CHAPTER 23
The Awakening
Bright light coming from somewhere she didn’t know pierced her eyelids. She moaned in pain. Was it her voice she heard, or was it the voice of another?
Caroline struggled to awaken. Had she been drugged—again? Her world was a jumble of sounds, shadows, and light. Everything came and went.
I’m so cold
Now something hurt her arm, squeezing it tightly. “Ouch,” she muttered. Something cold touched her chest, something small and round. A voice spoke, but she couldn’t make out the words. She drifted away.
When she came back, she felt a man’s breath on her face. Then his lips brushed her cheek.
Oh, God, no! Dmitri, don’t! Get away from me!
A man’s voice came closer. “Please stop.”
Her words were garbled. Her tongue felt swollen. She tried to speak again, but succeeded only in moaning. She drifted away.
“Caroline, wake up, sweetheart.” The voice was close to her ear, soft and oddly familiar.
She mustered her strength and cried out, “Get away from me!”
“Look, Ned! Her eyes fluttered! Did you see it? She’s waking up!”
Ned leaned in again and spoke softly. He was very close to her ear when he said, “Caroline, it’s Daddy.”
No response.
Ned was not a man who gave up. He desperately needed to know she was okay.
Hypothermia be damned!
“She’s still my little girl, Tim.” Tears were in his voice. “She HAS to be okay. I need to know she’s okay! I need to see it for myself!”
Tim placed a reassuring hand on Ned’s shoulder. “Of course you do. So do I.”
Ned turned to look at the younger man’s face. He saw warmth and emotion there.
Tim approached the opposite side of the bed, careful to avoid the IV pole and infusion pump. He glanced at the bag of saline hanging from the pole.
“They’re giving her warmed saline, Ned. That’s good. It helps with the hypothermia.”
He gently drew Caroline’s hand from beneath the layers of warming blankets.
“She’s warming up nicely. Look, her fingers aren’t blue anymore.” Tim leaned closer to examine her face. “Her lips are pink now, too. Those are very encouraging signs.”
“Get away from me, you bastard!”
Her voice was loud enough for all of Sheet Harbour to hear.
Tim couldn’t help smiling. “Well, Ned, that’s certainly encouraging! She’s finding her voice again.”
Tears streamed down Ned’s face. His voice was hoarse.
“It’s me, Caroline. Daddy. You’re safe. You’re in the hospital.”
He kissed her cheek.
Caroline’s eyes fluttered, then slowly opened. She struggled to focus on the face so close to hers.
“Daddy?”
“I’m here, sweetheart. I’m right here.”
“Oh, Daddy! I’m sleepy. Is it okay if I take a short nap?”
She looked into his eyes and saw only joy. She smiled faintly.
“Okay? I’ll be right back.”
As her eyelids closed, she whispered, “I love you from Saturn and back.”
Ned held her hand, unable to speak.
Tim watched her breathing settle into a quiet, regular rhythm.
“She’s just sleeping this time,” he reassured Ned.
Tim stepped quietly into the corridor, closing Caroline’s door behind him. Constable Harold sat a few feet away, his eyes following the occasional nurse or orderly passing through the hallway.
Lagan“Everything good here?” Tim asked.
“All clear here so far, sir.” Constable Harold smiled up at Tim. “Will you excuse me while I take this call?”
“Of course. Go ahead.”
Constable Harold looked unconcerned, so Tim continued toward the nurses’ station.
At the nurses’ station, Tim paused. The nurses were engaged in conversation, and he didn’t want to interrupt. Their backs were turned, but when he heard Caroline’s name, he approached.
They turned just then. “Oh, Dr. Callahan! We were just on our way to Caroline’s room.”
“Great! I just wanted to let you know that Caroline is awake.”
Emily, Caroline’s nurse, smiled and nodded.
“Also, Emily, I wanted to ask whether anyone has called or stopped to inquire about her.”
“Only Margaret Smythe from the detachment, when she arranged the security detail outside Caroline’s room,” Emily replied. “Oh, wait. Constable Dan stopped by earlier, too.”
“Good.” Tim smiled, reassured by the nurse’s attentiveness and the police presence on the floor.
“I’ll let the attending physician know Caroline is awake. Then I’ll be along in a moment.” Emily smiled again. She couldn’t help noticing Tim’s striking blue eyes and warm smile.
Tim walked back toward Caroline’s room. As he approached, he stopped short.
Constable Harold’s chair was empty!
Tim looked up and down the hallway, but the constable was nowhere in sight.
Hmm, perhaps he’s in the bathroom.
