The beep-beep-beeping sound from the vital monitor fills in the room-Room 17. The bright lights and the light blue colored walls shine on the girl on 'her bed'. The girl-light brown complexion, black curly hair-lies on the hospital bed, a bandage wrapped round her head and one plastered on her right arm. Her chest goes up and down slowly and softly. Her eyes are shut as she wanders in a slumber land oh-so-peaceful and so quiet.
A woman-brown complexion and black-brown wavy hair-brings a fisted hand over her mouth and sobs. She holds the girl's hand and her rubs it gently with her thumb. A man-light in complexion and short black hair neatly gelled backwards- walks to the woman and wraps his hands round her as her head lies on his chest. Tears flow from her eyes and wet the man's brown shirt.
"I wish I was there with her." the woman says, sobbing.
"Shh!" the man hushes, gently rubbing the woman's arms. He kisses her head. "You just did not know, Agatha. It was inevitable. Let us just hope that Elsie will be well."
Agatha exhales deeply. She wraps her arms round the man, burying her head in the man's bulging chest.
"I am scared Alex." Agatha says.
"She will be fine, Agatha. She needs you to be strong-let's be strong... for her." Alex says. Agatha nods.
The doctor enters the room and the two worried parents move away from each other and look at the doctor in anticipation of the news she had brought with her. The doctor stops next to the bed, opposite the parents.
She looks at them and smiles. "Your daughter made it out alive." she says and Agatha let's out a breath -heavy- she had been holding the moment the doctor walked in. Alex places his hand over Agatha's shoulders and Agatha slides a hand over one that is on her left shoulder. The doctor looks down, at the file she had been holding. She opens it and smacks her lips.
"I don't like that look Doctor Maria." Alex says sternly. Maria looks intently at Alex, her brown eyes communicating to his blue eyes. "Please, just tell us if there is bad news." Alex adds, after getting the message.
"You are right, there is bad news." Maria says and Agatha sobs out painfully. "I'm really sorry but your daughter suffered a great damage in her brain. She therefore has amnesia." she concludes.
"No!" Agatha stumbles back as she cries out. Alex holds her and hugs her from behind. Agatha shakes her head as tears mercilessly fall from her eyes. "This can't be true." she says.
"I'm really sorry Miss Agatha." Maria says, her face shadowing with pity.
"Will she... ever regain her... memory?" the worried mother asks, sniffing in between her words.
Maria nods, suddenly lightening up, her brown complexion suddenly brightening. "Yes." Maria says. "If she is at a place she once was and if you help her remember people and those places," the doctor answers the worried mother, "I believe her memory will regain." Agatha nods, taking the doctor's words into deep consideration.
Alex nods. "Thank you Doctor Maria. You have been of great help."
"You are welcome." Maria answers with a smile. "She will be waking up any minute from now. When she does, make sure she knows who you are to her-if she may have forgotten. Either way, tell her that you are her parents so that it isn't forgotten. And take good care for her. I have prescribed some drugs to help with the injuries but the rest is now up to you." Maria says.
Agatha nods. She stretches her hands and holds the doctor's hands tightly." Thank you so much. "she says in a whisper-tears blocking her voice.
The doctor nods, her lips lifting to a pitiful smile. Agatha releases her hands and the doctor walks out of the room.
Agatha turns to Alex and hugs him. Alex shudderingly breathes as he runs his fingers through Agatha's black-brown hair.
~~~
A few minutes pass by. Agatha looks at her daughter, silently and peacefully sleeping. She links her fingers and inhales deeply, hoping that everything goes well. From the corner of her eye, she sees Elsie's index finger movie. She gasps excitedly.
"What is it honey?" Alex asks, dragging the words as he tries to recollect himself from a nap.
"Elsie's waking up." she says-a tone of hope and happiness- without looking at Alex. Behind her, Alex quickly gets up from the couch and rushes to stand next to Agatha as they watch their daughter wake up.
The girl's eyelids flutter. She blinks rapidly, her eyes trying to adjust to the light. She sees everything-the white ceiling, the vital monitor, the blue sheets, a bed that's definitely not comfortable, her bandaged hand, a blue-green yet still uncomfortable gown. She wants to sit up but her head thrums with pain. Her hand slowly and painfully lifts to touch her head when her fingers touch something wrapped around her head.
Another bandage? She asks. I wonder what happened to me.
"Hi Elsie." she hears a woman's voice and she lifts her gaze to see the bearer of the voice. She is met by a smiling man's face and a crying yet happy woman's face. She squints to try to read their faces.
"Mum? Dad?" she says slowly.
Agatha sighs happily. Alex chuckles heartily. "She remembers us!" both say simultaneously.
"Hey dear, it's us- your parents'
" Alex asks, leaning towards her daughter. He takes her hand and kisses it. "How are you? How do you feel?"
"I am tired." Elsie says roughly, fatigue evident in her voice.
"I know dear," Agatha says. "We'll take you home. Kristy is waiting to see you." she adds as she tucks Elsie's black hair behind her ear.
Elsie shakes her head. She does not remember that name. She closes her eyes to try to picture anyone by that name. She opens her eyes in shock. The only faces that register in her mind are her father's and mother's.
What is going on? She asks. Why can't I remember anything? Maybe it's the fatigue. She nods.
Elsie looks at her parents. "Who is Kristy?"she asks innocently." I-I don't know anyone by that name." she adds.
Both the parents straighten up-taken aback. They look at each other, the fear they had been thinking was gone after their daughter got to remember them now creeps back to them-full force and registering on their faces.
So this is what it meant when the doctor said severe brain damage? Agatha asks herself. She swallows down the pain choking her and blinks back the tears that well up in her eyes again.
"Don't worry," Alex speaks when Agatha fails to register words in her lips let alone in her mind. "We will introduce you to her once we go home."
"Home." Elsie says as a whisper as she nods slowly. "That's great." she says and fights the sleep creeping in as she slowly closes her eyes. "Sleep." she mumbles softly when finally sleep overpowers her.
The two parents look at each other. What do we do if she doesn't remember Kristy-her small sister? They ask each other, worry written on their faces.