Bravura (Portentous Destiny Series Book 3) Read online

  A nurse? I’m in a hospital? I try to open my eyes again. This time I try extra hard and manage to open them just a bit. The light is bright, and I immediately shut them again.

  “Zoe? You still awake?” Cody asks. He grips my hand, and I squeeze it. I hear him speaking in Spanish. Cody speaks Spanish? Did I know that? I’m so confused. I feel like I’m in a fog and everything and everyone is just far enough away that I can’t quite make them out.

  “Zoe, squeeze my hand again.”

  I squeeze his hand. “Can you open your eyes, princess?”

  I try again to open my eyes. It takes all my energy, and eventually, I can make out blurry shapes, and then I see Cody’s face. He’s smiling, and he looks horrible like he hasn’t slept in days.

  “There you are,” he says, and I feel his hand caress my cheek. And with that, I fall back asleep. The next time I wake, I hear Lily. I open my eyes and see Cody, Rob, and Lily.

  “Zoe?” Lily gasps. She grips my hand and looks at me. I’m confused. “Zoe, it’s alright. You’re in the hospital. Your plane crashed, and you were transported back here to Bogota. You needed surgery, but you are going to be OK. Everyone is OK.”

  I try to speak. My throat is so raw. I mouth “water.” Cody runs from the room with Rob and is back after a few moments with a nurse, Rob, and my mom. I’m still so confused. Were Mom and Rob with me on the airplane? Then a doctor comes in and examines me. And finally, a nurse hands me water. I take a long sip of the cool liquid. It feels so amazing. I stare out at my family.

  “How are you all here?” I finally ask, my voice is but a whisper.

  Lily holds my hand again and tells me the whole story. I don’t remember the crash. I don’t remember anything. My mom starts crying and hugs me.

  “We were so scared, Zoe!” she says in between sobs. The nurse tells everyone that I need to rest and ushers them out, but not before I get hugs from each of them.

  Cody stays. I’m curious how he managed to pull that off when even my mother was kicked out, but my head hurts too much to ponder that for very long.

  “Here.” He puts a straw to my mouth, and I take a sip of cool water. It tastes awful, and I want more immediately despite the taste. “Easy. Take it slow.”

  After a few more sips, he pulls the straw away from me. “Better?” he asks.

  “Yes.” I manage to croak out the word. What the hell? I sound like a sixty-year-old chain smoker.

  Cody sees my fear, and he sets the water down and takes my hand in his, giving it a squeeze. “It’s alright.” He grips my hand. “What’s the last thing you remember?”

  I try to remember, but it hurts my head.

  “I…I…” I feel the tears start to well in my eyes making Cody blurry again.

  “Shhhh…It’s OK, princess,” he says as he leans in and kisses my forehead.

  I scrunch my face trying to remember anything, but I can’t. “Why don’t you rest for a while, OK?”

  I look around for the first time. I’m in a hospital room, well sort of. It’s more like a hospital curtain area. I’m hooked up to a heart monitor. That beeping noise now makes sense to me. I have an IV in my hand. I don’t feel any pain. I pull back the blanket, which takes some effort and see a cast on my leg. Yes, that’s right. The doctor said I had a broken leg. Lily translated for him. Then I start to feel myself. I feel the bandages on my abdomen and head.

  “What exactly happened to me?”

  “You hit your head pretty hard, likely on the seat in front of you, and they had to repair your spleen which was injured from the seat belt, but you’re going to be OK. Your leg is broken. It’s a clean break and should heal well. You suffered some soft tissue damage on your leg as well. Once you’re stabilized we will get you to Miami, alright? Your father’s meeting us in Miami. He’s setting up all of the hospital logistics from there.”

  I nod because I don’t know what else to do. Cody says something to a nurse, who I just noticed is standing next to me. She leaves the room.

  “I won’t leave you. I promise.”

  The next hour or so is a blur. The doctor comes in and examines me again. My mom comes in again and is crying and squeezing me. Even my brother, Rob, sheds a tear and gives me a hug. They let me rest for a while. It’s as I’m waking again that a memory pops into my head. A memory of holding Nick’s hand and then smoke and then Cody. I start crying as memories start flooding back into my head like a wave crashing on a beach. It’s overwhelming, and I tremble from the fear I felt in those final minutes before impact.

