The Crash

Chapter 7

Morgan

I woke up the next morning and stretched a little, looking around the room. It was light and the birds were chirping outside the hospital window. I felt refreshed and happy and confident in myself, I turned my head, expecting to see Alex sat in the chair next to me but he was gone.

I could've sworn he was there last night... where did he go? Was he there at all? Oh my goodness did I dream it?

I rubbed my face with my hands and looked at the flowers in the vase on my table when I noticed a small piece of folded paper next to them. I frowned and reached over for it, opening it carefully I saw messy, spider-like handwriting on the paper and I smiled,

Morgan,

Went home to sleep - those chairs are uncomfortable and I'm not risking spine damage for you.

I'm so proud of you and you're going to kick some major ass in physio today

See you later,

-Alex

I grinned and felt myself blushing at the note.

So I guess it wasn't a dream. I placed the note back on the table and looked at myself in the mirror opposite my bed. I realised I looked like a total and complete mess but the smile on my face seemed to make up for it.

Maybe I should go into the bathroom to freshen up... who's going to care, this is a hospital for crying out loud.

I heard the door click and I turned to see my regular doctor walk in with a stern look on her face and I frowned. Is this about physiotherapy? It probably is...

"Morgan, we have your early physio session today if you would like to go over to the bars" she said, not even attempting to make small talk. She reached out her hands and roughly picked me up from my bed, reminding me that this wasn't Alex, she wasn't here to care or be gentle. She was here to do her job.

She walked me over to the bars and I smiled a little to myself, realising that this was going to be a piece of cake.

"Now, if you would like to try and take a step" she said, looking at her clipboard as I stepped forward. As soon as I had put my first foot down, her eyes widened. I've never been able to do that and now I can all of a sudden.

"Another" she said with more hope in her voice and I did as she told me, making her gasp.

"How far can you go?" she asked, as if she was challenging me and without hesitation I walked all the way along with the support of the bars and right up to her.

"That's incredible" she gasped, "Can you try without?" she asked and I nodded, moving around so I was in the same space as I was last night.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, imagining Alex at the other end instead of the doctor and I went for it. Shakily putting one foot in front of the other and when I got to the other end she caught me and guided me back to my bed.

"Just give me a second" she said and I nodded as she walked out of the room. I looked down at my legs and swung them back and forth against the bed, smiling to myself.

A couple of minutes later she waltzed back in with my mother in tow who must've been just coming into the hospital for her daily visit, they were both beaming from ear to ear and I assumed that the doctor had already told my mum about what had happened.

She started writing on her clipboard while my mum grinned at me, the doctor spoke as she wrote.

"Well, it looks like you've very suddenly gained the ability to walk." The doctor smiled, continuing to scribble on her paper, "So what I'm going to do is release you from our care. You can go home but you have to come back for physiotherapy every few weeks and use crutches but as long as you keep practicing walking and don't tire yourself out too much, you should be fine"