5 Books For Eveline

26

26

She recognised the place as soon as her eyes opened. After all, she had spent quite some time in a similar room only a year ago. The smells were the same. The air felt the same, a shade too cold for true comfort, but warm enough. The same colour walls. The same stiff curtains on the window. Even the bed sheets felt the same, stiff and starched, scratching at her skin.

Trying to move proved difficult. A catheter trailed from her hand to a saline bag upon a stand. Her hip felt as though it had become detached. Numb. Still there, but as though it were a separate limb. She moved a hand down, reaching under the sheets, tugging the hospital gown up to make a tentative touch against the skin of her leg. Her fingers felt the touch. Her leg did not.

"Hello, my lovely. Try not to move so much, you'll have that catheter out, eh." A nurse breezed into the room, checking the feed of the drip and then gripped Purdy's wrist, timing her pulse. "Someone's been overdoing it, eh? You'll be fine. Nothing to worry about."

"What happened?" Her throat felt dry and she looked over to the bedside cabinet, where she saw a jug of water and a glass. The nurse saw the look and poured some water, handing the glass to Purdy.

"You had a bit of a tumble. How long has your hip pained you this much?" Moving to the end of the bed, the nurse looked through the notes on the clipboard, clicking a pen and adding to them. "The doctor should pass through in a little while and then you should be able to go home in an hour or two."

"It's been a few days." Sipping the water, she saw the look from the nurse. "The pain. I have an appointment for an x-ray soon."

"Not to worry about that, my love. We managed to fit you in for one while you were sedated." The nurse replaced the notes and stood at the side of the bed, looking down at Purdy, her hands on her hips. "The doctor will tell you all about it. Meanwhile, and I shouldn't really do this, but she's been here for hours, you can see your friend for five minutes."

"Friend?" Purdy frowned, but the nurse had already left.

Seconds later, Briar appeared at the door, poking her head around, her ponytail falling towards the polished floor. She gave Purdy a tight smile and then edged around the door. She said nothing, at first, and neither did Purdy. Instead, Briar looked around the room, picked up the clipboard, scowling at the notes, before sitting down in the uncomfortable chair at the side.

"Idiot." Briar sat back, picking up a big boot encased foot and resting it on her knee. She slumped in the chair, elbows resting on the wooden arms. "You've been holding out on me. I've been dragging you around everywhere and you never said a thing. You've made me feel guilty and I don't do guilt."

Briar looked away, one hand raising to her mouth and she began to chew upon her thumbnail. Purdy didn't know what to say. In fairness to herself, she didn't think Briar would care that much about the pains in her hip. She had thought the childish woman would have simply shrugged and carried on, whether Purdy were in pain or not. She did look upset, now, however.

"I was fine. I'm used to a bit of pain." With a little struggle, Purdy sat higher in the bed, turning to refill her glass. Briar tutted, moving to grab the glass from Purdy's hand. "It was nothing to worry you about."

"Nothing to worry about?" The glass slammed upon the top of the bedside cabinet and Briar leaned against the surface, turning her head away. "You collapsed! I thought you were bloody dying!"

Purdy could see Briar's shoulders shaking and then a hand raised to her face, wiping at her cheeks and eyes. She sniffed, took a deep breath and then filled the glass, handing it to Purdy, none-too-gently. Purdy took the glass and Briar turned away, looking out of the window. The rains had eased, by now, but the dirty, dark clouds still hung in the air, ominous and looming.