Okay, have you ever felt like you were having the same day(s) that just kept repeating, over and over? It was like a vicious cycle or Ferris wheel that kept on going and you could never escape. Well, I felt that way as I started to wake up and see that I was once again in a hospital bed with machines all around me.
Lying back and not moving, I waited for a nurse or someone to come in and see me awake. Luckily, this time I didn’t have a tube in my mouth or I wouldn’t have been so calm.
I started to wonder if I was in my own little Groundhog Day movie. In case you have never seen that movie, it is about a guy who keeps repeating the same day over and over.
I get it, right now you are probably like, “Anna, stop complaining, you’re alive, fortunately.” Yet, the thing is I am a complainer and the bleach stitched room was just reminding me of the last time I was here.
“Anna!” I heard a female’s voice from beside me as my heavy lids opened some more. Looking over I saw Carollena race over to me. Giving me a huge hug she lifted me up and started to sway me back and forth. “I was so worried!”
“She has only been out for ten hours, five of which she was in surgery. So, chill your horses.” A new voice said from the doorway. Looking over I saw Heaven leaning on the door post. Glancing at me, she smiled. “Hey girlie, how you feeling?”
“Like I’ve been shot,” I replied as I started to feel a heavy sting on my right shoulder.
Carollena released me and gasped. “I’m so sorry! I forgot about you being shot, I was just happy you were awake when I walked in. They said you might not make it. Luckily Seven knew CPR ... speaking of that! You have some explaining to do! Why the fudge monkeys did you not tell me Leaven was abusing you?! I outta ring your neck! You know that you should-”
“Carollena, maybe this is a conversation for another day. She just woke up,” Heave stated as she walked in the room.
Shagged in defeat, Carollena nodded, “you’re right. But, Annabelle you have a huge lecture ahead your way. This is not over!” Carollena told me as she pointed her index finger right at my face.
I smiled, “I know.”
“I’ll go get the doctor and call your dad,” Carollena said before turning her heel and walking out of the room.
“So, you all know everything now -- about Leaven and I?” I questioned.
Heaven, who was holding a Sprite, set it down on the table beside me. “I’ve known everything for awhile. You know I would have -- should have -- killed Leaven sooner, but Seven wanted to kill him, himself, for hurting you. He wasn’t, however, planning on Leaven to use you as a shield...”
“Where is Seven?” I asked as I pressed a button to move up the back of my bed up so I could get in a sitting position.
“Ummm, he is in Washington, D.C. He has a meeting with his boss.”
“Oh ... is he in trouble?”
“No, I don’t think so. But don’t worry, Seven promised that he would be back in time to make it to your party.”
“Party?”
Heaven gave me a guilty expression. “Party?! Did I say party? I meant ... marty -- Okay, I fail at covering that slip up. But yeah, it was going to be a surprise, but I guess the beans are out of the bag now...”
“You look like Hell,” a male spoke.
Looking by the door I saw Max standing there with a smile on his face. I noticed that his arm was in a splint and white gauze was wrapped around his waist.
“You’re one to talk,” I commented with a grin plastered on my face.
Max stepped in and gave me a nod. “How you doing?”
“Oh, just fine. No pain at all,” I lied and then suddenly I had a thought ... what about the baby? My hand reached my stomach and I gazed at the two people in front of me. I wanted to ask if they knew if the child was okay ... but if they didn’t know I was pregnant, I wasn't going to tell them now.
Heaven gave me a blank expression as she looked at my sudden action. Her eyes lit up with acknowledgement as she gave me a single nod. “It’s perfectly fine and healthy,” she replied to my unspoken question.
“H-how did you know?” I inquired.
“A peek in your medical records,” Heaven honestly spoke.
“Seven doesn’t know,” Max blurted out. Rubbing the back of his neck, with his free hand he gave me a sheepish look. “We ... we hid it from him because if it is not his ... well, he will be crushed. I think it is something-”
“Wait? You think it is not his?” I asked in shocked.
“No, that is not it,” Max nervously spat. “It is just that ... we know you and Seven ... you know ‘did the deed’ but ... if Leaven-”
“Just stop right there, it is Seven’s child. Not Leaven’s and not any other man that is walking this Earth.”
Max and Heaven both mirrored strong relief once I was done speaking.
“So, what happened to Leaven?” I questioned.
“Dead,” was all Heaven said with a stern look in her eyes. I could tell that she wanted the conversation dropped and so it was.
“Is there room for another person in here?” Someone spoke from the door.
Glancing over, I saw Jenny. She stood oddly in the threshold and had an unsure look on her face. I knew she wasn’t completely sure if she should come in or just stand there.
“Hey,” I said as I waved my right hand. In doing so I felt a very sharp pain and immediately dropped my arm.
Jenny gave me a look of pity as she stepped more in the room. “You should keep that arm down for a while. Don't want the stitches to break,” she spoke with so much softness. Reaching her arm out as she got to my bed, Jenny showed off a flower vase of Stargazers.
“Awe, thanks,” I replied as I tried to reach for them with my good arm.
“Here, I will get it,” Heaven said as she walked over and grabbed the vase.
“So,” Jenny spoke. “You know Seven and I aren’t dating or engaged ... right?” Jenny asked with a hopeful look.
“Yeah,” I said as I fiddled with the white blanket that was before me.
Jenny released a huge sigh in relief, “oh good. You cannot believe how hard it has been to not set you and Seven up. Oh, from the first day when I saw you and him at Leaven’s house, I all but squealed. I had heard stories of you and you see I knew that Seven-”
“Jen, you are coming on too strong,” Max joked at his sister with a wild smirk.
Jenny huffed, “I know, I know, but I have been holding it all in. I really-”
“We get it, you really have been wanting to push Seven and Anna together,” Max said with a little exaggeration in his tone.
“I did, hence the reason I faked the call in the car on the first day I met you.”
“But, you weren’t happy about him going on the weekend trip with me,” I muttered.
Jenny looked at me and frowned. “No, I wasn’t too happy about that but not for the reason you think. Seven is suppose to stay in this city while he is off duty, in case he gets called in. If Macklin, Seven and Max’s boss, found out about him attending the vacation in the woods, well, it would not be good.”
“Why not?” I inquired.
Giving a sigh, Max replied to my question. “He doesn’t like us agents that are undercover a lot to have many people close to us. It puts us and our loved ones in risk. Risk of not only getting kidnapped and gosh knows what, but also puts our loved ones in danger of being persuaded to become corrupt. We are allowed to be close with Heaven and Jenny because we all do basically the same field work...”
“What about Carollena?” I asked Heaven with curiosity.
Biting her lips, she gave me a crooked look. “Carollena was my cover-up without knowing ... But, I like her -- heck I even think I love her. Macklin will have no knowledge of my love for her as long as I can help it.”
“Will you continue your relationship with her?”
Heaven shrugged her shoulders, “yet to be determined.”
“Wow, I leave and the whole town comes to visit Anna,” Carollena joked.
We all gave small chuckled as she came in with a beaming smile. Placing her hand on Heaven’s shoulder, she looked at me. “The doctor is on his way and so is your dad."
I gave her a nod as I prayed that I would leave this place soon. All I wanted as of that moment was to go home and sit on the couch. A tub of ice cream in hand and my eyes trained on the clock as I counted down until the very minute my party started and Seven comes racing in the room with his everlasting smile.