Chapter 5

AWAKENING 

I woke up in an all-white room, my head ached as I struggled to remember what happened. I looked around wondering where I was. The walls were spotless, the bed was sparkling. The air humidified and purified, a cool breeze blew from a corner and spread across the whole room. This must be heaven I thought.

You are awake Miss Summer” A stunning looking lady dressed in white approached me, her voice was soothing. She must be an angel I thought to myself as I stared at her in admiration, my eyes rolling with her movement. 

That is when I noticed; the machines beeping steadily beside me, the syringe inserted into my arm and the stethoscope around her neck.

It all made sense now, I was in the hospital and the lady I thought was an angel is a doctor. but I was still clueless as to how I got here. I watched the doctor pressed a stethoscope to my chest, listening with rapt attention.

“You’re doing really well,” she said, flashing a smile. “Honestly, it’s a miracle.”

Pain flared up when I tried to move. “A miracle?” I managed to say, still trying to pull it all together.

“Don’t worry, Mrs. Summer,” she murmured trying to get me to relax. “Just eat your food and get some sleep you will be fine.” She nodded toward a tray piled with food I will never order for myself. Not because it was bad but because it was looking too expensive.

My throat salivated, but a heavy burden pressed my chest. It was the environment.

“How did I end up here?” I asked scanning the environment again.

Before she could answer, someone burst in through the doorway.

“Summer! Oh, thank God!” The voice cried out. It was Edna.

She rushed to my bedside, nearly crushing me in a hug, tears streaming down her cheeks. “Emma, oh Emma,” she sobbed.

I didn’t hug her back. My eyes still darted around, panic slowly creeping in. I pulled her closer and whispered, “Which hospital is this?”

“Stephen Jones.” She replied.

My stomach dropped.

Stephen Jones Hospital was for the rich and famous. The kind of place where people brag about the bills. Why would Edna bring me here? Private room, too. Who was paying for all of this?

I looked around, heart hammering.

Edna saw the look on my face and tried to calm me down. “I didn’t bring you here,” she said, gentler. “Someone called me. Said you’d had an accident and that I should come to Stephen Jones.”

She squeezed my shoulder. “Summer, just focus on getting better. We’ll sort out the money stuff later.”

Then she frowned, like something just clicked. “Wait, where’s Ryan? Does he even know you’re here? Isn’t he your emergency contact?”

She started to rant, cursing Ryan, saying how much she hated him, louder than she needed to, honestly.

I stayed silent, listening, worried about the bills, but even more worried about how to tell Edna what had happened between Ryan and me. Once again, I hated to admit that she had been right all along and that I had been foolish.

“Edna,” I finally said, cutting her off, “Ryan’s not coming. I broke up with him.”

“Wait, really?” Her mood flipped instantly. “Spill!” She yelled almost immediately, like someone who was already drowning in suspense. “I wish I could’ve seen his face, I am pretty sure it would be shit,” she continued, grinning wickedly.

I didn’t want to disrupt her happy moment, I could see the satisfaction written over her face, I knew it would disappear if I told her the details of that night.  “I’ll tell you later,” I said trying to skip the details for the moment.

 “But right now, I need your help, I need to get my money back from Ryan”. I said not thinking of how my next sentence would affect her.

I watched her face twist in disgust.  “Hold on. He has your money? Explain.” She yelled 

I cringed. “We were saving together in a Joint account for the wedding and a vacation.” I said, embarrassed.

She gawked at me. “So he made you pay for your own wedding? Girl that's bullshit. Anyways, that is past now. Just get your share out and let’s pay these bills.”

I hesitated, heat crawling up my neck. “Well… I’m not actually a signatory to the account,” I muttered. “But don’t freak out, I’ll call him right now, ask for my cut.” I tried to salvage the situation.

Edna bit her upper lip in frustration, she looked like she wanted to scream, but she stayed quiet.

I grabbed my phone, hands shaking. “I’ll call him,” I said, sounding like a scolded kid.

I called Ryan’s number over and over. Nothing.

Checked his socials, he was online. Ignoring me.

I sent him a W******p text: Ryan, I need my share of the money from the joint account. It’s an emergency.

Blue ticks indicating he read but No replies.

I took a picture of the drip and cannula and sent it to him, hoping it would prompt a response.

Still nothing.

Moments later, he updated his status. posted a short video of himself gifting Sylvia a Birkin bag.

The caption read: “You deserve the world, my love.”

I felt abused. The fact he gave zero concerns to my emergency.

I grabbed my phone, called him repeatedly across all mediums, determined to keep going until I got a response.

But at some point, the call stopped ringing.

He’d blocked me.

I developed cold feet as my eyes met Edna’s. “He blocked me,” I whispered, tears spilling hot down my cheeks.

I expected her to scold me, to say “I told you so.” but she didn’t. She just wrapped me in her arms, wiping my tears with her thumb. “Don’t let it bother you. You’ll get through it,” she said softly.

Right then, the doctor rushed back agitated. “Miss Summer! Are you alright?” She asked, coming closer to me.

I didn’t reply, just wiped my tears with my palm. 

Her eyes landed on my untouched tray, she looked more anxious. “You haven’t eaten dear, tell me what the problem is?”

“I… I’m not going to eat,” I mumbled.

“Why? You don’t like it? We can get you something else,” she said, sounding almost desperate.

Who wouldn’t like this? I chuckled.  “It’s not that. I just… I can’t pay for it.”

“Thank goodness!”.  she heaved, relief washing over her face. “Everything’s already paid for, including your bills. Please, eat as much as you want and ask for more” she said, letting the heaviness off her chest.

“Really?” I said, barely believing it.

Edna’s face lit up. She let out a happy little gasp and grabbed the food tray.

“Who paid?”, I asked genuinely curious  

The doctor shook her head. “It’s confidential dear, Just focus on getting better. That’s all that matters.” She replied softly before leaving.

The following week I was discharged, hale and hearty.

Edna drove me home. She insisted I stay with her since I couldn’t go back to Ryan. I agreed, no room for debate but first I had to stop by my old apartment to pick up my things.

The minute we pulled up at the gate, I saw my belongings, tossed at the entrance, drenched by the heavy rainfall.

At first I was in denial, not until Edna drove closer. 

“No!” I yelled, running over under the drizzling rain. Everything was soaked, clothes, important documents, memories of my past I’d clung to.

I just stood there, sobbing in the rain.

Edna hurried over, wrapped her arms around me. “It’s okay, Summer. Be strong” she said, pulling me out of the rain. 

I broke down even more. Edna did her best to console me in the car but I was drowned, soaked,  rain mixed with tears, I thought about everything I’d lost.

Something inside me changed right then. I couldn’t quite explain it, but I knew I wasn’t the same woman anymore.

A non-challant revenge thirsty creature emerged and the world would feel it.