Chapter 4 Wig Shaking & Wounds (Lotus)

Lotus woke to a soft beeping and the sharp tang of disinfectant in her nose. The room reeked of bleach and metal, the air so sterile it stung. White sheets swallowed her slim, athletic body, and the hospital’s fluorescent glow turned them ghostly, a stark canvas against the deep mahogany of her skin. Once strong, her build looked fragile now, small beneath the weight of the machinery that breathed and pulsed around her.

Her ribs burned with every inhale, her skull felt split in two, and her leg throbbed in sync with the monitor. But none of that hurt like the invisible pressure clamped tight across her chest.

Grief.

Confusion.

Survival.

The first sound she truly registered was the machine  steady, mechanical, a borrowed tide. She lay stiff, as though her body wasn’t hers, her mind scrambling to catch up to her skin. Her wooly hair lay matted against her face, curls tangled and flattened into the pillow, a stubborn halo turned to knots. Her lips were cracked and dry, pressed tight, silent but strong.

Where am I?

How did I get here?

Why is no one here?

The question bloomed in her head like smoke, then dissolved into panic when she tried to sit up. Pain cut across her chest. She fell back, trembling. Her mouth was dry, her tongue heavy.

Her thoughts scrambled, clawing for sequence, for sense. Fragments came in stutters:

Headlights.

Glass shattering.

Her own scream swallowed by metal.

A flash of fire along her arm.

And then

A figure. A man. Standing in the chaos. His outline blurred by shock, his face swallowed by shadow. She couldn’t remember the features, but the weight of him lingered  as if he’d been important.

She closed her eyes, forcing memory, but the harder she tried, the faster it scattered. Who was he? Why can’t I see him?

Her chest tightened, not just from injury but from fear. Fear that her mind was slipping. Fear that the truth was hiding from her.

Her inner voice wavered between reason and dread:

You’re safe now.

No, you’re not.

This is a hospital, nothing can hurt you here.

Then why can’t you remember that person face?

Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes, though she couldn’t explain why. The machine’s beeping quickened, mirroring her pulse. She gripped the sheet as if it could tether her.

I need to remember. I have to.

But all she could summon was that faceless silhouette, watching her from the wreckage.

She had survived.

Lotus’s breath came sharp and uneven. What the hell is going on?

The door swung open and a Black nurse hurried in, her blue scrubs crisp, her hair pulled back into a neat ponytail with a little bush at the end. She moved with purpose, but her presence carried the ease of an old auntie who knew how to handle a storm. A soft, sweet perfume drifted in with her vanilla and flowers wrapping the room in unexpected comfort.

“Well, look at you,” she said with a warm smile, her voice soft and steady. “Finally woke up, huh?”

Her hands adjusted the machines with practiced care, the beeping steadying as if they respected her authority. “I know you’re a little confused, baby. You weren’t conscious when they brought you in, so first thing calm yourself.”

She gave Lotus a reassuring pat on the arm, the kind that said, you safe now. The faint scent of her perfume lingered, soothing like a hug. “My name’s Cathy, and I’ll be your nurse. You’re in good hands. You came in last night after a car accident. Took a while to reach your next of kin, but thank the Lord for social media helped us get ahold of your mama. She says she’s on her way right now.”

Cathy smoothed the blanket around Lotus, tucking her in like family would. “So hold tight, sugar. If you need anything, just press that button right there.” She pointed to the call button, her eyes kind, before giving one last smile.

Then, with the grace of someone who’d been doing this all her life, and the soft perfume still hanging in the air like reassurance, Cathy turned and slipped out of the room leaving peace and sweetness behind her.

Before she could even sit up, the door slammed open like the heavens had just been kicked in.