  “Hey, it’s alright,” Cody says when he sees my distress.

  “I remember…,” I sob as he climbs onto the bed and settles me on his lap. I snuggle against him and realize for the first time my abdomen is very sore. I wince.

  “What’s wrong?” Cody asks, his voice on high alert.

  “The incision.”

  “Should I get the nurse?” he asks. I shake my head. Cody gently lays me back down as though I was made of glass. “You want me to get everyone else?”

  I look at him confused. He pats my arm. “Hold on, I’ll get them.”

  Eventually, Lily, my aunt, Jack, Nick, and even Lance come in to say hello to me. Even Lily and Nick’s uncle is here. They don’t stay long as the nurse ushers them back out almost as soon as they arrive; however, it’s still good to see them and see that everyone is alright. Immediately after they leave, I fall asleep again. I feel narcoleptic.

  The next time I wake, Cody and I are alone, and it’s dark outside.

  “Hey there,” he says. His head rests on the railing of the bed and his hand is holding mine, his forefinger makes small circles on the back of my hand.

  “Hey,” I croak.

  “We’re going to spring you from this joint tomorrow, OK?”

  I nod. “When? How?” I realize I haven’t even gotten out of bed yet. Then I look around and realize I have a catheter.

  “Uh, Cody?”

  “Yes, darling,” he says, looking at me.

  “I’d like the nurse to remove my catheter. I want to try getting out of bed.”

  He nods. “Let me go talk to the doctor.”

  He leaves and comes back a few minutes later with the doctor and nurse. The doctor examines me for what feels like the millionth time. He checks my incision carefully and the nurse puts new bandages on it. Then he checks my vision and tests my reflexes. He nods to the nurse. She looks at Cody and then at me.

  “It’s OK, you can wait in the hallway,” I tell him. He nods and walks out of the room. The doctor removes my catheter, and the nurse helps me to the bathroom. I suddenly realize that there are two other patients in my room behind other curtains. They all look heavily medicated. One has a leg in traction and the other has a breathing tube.

  I can’t say peeing for the first time after a catheter is removed is pleasant, but at least it makes me feel sort of normal, other than the whole "nurse standing in the bathroom with me" issue. She helps me back to my bed and helps me pull off the heart monitor stickers. I still have a tube taped to me that comes out from my incision area. I know this is to help drain the area, and I wonder if I have to leave it in for the flight.

  Cody is back by my bed and helps me get settled.

  “Can you ask them when I can remove the drainage tube?”

  “Sure,” he says and asks the nurse in Spanish. She leaves and comes back with the doctor. He explains with Cody translating that they will remove it in the morning if everything looks alright. I nod. That’s about two or three days post-op, I think that is right. Jesus, my mind is fried.

  I lie back down, and the nurse puts on a new bag of fluids. She gives me a shot of painkiller in my IV and then tells me to sleep. I start to get drowsy from the pain meds and before long I fall back asleep.

  The next day I’m awoken by the doctor who points to my incision site. He’s trying to explain the removal procedure for the drainage tube. Cody wakes up from the chair he’s been sleeping in and I tell him to explain that
I am a nurse and understand. The doctor seems relieved to be dealing with another medical professional, and he quickly removes the tubes and re-bandages my abdomen. He explains that he wants me checked out one last time, and if everything looks good, then they will allow me to be discharged today for transport to a hospital in Miami.

  I feel disgusting since I haven’t showered in days, and I’m thanking God that I have blond hair otherwise my legs would look out of control right now. Cody doesn’t seem to notice. I ask him if he can bring me a wet paper towel, so I can clean myself up, and he obliges. He returns with handy wipes. Even better, I think to myself. He also has a toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, moisturizer, and lip balm. He helps me to the bathroom and by the time I finish, I start to feel like a human again. I’m sore and my various body parts ache, but I at least feel halfway clean. He gives me sweatpants and a sweatshirt that zips in the front and some sneakers that he has bought at the local mall. I put them on, shocked that the sweatpants are loose enough to fit over my casted leg. I receive one last checkup from the doctor before I sign papers and Cody helps me out to a waiting limo. Rob and my mom are waiting inside. They give me hugs, and we leave.

