As a fresh wave of grief washed over me, I leaned back against the shower wall and thought about how I found myself now in a strange sort of other world. A place born of living three lifetimes in less than three months. There had been the Annabel I had been before the kidnapping, the Annabel I was during my enslavement in Mexico, and there was the Annabel I would be now.Andwho was she?
After living such a controlled life both under my parents’ thumb and in captivity, it was alarming to have to wonder what tomorrow would bring. Questions of how to proceed with my life inundated my brain at almost warp speed. Once I started down that train of thought, I didn’t know how to stop it. I knew I was only supposed to take one day at a time as I recovered, even as little as one step, but I couldn’t help but wonder what would happen now?
A gentle knock came at the door. “Annabel? Are you okay?” Rev asked.
Realizing I must’ve been in the shower longer than I thought, I quickly turned off the water. “Yes, I’m fine,” I called.
After I toweled off, I realized I was too tired to dry my hair, so I combed it out and left it wet. I slipped into another hospital gown and what were apparently the post-op granny panties I was mandated to wear. When I came out of the bathroom, Ifound only Rev remained. I wasn’t sure where Dr. Edgeway or Rev’s brother had gone.
“Hi,” I said, softly.
He glanced up from the book he was reading. “Hello. Feeling okay?”
I nodded. “Much better now. Little tired.”
“I was worried about that. You need to get some rest.”
With a yawn, I replied, “I plan on it.” When I eased into the bed, Rev stood up to help pull the sheet and blanket over me. “Thanks.”
My head had barely hit the pillow when I fell into a deep sleep. I awoke to the unappetizing smell of the dinner trays being brought around. I had always heard the jokes about American hospital food, but if there was anything worse, I think it had to be Mexican hospital food.
When I glanced over to where I had last seen Rev, he was still sitting in the chair beside the bed, watching TV. “Hey,” I said.
He turned his head to grin at me. “Hey there, sleeping beauty. I was wondering when you might wake up.”
His term of endearment made me smile. “I can’t believe how long I slept,” I said, as I pushed myself into a sitting position.
“You needed it.”
An aide appeared with my food and set it down without a smile. “Gracias,” I murmured, as she started away. I opened the lid and then quickly shut it.
“You need to eat,” Rev urged, when I pushed the tray away.
“I’d like to see you try that.”
With a smile, he rose out of his chair. He took the lid off of my tray and then picked up a fork. He cut a piece of the pale cutlet of chicken. After taking a bite, his expression soured, and he quickly turned to spit out the food into the trashcan.
“That’s horrible.”
“I tried to tell you.”
“I’ll call Bishop and ask him to bring us some food that’s a little more appetizing.”
I smiled at him. “That sounds like a plan.”
After Rev made the call to Bishop, he didn’t put his phone away. Instead, he kept looking at it and then at me. The expression on his face told me he was apprehensive about something. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing’s wrong.”
“Are you sure? You look funny.”
A teasing smile played on his lips. “That wasn’t a very nice thing to say.”
I laughed. “I didn’t mean it like that. You look like something is bothering you. Like you need to tell me something you really don’t want to.”
Rev’s smile faded. “You’re very perceptive.” He once again rose out of the chair. “You’re being discharged in the morning, so we’ll be leaving for El Paso.” Then he proceeded to tell me the plans that I assumed Breakneck and he had made earlier. “But before we leave, I need you to talk to your parents.”
My stomach churned at the prospect. “I tried to kill myself earlier today. Must I endure that as well?” I said and I knew I sounded bitter.
