Mixed Signals.

30.

"Can you please talk to me?"

"She's okay."

"What do you mean she's okay?" I whispered.

"She had 2 collapsed lungs, no heart rate, we got her back into sinus rhythm, she's in ICU recovery ward. I'll take you to her in a moment. She's got crush injuries to her chest, shoulder and pelvis. She might not be very talkative because she's in a lot of pain. She is feeling pretty low right now. Bare with her Jay. Please give her time and if she tells you to leave her alone just leave her."

"Okay thank you....how long was the surgery?"

"10 hours 34 minutes. Come with me and we will go see her." He smiled.

"Did you do the surgery?"

"I did the surgery yes. It wasn't done in the surgery room either. It was done in A&E." We walked along the long hallways and I noticed the signs for ICU, the big red signs and everything telling us to be careful and only enter with permission. We got in there and the ward was silent almost. There was beeping machines for each of the 3 patients. Out of the 6 beds only 3 had people in there. 1 of them was Erin. She was in the end bed near the window and she was laying on her back with her head tilted towards the window and she was looking out the window. Will come over with me and we were both just watching her.

"Erin sweetie you have a visitor. Well you have loads in the waiting room. There is like 20 people here waiting for some news. Is it okay for me to tell them your okay?" Will smiled.

"Yeah tell them. It's fine." She sighed. She didn't even move from the window. She just rested her hand on her lower chest where the crush injury was.

"Are you okay?" I smiled.

"Yeah I guess so. It hurts."

"Yeah Will was saying the surgery was like 11 hours long."

"Yeah it's painful. Do you know what injures I've got?" She turned to face me and her face was bruised and battered.

"Some of them."

"6 broken and fractured ribs and a fractured pelvis." She sighed.

"You must be in agony." I laughed.

"Yeah well I'm on morphine for the pain." She smiled. She was a bit quiet and awkward around me but I think that was understandable. I sat down in the chair next to her and we looked at each other for a few moments. Hank come in with a small smile and a bunch of flowers.

*

"Dad." I smiled.

"Hello sweetie. How are you feeling?"

"I'm in some pain. I don't know if it's pain or not. It's sore."

"Yeah Will told me all your injuries so I understand if your in pain."

"I don't know what's going on. What happened to me?"

"You crashed your car? Remember?"

"Crashed my car?"

"Yeah you crashed the car."

"Oh yeah. I was upset with Jay and then I drove but I couldn't see anything. I felt sick, my eyes were blurry. It was all because I was crying so much." I whispered. My voice began to crack and a few tears began to fall. Jay reached over to hold my hand but I pulled my hand away and held it up to my cheeks and wiped my tears away. "Can I be left alone please? I just want to be alone."

"Okay sweet. If you need me call me." Dad smiled.

"I love you." Jay whispered.

"Bye." I sighed. They both left together and I went bed to looking out the window. I didn't know what to say or do but I just wanted to sleep again. The pain was so bad I couldn't sleep.

*

"I'll stay with her a little while it's fine." I smiled.

"Thank you." He smiled. I hugged him quickly before going into the ward. She was in the very end bed so I went over to her and held her hand. She opened her eyes and jumped.

"Oh hello." She laughed.

"Hello." I smiled.

"You didn't have to come here."

"I'm here to check on you. It's me on baby sitting duty tonight." I smiled.

"I want to be alone Kel."

"I know you do but someone needs to be with you to make sure your okay and I'm not at work in the morning so I'm here to help you." We both exchanged a small smile and I held her hand still as she closed her eyes to go back to sleep. I stayed sitting where I was and didn't let go of her hand once. I think I sat there awake for about 6 hours while she slept peacefully. She wasn't only asleep but also completely knocked out on pain meds. I lifted her top up to see the injuries and noticed how she had really bad bruises on her chest and lower abdomen. Looking where her shorts were she was all bruised and swollen there too. I felt so bad I quickly pulled the top down and sat back down. I felt so bad but at least she was getting better. I just closed my eyes so I didn't get tearful.

* * *

6 days later and I was finally allowed home. Apparently I was supposed to go in a wheelchair but I chose not to. I took my crutches but I wasn't going to use them. I was all ready to go home. I had my bag packed and I stood up using my crutches. He took my bag for me and smiled at me. Leaning down and kissing me.

"I love you."

"I love you too." He smiled. He carried the bag on his left shoulder and held my arm with his free hand and I hobbled my way out of the ward. I was in a lot more pain than I was letting on. Having a fractured pelvis and broken ribs wasn't the best thing. We went out to his car and he helped me down into it. I don't think I've ever felt so comfortable in my life. He rested his hand on my thigh the entire way back to his apartment.

"Look there's even a lift." He smiled.

"Are you sure it's okay with her for me to stay with you?" I smiled nervously. He helped me out the car and I got myself back on my crutches and up to the apartment block doors. He carried the bag for me and helped me inside and up to the apartment.

"Welcome home!" Stella smiled.

"Thank you for letting me stay with you and Kelly." I smiled hugging her.

"It's no problem at all Erin. Come on now, you two are a thing now so it's all good."

"We aren't a thing." Kelly laughed nudging her.

"What are you then?" She smiled.

"Yeah Kel what are we then?" I laughed sitting in the armchair because I was in pain. "What's our thing?"

"A relationship then yeah?" He smiled.

"Quite possibly." I laughed. He come over and sat on the arm of the chair and leant down kissing me. Stella was pretending to make herself sick in the background which made me laugh against his soft tender vanilla lips.