“Absolutely, I’d go tonight.”
I smiled. “Pack your bag.” I’d rather put the lottery money toward Sidney’s future than my medical bills. The bills would wait.
And I knew Duncan would understand.
December 27, Tuesday
I LEAN OVER SHONDRA TAYLOR’S BED, close to her ear.
“Shondra, my name is Marigold Kemp, and I’m your ward mate, code name Coma Girl. I’ve been in bed three in the vegetable patch for sixth months, and I’m going home soon. And you can, too. I know you’re in there. I know you can hear me. You have so many friends and family members visiting you, so many people rooting for you. You’re young and you’re strong. You can wake up, just like me. I want you to give you something to latch on to. Trust me on this—it works.”
I hang a new iPod on the bedrail near her head, and turn on the playlist of classical music.
December 28, Wednesday
I RIDE THE SCOOTER down the hall, looking for a specific room number. When I find it, I pull to a stop at the door and gently work my way inside.
Inside the room is dark. I buzz over and pull the curtains aside to let in some daylight. The patient in the bed rolls her face toward me.
“Time for our walk, Audrey. Are you coming?”
She nods and slowly swings her legs over the side of the bed. Once she stands, it takes her a few minutes to push her feet into house shoes and find a warm housecoat to put on over her pajamas. But by this time, she is looking forward to the walk.
“Where would you like to go today?” I ask. “The garden? The plaza? The cafeteria?”
She lengthens her stride to keep pace with my scooter. “Anywhere but home.”
“Okay, Audrey. We can do that.”
December 29, Thursday
“THANKS FOR SEEING US, Dr. Jarvis.”
“Always happy to see my number one patient,” Dr. Jarvis said with a wide smile. “What can I do for you?”
“We’re just trying to get out in front of the paperwork before Marigold is discharged New Year’s Eve,” Duncan said. “I don’t want to run into any snags—I’d like to get her home as soon as possible.”
Under the desk, his hand clasps my knee. I appreciate the comforting gesture.
“Smart,” Dr. Jarvis said, “since it’ll probably be a busy day. But there’s really not a lot to do. I’ll have the discharge papers ready to go by nine am, and bring them to you myself. I know the staff will want to say goodbye. Then we’ll put you in a wheelchair and take you down to the front and you can pick her up. Easy peasy.”
I wet my lips. “And when will we receive the final hospital bill? Should we be prepared to pay something on it before we leave?”
“I don’t know what you mean,” Dr. Jarvis said. “I have a letter here from accounting that says your hospital bill has been paid in full. In fact, there’s a credit balance.”
I feel my eyes boing open. “How’s that possible?”
“I’m not a CPA,” Dr. Jarvis said. “But it looks like it’s been covered by TMZ?”
“The celebrity website?” Duncan reached for the letter. “How can that be?”
The bottom falls out of my stomach. Did TMZ get their hands on my tell-all manuscript, and to appease their guilt before leaking it, sent a big, fat check to cover my medical bills?
“May I see the letter?” I can hear the tremor in my own voice. After all my family has been through in the past few months and for us to emerge stronger and better, I can’t bear the thought of all of the banked goodwill and love being torched by a thoughtless manuscript I wrote before I even knew what made my family tick.
But when I glance over the list of checks, I realize the first payment was deposited shortly after I arrived at the hospital, and checks regularly thereafter.
The sound of a camera phone shutter comes to me. The poet volunteer I had suspected of leaking photos to TMZ… had his conscience gotten the better of him and he’d decided to share the proceeds?
December 30, Friday
“COMA GIRL, I WAS BORN to do this job.”
I sat back in my chair. “I’m impressed, Roberta. You’ve grown the subscription numbers more than the company Sidney was working with.”
“That’s because I know you… and when I post entries, they’re personal, and they’re good.”
“Well, keep up the good work. At this rate we’re going to grow the foundation by leaps and bounds.”
“That’s the idea,” she sang. “Oh, by the way, this package came for you this morning, special delivery.”
“What is it?”
“I don’t know because it says right on the front it’s only supposed to be opened by the person it’s addressed to.”
I arch an eyebrow at her.
“Hey, I’m cleaning up my act.”
I’m still laughing when I open the package, but the contents tear a gasp from me.
My missing manuscript. And a book of poems by Emily Dickinson. On the manuscript is a sticky note.
Coma Girl… I wanted to keep this safe until you woke up… but then I couldn’t get close to you again. Have a happy life.
There was no signature.
My relief is complete.
“Roberta, do you have a lighter in your purse?”
“Girl, what color?”
I zoom my scooter to the bathroom and turn on the exhaust fan. Then I set each page on fire in the sink, and watch the hateful words I’d written burn and blow away.
December 31, Saturday
“GOODBYE… GOODBYE… GOODBYE!”
The staff on the floor send me away with tears and flowers and a sack of colorful head scarfs. I will miss Gina and Teddy the most. And Dr. Jarvis, of course.
But I’m going home.
While I sit in the lobby in a wheelchair waiting for Duncan to pull around and pick me up, I am so excited for my new life to begin, I am overwhelmed with gratitude, and brimming with love.
The coma took everything from me, and gave back to me tenfold. I am a lucky, lucky woman.
A sound captures my attention and I involuntarily smile. It’s the unmistakable silken voice of my poet volunteer. I turn in my wheelchair, eager to finally meet him…
Only to realize the sound is coming from a rather large television in the corner. On the screen, my poet volunteer is fit and handsome, dressed in business casual clothes, conducting an interview. I had wondered if he had a career in broadcasting.
But as I wheel closer, I realize he isn’t conducting the interview, he’s the person being interviewed.
Nearby stands a man who is watching the interview, rapt.
“Excuse me,” I said. “Can you tell me the name of the man being interviewed?”
