The Priestess

by Amethyst Gray

  “Of course. The sooner, the better.”

  The relatively short journey from Miami International Airport to the hospital was filled with Mrs Garry telling Stan about all of Diana’s relatives – most of whom Stan had either never met or only extremely briefly at their wedding the year before. He was too fatigued after days in the hospital beside Diana or collapsed in his room to offer much in the way of conversation. His mother-in-law barely noticed.

  Once back at the hospital, she was scanned into the facility and given her visitor pass and combined room key.

  Nurse Alec ushered them both up to see Doctor Beak.

  As they entered, the doctor looked up and smiled.

  “Good news. We were able to take Dr Garry up to the CT scanner and get a full scan. I appreciate your reticence to use x-rays, but it is sometimes necessary. Our equipment emits approximately 1/20th of the dose of a similar machine from only five years ago.”

  She continued as Stan frowned slightly.

  “The results are incredibly positive. She has only superficial swelling on the surface of her brain. No signs of any internal or external bleeding. The prognosis is excellent. We can allow her to naturally awake from her coma if you are agreeable. “

  Stan thought about complaining about the unauthorized scan but thought better of it. What is done is done.

  “Yes, of course. When is she liable to wake up?”

  “By suspending sedation, she should be awake early tomorrow morning, all being well. “

  “That is fantastic news. Will she be lucid?”

  “We will see. That is the big question, of course. “

  Stan signed the required forms on the iPad, then was whisked out of the office.

  “I will be in touch. Diana should probably be left to rest while she is waking up. Go and have a good evening meal and sleep. Tomorrow will be a big day and could start early. I recommend the rooftop restaurant. There is a 50 per cent staff discount running tonight. I would certainly recommend the ribs and the T-bone steak as excellent. The weather is perfect at the moment, and you can get a view over to the Bahamas on an evening such as this.”

  “Thank you. That is a great idea. Karen, shall we?”

  “Yes, of course. I haven’t had a T-bone since the mad cow scare back in the 80s. I almost wonder what it tastes like? The aeroplane food was somewhat lacking. With the exchange rate as it is, I had to come economy. The seats were ghastly. “

  The pair took the elevator to the roof, then followed the signs to the restaurant. Stan showed his staff card, and to his surprise, they were given a fantastic table that had supposedly been reserved. The waiter winked at Stan as he took the reservation tag off of it.

  The view was glorious. A cloudless sky with very little mist revealed a wide vista over the harbour and towards the wider Caribbean. Seeing the Bahamas would be a tall order, though. Key West was just about visible in the distance.

  The waiter brought out an extensive menu, plus a bottle of red wine and two glasses ‘on the house’.

  A lot of kindness had been shown towards him ever since Diana’s accident. A lot of people were fans of hers and were very sorry about what had happened. The University and its hospital staff were aware of what had occurred. To make things worse, the jet ski riders had turned out to be Bahamian youngsters who were attending the University as sports delegates. They were great at American football but were academically weak - also renowned for their drinking and drug exploits. Some within the University had turned a blind eye to their antics and were now terrified that Diana or her relatives would be starting litigation against themselves.

  In practice, Diana had better things to do than spend years in court, as long as she recovered, of course. The students had been suspended and were currently on bail in the Bahamas without their passports.

  Stan had a real craving for some Cajun chicken or swordfish, so was relieved to see it on the menu. A slight tear formed in his eyes as he remembered the romantic candlelit meal, he had shared on honeymoon with Diana just a few months earlier, where he had last tasted the spicy dish. The Caribbean music, the mojito, the atmosphere and of course, her company. And next time will be the same he told himself.

  “Oh, beef Wellington. I have not had that since my wedding. How delightful. These Yanks think of everything. What are you having, uh, Stanislav?”

  “Call me Stan, Karen. I am going to have Cajun chicken salad with fries. That is, with narrow potato chips.”

