I try to open my eyes, but I can’t make them open, and my head is pounding. I listen, and I hear machines, but I don’t know what kind. I smell the distinct smell of a hospital. It’s a clean smell, but way too abrasive for me. I try again to open my eyes, but nothing. Then I swear I hear the sweetest voice whisper to me. “You’re not alone sweetheart. I’m staying with until your family gets here. Just rest, you’ll be fine.” Then it was gone, and the black is back….

I wake again. I open one of my eyes, but the other isn’t opening and it hurts like the dickens. I hurt all over. My head isn’t pounding anymore, but there’s a dull throb. I lift my hand to my face and it feels puffy. I reach over and my eye that is not opening is swollen. What the heck?

Then flashes of memory come back. It was dark and rainy and then the bright headlights. I must have been hit. I can’t remember anything, other than the memory of a sweet voice whispering to me. Was it a dream? I try to sit up but give up real fast. My ribs are screaming at me to be still. I move my eye around and see a man sitting in the corner in a chair.

Who is he and why is he here? I feel my nurse call thing beside my hand on the bed. I reach with my hand and start pushing everything on it. I can’t see it, but surely something on it will get a nurse in here.

The door flies open and the guy nearly jumps straight out of the chair. “Are you awake? I’ll put a call in for the doctor.” The nurse is very talkative. “Can I get you something while we wait?” The man has started texting on his phone.

I try to talk, but my throat is dry and scratchy. I motion with my hand to try to ask for water, but she has her eyes on the man from what I can see. I finally fiddle with the control enough and my bed starts to come up, but I take my hand off that quick, because it freaking hurts. “Wa water.” I try again and this time I get it out.

“Of course. I’m going to have to sit you up some. This may hurt a little at first.” She starts the bed up a little. If this is her idea of a little pain, I’d hate to feel a lot. “That should do it. It has a straw.” She pours me some water. I take a drink slowly. At first it makes my throat feel on fire, but after a minute or so it’s better. I try to adjust myself to make it a little less painful, but even that hurts. I see the man approaching my bed, stepping beside the nurse. She becomes all smiles. I don’t know him, not that I remember.

“Captain and Mrs. Lillian are going to be glad you’re awake. They’ll be here soon.” He tells me, and then goes to sit back down.

My throat finally feels like I might be able to speak. “Where am I? I mean what hospital? What happened?” The nurse looks back at me.

“I can answer your questions.” I hear as the door is opened and in steps a doctor and another nurse. “I’m Dr. Gray. I’m in charge of your case, little lady.” The doctor is flashing a little flashlight in my eyes. He looks at the man in the corner. “I need you to step outside, so I can speak to my patient.”

The man gets up and goes to the door and opens it but stops before leaving and looks over his shoulder at me. “I’ll be right outside if you need me.” Okay...still don’t know why I would need him?

“Thought you might be more comfortable with your visitor gone. Now, I know you have a lot of questions, but first let me look you over a little, then I’ll answer what I can.”

The doctor starts poking on me and it does hurt. “Your vitals have been steady since last night. Your throat was irritated. We will watch it to make sure it isn’t an allergic reaction. Your left eye is swollen shut from a hit you took to the face. Your ribs are bruised, but none are broken or cracked. You have a concussion, which is why your head hurts so badly. All in all, you were lucky. You were knocked out from the blow and have been out for a little over twelve hours. We are going to keep you another twenty-four to forty-eight hours to be safe. Your swelling should be less by then. You’ll need someone to keep an eye on you for a few days.” He no sooner gets that out of his mouth then a tall beautiful woman walks through the door. “Are you her mother? I was just telling her she will need someone to look after her for a couple of days. I’m Dr. Gray.”

As the woman approaches my bed he puts his hand out and she takes his hand in hers and shakes politely. I have no idea who this woman is. Why is she here? Then I notice she has a bandage on her forehead and an ace bandage around her wrist.

“No, I’m not her mom. I was also in the wreck last night. I was worried about her. They couldn’t find family contacts for her last night. The young man that was here with her last night is an associate of my husband’s. He was here to watch over her until they found family for her, but they said no one ever showed up. I just want to make sure she is okay.” Dr. Gray raises his eyebrows like he is surprised. People just don’t do things like this anymore. She is very nice to worry about me.

“That is very nice of you. Ms. …” Dr. Gray leaves it hanging.

“That’s Mrs. Duncan.” A huge man is standing in my room doorway.

“Pardon me. I’m sorry, of course, Mrs. Duncan.” Dr. Gray has just been put in his place by this man. “I need to have a few words with my patient.”

“Jethro, will you wait outside so the good doctor can finish up?” The pretty lady says to the big man. The big man walks over to the lady and kisses the heck out of her and then looks at the doctor. He could have just peed on her leg, it would have been the same thing. He smirks at the doctor and walks out. The two nurses have grins on their faces. Yes, they would like to be the pretty lady. I look at the woman.

