The soft beep of the heart monitor suddenly stuttered a little and sped up, only by a small increment, but enough to snap Elijah and Sariyah’s heads in their charge’s direction.
Long and dark lashes fluttered, eyelids twitched and a shallow crease appeared in her brow. Every muscle in Elijah’s body was tensed. His eyes glued to her face.
Lucia’s eyes slide open slowly and with a flurry of blinks. Her irises were so dark they blended in to her pupils as she stared straight ahead for a few moments. Neither he nor Sariyah breathed the entire time, not that they needed to but it was usually habit. Her mouth slid down into a frown and her brows pulled together, he assumed the pain was catching up with her.
“Lucia?” Sariyah whispered hesitantly.
Her eyes drifted across dazedly, following the sound, but her head didn’t move. Her heart rate raised again as Sariyah entered her field of vision.
“How’re you feeling, honey?”
A long pause before she managed to find words, “It hurts.” Lucia croaked quietly.
Sariyah jumped up, “I’ll get Dr Farris.” she said.
“Thank you.” Elijah muttered gratefully without looking away from Lucia’s face, her eyes switched slowly to gaze at him blankly. “Dr Farris said you might feel nauseas or dizzy or… lots of things really…” She didn’t respond so he added, “Do you feel… sick?” and crept closer to her.
“I… don’t think so.” She spoke slowly but clearly which Elijah was incredibly grateful for. “Just a bit… confused.”
“Is there anything I can do?” He asked carefully.
“Um… which hospital am I in?”
“You’re not in a hospital, you’re in our private wing.”
“A private… wing?”
“Yes, you might not have seen it before given that it doesn’t get used much.”
“Why doesn’t it get used?”
“Well, there aren’t many humans in the house.”
Lucia didn’t answer but her expression said it all, she hadn’t a clue what he was talking about.
Elijah wasn’t sure where to go from there, so he simply asked, “You okay?” lamely.
“Y-yeah…” Her answer seemed more reflexive than he would have liked. Finally she added, “Where’s my family?” with a slow drag of her eyes from Elijah to the opposite side of her bed where Sariyah’s empty chair sat.
A long and awkward pause sat between them. Either she didn’t remember her family selling her, or she believed they would actually come and visit after doing so… Elijah wasn’t sure which was more heartbreaking.
“Lucia, do you know who I am?” He asked slowly.
“Oh, um… I’m sure I do…” Her cheeks gained a hint of colour as she struggled to think, “I just can’t seem to place your name, that’s all…”she couldn’t hold his gaze.
“Do you know how we know each other?” He tried instead.
She was able to answer rather quickly, “You’re my friend?” but his face must have betrayed him because she seemed to be able to tell almost instantly that wasn’t the million dollar answer.
“We’re engaged, Lucia.”
“Oh.”
Sariyah returned with Dr Farris in tow.
“Lucia, do you know who that is?” He asked softly, pointing at Sariyah.
The pair paused at the end of the bed with matching expressions of apprehension.
“I… I don’t know her name but…”
“Ah.” Dr Farris sighed. “Well, I did include amnesia in the list of symptoms… This could be temporary, though!”
“Could be?” Elijah blurted sharply.
“Lucia, please be completely honest with us,” Sariyah said slowly, “no need to spare our feelings trying to be polite, but what do you genuinely recognise of where you are and who we are?”
“I’m… so sorry... I have no idea who you are, any of you. I don’t know where I am or why. I don’t know why my body feels like it’s been run through a pasta machine and...” He r eyes began to mist up and her mouth trembled around the words she attempted to squeak out, “And it hurts so much.”
“Morphine.” Dr Farris ticked his finger in the air and scurried over to her IV, pulling a small glass bottle and a syringe from his white coat pocket. “Let’s get you some delicious morphine.”
“Thank you.” She whispered, tears rolling down both cheeks.
Sariyah took her hand and whispered comforting words, “While that kicks in we can talk you through what’s happened, does that sound good, sweetie?”
“Mm.” Lucia managed with eyes squeezed shut and lips tight. She took a deep sniff and opened them back up. “That would be great.”
“You took an awful tumble down the stairs in the main entrance.” Sariyah began, “Elijah found you.” she nodded in his direction and he took that as his cue to jump in,
“I found you at the bottom unconscious.” he said quietly.
“By the way, Elijah is your fiance and this is his family’s home.” Sariyah added helpfully, “You’ve been living here since you became engaged.”
Lucia’s eyes slid over Elijah fully this time, slowly, sizing him up. Then she blushed and he felt a wave of heat run through his body, she had never looked so cute before. The heart monitor betrayed her with increased beeping and her rosy cheeks darkened to a deep burgundy.