  “Oh, I love the cultural and linguistic differences between the British and our American cousins. I was completely lost out here when I was here for a year with Diana’s father while on secondment to a dig in Utah. Thankfully it was before we had the girls. In fact, we might have stayed if I hadn’t fallen pregnant. Oh, those cosy nights in the desert!”

  Stan smiled awkwardly. His attention wandered back to the vista of the sea, the clouds drifting across the blue sky, disappearing far into the distance. An aircraft sped along against the direction of the wind. As he followed it, a slight movement caught his eye. It appeared to be a large pod of dolphins quite close into shore. Their majestic bodies were glistening in the failing evening sunlight as they jumped in and out while pursuing a shoal of fish. It was glorious, yet unusual here, almost like a special good luck salute to himself and Diana of course.

  The waiter came over to take the order. He asked after Diana’s condition. Stan gave a quick synopsis, then made the order. They were both going to have clams in white wine followed by Cajun chicken for him and beef Wellington for his mother in law.

  Stan was trying not to get too caught up in her tales about Diana’s sisters and their various boyfriends. Oddly, she never mentioned any of Tara’s girlfriends, but she must know about them. This woman was desperate for grandchildren. Hopefully, Diana would bring her the joy she craved if she regains consciousness.

  The waiter returned with their starters. The clams were sizzling in their shells, the white wine sauce bubbling up to lap at their sides. The side order of ciabatta would be well suited to mop up the pungently aromatic sauce.

  The clams were tender yet firm, popping out of their shells easily with the little fork supplied. Even Karen appeared to be enjoying them as she had fallen unusually quiet.

  As Stan enjoyed the silence, he imagined that Diana was here with them. A little voice spoke to him in his mind and said ‘Don’t worry my son, your beloved Diana will be back soon. She needed to listen to her inner truth and memories unhindered. Forgive us for the brutal means. You both should meditate more to attain Kenshō. Enlightenment. ‘

  “Another glass, dear boy?”

  Karen snapped him out of his daydream. Or was it a message from his spirit guide? He shook his head slightly.

  “Yes, please. It is lovely food. And the wine is not bad either. “

  He was surprised to see that his plate was now full of empty shells. He had no conscious memory of eating them all. Curious. The waiter smiled as he scooped up the plate and whisked it away.

  The Cajun chicken duly arrived, again sizzling on the plate, the fries coated in Cajun seasoning alongside the blackened chicken breast. French beans filled the remaining space. His dining companion now had a large pastry case on her plate, with dark gravy around it. Her vegetables were on a separate platter. Stan hoped that she had a good appetite. Certainly better than Diana’s generally was. That dish would last her for several days.

  Much to his amazement his mother-in-law not only polished off her beef Wellington but was flicking through the dessert menu too.

  “The sea air always gives me an appetite. I love a big fish and chips along the seafront back home. But I really fancy the waffles right now. How about you?”

  “I am good thanks. Just a cappuccino with nut milk will suit me. Not too much caffeine. “

  Karen waved at the waiter, who duly came over to take their order.

  Stan finished his Cajun dish but left some of the fries. It was bittersweet eating that dish without his sweet
heart with him. Soon, he thought. Soon.

  The coffee and waffles both went down smoothly. Stan was still amazed by the appetite of this relatively trim lady in her early 60s. How did she eat so much without getting enormous?

  The meal done, he paid up and gave the waiter a moderately generous tip. The man lightly squeezed his shoulder as a sign of solidarity. “Good luck tomorrow you guys.” His accent was more Brooklyn than Floridian. Obviously an interesting story there too.

  They left the rooftop just as the last ray of sun disappeared on the horizon. It was time to go back to their rooms and await the morning with its hopes and aspirations.

  “Good night" he heard himself say to Diana's mother as he went into his room on the left with hers on his right.

  XVIII - Morning

  Stan awoke with a start. A room phone was ringing near to him. He grabbed the handset to answer it. “Hello.”

  “Ah, Mr Havel. Your wife is starting to come out of the coma. You will probably want to come to her room now. Get dressed first. It will be a few minutes before she is out of it.”