  “My passport?” I ask.

  “Don’t worry, everything is taken care of,” he explains as we drive past the normal check-in area of the airport and to a smaller area with private planes. I look at him and he shrugs.

  “My company has a private plane, and they have offered it to us. I figured it would be more comfortable for you,” he explains.

  I, of course, want to jump up and down like a giddy schoolgirl, but I refrain partially because that would be embarrassing and partially because I don’t think I can physically do it yet. Rob gives me a shit-eating grin when he sees the plane. I roll my eyes, so typical.

  Somehow, Cody has my belongings from the plane, including my passport. I eye him with curiosity.

  “The airline retrieved your belongings from the crash site yesterday, so I had them delivered here.”

  “Oh?”

  I see Rob and my mom exchange looks.

  “What?”

  “Are you OK with flying?” my mom asks.

  I hadn’t really thought about it. “Yes, I guess so. I hadn’t really thought about it.” I pause and look at them all. “Was the crash in the news?”

  They all nod in unison. “Yes, dear,” my mother finally verbalizes. “We were interviewed, but we’ve kept the press away from you. The crash site investigators want to interview you, but since your memory wasn’t great when you woke they said they would do it by phone when you are better. There was one other crash patient in ICU with you; however, they are still sedated.”

  I remember the man with the breathing tube in, and I nod my understanding.

  Once we are airborne, Cody escorts me to a bedroom in the back of the plane. I lie down on the bed. A woman comes over and asks to check my pulse, and I look at Cody, not understanding.

  “This is Greta. She’s a private nurse. I hired her to fly with us today.” I don’t answer him. I allow her to check my vitals. She brings me some juice, chicken broth, and toast. For the first time since I’ve been awake, I’m actually hungry. I eat all of it, and then fall asleep in Cody’s arms.

  I sleep like a baby, unaware of my surroundings and completely comfortable for the first time in days. When I wake up, I leave my head against Cody’s chest and listen to his breathing. He’s definitely asleep. He must be exhausted as well. I let him sleep, and I eventually fall back asleep too.

  The next time I wake, Cody is whispering in my ear that we are about to land, and we have to go back to our seats. He buckles me in and holds my hand until we land and taxi to a stopping place at Miami’s International Airport. A wheelchair is brought for me. My passport inspection is done by a TSA guy who greets us at the ambulance that is there to take me to the hospital. Weird. Once I’m checked into the hospital, I’m given a private suite that is quadruple the size of the shared ICU room I had in Bogota. My dad bursts through the door and pulls me into a hug.

  “Jesus, Z, I was so worried about you. How are you doing, honey?” he asks as he kisses my forehead.

  “I’ll live. Careful, Dad, my head hurts,” I grimace. Part of me is happy to see him and another part of me is hurt that he didn’t come to Colombia. I’m too overwhelmed and exhausted to really think about it, so I try to let these feelings go.

  “Oh, sorry, honey. Everything is set up here for you. Helena and I are staying at the Ritz, so just call if you need anything at all.” I glance around and see Helena in the hallway. I give her a weak smile.

  “I will, Dad, thanks,” I say.

  “Good to see you on your feet, Zoe,” Helena says from the hall and then comes in and gives me a quick hug. “I’ll let you and your dad catch up for a few minutes. Please call if you need us.”

  I nod to her and then see Helena and my dad look at Cody with questioning faces.

  “Uh, this is Cody,” I say to them, unsure of what to refer to Cody as, but then Cody steps forward and holds a hand out to my father.

  “Hello, I’m Cody, Zoe’s boyfriend. Nice to meet you both, although I wish it were under different circumstances,” he says. I think my eyes might pop out of their sockets when he says “boyfriend.” I see him glance at me out of the corner of his eye, and he gives my hand a small squeeze of reassurance. Well, we may need to address this more later, but I’ll let it slide for now.

  I see my father give Cody a once-over and then shakes his hand. The two of them chat business for about two minutes before my dad turns to me and asks if I’m feeling alright.