He waited. Five minutes felt like an eternity. Something wasn’t right. Blackstone had specifically ordered protection for Caroline, and now the officer assigned to her room had disappeared.
Tim took out his phone and called the detachment.
“Sergeant Blackstone, please. This is Dr. Callahan. It’s urgent.”
Blackstone was calm when Tim spoke to him. Tim felt reassured that the sergeant had things in hand when Blackstone ended the call.
Tim knocked softly, then entered Caroline’s room. He decided not to mention Constable Harold’s absence to Ned.
“Your nurse will be here shortly, Caroline,” he said softly. Her eyelids were closed.
“Is she sleeping, Ned?”
“Yup. She can’t seem to stay awake for more than a minute.” Ned was holding her hand. “She’s warm. She’ll be fine. I can’t tell you how relieved I am.”
Before Tim could reply, Emily and Dr. Samuels appeared at the door.
Ned stood and shook the doctor’s hand.
“Well, I hear your daughter’s doing well. I have to say, she gave us quite a scare, Ned.”
“I know,” Ned replied, shaking his head. “Thanks to you both, she’ll be on her feet in no time. Is there anything I should expect or watch out for when she comes home?”
Emily checked Caroline’s IV site and took her vital signs while the doctor explained.
“Well, she’s been through quite an ordeal, physically and emotionally. She’ll need plenty of rest and fluids. Don’t be surprised if she’s exhausted for several days. Psychologically, it’s difficult to predict. She may have nightmares or periods of anxiety.”
“Oh.” Ned looked worried. “Can you recommend someone Caroline can talk to if the need arises?”
“Certainly. I’ll include a therapist’s contact information with her discharge papers when she’s ready to go home.”
“And physically?”
“Watch for unusual confusion, increasing weakness, dizziness, fever, or difficulty breathing. If any of those develop, she needs medical attention promptly. Otherwise, encourage her to rest and take things slowly.”
Ned nodded thoughtfully. “I can manage that, Doctor. I just want my daughter back.”
Dr. Samuels rested a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “I understand. Right now, the best thing you can do is take care of yourself, too. Get some rest, Ned. You look tired.”
“I will. Thank you, Doctor.”
Just then, Caroline woke up.
“What’s going on?” There was alarm in her voice.
“It’s okay, Caroline. Dr. Samuels and Emily here have been taking good care of you. Say hello.”
“Hi,” she said meekly. “Now, will someone please tell me what’s going on?” Her tone took a stern edge.
Dr. Samuels chuckled. “She’s got sass! That and some rest should stand her in good stead. Ned, Tim, we’ll get out of your hair so you can talk.”
With that, he and Emily left, closing the door behind them.
“So?
Tim and Ned exchanged glances, not sure of what to say.
“Well,Tim began, pulling his chair closer to Caroline, “You are in Sheet Harbour Hospital, and you are recovering from hypothermia.”
“Sit me up. I need to understand more.” Her voice was weak but commanding nevertheless less.
Ned complied and raised the bed. He noticed color had returned to her cheeks and smiled.
“I know where I am, But hypothermia?”
“You were found in the woods. You were cold and wet. We think you’d been in the water.” Tim watched her intently, hoping his words would jog her memory.
“I remember the tree. I was cold, so cold. I was wet. I crawled underneath it to get warm.” She stopped and looked at him.
“Help me understand. It makes no sense. Why was I hiding under a tree, in the woods?” She stared ahead.
Ned stepped in. Softly, he coached, “Look closer, Caroline. What else do you see?”
Caroline said nothing for a moment. Then…
“I remember the dog. They called him Samson.” She giggled. “So I must be Delilah!”
They all laughed.
Ned continued gently. “Do you need to rest, or should we go on?”
“I want to remember. I have to remember.” She closed her eyes, trying to recall what had happened. But within moments, she was asleep.
Ned continued holding her hand, afraid to move for fear of disturbing her.
“That was good, Ned,” Tim said quietly.
“Hmm?”
“What you just did.”
“I guess.” Ned nodded.
“The chief investigator is back on the job!” Tim smiled.
“I guess.” Ned laughed softly.
Dear Readers,
Are you following The Cottage? I’d love to hear from you! Are you enjoying the story? Are the characters keeping you guessing? Let me know what you think. I’m listening!
And I hope you’ll come see me!
I’ll be at the Pottstown Library on Tuesday, November 10, at 6:00 p.m. for an evening of books, conversation, and signing.
I’ll read a chapter, answer your questions, and happily sign your books. I’ll have copies available for purchase, or you’re welcome to bring your own.
I’d love to meet you in person. Please come!
www.elainestories.com
P.S. if you’ve had trouble accessing the website, the glitch should now be resolved!