  “Thank you. I will come very shortly. “

  He hurriedly washed and dressed in the clothes nearest to him, then left his room to head to Diana’s room on the ward.

  At her bedside Nurse Alec was there adjusting the tubes still attached to Diana’s arm and around her face.

  “Hello, Mr Havel. This is a precaution as all patients coming out of a coma are disorientated, and often they tug at the tubes or try and get up straight away. So standard protocol here is to make them less intrusive and to loosen them, so they don’t get ripped out. Diana is stirring. I saw her eyes flicker a short while ago. We should know soon.”

  In Diana’s head, a voice was saying “You must go back now. We have revealed all that you can know at this time. Find those of Cuba who saw the city far below. Give the information to the benefactor directly. Your director can not be fully trusted. He did the easy thing before. Go back now. Leave Messima in her story and return to the ones that love you, Diana. Goodbye.”

  Diana opened her eyes. The bright lights were a blur. Was she in the tunnel to heaven? The focus started to return—a person in green scrubs above her. Not an angel it seems. Another figure. A familiar person with a small beard. Stan!

  Diana let go a gasp. “Stan! What wonders I have seen. It was beautiful. Where am I?”

  Diana’s statement somewhat dumbfounded Stan. He wasn’t expecting it. He didn’t know what he had expected. Just not that.

  “My darling. I’m here. You are safe now, my love. You are in hospital. There was an accident. I thought I’d lost you. How are you feeling?”

  “Actually, I have a numb feeling at the top left of my head. Am I injured? My forehead seems a bit stiff like I’ve got a bandage on it. What happened? We were on the beach. We saw the sunset. I was swimming. It was getting dark. Then there was a loud noise. A sudden pain. Oh. Was I hit?”

  “Yes. Some jet skiers zoomed in on us. One hit you. A glancing blow. But you were unconscious and were brought here by helicopter to Miami. You looked a mess. I was so worried. “

  “Miami? And is that...Mummy?”

  Diana’s mother had joined them by this stage and was smiling down on her daughter.

  “Oh, darling. So glad to have you back with us. You had us so worried!” She stressed the ‘so' as she spoke.

  “What are you doing here? What have you done with Chow-Chow?”

  “She is with Aunty Nelly. You know how she hates commercial kennels. I explained the circumstances and Nelly offered. Chow-Chow did pine. You know these Tibetan Spaniels!”

  “It’s lovely to see you, Mummy. And my darling Stan. But I have had a fantastic dream. At least I think it was a dream. Can I have some paper, please? I want to make some notes and some drawings. “

  “You should be resting. Can’t it wait?” Stan looked at his wife with concern as he spoke.

  “I don’t think it will do. I am feeling OK. This drip thing should still let me write in a notebook or something. How long was I out for?”

  “Six and a half days. You were brought straight here. You are a lucky lady. We were able to act quickly.” Alec piped up as Stan hesitated and seemed genuinely confused by how long they had been there.

  “Well then, I am sure I can do a little doodling. I don’t feel tired, I can feel all of my limbs, and I know my birthday. 31st December. Will that be OK, uh, Doctor?” Diana turned her head a little to look at the nurse.

  “I am Staff Nurse Alec. The Doctor will be here shortly. But subject to her agreement, I do not see why not. I can find you a note pad and pens.”

  “Thank you, Nurse Alec. Can I ask, do I have stitches in my head?”

  “Yes. Just a minimal number amongst your hairline. They should all dissolve in good time. We shaved a small patch of hair, but it should not notice and will grow back.”

  “That explains a lot. But thank you.”

  Just then, Doctor Beak Arrived. She gave a brief smile, then checked the patient notes.

  “Ahh, Doctor Garry. You have had a remarkable escape. An inch either way and I doubt we would be speaking now. You may make some notes, as I heard your request. But no getting up and no solid food quite yet. You have been unconscious for some time, and your body needs to recover. Please take it easy and let us care for you.”

  “I will do so. I do feel thirsty. Could I have some tea, please? Or is water better?”

