Etta opened her eyes. She was no longer in the wood. She could feel that she was in bed and it was dark. She was safe. She closed her eyes again and fell back asleep.
Etta struggled to open her eyes. Her eyelids felt so heavy. It felt like ages before she managed it. She only had time to see that it was daytime, to look at the cracks in the white ceiling, and to realise that she was lying in a bed, safe and sound before sleep overtook her.
Etta woke up again and this time lasted for about half an hour before she went back to sleep. She could feel the tubes attached to her and the cable attached to her thumb. Gradually, she woke more frequently and for longer each time. Several times when she woke up, Luke was there, smiling at her and telling her ‘Etta? Etta! It’s ok. It’s ok. You’re awake. You’re safe.’ Although afterwards when she woke up and he was not there, she wondered if it had been a dream. But no, the dream had been Wilkington Manor and its inhabitants.
She was told during one of her waking periods that Jen was beginning to wake up occasionally as well A few days later, she found herself able to move her arms and legs at will, a little. This gradually improved until she could move her arms, legs and her head. Then she began to make noises, moans at first but they soon became mumbles and then finally, the great day arrived when she said, ‘Luke,’ clearly.
She looked up into his smiling face.
‘It’s ok, Etta. I’ll get the nurse.’
A few moments later, a nurse came over and looked down at her.
‘Welcome back, Etta,’ she said warmly.
It’s wonderful you can speak. Would you like some water?’
Etta tried to nod her head. The nurse brought her a tumbler with a built in thick plastic straw and helped her to take a few sips.
Etta heard Matt’s voice. ‘Etta’s talking?’
She managed to turn her head and saw Matt sitting at the side of the next bed. He leapt to his feet and came over.
‘Hello, Etta,’ he said, smiling.
Etta wanted to ask about her mother. She made a huge effort and asked, ‘Mum?’
‘Your mum isn’t awake properly yet. She’s been in a coma like you were.’
Etta turned her head to Luke.
‘Luke?’ she whispered. Her usual accent sounded strange to her now after the days of cut glass vowels.
‘It’s ok, you’ve been in an accident and you’re in hospital but you’re ok now,’ he reassured her.
‘Where’s Mum?’
‘She’s all right. She’s in the next bed. Look.’
Etta turned her head and saw Jen asleep in the bed with Matt returning to sit on a chair next to her. He sprang up when he saw her.
The nurse was talking to Etta as she checked her over, ‘how do you feel?’
Etta thought about it.
‘My head hurts and I feel exhausted.’
‘We can give you something for the pain. You’ve been in a major accident so it’s going to take time for your body to recover.’
A few days later, Etta asked, ‘so, did you play me Kings of Leon?’
‘How did you know that?’ Luke’s dark eyebrows shot skywards. He looked at the doctor.
‘Patients in a coma can sometimes hear what is being said or played around them,’ she confirmed.
‘Did you hear me playing them?’ Luke asked.
‘No, but I heard you saying you would,’ she lied.
‘Wow.’
‘How very interesting. I’d like to ask you some more questions about your experience while you were in the comas at a later time if you don’t mind.’
‘That’s fine,’ Etta said, thinking she could never tell the doctor the half of it.
‘I think it’s time you left, Matt and Luke,’ the nurse said firmly. ‘Jen and Etta need their rest.’
Jen began to wake up more often and for longer periods. She seemed to be about a week or two behind Etta in the rate of progress but they both slowly recovered until they were both able to talk normally again.
Matt brought in a book the next time he visited.
‘Look at this,’ he said to Jen, showing it to her. The cover showed a manor house in the distance with an old woman dressed in 1930’s style in the foreground. The title said in bold black letters, ‘Murder and Miss Mittens.’
‘Murder and Miss Mittens?’ echoed Jen.
‘Yes, it’s Winnifred Warlock’s first Miss Mittens novel. It was never published. They found it about a year ago. It was the big surprise at the seminar that you didn’t get to.’
‘What’s it’s about?’
‘Miss Mittens goes to stay at a manor house with an old friend who’s the great aunt of the family. While she’s there, a film star gets murdered and a necklace gets stolen so she investigates.’
Jen was silent for a minute, trying to take it all in.
‘Shall I read some of it to you?’ Matt offered.
Jen still found it hard to concentrate for long periods of time.
‘Could you read me the last chapter?’
‘The last chapter? Don’t you want me to start at the beginning?’
‘No, I want to hear the last chapter.’ Even to her own ears Jen sounded like a petulant child.