Ever After

Chapter 6



Awakening



William studied me for a minute as I slowly woke up. I wasn’t even sure what to think of him being in my hospital room, at first. If it had been any other guy, just sitting there while I slept I would have freaked out. It wasn’t that way with William though; it made me happy to see him again. I didn’t feel awkward or self-conscious with him, which for me was very rare.

“Are you feeling okay?” He asked as he got up, stretching his arms out.

“I guess I’m sort of stiff.” I moved my shoulders and they felt like I had been laying there for years. “Gosh.” I whispered as I rubbed my stiff neck.

“The doctors want to do some more tests. They can’t figure out what caused you to black out.” Concern filled his eyes. “You were really dehydrated too.” He noticed me eyeing the tubes in my arm with disgust.

“What else is wrong with me?” I hated even to ask.

“I was here for all of it so here it is,” he sighed. “They found four bruised ribs and of course a bad cut on your head. You got stitches in the back of your head and a cut on your left leg.”

“I’m in bad shape then, and you said I have to have more tests to see what caused me to pass out by the river?”

“Afraid so, they were waiting for you to wake up before they did anything more.”

“Well, it could be worse.” I looked down at my hands, a bit embarrassed. “I could have woke up and you wouldn’t have been here.”

“That wasn’t going to happen.” He smiled. “I knew since that day by the river that you needed me in your life. I hope that doesn’t sound weird. I don’t want to freak you out or anything.” He shook his head slightly. “I cannot explain it all really.” I could only smile and enjoy the fact that he was feeling exactly how I was.

The same pull I felt toward him was affecting both of us. I had been afraid the feelings I was having now were merely one-sided. The intense, deep look in his eyes told me this was no game. The feelings returned seconds after I woke up. He was here and he needed me as much as I needed him. I didn’t even know his last name or where he was born, but I did know I loved him. I knew then, Gram’s vision had been right all along. Fate had definitely stepped in, and he was sitting right next to me.

“I was afraid you’d think I was a stalker or something. I mean, your mom has been giving me some dirty looks. I get the feeling she wants’ me to leave.”

“Oh no way she’s not my real mom.” I gasped, the thought made me sick. “She’s my stepmother; she is half crazy and so self-absorbed it’s not even funny.” I frowned. “That explains it,” he smirked. “I’ve been avoiding her, but your dad’s really cool. He’s even invited me over for supper when you get home.”

“Wow, he must really like you. He’s never asked anyone I know over. I hope you accepted the invite?” I winked at him.

“No way would I miss that in a million years.”

The next week I felt like a lab rat, blood tests, and scans of all kinds. It was like some kind of modern-day torture. William was with me through it all, except the times I had my blood taken. He left in a hurry when the needles came out. The whole squeamish at the sight of blood thing again, he would say.

William or as I now affectionately called him, “Will” spent that entire week at my side. He brought me my favorite magazines, snuck in Taco Bell (the hospital food sucked) and Dairy Queen Blizzards. The days sped by as we talked for hours and really got to know one another better. I woke up to my room filled with roses one day and get-well balloons by the dozens the next. I was never sure what he would do and I loved every minute.

I finally was released, on the following Friday. By that time, I had learned two things. I was apparently very sick and the doctors had no idea why, and I was hopelessly in love with William Darcy. I knew I should have been more upset about not knowing what caused my headaches, but with Will there, it all just didn’t really matter to me. He made it all okay somehow. I knew the doctors would figure out what to do about my stupid headaches, so I didn’t think about it too much



Dad was surprisingly really nice to Will; he thanked him over and over for helping me that day by the river. Sara was wary of him. She always seemed uneasy when he was around, God only knows why. It seemed to bother Sara to no end that she had not gotten to meet Will’s parents. I gathered they were not social climbers, and kept a low profile.

Sara complained to me about it one afternoon. William’s family had not attended any community functions since they moved here she had told me (I was glad they hadn’t run into her big mouth). Lucky for them. I had to hear from her how she figured she would have run into Will’s mother at the grocery store at least. “Do they eat?” she complained. I told her they were so rich they probably had a maid do their shopping. That got her, and she shut up right away.

I already knew they were wealthy, as Kara already told me weeks ago. Will drove a brand-new black Mercedes and only wore designer clothes, or they looked like they were. The house they bought was five times the size of mine and I had thought mine was pretty darn big (another reason Sara was probably annoyed.) If anyone had more money than Sara (or technically my dad), she was ticked off. She always tried to have the most expensive things, to show off to everyone in town.