As the nurses tended to my broken body, I called out to Molly. My mouth moved, by my voice quit on me. Nothing came out by a mere peep drowned out but the voices of my attendants.
“Mrs. Radcliff, I’m afraid we’ll have to ask you to step outside while we check Lewis over.”
“But I..” my mother protested.
“We will only be a minute or so.We just want to check his vitals,”
“I’ll be here, Lewis,”
Mom? my mouth was silent.
“Me too, Lewis,” that was Molly. Her voice was like a punch in the stomach. I wanted, so badly, to speak with her; alone!
A huge face came into my field of view. She was a handsome, if large woman.
“Lewis? My name is Dr. Landon,” she used a light-pen on my eyes. Dots danced within my vision, “Can you understand me?” she asked.
I nodded absently.
“I’m glad,” she offered a smile, “You can’t move because of atrophy, Lewis. That means your muscles haven’t been used in a while, and they forget what to do. That is ok, we can help you make them remember. Do you understand?”
I nodded & slept.