Right now, they all needed to be together to reassure themselves and Melanie that everything was going to be fine.
Ella knew she should call the detectives. They were going to want to grill Melanie on her memory of that night two weeks ago. As the only survivor of one of these attacks, she was their best lead thus far. But, she waited, letting Melanie and her family have this time while they all waited for the doctor’s prognosis. It was difficult, but she continued to wait in the hall when Melanie’s doctor showed up and asked everyone to remain outside while he examined his patient.
“She looked good,” Sara, Melanie’s mother, said.
“She looked fantastic,” Ella returned, smiling.
“She always lights up when she see you, Ella.”
Ella turned to look at Mandy, wondering at the veiled hostility in her tone. She knew Mandy was insecure about Ella’s relationship with Melanie, which made things awkward and sensitive between them. She could have sworn to her until she was blue in the face that she wasn’t a threat to what she had with Melanie, but it wouldn’t have done any good. Mandy saw and believed what she wanted to. But she had never shown any anger towards her before.
“Mandy, Melanie is crazy about you, you know that,” she emphasized softly, for her ears only. “I’m no threat to you.”
Mandy sighed remorsefully. “I know, Ella, and I’m sorry. It’s just been a very tense, trying two weeks.” Grabbing her hand, she squeezed it gently and smiled. “But that’s behind us now, thank God.”
The doctor and nurse emerged from Melanie’s room at that moment and beamed reassuringly at them. “I detected no mental or physical effects from either the drug or her coma. She’ll need a few days of assisted walking until she gets her strength back. After that, I’ll release her. You can go in now, but don’t tire her.”
Relieved, Ella made to grab her cell phone to call Mac or Sam when she suddenly realized she didn’t have either of their numbers. She assumed, being cops and occasionally working undercover, that they weren’t listed in the directory. She could call the station; but, being Sunday, she doubted if either one of them was there, or no one there would give out their personal information.
Like a slap in the face, she realized just how meaningless their relationship was. If she had needed any proof that she was just a temporary intrusion in their lives and had they had any other options she wouldn’t even be that, then this qualified. Still, she would see this through, and she couldn’t regret the wonderful sexual experiences they had given her or do anything about the longing she felt when thinking about what else was to come. She would just need to make sure she didn’t end up expecting, needing, or wanting any more from her lovers.
“Doctor Furston,” she called out as he made to leave. “The police are going to need to be notified that Mel’s awake,” she reminded him, letting him worry about how to get hold of somebody.
“Already taken care of, Ella, thank you. They’ll be here shortly.”
An hour later, Ella was ready to head home and to bed. She was exhausted, emotionally drained, and physically weary. She had stayed off to the side of the room, allowing Mel’s parents, siblings, and Mandy to remain close by her side. She wanted to appease Mandy, and Mel knew she was there for her, that’s all that mattered. Occasionally, Mel would send her one of her impish grins over their heads as if to say, ‘Aren’t they being ridiculous?’But she also saw the confusion and fear in her friend’s eyes and knew she was putting on a brave front for everyone.
Before Ella could say she was leaving, a knock on the door preempted the arrival of Sam and Mac. All of a sudden, she wasn’t as tired, telling herself she could stay a few more minutes.
“Excuse us,” Sam said as they entered the crowded room. “We need to get a statement from Ms. Whitcomb. Could you all
Ella knew she should call the detectives. They were going to want to grill Melanie on her memory of that night two weeks ago. As the only survivor of one of these attacks, she was their best lead thus far. But, she waited, letting Melanie and her family have this time while they all waited for the doctor’s prognosis. It was difficult, but she continued to wait in the hall when Melanie’s doctor showed up and asked everyone to remain outside while he examined his patient.
“She looked good,” Sara, Melanie’s mother, said.
“She looked fantastic,” Ella returned, smiling.
“She always lights up when she see you, Ella.”
Ella turned to look at Mandy, wondering at the veiled hostility in her tone. She knew Mandy was insecure about Ella’s relationship with Melanie, which made things awkward and sensitive between them. She could have sworn to her until she was blue in the face that she wasn’t a threat to what she had with Melanie, but it wouldn’t have done any good. Mandy saw and believed what she wanted to. But she had never shown any anger towards her before.
“Mandy, Melanie is crazy about you, you know that,” she emphasized softly, for her ears only. “I’m no threat to you.”
Mandy sighed remorsefully. “I know, Ella, and I’m sorry. It’s just been a very tense, trying two weeks.” Grabbing her hand, she squeezed it gently and smiled. “But that’s behind us now, thank God.”
The doctor and nurse emerged from Melanie’s room at that moment and beamed reassuringly at them. “I detected no mental or physical effects from either the drug or her coma. She’ll need a few days of assisted walking until she gets her strength back. After that, I’ll release her. You can go in now, but don’t tire her.”
Relieved, Ella made to grab her cell phone to call Mac or Sam when she suddenly realized she didn’t have either of their numbers. She assumed, being cops and occasionally working undercover, that they weren’t listed in the directory. She could call the station; but, being Sunday, she doubted if either one of them was there, or no one there would give out their personal information.
Like a slap in the face, she realized just how meaningless their relationship was. If she had needed any proof that she was just a temporary intrusion in their lives and had they had any other options she wouldn’t even be that, then this qualified. Still, she would see this through, and she couldn’t regret the wonderful sexual experiences they had given her or do anything about the longing she felt when thinking about what else was to come. She would just need to make sure she didn’t end up expecting, needing, or wanting any more from her lovers.
“Doctor Furston,” she called out as he made to leave. “The police are going to need to be notified that Mel’s awake,” she reminded him, letting him worry about how to get hold of somebody.
“Already taken care of, Ella, thank you. They’ll be here shortly.”
An hour later, Ella was ready to head home and to bed. She was exhausted, emotionally drained, and physically weary. She had stayed off to the side of the room, allowing Mel’s parents, siblings, and Mandy to remain close by her side. She wanted to appease Mandy, and Mel knew she was there for her, that’s all that mattered. Occasionally, Mel would send her one of her impish grins over their heads as if to say, ‘Aren’t they being ridiculous?’But she also saw the confusion and fear in her friend’s eyes and knew she was putting on a brave front for everyone.
Before Ella could say she was leaving, a knock on the door preempted the arrival of Sam and Mac. All of a sudden, she wasn’t as tired, telling herself she could stay a few more minutes.
“Excuse us,” Sam said as they entered the crowded room. “We need to get a statement from Ms. Whitcomb. Could you all
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