Karen blinked, raising her hand to the pain on the side of her head. Something pulled at the back of her hand. She opened her eyes to see she was in a hospital. She sighed when the vision of her husband came back clearer then before. She slowly sat up on the bed that squeaked beneath her.

"Hello, you were out for a few hours darling." A blonde nurse said skimming around the bed grabbing karen's hand. "Hang on dear, you will rip this out. We decided to put the drip in because you were so pail on arrival." The nurse explained putting clear tape over the needle stuck in Karen's hand.

"Keith?" Karen managed to get out, watching every move of the nurse. The nurse stopped and stared into Karen's eyes. It was as though she was confused. "My husband! He was lying on the kitchen floor, blood everywhere!" Karen screamed.

"Oh, sorry, I will be back in a minute. Here, lye down and I shall sent for the doctor." The nurse slipped her hand behind Karen's back and encouraged her to lye down and relax. That was the last thing she wanted to do. If it was not for the drip, she'd been up looking for Keith. The vivid memory bounced back into her haunted mind. She walked in for coffee then saw Keith lying spread out across the tiled floor with a blood puddle coming from his head. Had he been attacked or fallen? Karen cursed herself for going out to get pampered. She should have been home looking after him. He was older them her. They had been together for sixty years, met as children and fell in love after realizing no one else knew them more better then themselves. The boys! Karen suddenly thought and felt for the buzzer under the pillow. Her hand searched until she felt the small finger hole then slipped her index finger into it.

"Yes, Karen?" Another nurse poked her head around her door.

"I need a phone. I have to make a phone call." Karen demanded feeling her heart race in though of what to say to her sons. The nurse pressed a green button then punched in a code.

"It will be here shortly. Anything else?"

"Yes, my husband. where is he?"

"I don't know. I will ask some one. Was he visiting?"

"No! He was injured at home. The other nurse is getting the doctor." Karen explained feeling a bit more agitated when a stainless steal model arrived with a phone in it's claw.

"Phone for Karen. Two Dollars a call please." A recorded voice came from within the model.

"I don't have two dollars!" Karen finally burst.

"Phone call rejected." The recorded voice announced as the model reversed away.

"Look. I'm sure the doctor will arrive soon. Relax and wait." The nurse said in a sweet but stern voice then left Karen alone. Why was this happening? How long before she will know if her husband is alive or dead. Will she ever know?

© Colette R