Ten

Anna blinked, feeling hazy and slightly nauseous in a white room. Her body felt uncomfortable and there was something in her mouth and throat. She tried to lift her hands to her face and a woman in floral scrubs ran over to stop her.

“Hey are you awake? Can you blink-”

Blinking frantically she tried to get to the thing in her mouth again.

“She’s awake! We need to get the tube out, she’s fighting it!” The nurse called out almost cheerfully.

A few more people gathered around and she couldn't follow the activity but the tube was pulled out and she coughed it made her entire torso hurt.

“Why does it hurt?” Anna managed to hiss.

“Do you know where you are?”

“I-a hospital?”

“Ok, what’s your name?”

“Anna. Annabella Isabeau Fitzroy-Grenfell.

“Do you remember any of what happened, Anna? What’s the last thing you remember?” One of the gathered people asked as a light was shined in her eyes.

“I was-I had a drink. At a party.”

“Do you remember anything after that?”

“No. Where’s my dad?”

“Okay, sweetie, we need you to try to be calm and rest. You got hurt pretty badly okay?” The floral scrubbed nurse said in a soothing tone. “You’re safe and being taken care of.”

“I want my dad.” Anna felt her eyes welling up.

“I know, I know.” The nurse gave her a wan smile. “Get some rest first, okay? We’re giving you something to help with that pain.”

Anna took a juddering breath and started to feel hazy again, letting her eyes close.

“Do you know if anyone is coming?” someone asked in a worried tone.

“I haven't heard. She needs to be in better shape before anybody tells her.”

She tried to ask, ‘Tells me what?’ but she couldn't make herself move, sinking into a hazy sort of sleep.

Waking with a start as someone rubbed her foot, Anna didn’t know where she was for a moment.

“Hey.” Ange leaned over her and gave her a wry smile. His eyes were red as if he’d been crying, “It’s just me and Val.”

“Where’s my dad?”

She watched his eyes start to water and he stepped back. Val took his place with a grim smile. 

“They said they were waiting for a family member to come talk to you about that. If nobody comes soon I’ll do it, okay?”

“Talk to me about what? Where’s dad?”

With a sigh Val bent and kissed Anna’s forehead. “How are you feeling?”

“Confused. Sore. It feels like I maybe broke my ribs and I think I hit my head.”

“Yeah. You don’t remember falling?”

“Falling?” Anna frowned and then blinked. “I sat on the old well, I wanted to get away from the party because I was not having fun. Beer sucks and they were playing country music. They didn’t even have snacks, Val. Who has a party and doesn’t have snacks?!”

Val broke into laughter and smiled down at her. “I’m pretty sure that kind of party is all about the beer. Which, yes, it sucks. You sound like this was your first time trying it.”

“It was. Dad and Hollie didn’t want me going to parties after… so I didn’t. But all of my friends were talking about going to this one and how awesome it was going to be so I went with them.”

“If you weren’t having  fun why didn’t you just leave?” Val gave her a small smile.

“I went with my friends. I didn’t have a car and you can’t really call a taxi out there. They were all having fun inside and I didn’t want to be, you know, a Debbie Downer. So I went outside.”

“After what?” Ange asked from the foot of her bed.

“After we broke up and I just… I went along with the flow. I was told to hang out with my cousins. They said if you want to feel better, let’s party. Drink this, take that, a lot of it is a blur. Dad and Hollie sat me down, talked to me about things, sent me to a therapist and then I started school again. After that I started feeling less like a moving mannequin and more like a person.”

Anna blinked, “Oh god, finals. How are my-” She lifted her right hand and noticed that the arm wasn’t as long as it was supposed to be. “Val? What the f**k?”

Val took a deep breath, “You fell into the well. The cover cracked and you tried to protect your head. Your right hand got completely crushed and had to come off. Your left hand is-they’re still trying to save it.”

“No. That’s not… I need my hands, Val.”

“I know.” Val took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She looked a little tearful. “But that’s something to think about when you’re in better shape. You felt me touch your foot?”

“Yeah. Why?” Anna started trying to sit up and it felt like she was strapped to a board. 

