The Dancing Girl in The Painting ** (Camren)

Chapter 66: Survived

Narrator's POV

"Hi, Baby..." Lauren called Camila gently when Camila opened her eyes slowly. Lauren called the doctor to inform them that Camila was conscious now.

Camila saw Lauren was smiling at her, but she could see Lauren's eyes were sad which Lauren tried to conceal with her gentlest smile. Camila did not speak a word yet. She was still processing. She knew she was not in her bedroom neither Lauren's room.

"What happened?" Her voice was weak and raspy.

"You fainted," Lauren said.

Camila frowned trying to recall what happened. She wanted to look around and she felt pain and could not move her neck freely.

"Babe, slowly..." Lauren got up and got closer to her.

Camila touched her neck which was covered with a bandage. She was aware now that she was in the hospital. Camila was silent for a moment, "Where's Sofia?" She was panicking when she started to remember.

"Camz... Sofia is fine. She's at home." Lauren tried to calm her down.

Camila was relieved and she closed her eyes.

"Do you want to drink?"

"Yes..." her voice was inaudible.

She drank but not much. Lauren wiped Camila's mouth gently and put the glass back on the table.

The doctor and the nurse arrived within a minute. Camila was trying to recall what happened when the doctor was examining her. They asked her some questions and left after talking to Camila. It was early morning, and the main doctor who was responsible for her was not in the hospital yet after a long surgery. He would examine and talk to Camila when he arrived at the hospital in the afternoon.

Camila was fortunate that she survived the gunshot. She was shot close to the neck and she lost a lot of blood but the bullets did not hit the major nervous system and vital organs. It was a slim chance to survive when someone got shot in that area twice, but she was away too lucky. She got two bullets but she managed to survive after five hours of surgery. The correct first aid procedure by Jason and the immediate arrival at the emergency room had increased her chance to survive.

"Hi..." Lauren smiled at Camila.

Camila smiled, "What day is it?"

"It's Monday." Camila looked out of the window. "three am in the afternoon." Lauren caressed Camila's forehead gently.

"What happened?" Her voice was weak. 

"You're shot." Lauren started and she waited for Camila's reaction, but she said nothing. "You were leaving the restaurant with Dinah, Sofia, and Jason. You're shot when out of the restaurant waiting for the car."

Camila tried to remember. It was a snowy evening and the street was quite crowded. She remembered looking at the snow and the surrounding. She felt something powerful hit on her neck. She was shocked. She felt warm liquid flowing under her coat. She tried to figure it out and she could not speak to call Jason. When she managed to call Jason by pulling his hand, her vision started to blur turning into all white.

"Sofia?"

"She's fine, at home with Dinah. Do you want me to call them?"

"No... later." Camila's voice was small.

"Jason?"

"He's outside. He's worried about you."