{"id":1013,"date":"2012-05-29T12:41:40","date_gmt":"2012-05-29T19:41:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ravenoustales.com\/?p=1013"},"modified":"2012-05-29T12:41:40","modified_gmt":"2012-05-29T19:41:40","slug":"season-6-episode-7","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/ravenoustales.com\/?p=1013","title":{"rendered":"Season 6, Episode 7"},"content":{"rendered":"

Spaghetti Dreams<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Willow gave her and quick hug. \u201cHave you heard anything else?\u201d<\/p>\n

Mia shook her head, her mouth set in a firm line. \u201cI\u2019ve called the hospital, but I thought I\u2019d wait until you got here to head over there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut\u2026she\u2019s\u2026she\u2019s\u2026.\u201d Willow gulped. \u201cShe\u2019s alive?\u201d<\/p>\n

Mia squeezed Willow’s hand gently, offering a small smile. \u201cYeah, she\u2019s alive.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Please don\u2019t let this be Robert all over again<\/em>, Willow thought to herself. It had been her silent prayer since Mia\u2019s phone call only half a day ago. Half a day. It felt like forever.<\/p>\n

The nurse ushered them into Ana\u2019s 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.
\nThe 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.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ll have to get some flowers<\/em>, Willow thought desperately. The thought of Ana waking up and seeing such a cheerless space upset her.<\/p>\n

If<\/em> Ana woke up.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\u201cCan you tell us what happened?\u201d Mia said, fighting back tears. She was resolved to remain stoic, given how hard she knew this would be for Willow.<\/p>\n

The doctor sighed; a heavy sigh reserved for the most serious medical conditions. \u201cShe was fished out of the water the other night by some locals. She was unconscious and not breathing, but she can\u2019t have been under that long as they managed to resuscitate her.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe was in the ocean?\u201d Willow said, confused. \u201cIn the middle of the night? Alone?\u201d<\/p>\n

The doctor nodded.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy on earth was she swimming in the middle of the night?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe had a large amount of ecstasy and alcohol in her system,\u201d the doctor said. \u201cShe 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\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

He didn\u2019t finish the sentence, but they had all been thinking it.<\/p>\n

What if she had done this on purpose?<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cSuffice to say she\u2019s very lucky to be alive,\u201d the doctor said after a few moments of silence.<\/p>\n

\u201cWill she wake up soon?\u201d asked Mia.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s hard to tell,\u201d he said. \u201cShe\u2019s experienced significant trauma to her entire body. It was touch and go for a while there, but it seems as though she\u2019s going to pull through.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s going to be OK?\u201d Willow said in a small voice.<\/p>\n

The doctor smiled for the first time. \u201cIt would seem so.\u201d<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat the fuck are all the hysterics for?\u201d The voice was croaky and faint.<\/p>\n

\u201cAna?\u201d Willow\u2019s mouth dropped open. \u201cAna!\u201d 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.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re squashing me,\u201d Ana said, her voice muffled.<\/p>\n

They peeled themselves off their friend, and dragged chairs to either side of Ana\u2019s bed.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere on earth am I?\u201d Ana said, looking around. \u201cWhy is this room so\u2026 depressing? And why am I so hungry?\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

The girls recounted the events that had led up to this point. They skimmed over some of the details, but they needn\u2019t have bothered. Ana\u2019s memories came flooding back.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh my god, I\u2019m such and idiot,\u201d Ana groaned, holding her face in her hands. \u201cI can\u2019t believe that I did that. What was I thinking?\u201d<\/p>\n

Willow shrugged. \u201cI don\u2019t know that you were.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ana shook her head, embarrassed. \u201cAnd Mia. Gorgeous, wonderful Mia. Can you forgive me for the horrible things that I said to you?\u201d<\/p>\n

Mia shrugged, grinning. \u201cForgotten.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ana squeezed her hand and smiled at her, mouthing I\u2019m sorry<\/em> once more.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow what about some food?\u201d Willow said. \u201cIf you could have anything in the whole world, what would it be?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ana pondered the question, a look of intense concentration on her face. \u201cI would have\u2026 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!\u201d<\/p>\n

The doctor – who was still standing in the room – looked up, a horrified expression on his face.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut maybe I\u2019ll settle for something a little less\u2026 solid for now?\u201d Ana said, grinning at him.<\/p>\n

He looked relieved. \u201cI\u2019ll see what I can arrange.\u201d He let himself out of the room, leaving the girls on their own.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh god,\u201d Ana said suddenly. \u201cI have to phone Johnny and tell him what an idiot I am.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sure he already knows,\u201d said Willow cheekily.<\/p>\n

The door to Ana\u2019s room opened quietly.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat on earth are you lot going to get up to next?\u201d a voice said.<\/p>\n

The girls swung around. Mia froze. Willow jumped up and ran to the door, wrapping her arms around the visitor. \u201cI\u2019m so glad you came.”<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course I was going to come. How is the patient?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ana smiled and waved from the bed, sheepishly. \u201cOn the mend.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mia managed to pull herself together enough to stand up, her shaking legs somehow managing to hold her body up.<\/p>\n

\u201cHello Johnny.\u201d Her voice sounded shaky, unsure.<\/p>\n

\u201cHello Mia.\u201d<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh Johnny, I\u2019m sorry. I\u2019m so sorry,\u201d Mia said.<\/p>\n

He held her face in her hands, looking deep into her eyes. \u201cWhat are you sorry for?\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019m the one who should apologise. I fucked up, Mia.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou were just trying to do the right thing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI was lying to everyone,\u201d he said. \u201cEspecially to myself.\u201d He wiped tears from her cheek. \u201cIt\u2019s you I love Mia. Always has been. Always will be.\u201d<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Johnny broke the embrace for only a second. \u201cI\u2019m never going to let you go,\u201d he whispered into Mia\u2019s ear. \u201cNever again.\u201d<\/p>\n

Then he kissed her again.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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. \u201cHave you heard anything else?\u201d Mia shook her head, her mouth set in a firm line. \u201cI\u2019ve called the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_s2mail":"yes"},"categories":[218],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/ravenoustales.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1013"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/ravenoustales.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/ravenoustales.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/ravenoustales.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/ravenoustales.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1013"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/ravenoustales.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1013\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1015,"href":"http:\/\/ravenoustales.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1013\/revisions\/1015"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/ravenoustales.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1013"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/ravenoustales.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1013"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/ravenoustales.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1013"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}