“Ma’am, do I know you? I don’t understand why you’re here. I don’t know any of you, do I?” I know my confusion is coming across so maybe they’ll explain.

“I’m Lillian Duncan. That big oaf that just left is my husband, Jethro. The young man who was here before stayed here to keep an eye on you for me. He is Con.” That was it, like it should explain everything, but I’m still lost. “Doctor go ahead.”

“Can you tell me your name?” Dr. Gray asks me.

“Katie Walton.” Pretty simple.

“How old are you, Ms. Walton?” Dr. Gray is going down his list.

“Just turned twenty, two days ago.” When is he going to let me ask questions?

“Well, that answered my next question. What year is it?” Last one before I start asking.

“2016. Now can you tell me what happened? I mean, I know it was a wreck, but the last thing I remember was blinding lights and then nothing.” I keep trying to think and jolt my memory.

“From what the DPS gathered, there was a man driving the other truck who had a heart attack and jumped the median and came into your lane. He clipped your truck, and I’m guessing Mrs. Duncan’s vehicle, and hit a culvert. He deceased from the heart attack. Everyone else was lucky it wasn’t worse. You received the worse injury because of your concussion. The DPS officer will be by to talk to you, I’m sure. For now, try and get some rest.” All that comes to mind is, poor man.

“Has his family been contacted?” It’s so close to Christmas.

“Sweetie don’t you worry about it. Jethro was checking on everything.” Lillian’s voice is the one I remember from last night.

“I’ll be back in the morning to check on you again. I’ll decide then when you can go home. Do you have someone to help?” Dr. Gray sounds concerned.

“Not really, but I need to work, and I have classes. This is Friday, right?” I wait for confirmation. They all nod their heads. “I need to make some calls. I don’t have classes until Monday, but I have to work tomorrow.” Thankfully it was a no school day today and I was off work, but I can’t lose my job. If I lose my job, I lose my apartment and would have no money for food or anything.

“You can’t work tomorrow, or for at least four to five days. What kind of work do you do?” Dr. Gray is being a bit nosey.

“I work on a ranch taking care of horses. I do a little of everything there. Mr. Brown has been very good to me and I can’t disappoint him.” I must call and let him know. I begin to think of everything that depends on my job and it is hard for me to breathe.

“Calm down and take deep breaths. Ms. Walton, you have a concussion and your ribs are bruised. Your left eye won’t even open all the way, so you are going to have to take a few days off and heal. I’m sure your employer will understand.” This came from one of the nurses.

“I’ll be back in the morning. I’ll have to keep you longer if you have no one to help you.” The doctor isn’t listening.

“No worries, doctor. I’ll be sure she is taken care of.” Lillian tells the doctor.

Dr. Gray and the nurses leave me alone with Lillian and I am having a mini freak out. I’m looking around for my purse, or anything of mine, but I’m finding nothing. “Do you think you could help me get a phone I can call my boss with? What town am I in?”

“They brought us to Titus Regional. We were closer to here. Why hasn’t your family come for you?” No uncomplicated way to answer that question but straight out. Just as I start to answer the door swings open and Mr. Duncan walks in. “Jethro, you need to knock please.”

“Why? It’s not like she can get out of that bed yet.” He’s right about that.

“Anyway, Katie you were going to say?” I know after I tell her I’m going to get that poor kid look.

“I don’t have any family. No one will be coming.” I hesitate to look at her, but when I do I see no pity in her eyes.

“You have no one? What about friends? You said you had to work tomorrow.” Lillian is grasping for straws. Stacy is my only real friend and she is twenty years old with two children and a husband, so I would never impose. Mr. Brown is a kind man, but again, he has his own family. We don’t have that kind of working relationship. I keep my job by working hard and showing up every day I’m scheduled to work. On time every time. I do the jobs everyone else hates and I don’t complain. I’m lucky to have a job. Especially one with insurance and that works around my college schedule.

“No, ma’am. My boss is all business and my only friend has a full plate with two children. I go to TJC and work on a horse ranch. If I don’t work, I will lose my apartment and have nothing to eat, so I will be going to work. Do you have a phone I could borrow? I will pay you for the call as soon as I can get my ATM card.” Maybe, she’ll see I’m telling the truth. Jethro is looking at me like I’m out of my mind. Now that I really look at him, he is scary looking. Handsome but scary. He’s wearing black jeans and a black tee and has some kind of vest or something on with patches on it.

Lillian looks at her Jethro and then back to me. “Jethro, can I speak to you outside for just a minute? When we come back in you can use my phone.” I don’t know what’s up, but if I can use her phone, I’ll wait. Not like I’m going anywhere right now.