watch, she would have no idea what time it was. Everything looked the same. She watched blankly as nurses and other personnel passed her by. She was perched on a hard plastic seat in the small waiting area.

The brunette had tried to purchase a snack from the vending machine, but her dollar had gotten stuck. She couldn't find it in her to care. She turned her head to look at it now, the bill sticking halfway out of the slot.

Holly had washed her hands, but there was still blood on her shirt. She hadn't noticed it. It wasn't so out of place there, anyway. At least she fit in.

Comments

[holiday_pirner]

Holly picked up her jacket and crossed the room. She wondered briefly in the nursing assistant hated working this floor, hated being the messenger of bad news. Don't think there's going to be bad news.

"Hi."

She glanced at Daniel, then at the clipboard. The brunette restrained the urge to stand on her tip-toes and try to read what was written on it. "Is he awake?"

[daniel_stacy]

"Not yet," said the CNA. "He's in recovery and he'll probably sleep through the night. He lost a lot of blood, but they did a transfusion. It looks like he came out pretty well, considering. There was no damage to any of his major organs, but we'll keep him for at least forty-eight hours to watch for infection."

Daniel nodded. "Thanks. I really appreciate it." He put a chummy arm around Holly's shoulder.

[holiday_pirner]

She breathed a sigh of relief. "I feel about 60 percent less guilty now," Holly told Daniel when the CNA was out of earshot. The brunette leaned against the wall.

"Will you come home with me? I don't have a ride, and I'd like you there."

[daniel_stacy]

Daniel made a face like it was a no-brainer.

“Pff. C’mon. Like I’d let you go home alone.”

He grabbed her hands and hauled her away from the wall. If it wasn’t exactly cousinly, who cared? “We’ll go and get you cleaned up before I embarrass myself and start chewing on your shirt.” The image had popped into his brain more than once.