37. Samantha

                                    

                                          
When I opened my eyes, I realized I couldn't breathe again! Something was in my mouth then there were a whole lot of people around me and I started to panic. Who are all these people? Why are they in my room? Why doesn't this look like my room? Where's Uncle Brendon? Aunt Sarah? 
There were voices around me and someone trying to calm me down. Finally, they got whatever was in my mouth out and put a mask on my face. I could breathe again but I was so exhausted. 
Suddenly Dad was standing in front of me, looking at me, and crying but smiling. 
"Hi Dad," I tried to say. He moved the mask and asked me to repeat myself. So I did. Then Mom was at my side, so I tried to turn her way. She helped me move my head a little. It was exhausting. 
Mom said hi and I said hi back. Then she kissed me all over my face. It was weird. Nice, sure, but weird. 
I was exhausted, so I fell asleep again, despite trying to stay awake. 
I was late!  I was really late! Something happened and I was really late and Uncle Brendon was going to be so mad. I couldn't catch my breath. I opened my eyes but I didn't recognize where I was. The world was closing in on me. 
Suddenly Uncle Brendon had me in his arms and helped me catch my breath. I calmed down. 
I looked around. There were Christmas decorations all around the room. I saw a small pile of opened gifts on a table near my bed. Toys for Junie and Rosie I guessed. 
But it's October. Why is there Christmas stuff around my room. And where am I anyway? This isn't my room.
"Hey there," Dad said, sitting on the side of the bed and taking my hands in his. "You have no idea how happy I am to see your beautiful blue eyes, my sweet girl."
"What's with all this?" I asked, whispering. "What happened? Why are you all here?"
Dad looked at me and I couldn't quite tell what his expression was. 
"Sweetheart, you were in a car accident," he said. "Don't you remember?" 
I frowned in concentration and then shook my head. I don't remember any car crash. 
"You were on your way home from a party."
Dylan's party. I remembered Dylan's party. 
"Were we late? Is Uncle Brendon mad? I tried to make curfew. We left on time, early even."
"Uncle Brendon is not mad at you. You're fine. But sweetheart, you were in a very serious car accident. You've been in the hospital for two months."
"No," I said, my voice shaking and still weak. I frowned. "We left early. I should have gotten home at 11."
Mom picked Rosie up, and sat on my other side, Rosie in her lap. 
"Samantha, sweetheart, we have plenty of time to explain everything. Right now, you concentrate on getting well, okay? You've given us all the best Christmas gifts you could have ever given us. I think this beats even the day you started talking again on our first Christmas. But right now, you just rest, recuperate and recover. We're all here and we'll spend Christmas together, here, with you. But you've just woken up, and you need to rest some more. You've been through a lot more than you realize right now. I promise. We'll tell you everything and we'll explain what we can. But for today, can we please celebrate being together and that you're awake?"
I was still confused. 
"It's Christmas?" I asked. How is it Christmas. Two months can't have passed. It's October. It must be October still. I looked around more. Both Junie and Rosie were in Christmas dresses. Uncle Brendon had a Santa hat on and a Christmas sweater.