Page 94 of Pomegranates and Olive

"Olive! Oh, thank God!"

I wince as I try to croak out a few more words. "Sorellino? You… okay?"

"Am I okay? Of course, I am, but oh my God, we've all been so worried about you!"

I need to indicate I heard her, but my eyes grow heavy and I drift away without even saying goodbye.

Luca is sitting beside my bed when I wake again, his face drawn with anxiety.

I move my fingers cautiously one at a time and lift my arm to remove the oxygen mask firmly attached to my face.

Liv!" His voice is choked with emotion. "You look…"

"Awful?" I wince, as my throat hurts with the effort of speaking.

Luca holds a glass with a straw in it to my mouth. I lift my head to take a small sip of the water before dropping it back down onto the pillow. "Yes."

"Now you know how it feels…"

"How what feels?"

I’m finding it hard to breathe so I pull the oxygen mask back down over my face. "Being me… worried about… you, running into… fires."

"Babe, it’s my job, plus I've got full protective gear on when I do that. I don't go running into fires in a t-shirt and shorts. You didn’t even have any shoes on!"

“I didn’t?”

He shakes his head and I try to laugh but end up coughing. “I’m so tired.” I close my eyes again.

I open them, Ginny is beside me. "I had to call your mother."

I try to sit up at that statement, but she shakes her head. "Keep still, darl."

I clear my throat and croak out a whisper. "Aren't I in enough pain already?"

She laughs at that. "I thought she was going to explode down the phone at me. Rosie tried to speak to her, but she copped an earful as well. Luca had to talk her out of flying here!"

I'm never going to hear the end of it from her.

"How long have I been here?"

"Ten days."

Seriously?

"Where's Deniz?"

"He's fine."

"He was here?"

Ginny nods. "He stopped by when they released him. He only had a concussion, but he's fine now."

"Where is he?"

"You have a couple of severe burns on your hands, and your feet are a mess. Your throat and lungs are injured but the doctor says they’ll clear up over the next few weeks. You'll be okay, though."

"Is he here?"

---