What Did She Say?

Andrew

“Raven,” I gasped, crouched at her bedside. I rested my hand lightly on hers. “Raven, can you hear me?”

She clenched her closed eyes tighter and groaned. My heart fluttered wildly as I pressed the button to call for the nurse.

“She talked!” I nearly yelled the second the nurse appeared.

The woman’s eyes went wide. “She did?”

“Yes! I was reading to her, and she said it was boring!”

The nurse came to Raven’s bedside. “Honey, can you hear me?”

Raven’s eyes slowly fluttered open. Her eyebrows pinched together, and she blinked as she stared at the nurse. “Yeah,” she slowly said.

Her voice was gravelly and uncertain, but it was hers. Raven was awake.

“I’ll get Doctor Matthews,” the nurse said.

I could only nod. Tears filled my eyes, and I pressed my fist against my mouth.

Raven turned her face to me as the nurse left the room. “Dad.”

“Yeah.” I bent next to her bed. “It’s me. How are you feeling?”

“Crappy.”

I laughed, and it almost turned into a sob, but I swallowed that down. I neede