“I’m his cousin and the one who spends most of the day with you. We like ordering pizza and gossiping!” Sariyah added, helpfully drawing the attention back to herself and away from Lucia’s embarrassment.
“I’m not a great fan of either of those things.” Elijah chuckled awkwardly.
“Well, Lucia also loves reading and so do you, so you have that in common.” Sariyah said through gritted teeth, that way your mother spoke to you when she was trying to tell you something private in front of guests.
“Anyway, your body is horribly bruised and swollen but you have no fractures and no bleeding in the brain which is wonderful!” Dr Farris interjected.
“I don’t feel wonderful.” Lucia whispered with a pout.
“Yes, you’ll need a lot of rest and a lot of pain-relief before you feel anywhere near human. And that’s coming from someone who isn’t!” He chuckled to himself. “I’ll need to do another full examination with you now that you’re awake but for the moment I’ll let your beloved betrothed continue to make you feel more comfortable in this unknown world you’ve woken up in.” His blasé attitude was not infectious. “I’ll give you an hour and Julie will monitor you while I’m gone.” He bobbed his head and strode out, much to Elijah’s horror.
His head swung back and forth between Lucia and the door as he adjusted himself in his chair awkwardly a few times. He needed to do something, he just wasn’t sure what would be appropriate.
Sariyah mercifully broke the silence, “Is there anything we can do for you, honey?” she asked, “Maybe some water? Food?”
“Water, please.”
“I’ll go get a jug from the kitchen.” Sariyah nodded at Elijah with wide eyes and high brows, she was trying to hint at something. Except now he was fairly sure he knew what. He nodded back, it seemed they had both had the exact same thought. This was his chance, a chance to make a new and fresh impression.
Left alone with his fiancee, Elijah found himself simply staring at her and twiddling his thumbs. Her eyes were half-lidded and her lips turned down in a pouting frown but more than anything she appeared exhausted.
“I’m so sorry this has happened to you.” He whispered.
She gave him a confused look but didn’t reply, he assumed she was already slipping into sleep or at the very least attempting to conserve what energy she did have. He watched her, unblinking, unable to tear his eyes away.
Sariyah returned with the jug, poured a small plastic tumbler out and aided Lucia in drinking it. The girl sipped at the water cautiously, unable to move her head or neck.
With her mouth suitably hydrated she managed to whisper, “Could you help me get my arms out please? I’m getting hot under here.”
Sariyah hurried forward and peeled back the tightly tucked sterilised sheets to reveal Lucia’s chest and arms covered in a hospital gown. Lucia blinked down at what she could see of her attire with obvious confusion.
“I don’t remember putting this on…” She mumbled.
Nurse Julie intercepted that particular comment, “Ah, we had to cut off her clothes for the scans… Dr Varnava didn’t want to move her too much.” she explained.
“We’ll buy you new clothes, I promise.” Sariyah said with a kind wink.
“It’s okay,” Lucia muttered, “I don’t remember what I was wearing anyway.” she laughed a little but quickly halted with a wince after jostling her neck.
“You okay?” Elijah asked quickly.
“Yeah.” She grunted.
Sariyah clapped her hands together, “I know something that’ll cheer you up,” she announced, “why don’t we get your ring back on?”
“My ring?” Lucia asked with dark brows pulled together.
“Your engagement ring, silly!” She explained cheerfully, “If you have to wear a dreary hospital gown you can at least accessorise!” she gave Elijah a pushy look with brows raised.
“Would you mind bringing it from my suite?” Elijah asked.
“Why me?”
“I’d rather not leave Lucia’s side so soon after her fall.” He was genuinely concerned for her but he laid the sound of his worry extra thick over his voice, he couldn’t explain in front of Lucia and Nurse Julie that he feared someone might try to kill her while he’s gone. “Please could you just grab it from my room?”
Sariyah stood with a huff, “Depends where I have to dig to find it,” she put her hands on her hips, “I’m not going in your panty drawer!”
“It’s in my bedside table, first drawer.”
“Fine, back in two.” She gave him a questioning look and he hoped the one he offered in return conveyed the message of ‘later’. She left at human pace, striding out with head held high.
Lucia sniffed and bit her lip gently before mumbling, “Are my family coming?”
A long and ever-growing awkward pause sat between them until Elijah was finally able to drag some words from his mouth, “I don’t think so,” he said quietly, adding, “I’m sorry.” with a wince.
Lucia’s face was a heart-breaking combination of confusion and hurt but at least she didn’t ask any more questions. Elijah knew he did not have the necessary skill in tact to explain her family’s recent… decisions… At least not without heavily incriminating himself along with them.
Instead, he kept his mouth shut and tried his best not to look guilty.
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