Chapter 5: At Last

Crystal remembered being placed on a stretcher and carried to the ambulance. She remembered the siren of the ambulance, and the smiling face of a doctor. She also remembered the merciful bliss of drifting into unconsciousness. Everything else was a blur.

It took her a long time to wake up fully. She felt dizzy and nauseous and her eyelids seemed to be made of lead. At first her mind refused to build up a picture of what had happened.

Crystal stirred in her bed. The hospital smell was tickling her nose. She opened her eyes to see the white walls of her room. To her great surprise, her legs were also white. Placed in plaster casts, they were elevated in padded slings.

"No, no, no," she said, trying to deny what her eyes were seeing.

She could not believe that these were her own legs. Then she saw toes sticking out of the casts. Definitely her toes. She had painted them yesterday. Pulling up her hospital gown, she noticed that the casts encased her legs well above the knees. The plaster was hard and unyielding. She couldn't even budge a muscle. Only her toes responded as she tried to wiggle them. Quite stiffly though.

Crystal grunted angrily and pressed the button beside her bed. A minute later, a nurse appeared, with a well-worn smile pasted on her face.

"Could you please tell me what is going on here?"

"Well, what exactly are you interested in?" the nurse asked amiably.

"What have you done to my legs?"

"Your legs were immobilized with plaster casts. I think you have already noticed that."

"Why?" Crystal asked timidly, her eyes bulging slightly.

"Tarsal fractures."

"What!"

"Your ankles are broken."

Crystal gasped, her eyes popping out with fear.

"Don't worry dear, you will be fine in a couple of months," the nurse said and patted Crystal's shoulder.

"I won't be able to walk..." Crystal started, staring at her casted legs.

"I am afraid you are right."

"But..." she said with choked voice, and her eyes moistened.

"Your husband is here."

"Bobby! He already knows?"

The nurse nodded.

"Do I look bad?"

The nurse blinked and looked intently at Crystal.

"You look a bit ... tired."

"Does he worry about me?"

"I'll let him in."

Bobby blushed as he saw his wife. His eyes lingered on the casts, then fixed on Crystal's face.

"What happened, my dear?" he asked and moved closer.

"I tripped on something, Bobby, and fell down the stairs," she whimpered.

"My poor cutie!"

"My ankles are broken."

He lent down and hugged her. She buried her face into his chest and started to cry bitterly. Rocking her gently, he kissed her neck and sat on the bed.

"I am so scared, Bobby."

"You will be fine, sweetie."

"Take me home! I don't like being here."

"As soon as possible, I promise."

"Please, talk to them, Bobby!"

"But maybe..."

"Talk to them!"

"Ok," Bobby said reluctantly.

Bobby carried his wife over the threshold of their house. He carefully maneuvered his way to the bedroom, doing his best to avoid catching her casted legs on something. Crystal giggled nervously and snuggled against his chest.

"You have carried me like that before," she said.

Bobby smiled and pecked her cheek, then placed her on the bed.

"I have to prop my legs up. The doctor said that..."

He sat beside her and slid his hands under the casts. With an abrupt motion, he lifted her plastered legs and rested them on his shoulders.

"Aaah!" Crystal moaned, her eyes bulging with surprise, pain and barely contained anger.

His lips brushed against her toes, his hands rubbing the hard surface of the casts.

"Bobby, what are you doing? You are hurting me!"

He licked the base of her toes, not bothering to answer.

"Stop it!"

"What cute little tootsies! Trapped in plaster! And no fancy shoes anymore!"

"Please stop, you are scaring me."

"I don't like to be dictated to. Just look at you now! I have waited so long for this moment."