Page 75 of Minding the Minotaur
I struggle to sit up and she hands me a glass of water. “This will be the first liquid you’ve taken by mouth for three weeks, so go easy.”
“What?!”
“Yeah, you’ve been out cold for almost three weeks.”
I gag on the first sip of water, and Clem tries to take it off me, but I’m suddenly so thirsty I drain the glass. And as if the water has hydrated my mind, the memories start flooding back.
“The Labyrinth…” I husk out. “I was in the Labyrinth.” My heart lurches at the memory of a handsome minotaur smiling at me with love in his beautiful dark eyes. “Arlo?—”
“Shush, hon, not here,” Clem says, looking nervous. “When you’ve eaten something, I’ll get a wheelchair and take you to the roof garden. We can talk there.”
I pull off the bedcovers. “Let’s go now.” I swing my legs over the side of the bed, then wince at the pull of the drip in my arm. I sink back onto the bed.
“Hey, slow down.” Clem pulls the covers back over me. “You’ve had a hard three weeks. Trust me Sammy, I know. I’ve been here every day since they brought you in. After work, before work, weekends. Watching, worrying.”
“Thank you, Clem, you’re the best friend I could wish for.” I reach for her hand and squeeze it. “It’s just, I have so many questions.”
“Yeah, I know.” Clem drops her voice. “But the problem is, the authorities will have a lot of questions foryou, now that you’re awake. Don’t tell the nurses or doctors anything that youthinkmight have happened.”
I frown. “I don’tthink—Iknow,Clem.” With the memories come a whole heap of emotions, mostly sadness and longing. That Arlo isn’t with me. That I’m not with him. “It was all real?—”
Clem stops abruptly as a nurse bustles in.
She makes a lot of fuss about the fact that I’m awake. I dutifully stay quiet while she checks my vitals. “Your bloodpressure is a little low, but everything else seems fine. We’re so happy to have you back, Sammy.” She beams. “I think this can come out now.” She removes the cannula and drip, and I move my stiff arm.
“Can I go home?” I ask. Of course I mean to the Labyrinth, but she thinks I mean Garnet Gardens.
“Not yet. We’re waiting on more test results.”
“Test results?”
“You have been a very sick girl,” the nurse explains with a smile, “and we need to find out why.” She writes something on my chart, then leaves.
Almost immediately, another staff member arrives with a food trolley and I choose a limp-looking ham and lettuce sandwich. I devour it hungrily. Obviously being sustained on a drip has not been very satisfying for my stomach. Clem talks about inconsequential things, like the shows and clubs she’s been to. I know she’s just filling in time, and frankly, I couldn’t be less interested.
Afterward, I brush the crumbs off my ugly green hospital gown and say, “Let’s go up to the roof now.”
Clem leaves to fetch a wheelchair, and the phone beside my bed rings.
I let it ring a couple of times before picking it up gingerly.
“Is that you, darling?”
“Mom!” My face relaxes with relief.
“At last, you’re awake. How are you feeling?”
“Okay, I think. How did you know I was in hospital?”
“Marsha Winters was good enough to call us yesterday. She told us you’d had an accident, but that you’re recovering well.”
“Marsha called you?” How the hell did the CEO of DeVines know I was here?
“DeVines always look after their employees, darling.”
“B-but I’m—I’m not—I mean, I don’t work there anymore.”
Mom gives a little laugh. “We know all about the misunderstanding with Ronald DeVine’s niece, darling. From the papers and all. But Marsha said that’s all sorted. Ronald has forgiven you, and Marsha has a special new role for you.”