“No, no. You need to stay still, Anna. The way you fell you have some damage to your back. They’re hopeful that it’s not serious but you broke your right leg pretty badly and you’ll need to have a lot of PT. Your chest probably hurts from resuscitating you, that breaks ribs sometimes.”

She started to feel dizzy and more than a little sick, “I think I’m going to throw up.”

“Nurse!” Ange hurried out.

“Try not to.” Val touched her face with a small smile. “You’re on a lot of pain meds right now. Some of them may be making you a little nauseous. You don’t have anything on your stomach though.”

“Where’s my dad?”

“Are we feeling sick?” A cheerful nurse came in and took Val’s place.

“And a little dizzy. This is-where’s my dad? I want my dad.”

The nurse looked at Val with a commiserating look. “We haven't heard anything from them. But her blood pressure is up. She needs to rest for now.”

“Can I use your phone, Anna?” Val asked with a tight smile. “We need your permission to get your things. Even though Ange is your MPoA.”

“Yeah. Yeah, you can.”

“I’ll get her things for you.” The nurse hurried out.

Anna frowned slightly, “You’re my-”

“Do you remember when we made each other-” He asked with a wry smile.

“I remember.”

“I still had it. I was,” he swallowed, “I was on the phone with you when you fell. Pop was going through my stuff because he wanted to use my old room for his weights. He and I talked and,” Ange took a deep breath and let it out slowly, “and I called you. I came right away with Val and I brought it in case-in case we needed it to be able to see you.”

“I’m glad to see you both, and as long as you’re not telling them to pull the plug on me I’m fine with you being in the loop, but I don’t understand-”

“Here are her things.” The nurse bustled back in with a bag. “The clothes are in a biohazard bag, Her phone, ID, and jewelry are all here too.”

“We’ll let you rest-” Val started to move toward the door.

“No. I want to call Dad-”

“The phone has to charge.” Val said firmly. “I will bring it back and dial any number you want me to once it’s charged. Get some rest.”

°°°°°°°°°°

Anna was staring at the ceiling feeling overwhelmed and hopeless when Val and Ange came back with their mom and a burly cauliflower-eared man who looked like he’d had his whole face broken a few times.

“Anna.” Mrs. Mazzuca tried to put on a smile. “How are you feeling?”

“Like they should have let me die in that hole.” 

The large man scowled and came to lean over her. “You don’t talk like that. If you’re alive you can figure s**t out.”

“I have half a f*****g hand, they said they might have to take my leg-” Anna’s voice cracked.

“And you’re still a-f*****g-live. You can get some new parts, Ange called it ‘aftermarket parts’ when he gave me a new arm.” He lifted a powered prosthetic and moved the fingers. “I can use this one to grab s**t, I have another one I can use to lift weights with. He can help you get a new one too. A new leg even, if you need it. You don’t talk like that.”

“I won’t be able to play-”

“Maybe not the harp, but the guitar I think I can do, maybe the violin.” Ange said firmly. “Is that all you’re upset about?”

She blinked for a moment, “Is that-I have spent my entire life-”

“And you get to continue doing that, maybe not the way you used to, and it’ll be a lot of work, but you can still do it.” Val moved to her other side and gave her a small smile. I know how much your music means to you and how much you love to play. 

“The leg will be easier to replace if it has to come off but you’ll be up and walking again too. It might take time but it’s doable. You’ve got help.”

Feeling baffled she opened her mouth to ask why and someone knocked on the door. “I’m Dr. Barker from psych, I was told I was needed to help break some bad news?”

“You’re twelve and you don’t walk into a room and announce that.” Mrs. Mazzuca snapped.

“He should have been here to help her with the news the doctors gave her,” the burly man grumbled.

“I was told it’s-”

“I swear to god if you finish that sentence,” Mrs. Mazzuca sounded furious. “Are you a doctor or an intern?”

“Mom, let him come in in case she needs something,” Val said firmly and then took a deep breath, “Your family isn’t able to come and talk to you, but I’m supposed to let you know that you can call them and they’ll talk to you about all of it.”

