“Did you say Savannah Thomas?” The doctor by the nurse’s station says as soon as she hears me talking to the nurse at the front desk.
“Yes, can I see her?” The doctor squinted her eyes as she stared at me intently from where she stood. I hear her let out a sigh before she pulls me to the side.
“What do you want with Savannah? She’s been stuck in here for nearly four months and no one bothers to come by anymore, why should I let you?” She says sternly.
“Geeze someone didn’t get any sleep.” Savannah says with the same attitude the doctor gave us.
I see her notice my confused expression before letting out another sigh. “I’m sorry, you didn’t need that. It’s just been so hard seeing my best friend lying in that bed. Can we start over? I’m Jocelyn Morris.” She said extending her hand out for me to take.
“Vic.” I said shaking her hand.
“So if you don’t mind me asking, how do you know Savannah?”
“I’m her uh- boyfriend.” I said quickly knowing that I wouldn’t be able to get any farther if I said who I really was.
“Boyfriend?” She said as she looked me over again and that’s when it hit me. Brandon said she wasn’t with someone, why would her best friend believe me now. “Ah so you’re the mystery guy she was telling me about. Nice to finally meet you.”
“Mystery guy? So I was actually seeing someone.”
“How come I haven’t seen you here before? The only people visiting Savannah have been her parents and her brother but they stopped showing up. I guess it was too hard for them to see her in there.”
“I was on tour. I’m a musician and I just got back.”
“So you don’t know what happened?”
“No.”
“When the hospital got the call they found two cars on opposite ends of the road. One was a male’s, I believe to be a little older then Savannah. And then there was Savannah’s that was upside down. They had brought him in first and Savannah like maybe fifteen minutes later.”
“Why so long after?”
“Her car was upside down and the damage made to the car after the crash had her trapped inside. They didn’t know in what condition she was in or if they made any move if it would make anything worse.”
“What happened to them? After they were brought to the hospital I mean.”
“The male had some gashes not too severe but he hit his head pretty hard. He was kept in trauma for about a month and a half but the family felt it was better for him to be at home as he got better. Poor thing he would toss and turn every night he was here and would yell out her name in her sleep. No one ever knew why, some people believed that he was guilty for what happened. Savannah on the other hand came in really bad condition. I was rushed off when I saw it was her because they knew my connection with her. I really thought we were going to lose her that night but she stuck through. She’s been fighting all through her injuries and as you know she’s been on a coma these past months. I know her parents probably want to cut the cord soon but we are all holding on because we know Savannah will come out of it soon enough.” As I let the new information sink in I felt my skin fill up with goosbumps like if I was there at the scene of the crime. I turned to look at Savannah could see the sadness in her eyes as she listened to her best friend talk about her.
“Can I see her?”
“Yes. Right this way.” I followed her to the elevator to the second level and down the hall to the last room on the left. “Here she is. I’ll give you some alone time with her, take all the time you need.”
“Thank you.” I took a deep breath and opened the door to let us inside. “There you are.” I said as we both walked to the opposite sides of the bed. I looked at Savannah across from me and back at the body, I couldn’t believe it was actually her.
“Oh my gosh it’s really me.” Savannah said as she brushed her hand on her cheek where a few scratches remained. I watch her as she sits on the bed and examines her body for the first time. “What’s this? Can you help me? She says a moment later as she tries to grab her hands that are resting on top of her stomach. I go to the right side of the bed where she sat and wait for her instructions. “There on my left hand.” I bring the hand up slowly and let Savannah examine it. What is that?” She says pointing to her ring finger. I move finger up and get closer to examine the side of her finger.
“In perpetuum et unum diem.” I say as I read the small cursive out loud.
“What does that even mean?”
“It Latin. I remember this it uh-“ I look at the tattoo as I try to remember the meaning. “Forever and a day, that’s what it means.”
“Huh.” She says as she thinks about the tattoo. “You think this has to do with that mystery guy Jocelyn mentioned? I mean why would I get something on my ring finger.”
“Who knows, maybe?” I say as I bring the hand back down. I turn to walk away but feel a cold shock on my arm as she stops me with her hand.
“Wait. Is that-“She stops as she stares back at the hands in bewilderment.
“What? Did you see something else?” She looks down at her shirt then back at the body as she tries to compare something.
“Lift the blanket.”
“Wait what?”
“Vic please, I need to see something.” She looks at me with pleading eyes and I let out a sigh as I start to move her hands away. I move the blanket to the opposite end of the bed and reveal her body in the hospital gown. “Now lift the gown.”
“No, no Savannah I can’t do that!”
“Come on please, it’s not like you’re invading my privacy. I’m the one telling you to do it, it’s fine.”
“I have no choice in this do I?” She shakes her head and steps closer to the bed for a better look. I lift the gown slowly revealing her panties and feel her stop me just under her bra.
“I can’t believe this.” She says as she stretches out her hand to touch her body. “I was pregnant?” I look down at her body and notice for the first time the barely there bump. Savannah stares at it a moment longer with wide eyes, not wanting to accept this new information. She shakes her head and passes by me and I take that queue to bring the gown back down and cover her up with the blanket. I see her standing in the corner of the room and sense the sadness all around her. I make my way to her and bring her body in mine for a hug. I ignore the coldness and feel her warm up as she buries her head by my shoulder. “So apparently I was in love with someone who no one really knew about, I was pregnant and now I’m in a coma that I might not get out of. This is too much for me to take.” I hear her say in a whisper. I feel the warmness subside and then feel my hands empty as she disappeared.