  I smile at him as this is the first time in a long time that I have seen him look truly concerned about me. I try not to read too much into it, but the little girl in my head can’t help but feel hopeful that my dad actually might care about me. My dad and I chat for a few more minutes and when he feels I’m settled he excuses himself to make phone calls, typical. I’m not extremely close to my dad and his wife, Helena. I saw them on certain holidays and two weeks every summer and that is about it. Even when Rob and I were there, they weren’t. Helena always had some charity function, and Dad was always working.

  Eventually, my mom and Rob excuse themselves also, so they can go to get settled in their hotel. Cody stays in my room.

  “So, what’s the story with your father?” he asks once we are alone.

  I shrug. “We aren’t close.”

  “I can tell,” he says. “But why?”

  I sigh. “After my parents…divorced, my dad moved to LA. His firm has offices in Philadelphia, New York, LA, here in Miami, and…Chicago. I think they even have a few international offices now, but I really don’t pay attention. Anyhow, my parents’ divorce was, well not…not…” I pause as my mind tries to find the right word. Why is it so hard to remember words? It’s as though I know the word, but I just can’t grasp it. I sigh in frustration.

  “Amicable?” Cody asks. I nod. He waits patiently for me to remember where I was in my story. Eventually, my brain continues as though in slow motion. It feels like an instant has passed, but I can tell from the frown on Cody’s face, that it is taking me too long to continue.

  I clear my throat. “My dad had…cheated on my mom with his law clerk, and then ended up marrying her, Helena,” I say, motioning toward the door where she had stood. Cody nods his understanding, and I continue. “They just don’t have a lot to do with us. My dad was never a hands-on father. I guess we just grew apart. I stopped visiting him when I went to college and also stopped accepting his money.”

  “You put yourself through college?”

  “Yes. I got a scholarship and then worked part-time and took out a few loans.”

  “Wow.”

  “It’s actually pretty typical. I just don’t want him meddling in my affairs. He’s done enough damage to my life,” I say with a sigh, suddenly feeling very tired.

  “You don’t want to mend old fences then?”

  “Hell no,” I
say emphatically. Cody smiles.

  “Well, that’s definitely a ‘no’ then. I’ll take that cue and drop it. Plus, I think you need to rest.”

  “Wise decision,” I murmur.

  I get a few minutes of rest before several doctors come and inspect me. They prescribe various medicines and order some tests to confirm things and then poke and prod at me for a while. I go get various imaging done. Then they remove my cast and put me in a walking cast which is way more comfortable and can be removed for showering. They remove the bandages from my head and my abdomen and allow a nurse to help me to shower. I wash my hair for the first time in nearly a week. It feels amazing. Then I’m back in hospital clothes, but at least I’m clean.

  Rob brings us all some amazing Cuban food from a local restaurant he knows. We chow down on food and wait for the doctors. At 5:00 p.m., two doctors come in and sit down to explain the extent of my injuries. The doctors in Bogota had contemplated removing a section of my skull, however, in the end, they did not. Fortunately, my brain didn’t swell and the doctors don’t see any permanent damage. They suggest some occupational therapy over the next two weeks. They say that my concussion is quite severe, and I may experience some memory issues including forgetting words or slow speech for the next few weeks or even months. They agreed that my spleen is healing well and that my leg should be fine in about four more weeks. I will need some physical therapy. They tell me that I need to stay for two more days for observation, and then they will release me, and I can do follow-up back in Philadelphia. My parents have already gotten the doctors in Bogota, Miami, and back home to speak with each other, and they have all my appointments set up before the end of the next day.

  It’s in the midst of all these doctors’ visiting me that Cody gets a call. I can tell right away something is very wrong.

  “What? Are you OK? Is Lily…yes, I understand. When? Jesus. OK. Yeah. Love you, bro,” Cody says and ends the call.

  “Cody?” I ask him hesitantly.

  He sits down on my bed and takes my hand in his.

  “Lily’s biological father came back and tried to abduct her again when they went to get her things at the orphanage. He was shot and killed. Lance and Lily are fine. Jesus, this just never fucking ends,” he laments as he runs his hand through his hair and looks at me.