The guy does a double-take. “Lady… are you kidding? That’s Keith Young, star receiver of the Atlanta Falcons. Dude is football royalty. Where have you been—in a coma?”
He walks away and I sit there in awe. Keith Young had been visiting me the entire time, leaking pictures of me to cover the cost of my medical bills—because he knew he was innocent and wouldn’t be charged? And he’d kept the damaging manuscript safe until I recovered. He didn’t have to get involved, had risked a lot by sneaking in and out of my hospital room.
Life is truly awesome, friend.
- The End -
A FREE Coma Girl Coloring Sheet!
Coloring is all the craze! Enthusiasts say it’s fun and even therapeutic—have you tried it yet? This is the sixth of 6 coloring sheets to celebrate the one bit of color in COMA GIRL’s limited world—the scarves Sidney brings to cover Marigold’s head bandages. This one is holiday themed. Print the FREE coloring sheet at ComaGirlColoring6 (if you can’t print from your ebook reader, type the URL behind this link into a web browser from any computer) then add your own interpretation with colored pencils, crayons, markers, etc.
And if you’re a social creature, take a picture of your masterpiece and post it to social media with the #ComaGirl hashtag!
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Stephanie on Twitter: @stephaniebond
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Enjoy!
A note from the author
Thank you so very much for taking the time to read my story COMA GIRL (part 6). I hope you’ve enjoyed Marigold’s story—I’ve certainly enjoyed writing it! The daily serial format has kept me on my toes, but I would definitely do it again.
If you’ve read my author note in previous novellas, you know this story is special to me because it’s a concept I’ve been carrying in my head since a grade school teacher of mine shared with me that years previously she had been in a coma after a car accident, and she had been aware of everything going on around her. While I suspect she didn’t have as many confessors visiting her as Marigold, I’d like to think she’d be pleased with the way the story turned out. And I’m pleased that after a false start with selling this concept 20 years ago, then having the contract cancelled, things worked out the way they were supposed to.
Reviews are so important to authors and our books—especially series. Reviews help me to attract new readers so I can keep producing more stories for you. Plus I really want to know if I’m keeping you entertained! If you enjoyed COMA GIRL, part 6, and feel inclined to leave an Amazon review, I would appreciate it very much.
And are you signed up to receive notices of my future book releases? If not, please click here to enter your email address. I promise not to flood you with emails and I will never share or sell your address. And you can unsubscribe at any time. But fyi, I do plan to write another serial for the second half of 2017 (tentatively called TEMP GIRL), so if you sign up for my email list, you’ll be notified.
Also, although I can’t count the times this book has been edited and proofed, I am human, so if you do spot a typo, please email me at [email protected] to let me know! Thanks again for your time and interest, and for telling your friends about my books. If you’d like to know more about some of my other books, please scroll ahead to the next section.
Happy reading!
Stephanie Bond
Other works by Stephanie Bond
If you like humorous romantic mysteries, check out KILL THE COMPETITION. In KILL THE COMPETITION, a group of carpooling women become involved in a murder at their office!
“With such an ominous title as KILL THE COMPETITION, readers probably expect plenty of suspense and tense drama. But Ms. Bond skillfully manages to infuse the serious business of murder with enough charm, romance, and humor to give the story a fun, light-hearted feeling.” —Romance Reviews Today
Starred review! “DO read this novel.” —Publishers Weekly
Click here to download a sample or to order KILL THE COMPETITION from Amazon!
*****
And you might enjoy GOT YOUR NUMBER. In GOT YOUR NUMBER, two women discover that you can run, but eventually your past will catch up with you!
“Bond fills her story with enough witty repartee, red herrings and romance to keep readers guessing.” —Publishers Weekly
“Author Stephanie Bond has hit the perfect combination of humor, intrigue, emotional baggage and romance. This book is a hoot.” —Romantic Times Book Reviews
Click here to download a sample or to order GOT YOUR NUMBER from Amazon!
*****
Have you ever thought about writing a novel? If so, this book is for you! In YOUR PERSONAL FICTION-WRITING COACH: 365 Days of Motivation & Tips to Write a Great Book!, Stephanie has assembled 20 years’ worth of writing advice in digestible bites that will ease you through the process of brainstorming, writing, and publishing a novel!
(No experience required, but a sense of humor helps.)
“5 STARS! Great insight and advice from an author who knows firsthand what it takes, and the ins and outs of writing a good book!” –Amazon customer
“5 STARS! The book offers an enlightening peek into a writer’s world.” –Amazon customer
Click here to download a sample or to order YOUR PERSONAL FICTION-WRITING COACH from Amazon!
About the Author
Stephanie Bond was seven years deep into a corporate career in computer programming and pursuing an MBA at night when an instructor remarked she had a flair for writing and suggested she submit material to academic journals. But Stephanie was more interested in writing fiction—more specifically, romance and mystery novels. After writing in her spare time for two years, she sold her first manuscript; after selling ten additional projects to two publishers, she left her corporate job to write fiction full-time. To-date, Stephanie has more than seventy published novels to her name, including the popular BODY MOVERS humorous mystery series. Her romantic comedy STOP THE WEDDING! is now a Hallmark Channel movie. For more information on all of Stephanie’s books, visit www.stephaniebond.com.
Copyright information
Without limiting the rights under copyright(s) reserved above and below, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior permission of the copyright owner.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
The scanning, uploading, and distributing of this book via the internet or via any other means without the permission of the copyright owner is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials that might damage your electronic devices or target you for criminal prosecution. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.
Copyright 2016 by Stephanie Bond, Inc.
Cover by Andrew Brown at clicktwicedesign.com
Coma Girl: Part 6 (Kindle Single) Page 6
