Spaghetti Dreams
Willow saw Mia through the crowd at the airport. She looked tired and – for the first time in her life – older than her thirty two years.
Willow gave her and quick hug. “Have you heard anything else?”
Mia shook her head, her mouth set in a firm line. “I’ve called the hospital, but I thought I’d wait until you got here to head over there.”
“But…she’s…she’s….” Willow gulped. “She’s alive?”
Mia squeezed Willow’s hand gently, offering a small smile. “Yeah, she’s alive.”
***
They followed the nurse down the corridor of the hospital, their shoes squeaking loudly on the floor. Neither of them could believe that they were on her way to an intensive care ward where someone they loved was lying unconscious, barely alive. For Willow especially, it was just a bit too deja vu.
Please don’t let this be Robert all over again, Willow thought to herself. It had been her silent prayer since Mia’s phone call only half a day ago. Half a day. It felt like forever.
The nurse ushered them into Ana’s room quietly. It smelled like disinfectant and stale air; not a happy combination. Mia and Willow clutched at each other as they saw Ana lying, motionless, in the bed. Her head rested on a narrow pillow, her face expressionless. She looked peaceful, calm, almost happy. Crisp white sheets were tucked up to her chest and her arms sat lightly outside the covers, a drip from her hand attached to a machine distributing a clear liquid into her arm. She looked thinner, the hint of a tan the only colour on her otherwise pallid skin.
The room was stark and impersonal. No get well soon cards or other such paraphernalia around the room. Nothing, in fact, that indicated the person there had anyone who loved and missed them.
I’ll have to get some flowers, Willow thought desperately. The thought of Ana waking up and seeing such a cheerless space upset her.
If Ana woke up.
A young doctor arrived, shaking their hands and muttering greetings. His pen had leaked in the pocket of his white jacket and a blue stain was just starting to spread.
“Can you tell us what happened?” Mia said, fighting back tears. She was resolved to remain stoic, given how hard she knew this would be for Willow.
The doctor sighed; a heavy sigh reserved for the most serious medical conditions. “She was fished out of the water the other night by some locals. She was unconscious and not breathing, but she can’t have been under that long as they managed to resuscitate her.”
“She was in the ocean?” Willow said, confused. “In the middle of the night? Alone?”
The doctor nodded.
“Why on earth was she swimming in the middle of the night?”
“She had a large amount of ecstasy and alcohol in her system,” the doctor said. “She might have wandered away from her friends at one of the nightclubs and wound up at the beach. Her clothes and bag were found further down the sand. She could have swum out and got caught in a current, or…”
He didn’t finish the sentence, but they had all been thinking it.
What if she had done this on purpose?
“Suffice to say she’s very lucky to be alive,” the doctor said after a few moments of silence.
“Will she wake up soon?” asked Mia.
“It’s hard to tell,” he said. “She’s experienced significant trauma to her entire body. It was touch and go for a while there, but it seems as though she’s going to pull through.”
“She’s going to be OK?” Willow said in a small voice.
The doctor smiled for the first time. “It would seem so.”
That was the last straw for both the girls who both broke down and started sobbing, hanging on to each other as tears of relief streamed down their cheeks.
“What the fuck are all the hysterics for?” The voice was croaky and faint.
“Ana?” Willow’s mouth dropped open. “Ana!” She rushed to the bed, throwing herself onto her friend. Mia followed suit, taking up the other side of the bed, folding herself on top of Ana and engulfing her in a huge hug.
“You’re squashing me,” Ana said, her voice muffled.
They peeled themselves off their friend, and dragged chairs to either side of Ana’s bed.
“Where on earth am I?” Ana said, looking around. “Why is this room so… depressing? And why am I so hungry?”
***
The girls recounted the events that had led up to this point. They skimmed over some of the details, but they needn’t have bothered. Ana’s memories came flooding back.
“Oh my god, I’m such and idiot,” Ana groaned, holding her face in her hands. “I can’t believe that I did that. What was I thinking?”
Willow shrugged. “I don’t know that you were.”
Ana shook her head, embarrassed. “And Mia. Gorgeous, wonderful Mia. Can you forgive me for the horrible things that I said to you?”
Mia shrugged, grinning. “Forgotten.”
Ana squeezed her hand and smiled at her, mouthing I’m sorry once more.
“Now what about some food?” Willow said. “If you could have anything in the whole world, what would it be?”
Ana pondered the question, a look of intense concentration on her face. “I would have… a huge bowl of fresh pasta, with your homemade tomato sauce, that delicious garlic bread you make with way too much butter, and a mountain of Parmesan cheese!”
The doctor – who was still standing in the room – looked up, a horrified expression on his face.
“But maybe I’ll settle for something a little less… solid for now?” Ana said, grinning at him.
He looked relieved. “I’ll see what I can arrange.” He let himself out of the room, leaving the girls on their own.
“Oh god,” Ana said suddenly. “I have to phone Johnny and tell him what an idiot I am.”
“I’m sure he already knows,” said Willow cheekily.
The door to Ana’s room opened quietly.
“What on earth are you lot going to get up to next?” a voice said.
The girls swung around. Mia froze. Willow jumped up and ran to the door, wrapping her arms around the visitor. “I’m so glad you came.”
“Of course I was going to come. How is the patient?”
Ana smiled and waved from the bed, sheepishly. “On the mend.”
Mia managed to pull herself together enough to stand up, her shaking legs somehow managing to hold her body up.
“Hello Johnny.” Her voice sounded shaky, unsure.
“Hello Mia.”
They stared at each other across the room for what felt like forever before Johnny rushed towards her and pulled her into a tight embrace. He held her trembling body close, stroking her hair as tears streamed down her face.
“Oh Johnny, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry,” Mia said.
He held her face in her hands, looking deep into her eyes. “What are you sorry for?” he said. “I’m the one who should apologise. I fucked up, Mia.”
“You were just trying to do the right thing.”
“I was lying to everyone,” he said. “Especially to myself.” He wiped tears from her cheek. “It’s you I love Mia. Always has been. Always will be.”
He leaned forward and pressed his soft lips onto hers. Mia melted into his strong, warm body, marveling once again at how right they felt. Willow and Ana let out a little cheer.
Johnny broke the embrace for only a second. “I’m never going to let you go,” he whispered into Mia’s ear. “Never again.”
Then he kissed her again.