“Dad’s not coming?” Anna blinked. 

“Your dad…” Mrs. Mazzuca started and stopped to rub her face.

“I know he’s probably mad at me for going to the party, I knew I wasn’t supposed to-”

“He’s not mad.” Val sighed, “He’s-Your stepmom stabbed him when she found out that he adjusted his will to leave everything to you and nothing at all to her. Your Aunt Madeline said the maid saw everything. Your stepmom was screaming about it that he was punishing her because she had an abortion.”

“He only married her to have more kids. She knew that.” Anna took a deep breath, “Is Dad okay? If Hollie stabbed him but the maid was there, she would have called for help.”

“He passed in the ambulance.” Mrs. Mazzuca placed a hand on her good leg and squeezed gently.

“No.” Anna tried to shake her head, “That’s not-that’s not possible. It’s not. I’m-I’m missing pieces and still alive, Dad-” her voice cracked.

“Oh, her blood pressure-” Dr. Barker started in a concerned tone.

“Get out,” Mrs. Mazzuca said sharply, “You are absolutely useless.”

The man hurried out and the burly man put his hand on the top of her head. “Take as deep a breath as you can. It’s fucked up but it’s the reality you have to live with. Try to calm down and focus up.”

Anna burst into sobs and trying to shout for her dad came out more like a scream.

“Everybody out!” A woman’s voice said sternly as a machine started to beep. “Let’s get you calmed down.”

Whatever the woman did, moments later Anna started feeling woozy.

°°°°°°°°°°

Anna felt vaguely hazy as she studied the ceiling. 

“Hey,” Val leaned into view, “how are you feeling?”

After a moment, Anna managed to murmur, “Fuzzy.”

“They have her on too much stuff.” Val sighed. “I’ll have Ange talk to them and dial things back. Sit with her, Pop?”

“Yeah.” The burly man from before leaned into view and gave her a wry smile. “I talked to your Aunt Amelie, your other Aunt wouldn’t talk to me. She said they’re sending someone to talk to you about ‘the situation’.  I don’t know if they’re just a******s or if they were pissed to have to talk to me.”

She cracked a small smile, “Both.”

He snorted a laugh. “That was what Sara said.”

A nurse bustled in and asked cheerfully, “How are we feeling? Do you feel up to backing off some of the meds?”

“Yeah.” Anna sighed. “Too fuzzy.”

“Okay, just making sure. If your pain gets worse or you get too distraught-”

Anna waved the stump of her right hand. “Whatever. Want waffles.”

“‘Want waffles’?” The man looked down and furrowed his brow impressively.

“‘N syrup.”

She heard someone give a small laugh. “When she’s drunk she wants waffles and syrup.” 

Ange came to stand in view. “Her meds definitely need to be dialed back a little if she’s asking for waffles.”

“Valeria Ann, why do you know-”

“Ma, we were teenagers with access to her Aunt Madeline and Uncle Callum’s private bar. Her cousins taught us how to mix drinks.” Val sounded amused.

“Dark’n’stormy.” Anna smiled.

“Yeah, that was my favorite.” Val gave a small laugh. “She may have never tasted beer before that kegger but I think we tasted almost all of the liquor at her Aunt’s house to see what we liked.”

“What were you drinking at the clubs?” Ange gave her a curious look. “I saw pictures of you with drinks after we broke up.”

Anna waved her stump again.

“Probably anything they handed her. She was in bad shape after the break up.” Val sighed.

Ange dipped his head and then rubbed her good leg. “I’m sorry, Anna. I’m-I didn’t even think about it and it should never have happened.”

“You never told me why-” Mrs. Mazzuca started in a peeved tone.

“He popped her one.” The burly man grimaced, “Not hard but…”

“She wasn’t raised with that like we were.” Val came around to the other side. “The first time I joked about hitting her, the baffled and hurt look on her face made me feel awful.”

“Why didn’t you tell me? I could have explained-”

“I tried to explain it to her, Ma.” Val shook her head. “It almost ended our friendship. We had to agree never to bring it up and never to talk about Ange. She didn’t call again after that conversation until she started school and got back to normal.”