Momentum (11 page)

“Can’t we go to the next one instead?”

“Poppet, a lot of things have happened, and–”

“So you keep saying! Like what? Whatever’s happened, you still feel the same for me, don’t you?”

He stood and began pacing. “I can’t bring you up to date; it’s not up to me. I’ve already told you that you’ve been living as the girl you would have been, had your mom not moved to Mountain View. I can’t explain it to you. Your parents need to. In the meantime, know that I love you. I always have and always will, no–”

The kitchen phone buzzed, startling me. I was right next to it, so I answered. “Hello?”

“Hey! Can I speak to Morena?”

 
I froze as a chill went up my body. I didn’t know why, but I was unable to speak.

David jerked to attention, looking at me worriedly. “What’s the matter?”

I handed him the receiver.

David’s tight face relaxed and broke into a smile as he talked into the phone “
A
? Yeah, I’m fine. You okay?”

He walked out of the room leaving me alone. I tried to listen in to the conversation, but he was practically whispering.
A
? Who was that? Why had I frozen like that?

He was back in minutes, but his phone buzzed again as soon as he walked in. “Mom, yes.”

This time he didn’t leave, but the call was one-sided with his mom doing most of the talking.

“So?” I asked, once he was done.

“I have permission to take you to your mom. Ready to go?”

R
eady? I was more than ready. I stood up and grabbed David’s outstretched hand. He pulled me in for a hug. I put my arms around him and felt a push, just like the last time I had wandered with him, followed by a feeling of warmth and… happiness, which was weird because I was far from
happy
.

“We’re here. You can open your eyes,” he said moments later.

I did and let go of him to turn around to figure out where we were. It was a kitchen, much like the one we’d just been in.

“Hello, kids.”

“Hi, Morena,” I said, anticipating a hug.

“Morgana,” she said.

“What?”

“I’m not Morena. I’m her sister, Morgana.”

“You look identical,” I said, amazed.

“We do, sort of. We’re identical twins,” she explained. “David, how are you doing? Inez filled me in with what’s happened. We’ll find your dad, don’t worry.”

He nodded, but didn’t look very convinced.

“I’ll drive you over to the hospital if you’re ready,” she offered.

“Yes, please. Do you have any other news about my mother?”

“No. The hospital is just a short drive away. Let’s go.”

Once again, we drove in silence, everyone immersed in their own thoughts. Mine were a mess of everything and nothing. I had been lucky to make the drive to the hospital only a few times previously. A couple of those had been to deal with cheer injuries and a few to visit Harry–who had sustained several injuries playing hockey–and my friends.
 
I had never visited my mom or dad in the hospital before. Mom, in fact, never got sick, not even a cold. She said it was because she drank green tea everyday. I had tried some of that stuff; it was nasty. The green tea hadn’t helped her this time. I figured it couldn’t provide her with protection during a car crash. What about the airbags? Maybe that was what had knocked her out and put her into a coma.

Morgana dropped us off at the emergency bay where Gramadea was waiting.

“Hi, Arizona. Are you okay?”

“I’m worried. Can we go up and see Mom? Where’s Dad?”

“Sure. Rupert is up there with her. He hasn’t left her bedside.”

I nodded. He wouldn’t. David and I followed her down the hallway and into a suite. I expected a dark room with my mom lying in bed with a bunch of tubes stuck in her, with Rupert by her side. Instead, I walked into a brightly lit room full of chatter, which stopped dead as I entered. Everyone turned to look at me and moved away from the bed so that I could see Mom. As expected, she was lying down, heavily bandaged, with tubes sticking into her. I walked over, nearly not noticing Dad whose head was lying in the palm of her hand. He looked up.

“Arizona!” He got up and enveloped me in his arms. “Did Raj hurt you?”

I tightened my arms around him. “Dad, I’m fine. What happened to Mom?”

“Car crash, a hit and run, the other car or truck drove off leaving Mom’s car turned upside-down on the highway.”

“Is she going to be okay?”

“Her vitals are stable, but we’ll have to see when she comes out of the coma.”

“How long?”

“We don’t know. It’s a medically-induced coma, so the doctors will bring her out of it when she’s ready.”

“Induced?”

“Yes, the doctors put her into this state to give her time to heal.”

“And they can just bring her out of it?”

“Yes.” Dad turned back around to look at Mom, his eyes welling up.

I picked up his guitar, which was leaning against her metal bed. “She can hear, right?”

“Maybe,” Dad whispered, as I perched myself on the bed next to her and strummed a few chords. Dad began humming along while stroking Mom’s forehead. We sat like that for ages, with everyone else in the room quiet. Mom didn’t stir. Not even a twitch.

