Girl on the Bench [Completed]

Like a fine wine

Rosa

He was awake, finally. I let out a huge breath and slumped into the chair next to his bed. 

"It's ok, lovie. It's ok," I looked up and smiled at Millie, the nurse who had been looking after Dominic. She was older, grey strands flecking her short dark hair and, as she squeezed my shoulder gently, I was certain she was a mother. 

"Dominic, relax back. She's right here."

I must have fallen out of Dominic's line of sight when I'd sat down and he was struggling to sit up. I felt worry rise up in my chest as I realised that he didn't know the extent of his injuries. He scrabbled to pull his upper body up using the rails of the bed to aid him. He didn't need to know, not right now.

"Dominic, it's fine. I'm here," I pulled myself back up to stand and as soon as he saw me, he sank back into the bed. He still had the breathing tube in his mouth and his eyes were focussed solely on me. I knew what he was wondering, I knew what he wanted to say.

"Can.. can we take the tube out? Does he need it?" I asked Millie softly.

I reached out and gently stroked Dominic's hair, pushing the thick wavy strands off his forehead. I saw the muscles relax in his neck and he closed his eyes. 

"In a couple of hours, lovie. He's been out for a while and we need to make sure that he will manage, the doctor's will want to run a few more tests too."

I nodded and continued to stroke his hair.

"He'll be ok, lovie," I barely registered the words as I looked down at him. I didn't know if it was the bed or all the wires and tubes but he looked so little and frail. Bandaged, bruised, scars forming. My heart thudded hard in my chest, I was so lucky that he'd woken up. 

I hoped that he would be strong enough to realise that too.

                                                                                                     ***

Dominic

"Right, Dominic. Follow my instructions and we will be able to take your breathing tube out and you'll be able to talk, ok?" The nurse reached down and patted my hand.

I nodded impatiently, I wanted to talk to Rosa. I looked around for her but she wasn't there. I felt panic build in my chest and it must have registered on the machines behind me as they began to alarm.

"Dominic, lovie. Listen, she's right outside. I didn't want her to see this. Now please, calm down or the doctors will change their minds."

I glanced at the nurse again, what was her name? Mae? Marie? Millie. It was Millie. 

I nodded again and watched as Millie called for a nurse to help her, I followed their instructions and soon, I was coughing and retching but able to take breaths in on my own. It was bliss. 

"Rosa, " I croaked. My throat felt like I'd been swallowing chunks of glass wrapped in razor blades. 

"Hush, lovie. Have a sip of water. Let me pop some oxygen on you and then we'll get her. Ok?"

I sipped the cool water from the cup she handed me and nearly wept as it cooled my throat but made it hurt like a bitch at the same time.

"Small sips, like a fine wine," Millie smiled cheekily at me.

I forced a smile back at her.

She took a syringe of blood from the needle in my wrist, fixed some oxygen tubing so that it curled around my ears and rested under my nose then left my room. Another nurse watched my monitors through the glass doors. 

I rested my head back onto the pillow and winced. I hurt everywhere. I tried to breathe in deeply and stopped when sharp bolts of pain burst across my chest. I must have fractured ribs. I wiggled my fingers and managed to lift my arms off the bed slightly before pain flared again. I moved my toes and.. wait, I raised my head up off the pillow and looked down the bed. Blankets and sheets covered me but I could see what was wrong instantly. My right leg looked bulky and inflated, like it had a cast on it. My left leg...I felt nausea build up in my throat. 

My left leg stopped at my knee joint. 

My vision tunnelled as I stared at the bed, the sheet flat where it should be raised from my shin, ankle and foot. 

"Dominic?" I heard Rosa enter the room and move quickly towards the side of the bed. Everything felt like it was wrapped in cotton wool as I barely registered her slipping her hand into mine. 

"Where's..what...Rosa?"I stuttered out. 

"Dominic, are you ok? Should I get Millie?" She asked, her voice full of concern. 

Fear forced its way into my chest and wrapped around my heart. I retched. 

A buzzer alarmed in the distance.

"Millie, it's Dom. He's.. something's wrong."

"Where's my leg?" I forced out. Wave after wave of nausea hit me.

"Dominic, look at me." Rosa said firmly. "Now."

I dragged my eyes away from the bed and looked at Rosa. Her eyes were shining with tears but she swallowed hard.

"You were in an accident. An articulated truck hit you hard and pushed you off the road. The fire crew had to cut you out of the car, it was completely wrecked. You were stuck in the car, Dominic. The front of the car was barely there. You came here and they rushed you to the theatre. You've broken pretty much all the bones in your right leg but they couldn't save your lower left leg. They tried but they couldn't. It had to be amputated. I'm so sorry."

I heard Millie whisper something to someone else in the room.

I said nothing, I just stared at Rosa. The woman I loved more than anything else in the world. I thought about her smile, her throaty laugh, her smell. I pictured her in my bed, laughing as she sipped coffee, the way her nose crinkled when she thought of something funny. I didn't even know that I could love someone as much I loved her. A dull ache began to form in my chest. 

Rosa reached out and rested her hand on my cheek, her thumb brushing away tears I didn't realise had fallen.

"I'm so glad that you've woken up. It's been over two weeks since the accident. I love you, Dominic."

She leaned over and kissed me softly on the lips. 

"You need to go," I muttered.

Rosa stepped back as if I'd shouted at her, "What did you say?"

"Get out."

"Dominic, if you need to rest, I can put a chair right next to your bed, lovie," Millie interjected.

I took one more look at this beautiful woman. I drank her in and knew what I was doing was the right thing for her. I'd already dragged her down enough and, the minute she's back with me, I was ready to drag her down even further. She deserves a man better than me, a man who can be there for her. I tore my gaze away from her and looked at Millie.

"Get her out of here and don't let her back in."

I lay back and stared at the ceiling, counting the marks on the roof and felt darkness reach up from under the bed and tugged me down. Back into the deep pit where I belonged.