Page 70 of Skipping Stones
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Freida continued to help Linney go on frequent short walks, but cabin fever was setting in. She was glad when her new laptop arrived. After unpacking it and doing all the setup, she wasted no time. She ordered some loose pull-on pants, T-shirts, sweaters, slip-on shoes, and a nightgown and slippers that could arrive quickly and would be easy to put on. She couldn’t wait to get out of her hospital gown. The hospital was being quite accommodating in letting her have deliveries. She sent MJ a list of things to pick up from her flat including the quilt from her reading chair, with some face creams and makeup. She wanted to start covering the bruises on her face that were all now turning nasty shades of green and yellow.
Linney’s eyes lit up when MJ arrived. She held out her arms as MJ dropped her bags on the floor. She hadn’t even stopped at her hotel first.
“Can I hug you? I need to hug you.” She did her best not to react to the state of Linney’s injuries, but Linney saw it in her eyes.
Linney nodded. “But gently. My ribs!” She sucked in a breath as MJ squeezed her.
“Did I hurt you?” MJ sprang back. “I’m so sorry. I’m just glad to see you. What about here? Can I sit on the corner of your bed?”
“Sit down. Tell me everything new with you? I’m so tired of hospital talk,” she said, closing her eyes wearily.
MJ perched on the end of the bed. “I am so glad to see you. I’ll save my questions for tomorrow.” And with that, she was off on a monologue about London and the newsroom that didn’t stop until she saw Linney yawn.
She pulled the quilt from her bag and held it out. Linney reached for it gratefully. “A little bit of home. Thank you.” She stifled another yawn and with a kiss, MJ took her leave.
“Sleep well. I’ll be back tomorrow.”
MJ was better prepared the next morning, both mentally and with treats. She arrived with German pastries and steaming cups of coffee—far superior to the hospital food Linney had been eating. Linney had more energy, so they took a very slow stroll around the hospital floor. When they came back to her room, Linney’s package had arrived. MJ helped her dress, jokingly admonishing her for the plainness of the pull-on pants and T-shirts, but she understood they were required for the time being.
“When will they let you come home?” MJ asked tentatively after lunch.
“It’s complicated,” Linney admitted. “I think I’ll be sprung from the hospital in about a week. But I can’t travel. So I’ll go to a rehabilitation facility for a while. And then? Well, I guess I’ll come back to London to the newsroom. Mac will find me an editing job. I think my foreign assignment days are over.”
“I’m sorry.”
“It’s not your fault. It’s not anybody’s fault. I just hoped I’d have longer in the field.” She was still frustrated by that, and felt like being back in London would be a demotion. “But before anything else, I have to get back on my feet.” She blinked back tears.
“Another spin around the floor?” MJ asked, trying to change the subject. Linney swiped at her eyes, nodded her head, and slowly stood up. “Your forehead is looking better today,” MJ said.
“Yeah, I think the bruise will be gone soon. And the stitches are getting itchy. I hope they come out soon too. I guess it’s all signs of healing.”
They turned the corner, Linney shuffling a little less than she had yesterday. MJ glanced at her. “And are they sure about your vision?” Linney had told her the diagnosis, but her friend’s bright blue eyes looked exactly the same to her.
“It looks that way. I’ll have another specialist look at it when I get back to London, but it doesn’t seem likely. I’m still learning about what restrictions that will mean for me.” They walked in silence, and when they got back to her room, Linney winced as she bumped her shoulder on the doorframe. “I’ll be so glad to get rid of this walker.”
Together, they watched a movie on Linney’s laptop to pass the afternoon and MJ snuck out to get a takeout meal of bratwurst and sauerkraut. “And black forest cake for dessert!” she exclaimed. As they tucked in, MJ told Linney she had news. “Toronto called. They’re courting me for a position back in Canada to head up digital globally.”
“That’s amazing—congratulations! I’ll miss you, but we can catch up when I get home for the holidays.”
“Don’t get ahead of yourself. I’m considering it, but there are still things I want to do in London. I’m not sure this is the right time.”
After dinner, MJ and Linney made one last lap around the floor before MJ reluctantly said she had to go. “My flight is early tomorrow. The news never stops.”
“Even if I’m not the one reporting it,” Linney joked. “Go on. I’ll be fine. But you’d better let me know what you decide about Toronto!”
MJ leaned down to hug Linney—gently this time. “I will. Now you call if you need anything. I’m coming back when you’re settled at rehab. And I’ll freshen up your flat when they let you come home.”
“You are one of my favourite people,” Linney whispered in her ear. “Thank you so much for coming.”
With just her laptop to keep her company, Linney willed herself to heal. Little by little, she was starting to feel more like herself, but she was impatient. The bruises continued to fade, and when her stitches were removed, she could cover the last of them with makeup, but her ribs continued to bother her and walking was ridiculously tiring, she complained to Derek. She still needed a walker, but she was determined.
Finally the day came when Dr. Fischer came into her room wearing a big smile to give her the news.
“Today is the day, Ms. McDonnell,” he told her. “You are healing nicely. I can’t think of any reason to keep you here any longer.”
Linney thought that news would make her happy, and it did, but it also filled her with nervousness and she was on the edge of her seat all day. She called MJ who instantly started planning to visit again. She called Jake to tell him she was done with hospitals. And of course, she called Derek, excited to be one step closer to getting her life back.