Entrapped

35 - Perplexing news

Zoey's whole head is bandaged and her face is purple all over. On her arm is a drip and a thing on one finger attached to a machine that monitors her heartbeat and signals it. The bed is lifted at the feet's end and under the sheet, it sounds if something is doing something with her leg. Now and then it makes a strange noise.

Surprised Zoey looks up and sees Chloe next to her bed. She lifts her trembling free hand and Chloe takes it quickly into her own hands, bends forward and cautiously lands a light peck on her purple cheek.

Zoey looks into Chloe's eyes while tears flow freely and with a trembling lower lip speaks very slowly. "Chloe, I can't remember anything. I only remember I had to take Lyle after lunch to his hostel. The rest is dark, doesn't matter how hard I try to remember. I feel so damn weak. I struggle even to lift my arms and speaking is difficult. My hip and back hurt continuously and that contraption under the sheet is moving my left leg continually. They must help me with everything. I cannot do anything for myself and it is frustrating!"

Chloe sits down tightly against her bed while she holds her hand. She struggles to hold back her tears. It feels as if it is a dam wall about to collapse inside her. She is a huddle of emotions but the overbearing emotions, thankfulness and happiness, are wrestling within her. Although, deep sorrow and pain grip her heart because her sis must bear so much and this small, fragile figure in front of her strengthens the heartache all the more at this moment.

Chloe gives her hand a light squeeze. "I am now so happy because I worried so much whether you would survive and come back to us, Zoey. We didn't even know whether all your goodies will function correctly. But they ensured me today that you will recover completely and that is the only thing that matters now!"

Zoey smiles for a split second, but then she frowns. "Chloe, when can I see Lyle and Quinn? I understand Lyle wasn't injured that badly and he is back at school but why doesn't anyone find Quinn? Where is my husband? No one can tell me where he is. They only tell me he hadn't been in the car with us. I drove and in one way or the other, we went over the cliff. What is going on, Chloe?"

Chloe is startled. She must think smartly now because they have decided to withhold all the bad news from her until she is stronger. They don't want to negatively influence her willpower because it must be the driving force behind her recovery. They must give her the chance to start remembering things by herself and put it together. At this stage, she remembers very little about her and Quinn's situation. To tell the truth, it seems as if her memories of him are still positive and Chloe wants to keep it like this. She will have to make up all sorts of white lies.

"Quinn had to go and sort out something very important, Zoey, and he then asked whether you could use the Toyota Venture to take Lye to the school in the meantime."

"What was so urgent and where is he now?"

"It would have taken quite a few weeks for Quinn to sort it out and we arranged that you would move in with me in the meantime. I stay on a smallholding outside town and you would have moved in with me on return from the school. But then the accident happened."

Zoey frowns and shakes her head slowly. "I wish I can remember! It is so frustrating! Why doesn't anyone get hold of Quinn? Is he aware of the accident?"

"I think he is on one of those long safaris. You told us that he, from time to time, embark on one of the long 4x4 safaris in the wilderness where there is no phone signal."

Zoey nods. "Yes, I begin to remember vaguely something about the safaris. You are right. Maybe he had to do a safari hastily. Frequently he got good opportunities and contacts with stinking rich businessmen. He was looking for someone who could lend him some money."