I looked around for Harry and Ella. They weren’t among the other familiar faces–Gramadea, David, Grandma, Dr. Fox, Kellan, Ali, Maria, Morgana, and a few people I didn’t know. I remembered the girl standing with Ali and Maria–Ariele, like from
The Little Mermaid
.

“Dad, where’s Harry? And Ella?”

“They were here earlier. They’ve been taken to a safe place. They’ll be back to visit tomorrow.”

Dad looked awful, like he hadn’t slept for days. There were dark circles under his eyes, his skin seemed dry, and his lips were almost bloody from where he’d probably been chewing on them. “Dad, take a break. Go for a walk, get something to eat. Anything. Just get out of here for a while. I’ll stay with Mom.” I kept strumming his guitar.

“No–”

“Yes! I insist. Go.”

He looked too weary to argue, so he simply nodded and got up. “I’ll be back in about fifteen minutes or so.”

“Half an hour,” I said firmly.

He pursed his lips and stopped to speak to Gramadea on his way out. Dr. Fox and a lady I didn’t recognize walked out with him.

As soon as he left, Ali, Maria, and Kellan came over to the bedside. The new girl hung back with David.

“Hey, how are you holding up, Shrimp?” Kellan ran his fingers up my back.

I stopped playing the guitar. That felt weird; I squirmed a little. He immediately stopped and drew back, his face a mass of confusion. Ali put her hand on his shoulder, patting it. What? Were they going out now? I felt a strange twinge of disappointment wash over me. What was that all about?

“I’m fine, Kell. Worried sick, of course.” I remembered the strange conversation I’d had with him and David before I was taken. He’d told me that I had lost a year. I hadn’t been in a coma like Mom, but I did have memory loss, memory that I needed to recall. But how?

“It’ll be fine.” Maria took the guitar and set it back down by the bed. “Look, we haven’t got much time with you. I’m guessing they’re going to take you somewhere safe. So, tell us what happened to you. Please. We’ve been worried sick.”

The new girl and David moved closer when I started recounting my story. Not sure she could be trusted, I decided to be vague.

“Stan, eh?” Kellan nodded knowingly. “Gramadea thought the Sigma-W-Pi were involved somehow. That’s why they sequestered Harry and Ella. I wonder why they’d help Raj. It doesn’t make sense.”

“Unless Stan has the hots for Simla,” Maria joked.

Stunned, I looked over at David. “Could that be possible?”

He shrugged. “It’s possible. We don’t know what Simla was up to during her time with Potomal. Or how much time she got to spend with Stan.”

“Stan did explain some of this to me, but could you tell me exactly who Potomal is?”

 
Before David could respond, Dad came back in with Gramadea, Dr. Fox, the lady from before, and a new man I didn’t know.

“Arizona, thanks. I needed a break from this stuffy room. We went outside; the fresh air did me a world of good. I feel refreshed. Now, you need to go. Gramadea is going to take you to where Harry and Ella are. She’ll bring you back for a visit soon. David’s going with you.”

“So am I.” Kellan’s lips drew into a firm line.

“I can only transport two of you at the moment. I’ll come back for you, Kellan,” Gramadea said.

“Actually, may I head back home?” David interjected. I felt a lump in my throat. I didn’t want him to go, but he must be worried sick about his dad. “Poppet, you understand, right?”

I nodded, fighting back tears. He came over and gave me a hug. I held onto his hand once he released me.

“Is that okay?” he asked Gramadea.

“It’s fine with me, but it’s up to Constance. Go seek her permission. Arizona will be fine with me. There is no need for Constance to worry about her any further.”

He turned around and kissed my forehead. “Later, Poppet. I promise I’ll be back to see you soon.” He turned and walked out the door, and the tears that I had fought to restrain escaped and ran down my cheek.

“Arizona, it’s going to be fine.” Ali put her arm around my shoulder. “We’ll hopefully see you tomorrow.”

“Come here.” Dad pulled me in for a hug. “I have a lot of questions for you, but they’ll have to wait. As long as you’re okay?”

I nodded.

“All right, come with me,” Gramadea said. “This is Morten.” She pointed at the man who’d come in with her.

I kissed Mom’s forehead and then followed them out with Kellan beside me. We walked down the corridor to a quiet enclave, and then Gramadea put her hands on my shoulders. I felt the same sensations as when I had been transported to Raj. My eyes were forced shut, but I could feel a glow through my lids. After what seemed like ages, my feet finally touched a solid surface again. I gingerly found my balance and let go of Gramadea.