  “Water today. Then we will see. You English and your tea!” She chuckled.

  After a few more checks and a private chat between themselves, the medics both left the family together.

  Alec returned shortly after with a note pad and some pens. He handed them carefully to Diana, who started drawing and writing straight away.

  “No more than an hour please Diana. We don’t want you overexerting yourself at this stage. I will be back around that time. If you need me sooner or at any other time, please pull the cord.” With that, he left the room.

  “It really was beautiful, you know,” Diana remarked to the room in general.

  “I have heard that near-death experiences can be profound and sometimes beautiful. “

  Diana chuckled. “Atlantis, my dear husband. I was not travelling down a tunnel of light. I was shown a whole lifetime in the far distant past. Or otherwise, the dream was incredibly detailed. I am writing down key points so that I can write them up later. There are verifiable parts of my adventure. Oh, and we may need to travel to Cuba or track down some Cubans. They discovered part of Atlantis on the sea bed. It was reported but dismissed around the time. I have reason to believe it is real.”

  Stan and Karen looked at each other, somewhat dumbstruck again.

  “You had a major blow to the head. You can’t know these things for certain. It is more likely your imagination, surely." Said Stan.

  “Maybe, or maybe not. That’s why I want to check those verifiable facts. Perhaps you can search online for information on this Cuban deep-water scan of the sea bed that found something. Maybe buildings or a temple complex or an underwater pyramid. If you can find names, maybe we can meet them and find out more. But this is not for the Director. This quest is for our unnamed benefactor. Mr Dusk, I suspect. The Director may have been involved in a cover-up. Perhaps that information is online too?”

  “Oh darling, you should be resting, not working or worrying. You are so much like your father!”

  “Mummy. I am OK. Well, maybe not OK. But I am well enough for this. I have to write this down, then I can and will rest. I wish I could draw better. These line drawings don’t do the real thing justice. “

  Both Stan and Diana’s mother sighed in unison. They knew that a determined Diana was unstoppable.

  “I love you, Diana. You terrified me. You are back now. And as infuriating as ever!”

  “Always my darling. I love you for all time. And I promise to be infuriating too.”

  Stan chuckled and leant over to plant a kiss gently on
her cheek.

  XIX - Revelations

  Nurse Alec returned later on and smiled at Diana until she sighed and put her pad of paper down.

  “I know. I am stopping now. I will rest. I promise.” She ended with a little smile before moving her head slightly to look at Stan.

  “Here Stan. I need you to track down those Cubans who found something under the sea. I think it was back in the early 2000s? I feel it's very important. We may need to contact our benefactor as that would not be part of the dig’s remit.”

  “OK. I will get onto it now. But you must rest and not worry.”

  “I know my love. Don’t fret. I am not going anywhere. But I must say, now that I am not concentrating and the drugs have worn off a bit, I am getting an odd sensation in my tummy. It felt like a kick if that makes any sense?”

  Stan and Alec looked at each other. Alec smiled and said “Your call Dr Havel.”

  Stan looked at Diana and smiled at her slightly awkwardly. “This may seem a little odd, and the wrong way around, but you are pregnant. We are expecting a special delivery in the Summer.”

  Diana’s jaw opened as wide as it was able to with the wires around her.

  “OMG. That explains so much. About four months?” Stan nodded. “That explains the irregular periods and spotting I was getting. I am such a fool. How could I not realise? I have laughed at women who have gone to full term without knowing. And now I have gone and done it. It explains my weight gain, weird tastes on my tongue, and what I can now call cravings.”

  “Congratulations dear. May I let the family know when I update them on your progress?” Diana’s mother spoke after being uncharacteristically quiet for quite some time.

  “I guess so. Well, that’s something I hadn’t thought about if I’m honest—new territory for me. You will get to be a granny at last. Am I your best and favourite daughter ever?”

  “Not quite. You gave me an awful fright. You get fully well first, darling.”

  “OK, that’s a deal. I will let you share all of the news.”