Chapter 15
Aviana’s POV
Previously:
When he finished explaining I said, “Okay, you’re done. You can leave now. When I get released I’ll call you. I’ll get my stuff out of your house and then you’ll never hear from me again.” I laid back in bed, closing my grey eyes.
I was so done talking to people today. I just wanted to be left alone.
Now:
The next thing I knew I was being shook awake. I still didn’t want to deal with people, but I opened my eyes anyway.
The sight I was met with brought a smile to my face. Little grey eyes, just like mine were looking at me.
I quickly pulled her down into a hug on top of me. Star was giggling while I squeezed her tightly. I had missed her so much.
“Momma! I missed you!”
“I missed you too, Star!” I sat us both up in bed. I noticed a lady standing by the door watching us with happy, but sad eyes.
“Hi, I’m Julia. I’m the one who took Star in when she was born.” She walked towards the bed and sat down in the chair next to it.
“Hello. I’m sure you already know me,” I said with a laugh. “Thank you so much for this. I could never repay you for what you have done for me.” I felt kind of bad that I couldn’t give her anything in return. She didn’t have to take her in, knowing that if I wanted her when I woke up, I would get her.
“Oh, honey, you don’t owe me anything. I wanted to do this and I wanted to help. I knew you would want her when you woke up. The only thing I didn’t know was that it was going to be this hard to give her back” She was obviously sad about losing Star, who wouldn’t be she’s an amazing child, but I could tell she was happy that Star was back with me.
“Thank you so much! You did something for me that my parents would never do.” My stupid parents. They really kicked me out when I had nothing and nowhere to go, some parents they are.
“I’m sorry, Honey.” Julia said to me, knowing my situation with them.
“Momma, we visited you every day we could. I wanted to see you all the time.” It must have been hard for Star to come see me and not be awake or anything, in my eyes she truly is a Star.
Julia laughed lightly. “I wish I would have been awake! Then we could have spent more time together.”
“Me too! Julia was nice to me.”
I looked over at Julia who was still smiling. “I made sure she knew that you were her mom and that I was just taking care of her until you woke up. I also tried to tell her what happened, but she doesn’t quite understand it yet since she is still young.”
“Thank you so much Julia,” I couldn’t thank her enough for all that she has done for me. “Hey..uhhmm…..do you happen to know if a lady named Mariah ever came to visit me? I mean you seem to have visited more than my parents, so you would know more.” If she was still around maybe I could stay with her until I found my own place.
“I believe I heard your parents talk about her, one of the few times your parents were here. I don’t think she was ever allowed to visit you though.” She told me.
“Okay, thank you again for everything.”
“You don’t have to keep thanking me,” She started with laugh. “I’m going to go get something to eat, I’ll let you and Star talk and what not. I’ll be back in an hour or two. Unfortunately Star can’t stay in the hospital with you, we’ll be back tomorrow and then when you get released I’ll take you to get all her things.”
“Sounds good to me. I’ll see you later.” I said, waving as she walked out the door.
“Bye-Bye Julia!” Star called after her.
She turned around and waved at us, then left.
In her baby voice, Star told me about Julia and how she visited me all the time. We talked for a while and then watched some TV.
Star fell asleep in my arms a little while later. I just laid there thinking. And then I realized something was missing. My friends! Luke, Kenza, and Puck. What the hell?! Where were they???
I looked around for my phone to call them, but I couldn’t see it so I pressed the call button to the nurses’ station.
Not even a minute later a nurse walked in. Before I could talk I heard say “Awwweee, that’s soo cute!”
I just smiled at her, waiting for her to ask what I needed. “What can I help you with, Darling?” She asked in a country accent, softly as to not wake Star up.
“I was just wondering if you had ever seen my friends Luke, Puck, and Kenza here.”
“I can go check your visitor chart. Give me a minute and I’ll be back.”
“Okay.”
It didn’t take long for her to come back. When she did get back she looked a bit confused. “There’s no record of anyone by the names of Luke, Puck, or Kenza visiting you or even coming to this hospital.”
That made no sense, why wouldn’t they visit me? I wanted to contact them, but I have no way to do that. Maybe that’s why my parents had no clue who I was talking about, still didn’t give them the excuse to do that to me.
The nurse looked at me with an unreadable expression. “I’m going to be right back.” With that she left the room again.
I was almost asleep when she came back in. She wasn’t alone this time, Dr. Clem had come in with her. Dr. Clem sat down in the chair Julia was previously sitting in. When she sat down it moved, making a loud noise.
The noise caused Star to stir and to wake up.
“I understand that you were asking about some of your friends, but there’s no record of them ever being in this hospital, right?” Dr. Clem questioned me.
“Yeah….what about them?” She was making me nervous now.
“What’s the last thing you remember doing with them and when?”
“Well, you see, I know I was in a coma but the last time I was with them was last night. We were watching a movie at Luke’s house.” Dr. Clem gave the nurse, who was standing in the middle of the room, an uneasy look.
“Momma, what are you talking bout?” Star was up now, watching and listening our conversation.
“My friends. Go back to sleep, baby.” I said looking down at Star who was still laying with me. She closed her eyes and curled up onto my side as if a reflex, I started to play with her hair.
“Aviana, I think your brain may have made up a world in order to cope with being in coma. I’m really sorry, but I don’t believe your ‘friends’ are real, just figments of your imagination.”
“No, you’re wrong. They have to be real. They are real. You’re lying. Why would you tell me this?! What is wrong with you????” I woke Star up this time, by getting loud and almost crying. I stopped myself from crying for the sake of Star.
“Momma, what wrong?” Star asked, sleepily.
“They say Luke, Kenza, and Puck aren’t real. I didn’t mean to wake you up—“
“Luke! I wanna see Luke! Where Kenza? I miss her and Puck.” Star bewildered me.
“Star, how do you know them?” Not only was I shocked, but the nurse and Dr. Clem's mouths were hanging open.
“They’re my friends.” She said simply.
“How?” I asked.
“I don’t know. Julia can’t see them…..she say they imaginary.” This time my jaw dropped. “Why all your mouths open?”
“We’re surprised. They said they weren’t real, and then you say you have imaginary friends with the same names.”
“They are real, you were there too.”
I didn’t know what to think and from the way Dr. Clem and the nurse looked at each, neither did they.
“I have no explanation to this.” Dr. Clem started. “I just, just don’t know. It’s not medical related. Just really, really weird.” She finished.
The nurse nodded in agreement. “We’re just gonna go and let you two talk about this.”
They got up and were walking to the door when Dr. Clem turned back around and said “Oh and you can go home tomorrow morning. I’ll inform your parents tonight.”
They then left the room.
Star sat up next to me and asked about my friends. I told her all about what I knew and then she told me what she knew about them. It sounded like we were talking about the same people. Now we just had to find them, but that would have to wait. If I’m getting out of here tomorrow, I have to find somewhere to live.
